Back in the day – Installment 3: Photography

 
Actual photography goes way back more than 150 years ago, but this isn’t a history lesson. I only go back as far as what I can remember being in my lifetime. Most of these technological changes have been within the past 20 years or so though, which for me, only seems like a few years. 

At the present time, every few months there seems to be a new digital camera with more megapixels, sharper images, more filters and features. There was a day when digital cameras (at the consumer level) did not even exist and we did not have the benefit of sharing photos over our phones or the Internet. But we did share them. 

The conventional camera itself was fairly simple, with relatively few moving parts. For the sake of simplification, there were two main kinds of cameras. There was the type that, at minimum, had adjustments on it for exposure, ISO (or ASA), aperture and focus. These settings have carried over into modern cameras, but that’s where it ends. The other type of camera was a basic camera that only had had few, if any settings. It was analogous to popular “point-and-shoot” cameras now. 

The one thing that conventional cameras had in common was that they all used film. There were different types of film though. Most decent quality cameras used 35mm film. There were other cameras that used larger (and more expensive) rolls of film and their quality was unparalleled, even with many modern digital cameras. Film purists still cling to their film cameras and swear by them. Not me though. When I got my first digital camera – a 4 megapixel point-and-shoot camera, I used up the roll of film that was in my 35mm cameras and promptly sold them to the highest bidder on eBay… and never turned back. No regrets. 

Simpler (and cheaper) plastic cameras were called “Instamatic” and were relatively easy to use. The film came in cartridges. You would open the back door, pop in the cartridge and shoot. After every shot, you advanced the film by one frame with a lever. Whether the film came in rolls or cartridges, the standard frames were: 12, 24 and 36 – and sometimes 20. That’s all the pictures you could take before reloading. Each roll of film was anywhere between $2.00 and $4.00 for economy film. That was the actual, unadjusted cost in the early to mid-1970s. Film came in different “speeds” (ISO/ASA) and compositions as well as the choice between black-and-white or color. Initially, some people opted for black-and-white because it didn’t cost as much.

Besides the initial cost of the camera (which was comparable to a digital camera now) the cost of film wasn’t the only expense. If you were shooting indoors, you needed a flash… usually flashbulbs or flashcubes. I tried to explain this concept to my kids and they gave me funny looks. Try to understand this. A flashbulb is like a light bulb, but you can only use it one time, and then you throw it away… but not so quick, because it’s very hot when you pop it out of the socket. Flash cubes were ingenious though. Not only did they have a plastic covering that somewhat protected you from burns, but each flashcube contained four flashbulbs, instead of a single one. So you could take four pictures in rapid succession without having to change a bulb. You could shoot as fast as you could click the shutter and advance the frame. Later flash units (which are still in used today) had a xenon flash bulb that could be used an indefinite number of times, but it could take up to 30 seconds between flashes, and they used up batteries quite rapidly, which were also an expense.

Instamatic cameras were snapshot cameras. They were so popular, it seemed like everybody had one. They were so easy to use that anybody could take pictures. All you had to do was look through the little window (viewfinder) click the shutter button and that was it. Advance to the next frame and keep going. The quality was lousy, but nobody really cared that much either. You saved a memory and that was what was important. There were two sizes of instamatic films: 126 (larger negatives and square pictures) and 110 (small negatives, rectangle pictures). A lot of people opted for 110 cameras because it would easily fit into your pocket. There were other variations of film types and photo media such disk cameras and Polaroid cameras (instant cameras where the pictures came right out and developed by themselves), but those weren’t as popular.

The next expense was film processing – which could easily cost twice as much as you paid for the film. There were two ways that you usually had your film processed (well, three… but let me get through these first two before I make matters confusing). “Drugstore” processing was the first. At certain stores and camera shops, you slipped your film into an envelope, write your name, address and phone number and then checked the boxes: type of film, how many exposures (frames), type of processing, type of film, and number of prints for each exposure. Then you sealed up the envelope and dropped it into a slot and waited. Usually, processing took a week or two. Some places would process it in-store, but many of them would send it off to a processing plant to have the work done. You had to check back with the store to see if your pictures came back. Either the clerk would check for you or you might look through the drawer or bin that was alphabetized with your last name. Some stores might even call you on the phone to let you know it was ready to pick up. If your pictures were done, you could open the flap of the envelope and look through them to see which ones turned out. If there was something wrong with any of them (like under/overexposure, blurry, or blank) you weren’t required to pay for them because you could usually dispute those photos and leave them there. You didn’t pay for photos until after you picked them up. 

The next method of having your photos processed was with a mailer. This was convenient if you didn’t live close to a store that you could drop your pictures off. It was similar to the envelope at the store, but instead of dropping them in the slot, you put it in the mailbox and mailed it off. You had to calculate the costs yourself though and write out a check or buy money order include it with your order. Sometimes it took a month or more for photos to come back – and we were perfectly okay with this. It was pretty exciting to get those photos back in the mail though. 

So, how did we share photos? On the processing envelopes, there was an option for double prints or a specified amount that you write in. Each additional print was usually about 25-35 cents. Some places had bargain deals though for much cheaper. When you got your photos back, then you simply handed out the extra prints or sent them along with letters or cards to your friends or loved ones. We thoughtfully kept all our good pictures in photo albums and our friends and family kept the photos we sent to them either in an old shoe box or their own photo albums. These were treasured mementos. Should I even take a moment to introduce another method of sharing photos? The slide show? Haha! I think every family or social group had that one person who shot all their photos on slides and everybody who couldn’t find a good excuse to leave before the lights went out became an unwitting viewer of endless vacation slides.

Now I want to get back to the third option of photo processing that I mentioned earlier. For some people, photography was a hobby. No, not just taking pictures, but processing them as well. A photography enthusiast may spend many hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on darkroom equipment. My mom had a setup. She even had her own darkroom built out in the garage for this. You first needed to develop the film, which consisted of unrolling and loading the film into a special tank and filling it successively with several types of chemicals, then cranking a handle to agitate (for even distribution) for specified amounts of time. This is one of the reasons it was necessary to have a darkroom timer that looked a lot like a big clock. 

