Obviously I know nothing

I just read an article that said the Federal Reserve paid the federal government $75.4 billion for 2011. That is the second highest payment in history. 2010 was the biggest payment at $79.3 billion.

PAUSE

HUH?

I OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING ON HOW THE FINANCIAL PROGRAM WORKS

I thought the federal reserve was the federal government's financial wing. Then I read the definition on Wikipedia which I now share with you.

The Federal Reserve System (also known as the Federal Reserve, and informally as the Fed) is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, largely in response to a series of financial panics, particularly a severe panic in 1907.[2][3][4] Over time, the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve System have expanded and its structure has evolved.[3][5] Events such as the Great Depression were major factors leading to changes in the system.[6]
The Congress established three key objectives for monetary policy—maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates—in the Federal Reserve Act.[7] The first two objectives are sometimes referred to as the Federal Reserve's dual mandate.[8] Its duties have expanded over the years and today, according to official Federal Reserve documentation, include conducting the nation's monetary policy, supervising and regulating banking institutions, maintaining the stability of the financial system and providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions.[9] The Fed also conducts research into the economy and releases numerous publications, such as the Beige Book.
The Federal Reserve System's structure is composed of the presidentially appointed Board of Governors (or Federal Reserve Board), the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the nation, numerous privately owned U.S. member banks and various advisory councils.[10][11][12] The FOMC is the committee responsible for setting monetary policy and consists of all seven members of the Board of Governors and the twelve regional bank presidents, though only five bank presidents vote at any given time. The Federal Reserve System has both private and public components, and was designed to serve the interests of both the general public and private bankers. The result is a structure that is considered unique among central banks. It is also unusual in that an entity outside of the central bank, namely the United States Department of the Treasury, creates the currency used.[13]
According to the Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve is independent within government in that "its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government." Its authority is derived from statutes enacted by the U.S. Congress and the System is subject to congressional oversight. The members of the Board of Governors, including its chairman and vice-chairman, are chosen by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The government also exercises some control over the Federal Reserve by appointing and setting the salaries of the system's highest-level employees. Thus the Federal Reserve has both private and public aspects.[14][15][16][17] The U.S. Government receives all of the system's annual profits, after a statutory dividend of 6% on member banks' capital investment is paid, and an account surplus is maintained. In 2010, the Federal Reserve made a profit of $82 billion and transferred $79 billion to the U.S. Treasury.[18] This was followed at the end of 2011 with a transfer of $77 billion in profits to the U.S. Treasury Department.[

THAT LAST TWO SENTENCES ARE INTRIGUING

$82 BILLION IN PROFIT AND $79 SENT TO THE TREASURY.

THE OTHER $3 BILLION??????????????

Where did that go? Don't tell me it went to bonuses or my head might explode.

The money basically comes from earnings on investments that the Federal Reserve makes during the year.

Just so I understand this......Ben Bernanke and his band of merry stock pickers are allowed to speculate with the United States tax revenue and buy Google, Apple, Microsoft, cotton futures and Micronesia currency?

The article I read, implies the lower payment in 2011 was due to the Fed's support of AIG.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS EXTRA INCOME THAT THE UNITED STATES RECEIVES FROM IT'S PAID EMPLOYEES....ON THEIR GAMBLING HABITS.

How much did the Fed pay the government in 2008 when everything went to hell?

Obviously I know nothing and tons of research needs to be done.

If you already knew all this stuff....why didn't you bother to tell me?

Oh yeah, you were too busy sending your money to the Fed so they could go to the racetrack and the casinos.

I sure hope the Fed isn't purchasing oil futures as I write this.......

$75.4 BILLION is the profit.

Is that gross or net?

I'm so confused......does anyone have Mr. Bernanke's cell phone number?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Reality check for Afghan people

I am on record as a Conscientious Objector. Although officially denied by my draft board in 1969 because of having been raised in the Catholic faith (which is actually another interesting story) the fact is that when one declares oneself a Conscientious Objector one doesn't need an outside organization to verify that status.

