J. Ojanpera

There is constant chatter and media alarm in the US concerning Iran. As usual, we are fed the information that is not only one-sided, but is mostly a smoke bomb hiding many of the fouls that we have commited against a country that is not very different from some of our "allies" in the region. Actually, the media has made a conscious decision to ignore the facts, and keep them distorted for propaganda reasons. Iran and the US have an ugly history and today, the history has turned to a selective dismantling of a potentially great nation. Iran, and the region it was born in began around 3,200 BCE. Iran reigns as one of the oldest, major continuous civilizations. America on the other hand was established around 1776. That means that a culture, effectively five thousand years older than ours has an edge, and is certainly more well defined. Even our European counterparts can't compete with that. Iranian culture, though battered and abused, remains intact, and that is much mor

I hear the word "god" nearly every day. It is used in many contexts, and by people of all kinds. I most often hear it used before "dammit", or between "for", and "sake". Depending on what your religious convictions are, or how you view the word in general, these can be highly offensive. When a word like god becomes part of the general vernacular, it has a tendency to lose it's efficacy, as well as the actual definition. I could go link happy at this point with definitions, but even Webster can't nail this down. Music is a good place to start if you are looking for a more human definition of god. Concrete Blonde comes to mind in their song "God Is A Bullet". The song is about a reject kid who becomes a cop and shoots someone out of fear, thus giving himself the power over life and death. The chorus ends with, "God is a bullet, have mercy on us everyone." In that instance, god is anyone , and it sheds light on how guns

There is obviously a bunch of talk about guns and the control of them. There are two sides to this issue; advocates for guns, and advocates for gun control. Gun control hasn't done much in the way of curtailing crime to date, and it seems like the frenzied purchasing of guns that has ensued of late is further evidence that demand will always be huge. The fear of losing a right that we already have is ridiculous at best, and paranoid at the worst. If you stop and think about what is going on in Washington, it should be apparent that nothing will really change in the near future. Nothing really changes in Washington with the exception of new taxes. The two-sided debate has become one-dimensional. The box that the politicians and lobbyists are in is full of old ideas for new problems. The NRA says that we should have armed gaurds at all of our schools. Columbine High School had armed gaurds. In a report from CNN, Senator Feinstein says the goal is to "dry up the supply of these

   Blogging is great for so many things. You can share your day-to-day experiences, vent your frustrations, teach people things, and so much more. Some people actually make money blogging. I am taking the approach of a writer who has tested the waters of blog reach, and readership, and hopefully you will be convinced that you can do it.    1. Find which blogger you want to use. There are too many to list, but a google search will surely turn something up. I use "blogger" which is connected to your gmail account, and is easily shared on twitter and google +. If you are a facebook user, ther are also many ways to share your writings. 2. Set your blog page up in a way that is appealing; especially to your target audience. There are a multitude of templates and design options to personalize to exaction. Once you have been blogging for a time, the layouts (and eventually the ads) can be taylored to your niche in the published world. Quickly rising statistics are the best part;

 I have been looking for something that I am sure is in this room. I lost it after the last pillaging by my three youngest girls. The object I seek is small but vital to my existence. It is a pair of socks for the girls to wear to school. One may think this is a trifle, but when they whirl through my room it becomes a tornado of separation. Hiding matching pairs of socks is nothing short of anxiety erecting madness. They throw each sock that has been taken off in opposite directions, making it impossible to keep up. I have tried to police the socks through instant siezure upon locating them. I quit giving the girls grief about it a few years ago because they cannot help it; they are children. Learning this became a life lesson as much as a great source for enlightenment on what can be controlled, and what is better left untouched. My success to failure rate is good in the favor of the kids, but somehow we pull it off every day even if it is at the last minute. So far the two little

   I have been outside. I lived out there for a long time, and sometimes it seemed like I occupied space that others lived in. The problem though, was that no matter how hard I tried to live outside, I wasn't really living. I thought I had at least a few qualities that would buy me a spot outside, but I was sick, and though people couldn't tell by looking at me I still had an invisible repellant that must have made my aura appear black. After so many years of being alone, I decided to find some kind of light. It no longer mattered how I found it, but my desperation drove me further inside, and ultimately into a darker place.    I needed to find a way to aquire my own light. I tried to live on the water so at least I would see the sunset every night before dark. The massive horizon was too much to behold, and the sun rises and sets over every landscape. It was time to find another, less open habitat. I needed to return home. My native soil was the only place I knew. It had been