Then once the film was developed, you had what are called negatives that you had to cut into manageable sections and dry (hopefully after rinsing well enough so they didn’t have chemical or water spots). After the film had sufficiently dried, you could then make prints, using photo paper. That was done using what was called an enlarger. You basically made a picture of your picture – printing from negative film onto negative paper and since you have two negatives, it makes a positive. I’m not making this stuff up! Keep in mind that all of this was extremely time consuming and took place in darkness. It wasn’t completely dark though. You had just enough light from a dark red bulb. You had to develop the photo paper in a vat with similar chemicals that were used for the negatives. 

I’ve personally never developed my own film and never had any interest in doing so, but my mom did and I had friends who did this. You had to be a real die-hard photographer or perfectionist to appreciate developing your own photos.  It could also get pretty costly, especially if you didn’t know what you were doing and messed up on the processing. This was the stage that you could change the tint or do any retouching. It was a complicated process. I guess you could say it was old-school “Photoshop” that made tangible, permanent prints, so there was no “undo” function.

Keeping all this in mind, if you wanted to be a good photographer, it took lots of practice, and patience, while learning from your mistakes. Unless you had unlimited money to blow, you couldn’t just shoot a bunch of pictures, hope for the best and then not be disappointed. Each shot had to be planned, calculated and executed with care. If you thought somebody might have blinked when the bright flashbulb went off, you’d better take another picture because most likely they did blink and ruined the shot – and it would be two weeks or a month (or longer – especially if you kept film in your camera for months) before you even knew if they turned out.

Fast forward to present day. Almost everybody has a camera, either built-into their phone or as a dedicated “point-and-shoot” or DSLR or newer mirror-less. Everything is instant too. Click and then send to your friends and family or share on social media. You can make prints or photo books, but those are waning in popularity because almost nobody sits down and flips through photo albums anymore. 

Back in the day - Installment 2: Television

 

How far back should I go? Well, considering that this is a finite timeline (since the concept of consumer electronics does not go back further than a century), I will start at what I can remember from my childhood – about midway on that timeline. 

Our Black and White TV (in background) c. 1966

We had a black and white TV until a lightning strike hit our antenna in the mid 1970s and then my parents bought a 19” solid state, color TV. Turning on the TV was a conscious decision. If we wanted to know what was on TV, we consulted TV Guide, which had the projected programming – though it was sometimes wrong, and frustrating. We had one local TV station that we received quite well with the rabbit ear antenna that was on top of the TV. There were two stations in Vancouver B.C. (Canada) and two (well, maybe one and sometimes another… depending upon whether, or how viewers were positioned in the room) from Seattle. The reception from those distant stations was sketchy, at best. Sometimes, the images on screen were “ghosted” and at other times, they were garbled. Most of the time, we could at least get audio though. Suffice it to say, most of what we watched was our local station – KVOS (which doesn’t even exist anymore). If you didn’t like what was on TV, there was no changing the channel option. You either watched what was on or turned it off. It was that black and white TV in the wooden cabinet that we watched the live Apollo 11 moon landing and when President Nixon resigned. 

Our TV reception improved slightly when we upgraded from rabbit ears to a deluxe rooftop antenna that could rotate with a remote box with an orientation knob. One of the annoying frustrations was a neighbor who had an electric fence that would “zap” our picture every second. It was just one of the things we had to deal with.

In the vacuum tube generation, it was expected that users would service their own TVs and radios. If you didn’t know what you were doing (which applies to most people) you still gave it a try. You simply unplugged your TV (so you didn’t get electrocuted) and trying not to touch any of the wires that said “DANGER” on them, you carefully pulled out all of the glass vacuum tubes and packed them in a bag and brought them to the hardware store or even your local supermarket – most of which had a tube tester. You just followed the directions on which knobs to turn and what readings the meters and lights were supposed to be. If you found a tube that was faulty, you’d buy that tube and replace it, hoping it would solve the problem. If it didn’t solve the problem or if none of the tubes were faulty, THEN you called a repairman or brought it into the shop. It could take weeks… or months for you to get your TV back. It’s not that it really took that long to repair, but it just took that long for them to finally get to your TV – or they just held it that long to make it seem like the problem was more complex and involved than it really was. I used to work in an electronics repair shop and I can neither confirm nor deny that there were some hokey things that happened behind the scenes. 

In the age of solid-state electronics, nothing was considered “user” repairable – though many dads tried… and many dads either made matters worse or got shocked (or both) in the process. There were warning labels on the back of the TV to ensure that manufacturers were not held liable. The insides of the television set seemed more complicated and mysterious from that day forward – especially as more features were added and with the advent of color television. I remember one television set that was advertised on a TV commercial by Magnavox: “Works in a Drawer” where all the circuit boards were accessible by opening up a drawer, supposedly making it easier for repair personnel to do their job. I don’t think this concept caught on though because for the rest of us, who cares?

The fact of the matter still remained that there were only 13 channels on the dial. Well, technically not though. It started at 2 and went through 13, but between 13 and 2 was UHF. That was mysterious because with UHF, when you fine-tuned the UHF dial and there was just static/”snow” (at least in our location). It didn’t really matter though because there were only so many television stations in our local community.

Then everything changed. Cable television. This was both a good thing and not so good. For about ten bucks a month, we could get something like 30 premium channels in addition to local TV stations. For a few dollars more, we could get HBO and/or Showtime. This was the first time many of us had our innocence rocked by sneaking R-rated movies while our parents were shopping or on date night. The other thing that changed was that cable TV supplanted other relationships and activities. Where we used to ride bicycles, play ball games and work on tree forts with neighborhood kids, they were too busy watching their favorite shows. Backyard barbecues, gossiping over the fence and sense of community gave way to isolation and sedentary lifestyles. TV ruled almost every American household. Not too much afterward, came VCRs – with the war between Betamax and VHS, with VHS coming out the winner (not due to quality, but availability of movies on the platform). Everybody had a VCR and could buy or rent whatever they wanted. Then came DVDs and Blu-Ray… and now, streaming services.