You are against war or you are not. Pretty simple designation. You can be selective when it comes to certain wars and choose not to support a particular encounter but, in my opinion, that doesn't make you a conscientious objector.

Definition of CO has changed since the Vietnam war.

Wikipedia
A conscientious objector (CO) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service"[1] on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion.[2]
In some countries, conscientious objectors are assigned to an alternative civilian service as a substitute for conscription or military service. Some conscientious objectors consider themselves pacifist, non-interventionist, non-resistant, or antimilitarist.
The international definition of conscientious objection officially broadened on March 8, 1995 when the United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/83 stated that "persons performing military service should not be excluded from the right to have conscientious objections to military service."[3] That definition was re-affirmed in 1998, when the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights document called "Conscientious objection to military service, United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/77" officially recognized that "persons [already] performing military service may develop conscientious objections."

One of the important aspects of having an individual awareness of knowing that I intrinsically oppose the art of war is that I respect each individuals right to choose their position on the subject. That basically means if someone chooses to participate in the military experience, than no one should object to their decision.

The individual right to choose a path of action is, in my view, the basic concept of freedom. And that form of freedom naturally belongs to each and every person. I suspect that in a country such as Afghanistan the concept of freedom varies quite a bit from the concept of freedom in America. Most likely the difference occurs because of 240 years of concentrated effort by one system to establish a pattern of individual freedoms. America has worked at that goal from the outset, even though interpretations of those freedoms has been debated over and over and over. Mistakes might have been made and errors might have occurred along the way, but the fact exists that the attempt to establish individual freedom has been a primary goal for the United States of America.

The Afghan people need to figure out what they want as a primary goal. And since the country is a country of villages and tribes the idea of a general consensus is probably an impossibility.

Wikipedia

The decades of war made Afghanistan the world's most dangerous country,[23] including the largest producer of refugees and asylum seekers. While the international community is rebuilding war-torn Afghanistan, terrorist groups such as the Haqqani network and Hezbi Islami[24] are actively involved in a nationwide Taliban-led insurgency,[25] which includes hundreds of assassinations and suicide attacks.[26] According to the United Nations, the insurgents were responsible for 75% of civilian casualties in 2010 and 80% in 2011.[27][28]

Currently an American soldier named Robert Bales is being condemned as a war criminal by certain groups within the Afghan community including the President, Hamid Karzai. The facts have not been determined but Sergeant Bales is accused of killing 16 civilians.

1,893 American's have lost their lives since 2001 trying to protect the Afghan people from the Taliban.

The Taliban (Pashto: طالبان), alternative spelling Taleban,[5] (ṭālibān, meaning "students" in Pashto) is an Islamist militant and political group that ruled large parts of Afghanistan and its capital, Kabul, as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996 until October 2001. It gained diplomatic recognition from three states: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The main leader of the Taliban movement is Mullah Mohammed Omar,[6] and Kandahar is considered the birthplace of the Taliban.[7]
While in power, it enforced its strict interpretation of Sharia law,[8] and leading Muslims have been highly critical of the Taliban interpretations of Islamic law.[9][Need quotation to verify] The Taliban were condemned internationally for their brutal repression of women. The majority of their leaders were influenced by Deobandi fundamentalism,[10] and many also strictly follow the social and cultural norm called Pashtunwali.[11] The Taliban movement is primarily made up of members belonging to Pashtun tribes, the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.[12]

DO THE AFGHAN PEOPLE WANT TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE TALIBAN?

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE WANT?

SHOULD AN AMERICAN SOLDIER, AFTER THREE TOURS OF DUTY, BE CONDEMNED FOR A MILITARY ACTION WHERE CIVILIANS LOST THEIR LIVES?

The answers to those three questions are.....

UNKNOWN......UNKNOWN.....AND YES, but the condemnation should only come from the United States military and the Afghan President and the Afghan people should simply note the 1,863 American lives lost and simply shut the f..k up.