    When I was a teenager, I had friends that successfully pulled off  "confidence schemes" at some local gas stations. They were pretty basic crimes, and were pulled off with ease. They simply walked in the store with a ten dollar bill, chatted with the clerk while he or she was ringing up the goods, and when the clerk gave the change back, the perp would insist that they gave the clerk a twenty dollar bill. It worked because of the distraction. The distraction could also be enhanced by friends doing suspicious things elsewhere in the store. The classic flimflam.    When we set out to defraud a person or organization, we must first gain their confidence. It is neccessary to do this in order to make the person feel like they are not only part of your cause, but also confident in themselves to the point of "joining in" with whatever scheme they are being lured into. It is a simple play on their honesty or compassion.    In walks the "con" man. The word &

   Today I was thinking about what it would take to motivate an adult to produce something, or add something to society; one who is otherwise not inclined to do so. I couldn't answer that question about someone else, so I asked myself, "What keeps you motivated?" No, I wasn't looking at myself in the mirror wishing my upper body would not succumb to gravity so easily when I asked this. I wanted to make sure I was in good condition in the self help department. It must be important because people are still writing books and they are still selling. Maybe it works, but who do you know that listens to or reads self help stuff? Other than Mitt; he looks stuffed full of charismatic smack/brainwashing techniques. Sorry dude.    Self help, and the industry that produces the tools for self help are hopelessly at odds. The essential part of self help is the abilty to ask relevant questions of ourselves, not from an outside source. You know, the regular questions; Is my reality

Anarchy: 1. A state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority.                   2. Absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a polititical ideal.    Every generation goes through a phase where anarchy seems like the only way to freedom. I drew plenty of anarchy symbols on my folders in ninth grade, and I felt like I could break free from an oppressive dad and his religion if only something would change; at any cost. I also drew peace signs on my folders. Eventually I realized that the two cannot go hand in hand; at least not in America. You would think that the dissolution of authority would grant us the ability to do as we please, but people are inherently selfish and communes never really work. I am not a fan of the police in my city, and the Chief is essentially a Communist, but there are some areas of town that even they cannot control. Their absence would be devastating. The accidental anarchists would handily high-jack our city t

   The tragedy never ends. The way you miss me and the way you don't gives me a strong enough impression to make it all too real. I walk away and I don't hear my name, it belongs to another. I can't hear the name, and I'm not sure you can either, but I know there is another. It could be that the connection is broken, it could be that I broke it. No matter the case, it is another's name.    I surrendered to your charm, and I got no return. All I asked was for you to look at me, nothing more. Now you say that you're lonely, but even that I cannot accept. I call you, I give you what I have. Now it is all lost in another's name.

   I'm pretty sure that if you have ever read anything I have written, you have gotten the impression that I think I know everything, and pretty much land on the side of perfect. I might give the impression that I know more than you, am qualified to give advice, and that I cannot be challenged on anything I write. Some of you may think my words are judgemental, cynical, maybe even angry. One guy that I do not know gave a scathing, dare I say 'vitriolic' review of a blog I wrote yesterday. If that guy is reading this, I have to say that if Wayne LaPierre opens his mouth on a national stage, I will write about it and yes, he makes me want to spit. He makes me want to call him names. Isn't that what we do in America? Don't we want to grill people that say ignorant things in front of the whole world? Thank you sir for your opinion. Hopefully you will begin writing two or three blogs a day without editing all day, and work on a novel in between. That would be a construct

   I plan to filibuster Thursday. I have to stop everything that looks like forward motion. This is something that I rarely use, as it can give the appearance of being stubborn simply because I believe differently, or just on principle alone. It really is better this way. This protest will affect my community in a big way, but they won't know it happened until the news breaks on Friday. I cannot be concerned with the community, because I don't agree with what each member is saying. Until they agree or offer an answer that I like, I will not yield.    So how does a person like me filibuster an entire day? I will duct tape my mailbox closed so I can't get any news; good or bad. The tv is already off, so I won't fall victim to lawyers and drug companies telling me how to make money to buy the drugs they make. They won't tell me what happened, or did not happen in DC. I will give the newspaper to my fire pit tonight. You have to build a fire with the best tinder possi

   Once again, Wayne has spoken out and failed in delivering his ridiculous criticism of the President. First off, like him or not, the inauguration of a US President is not only an American cornerstone, it is the expression of the voices that make it possible. While in a meeting of a group that thinks like he does, he complained about a few sentences that the president made in his inauguration speech. (the group was probably legitamate before he showed up) I am going to skip the particulars because it can be found on any news source.    The line from Obama was, "We cannot mistake absolutism for principle." This is true unless you are talking mathematics. Wayne decided this was offensive, and then he started messing up when he opened his mouth, "Absolutes do exist; it's the basis of all civilization." Well Wayne, we already know you are an ass with lips, so I will try to help you out. First of all, absolutism is as slippery as a river rock. The interpretation y