Sadly, not much has changed since early Cable TV, except that there are seemingly unlimited channels now and with the addition of Smart TV and the Internet, we can watch anything and everything – quite literally. What HAS changed is that instead of a 19” tube-type TV with grainy picture, we now have flat screen, high definition TVs that can take up an entire wall, with booming 7.1 surround-sound. Every home can be a movie theater in this day of modern technology. Does anybody take their TV to the shop anymore? It’s virtually unheard of and I don’t know if there are any local shops that repair them. Mostly, by the time your warrantee expires, it’s time to upgrade to a new TV anyway and the old one gets thrown in the dumpster.

Back in the day - Installment 1: Mail Order

Probably as recent as about 20 years ago, when we had to order something (although most items you could find at a brick and mortar store before being decimated by big tech retailers), you could order from a printed catalog. Here is the process: 

1) You find what you wanted in the catalog and pull out the insert in the catalog with an envelope that you needed to fill out (it's usually toward the center or back of the catalog). 

2) Fill out the catalog number, the description and quantity and then you added up the subtotal.

3)There were a few states that required sales tax, so if you lived in one of those states, you calculated the sales tax and added that. 

4) Then, you chose the shipping method and added that to your subtotal. 

5) Once you have determined the total cost of the order, you have several payment options. Some companies (but not all) have the option to pay by credit card. Not everybody has a credit card and some people don't trust filling out their credit card information in unsecured mail. If you are daring enough to use a credit card, fill in the boxes (literally boxes) with your credit card number, expiration date and so forth. You then have to sign with your "John Hancock" (anyone who still knows what your "John Hancock is is certifiably old school). 

6) If you don't have a credit card (there weren't as many people 20+ years ago who had unsecured credit as there are now), you have to use an alternate method. Keep in mind there is no PayPal, or any other methods of online payment, since online shopping was still a new concept that many companies hadn't yet adopted. Go back a few more years and online anything didn't even exist... period. It was just standard practice to order through a catalog - and you used a check or money order. In this case, the choice determined how long it took for your order to be processed. A) If you used a personal check, the company had to wait for the check to clear, which my take up to a week or more. That meant that they had to contact the bank and ensure that you had enough money in your checking account for the purchase at the time to avoid an overdraft nightmare. B) The other option is to use a money order. You could go to your bank, the post office or Western Union (wherever that is - train depot, I guess?) and purchase a money order. The money order itself was a nominal fee (about 75 cents) in addition to the face value of the money order. This will speed up your order by a few days because they can process it upon receipt of your completed order (provided you did everything correctly - which, if not, they returned it to you).

7) Put your completed and signed order form, your check or money order in the envelope provided, write your return address on the envelope, put on a first class stamp and drop it in the mailbox. And wait... and wait... and wait...

8) If your order form was filled out correctly and you have sufficient funds in your account AND if the item you are ordering is in stock, they company processes the order. If there is a problem, they may send you a letter stating the problem. If there is a backorder, they may state that in a letter or you may call them with a toll-free 1-800 number and wait on hold for what seems like an eternity to inquire about your order. If there is something wrong with the order and it's your fault, they may just return your check and order form. If the item is out of stock indefinitely, they may offer a substitution - an option that may or may not be checked on the initial order form. Your order may take up to a month or more to be processed and sent. In those days, most orders were sent UPS or FedEx Ground, so you got there when it got there. There was no tracking number that was available for customers to track their orders. All this was perfectly normal and we rarely complained about it. I had one order that took several months... literally. I called several times to ask about the status and they acted like I was pestering them and I should "be patient and confident it would get there." That was 1997.

Fast forward to present day. 

1) Log on to Amazon, Wal-Mart, eBay or any number of online mass retailers. 

2) Click on what you want. 

3) Confirm your order. 

4) Package shows up at your doorstep a few days later... and hopefully you notice it's there before a "porch pirate" steals it.

The Oppressor's Greatest Fear

 One of the greatest fears of the alpha in a codependent relationship is for their partner to become independent and successful because their control over their partner is diminished. 

We tend to think of a codependent relationship as one between a narcissist/sociopath, and an over-accommodating or needy partner, but this form of toxicity extends beyond a personal relationship. A dysfunctional alliance can also be on a macro level - such as between an oligarchy and its citizenry; an employer and employees; landlord and tenants; or a corporatocracy and independent entrepreneurs or freelancers. 

Anytime the balance between the controller and the controlled tips in favor of their reciprocal dependent, they must take drastic measures to regain control and oppression. In a personal relationship, it may take the form of physical violence, threats, emotional abuse (which includes gaslighting), isolation and restricting essential resources. In instances where the underdog discovers that he or she can be independent or successful, it is almost always necessary to change the "rules" so that the alpha regains complete control and then it becomes even more difficult for the oppressed to prosper or escape subjugation. The scenario is almost identical where the relationship is on a macro level. 

Victims of oppression and abuse may not even recognize their role in a codependent relationship. It seems "normal" to them. Even when acknowledged, they may continue to rely on their oppressors and keep supporting or defending their empire because they feel "secure" in that relationship or don't feel like there are any other options. In many instances, there are no other options though. A healthy relationship (whether it is personal or on a macro level, as I've described) is a complementary partnership where every aspect is mutually beneficial and assets are shared - not where leftover crumbs are used as bargaining chips. 

Sometimes, all that is needed to level the playing field is for the truth to shine bright enough to penetrate the veil of illusion so that those who are oppressed can see a clear path for egress and to recognize their own potential - understanding that their own worth, their skills, their talents and their voice are every bit as valid as those of the elites and the powerful.

Our Society is Based Upon Illusions

 If you haven't figured this out by now, I'll just go ahead and be blunt. The society that we live in currently is based upon illusions. Those having the most control of those illusions (that millions and millions of common citizens buy into as if it were gospel) are the elites. In order to be included in that circle of elites, you have to possess one, two or all three of these attributes: celebrity status, wealth or power. Once a person is in that circle and plays by their rules; fame, fortune and power will continue to be handed to them on a silver platter... they are treated as deity in our world of illusion and their words have weight as if they were experts on every subject that falls from their lips or appears in print. If such a person turns away from the inner circle of the elites and... goes rogue, if you will, and chooses to follow a narrative that deviates even the slightest hints to shatter those illusions, they will be destroyed... thrown under the bus.