First and foremost the United States military will investigate the matter and they will reach a decision based on facts. The fact that a person of the military might snap is simply common sense. Teach a human being how to kill and then put them in a hostile environment with people trying to kill them and most likely someones going to get killed.

DUH!

I would never put myself in that situation but that's my decision. Robert Bales put himself in that situation and he will be prosecuted if his behavior proves to be criminal.

Obviously behavior within a war environment can prove to be criminal but there has to be an extremely loose interpretation of the word criminal. What if one person among those 16 wasn't a civilian and simply tried to camouflage themselves with the civilians?

What if Sergeant Bales simply became temporarily insane due to environmental circumstances?

What if his immediate commander told him to clean out an area?

What if John Wayne, Audie Murphy and Sergeant York just filled Robert's head with visions of military dominance?

PUT SOMEONE IN A WAR ENVIRONMENT AND WAR CAUSALITIES WILL RESULT.

If the Afghan people don't want America's help then they should rise up and tell us to get out.

The Taliban don't have that right anymore simply because of their treatment of women.

I am a Conscientious Objector but first and foremost I am an American, and I acknowledge Robert Bales right to become a part of the military complex. If he snapped and had no reason for his behavior then the military should be held responsible for not recognizing his approaching personal storm.

If his action had any justification related to a war experience than so be it.

WAR EXPERIENCE basically refers to staying alive and trying to stop the opposition from killing you or your fellow soldiers.

A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO CONSIDER......

THE ENEMY IN AFGHANISTAN DOES NOT WEAR A UNIFORM.

Sergeant Robert Bales has proudly worn an American Army military uniform since 2001. He has had 37 months of combat-zone experience and after four years of being in that form of environment his peers should be extremely sensitive to any abnormal behavior.

IS THERE ANYTHING BUT ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR IN A WAR ZONE?

The concept of war is obviously a normal process in the historic annals of human experience, but as the human species evolves the concept of war must become an obsolete gesture.

The quality of the current weapons produced must make the concept of war obsolete or the word obsolete will simply apply to.........US .

I don't support that concept.

My dream for the human species is much bigger and brighter than an environment where war is the final answer to different life styles and different belief systems.

In the meantime I suggest that we treat Robert Bales as an entity that we created in our current environment and give him the proper channels to rebuild his life.

That would be the action of an advanced human evolutionary mindset....so why not get started on the right path and use him as a symbol of our ability to operate on a higher level of consciousness?

Yeah....sure!

So many things happened in 1969 besides figuring out that I was a Conscientious Objector, and some of those things just keep me high as a freakin kite.

I'm a product of my environment just like Staff Sergeant Robert Bales.

I think I could help him.....does anyone have his cell phone number?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

A horse tale

HBO canceled the show 'Luck" after a third horse died while shooting the series. The horse actually flipped over backwards while being walked and was not involved in a racing scene.

I'm thinking there are more reasons for the axe than being stated. The ratings were poor for HBO standards but not dismal. 2 million people watched the Sarah Palin movie, Game Change, last week and Luck averages about 650,000.

I'm not sure how many total HBO subscribers there are, but I would guess around 20 million.
(I just looked it up and there are 27 million) How do they know when someone records the show and watches it later? How do they keep track of shows that are repeated multiple times during a week.

I keep thinking back to the movie Braveheart and it looked like 200 horses got killed or hurt in one scene. I realize it was a movie but then again are feature films subject to less regulations than a TV show?

A horse dying on a racetrack is not really unusual and it happens everyday across the country.

My personal opinion about the show was dialogue and how it was delivered. David Milch obviously has a style which was first noticed in Deadwood. It's a style where the actors use an Old English delivery and many times I had to replay a scene to know what was said.

I realize that I'm an idiot but the last time I heard.....I wasn't alone in that category.

Eric Roth seems to be jinxed when it comes to the word LUCK...or LUCKY. But he is a giant in the industry so do not fret about his future. He's probably working on three or four projects at this very moment.

