Department of Inconvenient Truths
Indicium Parilis Facultas ne Necessarius Veritas

This goes hand in hand with observations I’ve become obsessed with – Americans are becoming more and more deeply rooted in vanity. We have the inability to grasp the concept that a choice we make isn’t necessarily the best choice, but we want to try and influence others that our choice is the best. For some folks, good isn’t good enough. Everything needs to be perfect. I have made it a hobby to watch the actions of others, especially those that are hell-bent on making sure their $25,000 car is as perfect as a hand-built exotic. There can be no small blemish on any consumable. Blemished items are discarded as unwanted trash. A slightly miscolored kernel of corn ruins the entire can of corn. A single run on a paint job is a travesty and demands refunding or major discounts. “I PAID HARD EARNED MONEY [spoiler alert: they did not work hard] AND THIS HAS A (almost imperceptible) 1MM SCRATCH (that can only be seen with a flashlight and a magnifying glass) – I WANT 50% OF MY MONEY BACK!”

If you care to participate in my new found hobby, try to open up your mind and allow yourself to escape the clutches of vanity – then, start paying attention to everyone around you, everyone you come into contact with. Start counting the number of people that obsess over the smallest detail. You will have more jaw dropping moments than you could have ever expected.

I began this journey as a classic car buff back in the 80s. I was brought into it by my father and later, by friends. I kept up with the trends, becoming one of the first to enjoy the hobby of detailing (true detailing, not the joke that the industry’s become) my cars and doing cosmetic work. Custom car stereos, custom paint, avoiding cheap accessories. What it’s turned into is finding pure and pristine barn units, with extreme low miles, spending 2x what the car as originally worth to “restore” it, or, begin building a $40k engine and doing swaps with modern drive trains to make the vehicle as powerful as absolutely possible – which in turn drives these cars to take prizes in the car shows, which drives away the weekenders working on a budget.

We have went from being a society where only the 1% elite rich could afford perfection to the majority DEMANDING perfection at every turn. Buying “sub par” because that’s what we could afford and living with it has turned into buying sub par and demanding that perfection exist. Seeking the most economical (cheapest) contractor’s bid on a project, only to DEMAND perfection in their work.

Here’s some life lesson’s I’ve learned. I’ll be adding to this list as I remember the more important lessons.

From the book/movie “1984”, when I first watched the movie back in high school (or maybe it was Jr. High?) – Never let them see your weakness(es). Winston let it be known that he was afraid of rats above all else, and that was used against him. To expand this, “…never let them know what you’re thinking.”

From Sun Tsu and various other situations and people, my core belief is to “Never get bent out of shape over anything you cannot control.” If I didn’t cause the problem, or if I cannot control the problem or outcome, there’s no reason to get torn up over it, there’s nothing I can do. To paraphrase, “….it is, what it is.”

Be kind, also be prepared to kill every mother fucker in the room.

Always have a knife. (or multi-tool). The premise of this lesson is from the Boy Scouts: Be Prepared!

Education and intelligence do not necessarily have a symbiotic relationship. One can be educated. One can be intelligent. One can be educated and intelligent. One can also be educated and dumb as a bag of hammers.

The best times of your lives are hardly ever noticed while they’re being experienced.

Organized religion is the world’s way of controlling the masses. Some of the most corrupt people I’ve known kneel at the foot of the cross on Sundays after partying like rock stars on Saturdays. You cannot have hate in your heart and be Christian. You cannot be greedy and profess to be a Christian either. “A rich man cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 19:16-24

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

If the political scope of the United States is the Grand Canyon, the two major political parties are but a creek bed apart.

Always have a backup (plan).

To become “elite” at a particular skill, profession, game, etc. means you’re in the 1% – which is 99% better than anyone else. The stars must align to make everything come together. It’s not just experience, intelligence, education, or skill. It’s also health, mental well-being, preparation, desire, stamina, drive/ambition and an unmatched willingness to bounce back and try again and again.

Help someone with their job or task, you will learn something.

Pay attention to your surroundings, never get tunnel vision.

Sometimes the solution to the problem will present itself with patience. Many times, the solution is simple, overthinking is the majority of many problems.

Many problems persist because of (or lack of) friction. Either add friction or subtract friction and the problem can be easily resolved.

Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lay down.

Take naps.

Be kind to animals. Dogs especially. Your dog thinks you are his/her entire world, treat them accordingly. Never take them for granted.

Karma is real.

After a lifetime of friendships, there’s maybe one, or if you’re lucky, two people in the entire world that you can count on when the chips are down, and it’s not necessarily someone that’s related to you or someone you’ve considered “your best friend”. Sometimes, it’s just an acquaintance. More times than not, there’s no one that you can count on to help hide the evidence. Keep that shit to yourself.

It’s impossible to use alcohol to wash away bad memories.

The war on drugs was a sham and complete failure.

Keeping up with the Jones’ will keep you in debt.

Treat the Janitor with the same respect as the CEO: Pick up a broom and get to work.

Here are the major reasons I get upset with what’s going on in the World:

1) People trampling on the Constitution of the United States of America.