Our entire economy (from the money we print to the stock market) is based on an illusion of value. Learn the difference between stock (which has intrinsic value) and the stock market (which is smoke and mirrors, and its fluctuations are based merely upon perception and speculation. Money itself (whether printed or virtual) is merely an illusion of value and by itself is inherently worthless because it isn't based on any standard of value.

Politics is a game where we are led to believe that one candidate or elected official is virtuous and worthy of that calling (despite corruption, ineptitude or lack of qualifications), where the other candidate or party is portrayed as evil, inept and not worthy of the office - the common citizenry being played, divided against each other and focused so much on "their" candidate or party that everything and everyone of genuine importance in their lives is for naught.

The entertainment industry, which mingles with and heavily influences politics and the economy outside its realms, is purely illusion. Infamy is just as effective at boosting a career as fame from virtuous or heroic deeds, skills and talent. Celebrity status, in and of itself, is a commodity that shadows over true talent and skills and those who have gained that status capture the audience of millions... perhaps billions of stupefied viewers who tune into their mind-numbing performances, day-after-day, week after week. Little girls twerk seductively to raunchy lyrics of talentless chart-topping performers, while true talent by those who have spent a lifetime learning and refining their craft, gets buried... intentionally shut out of their deserved limelight because their act does not fit the current narrative that is forced upon us by industry execs. Films, shows and theatrical performances that don't pass the litmus test of Hollywood smut are shunned and blacklisted, while morally bankrupt hollowness is streamed into our homes - the consumers of such revere this as cultural refinement and worthy of committing to memory, only to be regurgitated in its various forms to be endeared by the masses of zombies who savor unoriginality.

Industry is all about consumerism and consumeristic lifestyles. Even those who feel they are being a part of a planet-saving revolution, with their endless virtue-signaling tweets, instagram posts and so-called "activism" play a major part of destroying our planet unawares, because they are led to believe by their handlers that they are the counterculture that will "rise up and change the world" while their very actions defy their narrative... and they are clueless to the damage they are doing (directly and indirectly) to undermine a safe and habitable environment. They only know enough (because they are indoctrinated by their institutions of learning and by "reliable" sources in the media) to alter their consumeristic habits toward those they are brainwashed to believe are better for the planet, but they don't know enough to understand the procurement, industrial processes and eventual disposal of the products they purchase and the lifestyles they choose that are purported to be "green" or "organic" or whatever buzzwords is used to lure them into the illusions that the new big tech magnates use for publicity.

Even the roots of our society: liberty, free speech, religious worship, individuality and independent thought are being infiltrated by purveyors of illusion and fantasy to the point where we are afraid to speak out about reality (in all its beauty... and even discomforting ugliness) so we don't even dare to speak about an elephant in the room for fear of shattering an illusion and causing offense to those who wish to continue to believe. We continue to go down the rabbit hole of illusion and fantasy instead of confronting and ultimately fixing the societal problems that we have. Thus, the wealthy will continue to get wealthier, the poor and independent will be relegated into obscurity and insignificance, the chasm of divisiveness will continue to widen further. Legitimate virtue will be overshadowed by disingenuous recognition, only being availed to those who make a diligent search for such treasures.

For everything that is based on illusion, be brave enough to use your God-given intellect to develop critical thinking skills to break free of your dependence upon those illusions. Blossom in your skills and talents, being the independent creator that God intended for you to be. Finally, never give up your dreams, passions and all that is in you that has still never emerged - never let fear or discouragement stifle your passions and creativity because you are never too old and it is never too late to be who you were meant to be to build your legacy.

Dirty Big Business Tactics and What You Can Do About It

 It really irks me how huge multi-billion-dollar empires (sometimes monopolistic) not only squash small businesses with their tactics, but how they resort to predatory marketing schemes. This does not help our economy and it is something we all should be concerned about to the point of going out of our way to help the "little" guy. 

One of the practices that is really obscene (and should be illegal) is throwing up frivolous lawsuits against anyone who dares to compete with them, knowing full-well that they don't have a case, but since the courts are obligated to hear them, just the legal fees alone could destroy the small-time entrepreneur unless they rely on investors with deep pockets. Monopolistic empires already have their lawyers in place and such lawsuits are small potatoes and lucrative to ensure that any competition is eliminated.

Predatory marketing tactics - these target the consumers. If this is where you are going to apply your (hashtag) Resist movement, you would do well to apply your activism by boycotting. It's kind of hard though, since their tactics are so pervasive and sometimes seemingly necessary in order to live in and function in the modern world. There are two methods that are commonly employed: 

1) Subscription-based services. Have you noticed that if you want to use software or to stream media content or even purchase anything online, large-tech companies have gone to subscription-based services? Rather than relying on quality of goods and services or clever advertising campaigns, everyone is expected to pay a monthly fee just to be connected to their platform. This is effective (for them) not only because they get their monthly subscription fee, but since consumers feel they HAVE to make their subscription worth paying for, they patronize the establishment through buying more of their tangible goods and downloads. This is one of the ways that we are being bled dry by big-tech, and many of us aren't even aware of how this slow leak in our finances is driving us toward poverty.

2) The second part of this how big-tech lures consumers into signing up for their subscriptions. They will offer you something for "free" - whether it's a free month of their subscription, free shipping or their basic, scaled-down subscription. I'm not going to mention any names, but you may figure it out. One big-tech company will offer free shipping for orders above a certain dollar amount. There isn't a catch, necessarily, but you have to pay attention to the fine print. One of the free shipping options is absolutely free. The other option (that looks a little more attractive) signs you up for their subscription - and then you're on the hook. Once you're subscribed, you have to be proactive to cancel your subscription or they'll keep charging you the monthly fee. They'll make it difficult to unsubscribe and may even keep charging you every month long after you've attempted to cancel. There are other methods they use that are really annoying and sometimes "get you" when you aren't paying attention. They pester you incessantly to sign up for their paid subscription or if you've already paid for something from them, they'll keep pestering you to "upgrade" to their newest version (because the "old" one is made obsolete). Sometimes, when you are trying to click out of their popup, you inadvertently go to their site where you automatically add their service to a shopping cart - one step away from purchasing their product. Programmed obsolescence is the marketing ploy behind most big-tech softwares and media products. You can't just buy something and enjoy using it perpetually anymore, because almost invariably, there's an expiration date. At an arbitrary point in time or whenever you upgrade your hardware or other software, it just quits working altogether. Your only choice is to either quit using the product or pay more money for something you already bought and paid for.