I thought the show depicted a seedy side of horse racing and gambling...which isn't hard to do. But generally the horse racing industry is just a bunch of hard working men and women trying to control 1500 lb animals so that they can show off their natural ability to.......run.

This cancellation is much more involved than the accidental death of a horse.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Two more Michael's and The Big Rock deal

Michael Heizer does extremely large scale sculptures and Michael Govan is the Director of LACMA.

The object of their attention is a 340 ton piece of solid granite...better known as "The Rock" which might create some copyright issues with the actor, Dwayne Johnson, also known as "The Rock."

The Rock (the one without a brain) (ok, so which one am I talking about.....funnnnny) was moved, very carefully and very slowly, from it's natural home in a Riverside quarry to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to be the center piece of Mr. Heizer's sculpture called " Levitated Mass."

Total cost of the project will be $10 million dollars. No public funding involved.

The Rock was purchased for $70,000 from the Stone Valley Quarry.

Michael Heizer's price for the piece of artwork.......unknown.

He doesn't grant interviews and has remained a notorious recluse during his adulthood. He didn't even attend The Rock's arrival at it's destination and nobody has any idea where he is.

He might actually be inside The Rock doing his version of a David Blaine bit.

The Transporter of The Rock was built by an engineer named Mark Voss. It will take one month to disassemble the machine and I bet it cost a lot more than The Rock.

I suppose once the project has been finished that the visual experience will prove to be worthwhile, but I can't say that's it's on my must do summer list. I will walk to the area because I'll be visiting the Museum, and I will stop and probably say something profound like....."man that's a pretty big rock....but I've seen bigger."

We've all seen bigger but granted we haven't seen one at a museum.

It's obviously one of the oldest pieces of art every displayed.

The question is........do we care? I suppose lifetime city dwellers will marvel at size of The Rock. It's not an extra charge to see the sculpture but the admission fee at the Museum just went up $25. (I think I'm kidding)

The real story is Michael Heizer and how he has managed to avoid the media.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=slv8-yie8&va=michael+heizer

I'm thinking that Michael Govan should be looking for A Lake to put next to The Rock.

Now that's just plain.....
silly.

I'm also thinking of calling Mr. Govan and telling him I found A QUARK and maybe it could be installed next to The Rock.....
.......sort of a Theory of Relativity vs Quantum Mechanics duel in the sun.

I don't need much space for My Quark but I would like to sell it for $100 million.

Normally I'd ask if anyone has Michael Govan's cell phone number but I actually know someone who does, so I've got that going for me.

I can't believe that Rolling Rock didn't sponsor the entire project.

Oh well....often times the obvious just becomes a nice after thought.

Like having a big rock at the museum.....hummm why didn't we think of that before?

I actually think I know why.....but then again so do you!

Michael Timothy McAlevey

It's not my fault

Thehhh skksji fjtjuuughto jjthuuiiin fer thhe ojhh sssss the dlslfjjjs ssslkdkkkl lllllsd jjjppdl
kkjiuiutyh derft, fretu the thhe, tkkiiskl.

Anddj eroot fthher kkie mmkionh hoomnpld dre weoph.

Shooptler vanogpl drisett fiw smooplquie.

THE SOLAR FLARE IS REALLY MESSING WITH MY MIND

hte solar flare is really really messing with my brain

THE SOLAR FLARE IS REALLY MESSING WITH MY RECEPTOR CELLS AND THUS MY HAND EYE COORDINATION HAS EVAPORATED.

I guess this is a serious case of bad cell reception.

But at least I can blame it on
the Sun....

which by the way
really has a flare for the dramatic.....don't you think?

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Lasers are the future

From Wikipedia

A laser is a device that emits light (electromagnetic radiation) through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.[1][2] The emitted laser light is notable for its high degree of spatial and temporal coherence, unattainable using other technologies.
Spatial coherence typically is expressed through the output being a narrow beam which is diffraction-limited, often a so-called "pencil beam." Laser beams can be focused to very tiny spots, achieving a very high irradiance. Or they can be launched into a beam of very low divergence in order to concentrate their power at a large distance.