1a) People assuming the U.S. should be the World’s Police Force. Fuck ’em, let them do their own dirty work!

2) Socialism (and neo communism), extreme liberals and the liberal elite, primarily George Soros.

3) Global Warming Hoax and how Al Gore (among others) have fleeced the World.

4) Mistreating animals.

5) Decline of volunteerism.

6) Intervention of the Federal Government into States’ Rights.

6a) Bigger Federal Government ≠ Better Government

7) Gun control.

8) Freedom of Speech.

9) The attempt to throw religion out of Government and in contrast, the attempt by “Christians” to state that the United States was founded in the “Christian Faith” when it was really founded on the beliefs of “Freedom of Religion” (non-specific).

I’ll add more as I think of them :-)

/CF

After 4 years of a democratically (read: left wing) controlled congress, the U.S. citizenry has spoken at the polls. No more overwhelming odds face our representatives in the House. Pelosi is soon to be history. Finally, one can look at the television screen without seeing that arrogant bitch spouting off her liberal diatribe.

While I am not completely satisfied, as we didn’t win back the Senate, this will be a HUGE help to all of us worried that the leftists bastards were driving this once Great Nation into doom and gloom. While some of you will look at this post as yet another conservative slanted post of mine, you would be incorrect. Those of you with liberal leanings tend to believe that anything that’s not “with you” is conservative are factually incorrect on many levels.

Why do so many Americans align themselves with the platform of the Tea Party? It’s because, most of us feel the same way the multitude of other Tea Partiers feel: We need to get back to the Constitution and retake America for America’s sake!

As Fire Chief, I was recently given an online form to fill out for Fire 20/20. It’s some type of ACORN-esque non-profit feel-good organization bent on aligning government agencies (fire departments) with multiculturalism in America. They wanted to know what we, the fire service, need in my particular area, to make it easier to serve “high risk” citizens. They want to know what language barriers we have and such.

I let them know, that the “african american” culture in our area was the same as the “white american” culture (we don’t have limits to classes around here, we’re all “Americans” and no one is considered sub-standard, if you don’t count the drug heads, which are mostly, if not 99.9% white) are all on an even keel. As for “foreign language speaking” members of our communities, I simply told Fire 20/20, teach the foreigners how to speak english, as that would be less problematic and less expensive than teaching first-responders how to speak a bunch of different languages or having interpreters available. In other words: Learn to speak english or GET THE FUCK OUT of my country.

I have much higher hopes for America now that the election is past. If the dems had maintained control of both houses of Congress, it’s hard to say where this country would head. Pre-election congress was doing everything in it’s power against the American citizen while masquerading as “for the people”. You cannot “tax and spend” your way out of a recession or depression. It’s impossible to increase the financial well-being of society by taxing the citizens. 100% IMPOSSIBLE. The government should never be there to stimulate the economy. The economy should always be controlled first by the demand of the citizens and secondly, by the supply of the providers. Anything else is snake-oil.

America has spoken. The majority rules.

In the last election (’08), I feel that many Americans were led down that dark and gloomy road by government snake-oil salesman. Never underestimate the intelligence of the average American. They’ll see through the sales tactics by the pseudo-leaders and figure out that the snake-oil tastes just like water, bland and sterile.

/CF

I just figured it was about time to upgrade the Matrix to a theme more compatible with the newer versions of WordPress. I know, it’s hard to believe that I’ve dropped the old Matrix theme, but I am a big fan of “burnt orange on black”. So, this is what we have for now.

/CF

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a7ab2K_0_80Y

‘…Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) — As many as one in five former Guantanamo Bay detainees are suspected of or confirmed to have engaged in terrorist activity after their release, U.S. officials said, citing the latest government statistics…’

— Here’s what to do: Execute the sons of bitches on the spot. Fuck interviewing them. Chop their mother-fucking-heads off, shove a pork chop in their mouths and let a pack of wild dogs eat their remains. Video tape it and send it to Al Jazeera. Fuck ’em. I am tired of hearing shit like the above.

/CF

all of you that read my anti-global-warming posts and stick your noses in the air and call me an idiot will finally see the truth. you’re being duped by the libbies in order to take down the big corporations and to look good in the spotlight while they’re spouting off at the mouth about a subject they’re wrong about.

if it happens in the next few years…. maybe it will, maybe it won’t…. but if it happens, if it’s shown that global warming isn’t occuring…. do you think you’ll get a retraction by al-diot gore or any of the hollybbies?

lol… no chance in hell.

/CF

….if someone would have bonked Al Gore in the head, perhaps we wouldn’t starve to death.

maybe we should go outside and start all of our cars and spray aerosol cans of hair spray all day long so the world will warm up enough to sustain food crops?

fuck al gore and his noble prize.

/CF

anyone that thinks the majority of todays youth won’t smoke pot is blowing smoke up their own arses. there’s nothing substantially wrong with what he did. it’s a “right of passage” that no one wants to own up to. you show me 10 kids that you know that will swear they’ve never smoked pot and i will show you 7 liars. which would you rather entrust with the confidence of your own kids? liars or someone that has smoked pot and admits it?

/CF