There are some takeaways from this lesson that I want to emphasize. First, if you really value your local economy and those in your circle who work hard to produce high-quality products and services, do them (and yourself) a favor by patronizing them. It may seem like you're paying a little more than what you could purchase from a big-box establishment or big-tech empire, but you are not just making a purchase for your own consumeristic needs, you are also making an investment in your community and helping your friend or neighbor keep their business alive, which will give them more options for even higher quality products and services in the future. Secondly, if you resist the big-tech predatory practices and make decisions that are outside those realms, you help to keep alive the prospect of other options - tangible products that you can keep and use in perpetuity without the anxiety of expiration. This also helps to cut down on waste that goes into the landfills. One more takeaway (that should be important to all of us as individuals) is that you save money, or in other words keep from having to add this to your monthly expenses. Most of use struggle with our finances and some people constantly gripe that wealthy billionaires are getting richer at the expense of the "little guy" - but keep paying monthly fees to these empires! Stop it! Or at least stop blaming them when you keep paying them out of your own pocket. You have more control about this than you think you do.

Critical Thinking Skills - Part 2: Question Absurdity

My brother told me about when either he or a coworker decided to play a prank at work. One of them took the soap dish that was at the sink in the break room and put it in the fridge, with a sticky note on it: “PLEASE RETURN WHEN FINISHED.” The soap dish stayed in the fridge for days, perhaps weeks. Nobody ever said anything though and they thought maybe nobody even knew where the soap was until one day they observed another coworker remove the soap from the fridge, washed with it and then carefully put it back. They ran out of the break room, out of earshot of the other coworker to bust up laughing. They observed from a distance and saw that this was not the only person who did this. This was an inadvertent experiment in human behavior/critical thinking skills and proved the gullibility of those who never question absurdity. Keep in mind that these were all educated people.

A military custom that is strictly observed is that while in uniform, personnel are required to wear a hat outdoors, but while indoors the hat is to be removed. I remember this extraordinarily well because while I was in basic training (just after we were issued our uniforms), I forgot to put my hat on when I went outside, so a Military Training Instructor posted me by the door and ordered me to tell every single person who came out the door to put their hat on. We follow those customs and courtesies without question. Some of them have valid reasons for existing as rules, while others do not – and are merely a matter of compliance. Many civilians even consider it improper to wear a hat indoors, and will even go so far as to scold others for noncompliance.

There are rules that we follow in our society that nobody ever seems to question. “That’s the way it has always been” and nobody is going to buck the system. For instance, nobody can give me a valid explanation as to why it’s “bad manners” to put your elbows on the table. There is an entire set of rules called “etiquette” that some people follow (especially those in older generations), believing that complying with those rules is “proper” behavior. Etiquette is defined as “a customary code of polite behavior in society” – many of these rules going back to ancient times. There are entire books written about “proper” behavior and there have even been classes and schools that taught children about how to behave “properly” in a public setting. These were more common in the Victorian Era, but surprisingly there are still some that exist (in some form or other) in present day.

Habits, regimens, customs… we tend to get so conditioned to how things are “supposed to be” that we never apply critical thinking skills, thus those behaviors persist for centuries and nobody ever wonders why, or even dares to do anything differently. Some of these customs have long been obsolete, but are still observed nonetheless. There are yet others that are introduced into our society that may have had a fleeting purpose, yet persist long past the time of usefulness. It’s like these people still driving around with “Reagan-Bush” election stickers on their bumpers.

We even continue with obsolete terms in our vernacular. Almost nobody “videotapes” or “films” a performance anymore. Our phones don’t “ring” either. We certainly don’t keep a light “burning” (unless you are using a fuel-powered lantern). At certain periods, these were “modern” terminology, but we’ve outlived them and we are stuck with them until somebody comes along and makes a change and it catches on.

My challenge is, as always, to be ever conscious about why we are doing things and what makes us continue in our habits and customs. Apply critical thinking skills to everything that we do and maybe even start a new trend… something different, but purposeful. We are creatures of habit, but not all of those habits are necessary and some of them no longer serve a valid purpose. We may even be following trends and behaviors that are harmful to ourselves and others without even realizing it. The way we make those realizations is by questioning… especially when it seems absurd. Change the world, but this is done by challenging the status quo and changing one little thing at a time. Who knows? One little thing you do differently may affect an entire generation or change the course of an entire culture for the better.

Phishing Scams PSA (including general online safety)

Periodic reminder to avoid phishing scams. Whenever you get a concerning email, message of popup, avoid reacting to it. Definitely don't click on anything in the message. Analyze it logically and rationally. If you get an unsolicited message or one telling you an account has been "hacked" or is "locked" most likely it is a phishing scam.

Here are some indicators and actions:

1) Is the message addressed to you personally? If it doesn't have your first name or username, it's pretty certain (but not always) that it is a mass-emailed message.

2) Bad grammar, awkward phrasing, misspelled words. It's very rare that a corporate generated email will be thrown together and not proofread. Now, I have seen occasional spelling and grammar errors on legitimate messages, but when the entire message is filled with them it's malicious.

3) Check the email header. Where is the email originating from? What page is the address or web link leading you? If it isn't where it says it's from, you'll know it's not legit. The header may look like a bunch of garbled nonsense and theres a bit of a learning curve to deciphering it, but once you figure it out, it'll be like reading a book.

4) Do you have an account with who the message is from? If not, it's fake. If you do, open a separate browser tab and manually log in (don't log in with the link on the message). Check your account to see if there is any unusual activity. Check the messages on your account page (if applicable) to verify any messages you get in your email inbox, texts or popups. If your account has been compromised, change your password and resolve the problems from the page you logged into.

5) Report any suspicious activity to your email provider and if it's serious enough, to law enforcement or the FBI. They already know about Nigerian 419 scams and typical phishing messages, so don't bother them with those. If you are being threatened, extorted or harassed, these are the messages they may want to know about though.