   I was taught growing up that it is better to learn a trade, or earn a degree in a mainstream line of work. It was good advice, and I adhered to it closely. After high school I worked for a year, then started college. At the time, I was hell bent on making it back to my home in Colorado. I had been fixated on that for almost five years by then. My homesickness got the better of me though, and I decided to leave school behind for the Rockies.    I made it back there for nine months (the plan was to stay for the Summer) with my new bride, and the trip had it's ups and downs, but as Autumn descended, my Southern wife insisted she was going home, with or without me. I went. I knew going into the trip that you should never try to take a Southern girl to a cold climate, and make her pretend to be happy. It just doesn't work.    When we came back -with child- I had to make a move toward a new career. I was fortunate enough to have a brother-in-law who was an ironworker, employed b

   Welcome to the war Mr. President. I know your tail feathers are still on full display after the party we threw for you, but you need to put the champagne away. I heard you say many things in your address, but so far the only people that actually pull off the stunts you spoke of did not do it under the flag of a nation like ours. The individuals that pull off revolution on a mass scale have to be both unified and bold. These people start with an idea, then organize and execute until their purpose is served. You might get away with censoring us, taxing us out of existence, or rounding up dissenters to fill your camps, but if you do, there will be swarms of true US citizens fighting against you.    I hope that the "gridlock" stays firmly rooted in your town. You will be strangled by those stubborn, one dimensional pricks in Congress for another four years. They hate you and your ideas. Policy is a thing of the past, and until your branch, and the others surpass gridlock and

   What a great day to be sworn in again. President Obama is having the honor of being sworn in as our 45th big boss, and despite the fantastical odds of having to do it twice, both times, it will be publicly official today. Congratulations Sir. No matter what has happened in your presidential past, the process and spectacle of being sworn in is still amazing. It is the end result of beating the pants off of the opposition, paying the right people, and having no real competition to get there. It is also a fading shadow of what could have remained a true Representative Republic. Let the circus begin!    Lack of commitment is not exclusive to DC, but with all eyes on the debates going on up there, it is rampant. There are no party lines. The aisle has been removed because of these "elected" drones. The division between parties has never been real, and none of them are honestly looking for the compromise that will inch the tri-cycle of their system forward. Every time their is

   I use the internet. I use Mediacom because it is faster than AT&T. The speeds they promise are not real, but who can really tell the difference between 15 and 50 mbps? The internet can be used for all sorts of things, some good, some not so much. The internet has provided us a way to know anything we care to know; almost. Online business has provided a way for couch potatoes to make millions. Most people use it to kill time or to insist that they can produce the perfect facebook status. Keep trying even though it will never happen. There are plenty of great quotes fused with photoshops, and those are sufficient.    While there are millions of eyes staring at their screens, idle and oblivious, there are others making sure you are able to maintain your lifestyle on the internet. There are also organizations, or ruling parties who are using your internet lifestyle for statistical purposes. They are allowed to use any of your information as they please, and as long as you be quiet

There must be a thousand stories to read this morning. All of the talk show hosts are lit on espressos and xanax, trying to achieve award winning emotion, without going too far. Journalism is a slippery slope these days, and if the balance tips slightly out of the acceptable range, it could mean the end of a career. The news becomes the news.    For every prominent journalist, there must be four more watching them, scrutinizing every word to find hints of racism, incorrect definition of history, a dirty look. The goal of course is to be the first to think up the perfect way to ignite a story to the most extreme level of virility, first. If they can ask the perfect question of their guest, make them angry enough to let his or her espresso/xanax combo get the better of them, and ignite what we all know is at the bottom of their heart, then the mud parade begins. The pecking order is now being fed. Webmasters and producers the world over can begin snipping video, extracting sounds, and

   I like your invisible nature. I don't really have that luxury because I lack both the concern and the left-brained grit to make myself impossible to track. I want you to know that there are many stripes falling in line with your message of exposure, with a very clear policy on forgiveness. The revolutionary potential is great, but most of us don't want to go down it's inevitable path of man-to-man combat. How do we circumvent that? Is there binary code that can render violence extinct? No; but there are those who understand the role being played outside of the wires.    I know you heard the call of the aware, and I would like to believe that your actions are a result of that passion. I heard the message of caution to all of the overzealous dupes who just want to cause trouble, or are simply the lifeless part of our societies looking for a party. Many individuals truly want to believe in a cause greater than their own imaginations, but aren't capable of imagining it.

   I had an opportunity to "try out" for a spot as a contributor for a Libertarian leaning news site. My partner found the ad through this group's facebook page. They were looking for twenty to thirty writers for their site. I was excited at first, because I generally lean toward "anti media", as is the name of this facebook page. I got a copy/paste in an email, from my wife's inbox that explained what they were looking for.    I am tempted to paste it here, but they might be legitamate, and I would hate to cause any speed bumps for what may be the next big thing. The requirements are what made me question if this was real or not. First, they wanted two essays written from a list of ten or so topics. No problem. The next semi red flag came in the form of timing. I got the message at 2:00 pm; they wanted two original pieces by that night or the next morning. Why the rush? Every time I rush a journalistic piece, I miss something, and wind up calling it trash.