6) If you're suddenly getting a plethora of junk emails and phishing attempts, you might want to think back on who (an individual) or what website you may have done business with recently. Some "businesses" will not only rip you off, but also harvest your email address or phone number and sell the lists to other scammers and mass-advertisers. If that is the case, you may have to do some damage control. Hopefully you haven't compromised any personal information that could lead to identity theft.

7) Be careful at where you do business with in the first place. Some businesses can look convincing, but still rip you off and steal your personal information. If it looks sketchy or if something just doesn't add up, don't buy from them or sign up for anything. As an extra precaution, you may consider clearing your browser history and cookies, especially from that particular site. This is no guarantee that you haven't been infected with malware though.

8) Run a reputable antivirus/anti-malware app and keep it updated. The clue here is reputable. Several people have come to me with their computers in desperation after they've clicked on some popup that said their computer is infected and they need to scan or download their computer with their software. Reputable antivirus companies don't do this. If you get a popup from some app or site you didn't install on your computer (or that didn't come pre-installed), you can bet that it is malware posing as antivirus software.

9) Be judicious with who you give your email address and phone number to. You may be inclined to hand your business card out to everyone under the sun or shotgun your résumé all over the Internet. You may also sign up for contests and sweepstakes at trade shows and the like. Don't be surprised then that you'll get spammed, robo-called and pestered until you can't stand it anymore. You may also get unsolicited junk and calls from those you didn't sign up with. Play stupid games, get stupid prizes.

10) Be careful when using unsecured networks. You never know who is lurking at the coffeeshop, airport, hotel or even your school Wi-Fi. Opt out of storing your credit card numbers and personal information that could be compromised for identity theft on your computer. It may be a pain to have to re-enter that information every time, but it's just an added measure of security if you ever use unsecured networks.

11) Never let your kids or anyone else use your phone or computer when it's logged in under your name. That's just asking for trouble. You might not personally get into trouble using the Internet, but leave it to someone else to do it for you.

12) Avoid falling asleep while using your device or using your device when tired. I'm guilty of this myself. I don't know how many times I've accidentally clicked on something as I was drifting off to sleep and my fingers are not in control. There is so much garbage content on web pages that you can hardly miss it if your fingers are wandering.

There are other measures and indicators that I most likely didn't mention. Scammers are always one step ahead of the masses and they'll get their money from those who aren't careful. The bottom line is to be vigilant and don't react or panic, but use critical thinking skills when online (which includes your phone).

Political Extremism

It's easy to think of political ideology on a straight-line spectrum, but that's not necessarily correct. In terms of extremism, the further right or left you get, the closer you get to the "opposite" end - so it's more like a 360-degree arc.

This would explain why there is a lot of confusion when it comes to determining whether historical atrocities were committed by left or right wing extremists, because when a leadership has gone too far to one extreme or the other, there is little distinction as far as the means and the end result: authoritarianism, oppressive regimes, mass-bloodshed, warfare, starvation, collapsed economies, and so forth.

The interesting thing is that at one extreme you'll typically have a theocracy, while the other necessitates complete atheism - both of which constitute a strong-held belief system.

Most citizens (unless they admit to being radicals and are thus proud of the title) will never consider themselves as being extremists because of the ramifications on a reputation, once education brings us to the knowledge of how harmful extremism in either direction can be. No sane person wants to be associated with that. Even many of those who hold the most extreme views will convince themselves (and try to persuade others) that they are "left of center" or "right of center" or "moderate" but almost nobody will admit to being an extremist... because "those are crazy loners or leaders of cult-like groups who write manifestos with a plan of action."

Truthfully, though, the divisiveness that's been going on for some years now (but has recently ramped up exponentially), has thrust increasing numbers to one extreme or the other (or exposed their true character). A good indicator of self-awareness would be to ask one's self a few questions:

The first would be if you advocate any doctrines that compromise liberty, justice and equality explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution. Hint: There are many blatant violations (or attempts) against our constitution that are endorsed by so-called "social justice" groups or in the name of "political correctness" - even some that are proposed and a few that are even passed as laws.

Secondly, to what means are you willing to push an agenda? If it falls outside traditionally legal, democratic, constitutional methods, well - maybe it's extremism. In other words, espousing methods that use physical violence and/or property damage, coercion, extortion, bullying, harassment, intimidation, doxxing, character assassination, etc. are methods of extremists.

Third - if you can't accept that other peaceful, law-abiding citizens can have different opinions, beliefs or lifestyles that you disagree with, to the point where you desire to disrupt their peace, destroy their livelihoods and try to bring them into conformity to your own beliefs, it might not be your self-described opponents that are extreme - but you.

So what is the antithesis of extremism? What can we do to keep ourselves in check and avoid being pushed outside the boundaries of rationality? Well, I have one simple answer: Love unconditionally. Once we put stipulations on who we're going to love and under what stipulations, everything else starts to break down and we start to judge, categorize and make opponents out of our neighbors and fellow-citizens. Conversely, once we can develop unconditional love and compassion, for even those we disagree with (and even whom we may feel have done us wrong), we will not only develop an appreciation toward our fellow humans, but we may even start to develop an understanding why a person has an opinion or behaviors we don't necessarily agree with. This is the path to unity and harmony.

I'm going to include a bonus suggestion that can help ALL of us immensely: Gratitude. An attitude of gratitude, even for the most seemingly insignificant things, will dissolve a multitude of our ills right now. I could literally write a book on the ways it has changed my life and I've seen it change others, but for now I will leave it up to you to discover.

Ferris Bueller Sequel

For those wishing to have seen a sequel to "Ferris Bueller's Day off" - let me fill you in:

Cameron, Ferris' best friend, gets beaten half to death by his dad for destroying a beloved, irreplaceable classic car. Ferris ducks out, denying any involvement in the offense. He was "sick at home" the entire time.

Cameron's dad is in prison, not only for his crimes of abuse, but insurance fraud due to suspicious circumstances surrounding destruction of a costly collector vehicle. He loses his home to foreclosure because of legal expenses, home repairs and lack of income (due to being incarcerated). Cameron is forced to move in with his mom in her small apartment. Cameron is not only dealing with injuries sustained by abuse, but a drawn-out legal battle against Abe Frohman (The Sausage King of Chicago) due to a foolish prank at a high class restaurant that cost him a lucrative deal with a client that he was supposed to meet that day. Ferris would have opened up about his involvement in the prank, but Cameron didn’t want to drag his friend into it. “No use two people taking the heat for it.”

Jeanie follows the influence of her newfound crush, starts doing drugs and drops out of school. Her boyfriend lands in prison and she visits him as often as she can. She turns to petty crime and drug dealing to survive because her parents have kicked her out.

The principal Edward R. Rooney is doing prison time for abuse against children, breaking and entering and a plethora of other crimes and civil infractions. His secretary (Grace) opens up and tells everything in exchange for clemency - to avoid jail time for being a willing accessory.

Grace, the secretary steps up to become the principal, harassing juvenile delinquents like Ferris, but learning from and not making past mistakes of her predecessor.

Ferris marries Sloane, right out of high school. He works as a con-man, swindling and making shady deals - making millions. It is rumored that he took the thousands of dollars collected on his behalf (for him to get a new kidney) and used it as “seed money” to start a Ponzi scheme, but nobody can prove any wrongdoing or that any money was ever collected and subsequently disbursed. He spends a lot of time traveling for work, with different women in every city. Each one of them believes she is his only... special one. He and Sloane move around a lot to escape disgruntled clients - and the law. Sloane believes it's because he is taking a promotion ever time. Ferris' parents are proud of their successful son, but wonder where they went wrong with their wayward daughter.

The girl on the bus with the gummy bears graduated valedictorian, got a full ride scholarship to an Ivy League university, and is working on a graduate degree in organic chemistry. Rumor has it, she had something to do with taking down an abusive and corrupt faculty member.

The two valets still work at the same place, taking good care of the cars they are entrusted with... occasionally taking joyrides in exquisite sports cars.

The economics teacher is still teaching and still as boring as ever.

Hyponatremia

Only in recent years has this condition been brought to the forefront of the public's attention (mostly due to people dying from challenges, where the "contestant" drinks excessive water). This is a dangerous condition that affects endurance athletes, which can be deadly, but it is preventable.

We're always hearing the advice "Drink more water!" or "Stay hydrated!" from those on the sidelines. While it's true that dehydration is also dangerous, it is possible to drink too much water, which dilutes your electrolyte level - hence the name: hyponatremia, which means lack of sodium. In my research, I've discovered that this is a concerning condition with endurance athletes, especially those who exert for more than 3 or 4 hours. This could also affect those who have physically demanding occupations or any activity where a person is sweating a lot.

How is it prevented? When I was in military training, when a person was showing signs of dehydration, one of the first things the instructors wanted us to do was to eat MREs. This seems kind of bizarre. Wouldn't they just sit us down and have us drink more water? There are valid reasons though. MREs are loaded with salt... and since it's food, nutrients. You are then naturally going to want to drink water as well. If you're dehydrated, don't just drink water, eat food as well! However, this poses a problem for endurance athletes. When you eat a meal in the middle of training or competing, most people are going to get sick. At the very least, you'll have debilitating cramps. The best alternative is to consume an electrolyte drink, like Gatorade. Now, some people might disagree or have alternatives (mainly because such sports drinks have sugar in them) but it's important is that you replenish your electrolytes at that point than to worry about a few carbs that you're going to burn off anyway.

While it's recommended by experts that in place of straight water, that an electrolyte drink be used, it doesn't hurt to drink moderate amounts of water during endurance events. I always run with a hydration pack, but I NEVER overdo it. Sips, rather than gulps. I also bring some salty snacks with me like a bag of trail mix and some beef jerky. In some of my longer runs (especially when it was unexpectedly hotter out), I have stopped at a convenience store and bought a jug of gatorade. During the warmer months, I always keep a jug in the fridge at home because I exert a lot. I'm not trying to sell anything, just that this is my personal preference. I mean, you could grab your baby's Pedialyte and get your electrolytes that way. The important thing is that you replenish not only your fluids, but your electrolytes and nutrients as well.

Is muscle more attractive than fat?

I know this is kind of a weird (and likely controversial) question. It's like asking, "are eyes more attractive than hair?" Eyes are definitely attractive and some people are naturally born with stunning eyes. I'm not one of them, but several of my family members are blessed in this way... and it is passed down from my wife who has very beautiful eyes. Hair, on the other hand, is also attractive... if managed properly and in the right places. Now, I'm not a big fan of my naturally curly hair, but whenever I've had female hairdressers cut my hair, there always seems to be admiration... sometimes even envy. That hair on my back, not so attractive though.

Back to the muscle vs. fat - It's a similar concept. If managed properly and in the right places, fat can be attractive. There is a happy median of just the right amount (and this is a personal preference for individuals). I admire muscle too, to a certain extent. When a guy takes off his shirt and is totally ripped, I do admire that and I appreciate all the work that has gone into making it that way. I notice "runner's legs" too. Runners notice others who run and appreciate all the work that it took to get that way. When overdone though, I don't see the attractiveness in bodybuilders. Honestly, very few people find that attractive. But fat is important too, in all the right places that define a masculine or feminine body. Even the face needs a little fat to enhance beauty.

Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills can't be taught (or more accurately, programmed). They have to be developed. You may spend many years learning at a university, but never develop critical thinking skills. More and more, what I see is that educational institutions are not interested in students developing those skills, because they're difficult to measure against a rubric. Rather, there is a set, approved curriculum that is followed and the students' responses are measured against, and receive grades accordingly. You may graduate with honors - magna cum laude, even valedictorian or salutatorian and STILL not have developed that skill set. You will do well, as far as grading goes, as long as you follow the script. This is NOT the same as critical thinking skills. In fact, exercising those critical thinking skills is often contradictory to the established curriculum and sometimes even considered controversial... radical.

How do we develop those critical thinking skills then?

First, it's important to learn. Learn everything you can and from many different sources. Listen to even the most absurd perspectives without predetermined biases. That doesn't mean that you have to kowtow to every hypothesis that is presented to you. The next part is most important.