   This morning on my way across town, I heard the mayor of Aurora, CO talking about the re-opening of the theater that was host to a mass shooting last Summer. Of course, he and many residents were happy to be opening the doors in the wake of this event. The mayor said, in the end of his statement that, "we will not let tragedy define us". I can relate to the socio-political value of his words, and I appreciate his 'move forward' attitude, as we all have a built-in need to forget the horrors of our personal and collective past. I also agree with the efforts to boost morale in his town.    There is a flaw in thinking that by cleaning up the blood, spackling the bullet holes, and making a more grand establishment out of a place like this, that the actual event will go away. The tragedy has already defined Aurora. Tragedy is a force of it's own, and it resides everywhere, crouched and ready to pounce. Tragedy is on the lips of the NRA. Tragedy sits on the scopes of

   It's starting to smell bad in here. The fan has a loose blade, and it wobbles too much to use. My heater is on the fritz and my gas is cut off until I can find a job. I might have to let the plasma center farm my blood; I can make $160 a month. Most of that money goes to my landlord, and the rest goes toward cat litter and food. I eat at least once a day, and so does my cat. I mostly eat from cans because I have a gas stove and no gas. I want to save up for a microwave.    I have to find a way to pay some on the power bill by Monday. I would ask my mom or maybe one of my sisters or uncles, but they don't really like me around very much. Money is a touchy subject with them because I have needed help more times than them. Back when I had a job as a form carpenter's apprentice, I had credit. I bought a few things with my credit, but after I lost my job everything else was lost. Now I have bad credit, and no one to help me while I am down. I tried for unemployment, but I te

   The great America; land of a handful of free, home of many dormant brave. At one time the term "melting pot" meant that everyone was welcome. Through the 20th Century, things began to change. The Europeans were being welcomed to our shores to start new lives. A bit later, the Japanese became a problem for our government, were stigmatized through propaganda, and subsequently confined in "camps" . Rings a bell, doesn't it? No matter; they were humiliated, but eventually they were freed. The end of WWll is too hard to imagine at this point, but you know what happened; another proud act of grossly disproportionate force.    Next, a group that currently represents around 13% of our population began to insist upon being melted with the white people. They were met by the klan, George Wallace, and who knows how many others. The people who resisted this movement have now gone down in history as assholes. This insistance for the freedom of equality finally caught on.

   I quit using notebooks for writing three years ago. I found that when I wrote large bodies of work on paper, if it wasn't crap, or if it was a book chapter, I always had to type it out on the computer. This is double work, and grossly inefficient. The only time I use paper now is when I have to write the kids a sick note for school or take notes for what I am already writing.    Today's news told me about how Mr. Lew lied multiple times about the budget deficit. No surprise there. There are threats of a fillibuster; albeit, Jeff Sessions of Alabama is making the noise. Even though I heard this story at 6:45 this morning (1/2 cup coffee consumed), I laughed. It was like saying, "This guy lied on national television, he can't hold such a high post in our government!" What? He lied? Jeff was right; we have to sit on our thumbs as a party, and instead of having rational discourse, we will fillibuster and see if he disappears. Has that ever happened? What if magic

The blessing and curse of the database. I have a database of people who need to be harrased. I also have one for people who need worse. Most of the information in government databases is inane, and most of us will never be bothered, unless you say something like; " Let's take the Pentagon by force ." Even that is lost by the time it gets out there to the three people that read my blog.    I'm going to canoe down the Rio Grande and cut holes in fences. I'm going to terrorize the dog pound until they stop the practice of the seven day euthanasia policy. I'm going to the county jail and bug them for the public records they are hiding. I'm going to get a big, dirty sock to gag our city council with. They are crooks and liars. I will write our Commie police chief a letter explaining how public record is not dictated by his boner for power. I will go ahead and tell the conservative media to piss off; you are all slanted at an obtuse angle that borders on chroni

   With all the war in the world, the political instability, and the thousands of people trying to get through to the millions by some means have been left with a choice. The choice is one that has to work. The choice lies in between peaceful protest and hostile take-over. Somewhere in the gray there is a way to move away from this horrible norm.    If we could educate not only our kids but others' kids as well, we might take one step away from the starting block. I know first-hand how difficult it is to motivate a teenager, but at the same time I see mine and the Mrs. ways merge with, and emerge from her simply by our example. She reads because we read. She sits in the quiet and thinks because we do. She also sent 11,000 texts, used 1gb of data last month, and I could never get a number of hours spent on fb. She does this because of the access she has, and because she makes really good grades. She listens to my boring political philosophy with a glint of real interest. The proble