Secondly, you test those theories. Whether you take it into the lab or you break it down mathematically or using known laws. Those theories have to adhere to laws. Testing (and subsequently proving or disproving) theories takes a lot of effort. This is usually considered doctorate-level analysis, but it doesn't necessarily require doctorate-level education, or for you to be genius, for that matter. For example, if I am exposed to information stating that a particular chemical element is highly flammable, you bet I'm going to to try to replicate those results to prove/disprove that. There is a lot of misinformation or unintentionally inaccurate information floating around on the Internet. It tends to gain credence the more it is shared (or in some circles, what is called "peer reviewed"). Thousands of people claim to be "experts" on a subject without applying critical thinking skills. They are merely applying programmed responses that were taught them, according to established curriculum - and until a breakthrough is made (by someone who actually goes through the painstaking trouble of research and experimentation with tangible substances... using actual scientific methods), then the responses are only measured against status quo.

Third, it's important to be flexible... and humble enough to accept that you need further learning. It's impossible to know everything about every subject. And just because you invested your time to learn something a certain way or you spent money to pay an educator to teach you something, does not necessarily mean that it's completely factual. Sometimes, the professor or mentor teaches you on a very basic level. This is done either because the teacher may not know the subject any deeper or because the teacher cannot teach it on a basic level without leaving out pertinent facts (intentionally to avoid overwhelming the student). There are often a lot of holes in the curricula that need to be filled in later. It's impossible to teach anyone anything who already "knows" it. We have to be able to admit that maybe something we learned somewhere, even from a highly-educated professor at an accredited learning institution might be inadequate or just plain wrong. And that's ok. You learn the facts and move forward. We have to accept also that there may be more than one correct answer - maybe even appearing diametrically opposed. This is especially true in the creative arts.

Finally, never underestimate the power of your own mind. One of the first things I was "taught" in a university class was that there are no new ideas... that every idea had to come from somewhere else and that everything you submit as fact has to be cited with a credible source. This is wrong. Every human being with facilities to think has the capacity to create and to develop new ideas. Deep from within the mind can come ideas that never existed before. The simple fact that inventors come up with new products every day and writers come up with original materials attests to that. Each and every human is innately unique and we all experience life from a different perspective. We all have something we can contribute to society. When we relinquish our critical thinking in favor of scripted programming, we sell ourselves short of our potential and become just another cog in a machine that never varies in its operation.

Critical thinking develops over many years of practice in using one's mind. It's deeper than simply rote learning of facts and figures, but becoming an instrument of coming up with new facts and figures... innovating, creating, inventing and pioneering the way for others to follow, but also passing those critical skills onto posterity by encouraging children to come up with solutions to problems themselves.

My Superstitions About Selling Online

I'm a lousy salesman. I've always known this. I've found some success in online platforms because in those cases, I can let the product sell itself and I don't have to try to persuade someone to buy something from me. That being said, I'm a bit superstitious because of past experiences. Here are my superstitions:

1. Never package an item for shipment before it's actually sold. When I do this, almost invariably, something goes wrong. These are things that have actually happened when I had already packaged up the item: Buyer never pays. Buyer orders multiple items and wants combined shipping. Buyer wants to pick up in person.

2. Never pay money for an item with the intent of reselling it. I've lost a lot of money doing this. IF the item ever sells, it's usually at a loss.

3. Never count on an item selling. I just set myself up for disappointment if I do. Ironically, things that you'd think would never sell or things I got for free are the things buyers are looking for.

4. If I don't know whether the item works or not, it probably doesn't and if I don't put a disclaimer or sell "AS-IS" the buyer will discover that it indeed doesn't work and they'll want a refund.

5. If I don't overcharge for shipping, I will lose money. Every time. Just because I think the item is great and someone will want it, my opinion of it doesn't mean jack and the item will be sold at minimum bid, which will never cover for underpriced shipping.

6. Murphy's Law. Anything that could possibly go wrong, will. This is why I am so thorough in covering all my bases. If I miss something, it will definitely come back to bite me later. Guaranteed. If there's that one thing that I'm worried might happen, it does.

7. Damaged in shipment. If there's any doubt as to whether I've packed the item properly or not, I can be guaranteed that those who are handling the item will intentionally put my suspicions to the test... and confirm my worst fears. This is why I have to pack things so well that even if it's on any trip with Tom Hanks, it will make it safely to its destination.

Raising Children - The Apprentice Schooling the Mentor

I think as parents, we often feel inadequate because we aren't able to teach our children everything they need to know or what they want to learn. I look at my kids and I'm amazed at their capabilities. We've tried to teach them a few things, but then they took those things they learned on a basic level and and went WAY beyond what we taught them (or what we could have ever taught them). And that's ok. I do have a few skills and talents that none of my kids have been able to meet or exceed (yet) but if they do, I'm not so competitive that I won't praise them profusely and continue to support their efforts though.

I think, more than anything, what's important is that we help to stimulate their interests and curiosity and then provide fertile ground for them to grow. Give them space to play and work, the tools and materials to work with and the freedom to explore... also the freedom to fail and learn from their failures. But that's not all, encouragement, coaching and honest, constructive criticism is also necessary for proper development and follow-through on goals and intentions.

So-called "free-range" style of learning is nothing new. I have to give credit to my parents who provided us with opportunities for learning. We had the space, the time and the tools to do a lot that many of my peers wouldn't have even imagined and I think a lot of parents nowadays would cringe to know about those "dangerous" activities that children are involved in. I got my first power tools before I was even out of elementary school - and I learned how to properly use them. I had hammers and saws when I was beginning elementary school. I love that my parents were ok with me learning how to work with my hands and to explore and satisfy my curiosity with taking things apart to see how they were put together. I feel sorry for those who never had the opportunity to learn how to do practical things with their hands or to explore the world around them... and then they become adults with limited skills and fears of the unknown.

I may not be rich - as far as having lots of money - but I feel rich to have the blessings of knowledge and skills and a constant yearning to learn more. I am rich because I have children who are passionate about learning, exploring and building their skills and I can relate to them on matters that go deeper than games they've played or what they've seen on TV or what's current in pop culture. I mean, those are fun and all, but now when my kids are inviting ME along with them on their adventures and THEY are the ones who've developed their skills to where they're outdoing me and teaching me some things (the case of apprentice schooling the mentor), this makes me proud and I feel like maybe I've done something right as a parent.