I experienced first hand on Friday what the "pencil Beam" version can do.

As with ALL men who reach a certain age I developed a prostate that decided, on its own, to make itself larger and larger until it started to grow into my bladder.

The problem first started around ten years ago and like most men I decided to ignore the early warning signs......with the end result of that ignorance being Laser Prostate Surgery. This procedure basically replaces the TURP procedure which drills a hole through the prostate and recovery can be lengthy and requires a hospital stay.

My procedure took place at 3 pm and I could have left the hospital at 7:30 if not for a strange reaction by my left leg. It wouldn't move and I couldn't put any weight on it. Apparently humans have an IT BAND that runs down their legs and if a certain position is maintained for to long than that BAND can become inactive. A few hours of hobbling around and I was good to go and left the hospital seven hours after the treatment.......and as of this moment I am 98%.

I go back to the doctor on Monday to have the catheter removed and begin the process of learning how to urinate, on my own again, for the first time in 5 years.

The catheter, my best friend, has allowed me to sleep normal hours at night, play golf without having to take a bathroom break and it has been a reassurance that nothing would back up into the Kidneys....which six years ago took a major hit because of the enlarged prostate that I was ignoring for four years.

When your kidneys take a hit it's a major wake up call. Kidney's are the most perplexing organ for the medical field. You go on a waiting list or you go on dialysis....or you drink cranberry juice.
You only need one operating at 80% to have normal bodily functions. The Kidney's can repair themselves up to a certain point, but once they've been damaged they won't ever operate at 100%....which is ok.

After reading about the treatment that I had on Friday it's obvious that the future of fighting growth aliments, which appear inside the body, will be attacked on a regular basis by the laser.

As nano-technology further develops it would seem obvious that lasers will eventually be used to attack cancer cells. I realize that would require very small machinery but reading about nano-anything simply blows one's mind.

The bottom line on this experience FOR MALES with prostate issues

DON'T IGNORE EARLY WARNING SIGNS
DON'T PANIC UNLESS YOUR PSA COUNT IS WELL ABOVE 10
DO BE AFRAID TO USE A CATHETER IF YOU GET UP MORE THAN THREE TIMES A NIGHT TO PEE
CHOOSE LASER PROCEDURE INSTEAD OF TURP.
BUT
MAINLY
DON'T IGNORE EARLY WARNING SIGNS

Now it's on to
how to control a rapid pulse rate in a healthy heart.

It's very perplexing to cardiologists and those guys are super smart.
But my cardiologists looks like Harry Connick Jr. so I feel I'm in good hands.

Yes, I know that's a shallow attitude but I'm a face man and always will be.

For the frist time in six years I'm going to have to learn to say....."excuse me I've got to go to the loo."

We all have to make certain adjustments in life and I'm pretty sure I can remember how to excuse myself....in the meantime, probably for the last time, I sit here and write my blog without having to take a bathroom break...

aaaahhhhhh!hhhhhh.....

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Gas prices might be their only hope

As the Republican candidates dismantle each other (long before the Democrats even have a chance) in the background lurks the proverbial elephant in the room that might or might not be caused by players who can control such things as high gas prices.

$5.00 per galleon is rapidly approaching.

Chevron made $26.9 Billion in PROFIT last year....and it looks like they plan on breaking that record in 2012.

Chevron, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Union and Arco seem to have a nice hold on the retail gasoline business in America. In 2006 there were 167,000 stations and by all indications there seems to be less today....which is also really strange when you stop to think about it. You never see lines in Santa Monica and I know for a fact that there are fewer stations than 10 years ago.....

But I'm fairly certain that those companies mentioned above own a clear majority of the stations.
It wouldn't be that hard to control the price of their product....especially if there is only a small group making the decisions.

I guess now is the time to start asking if the CEO's are Republicans or Democrats.

Because really after everything is said and done, HIGH GAS PRICES might be the only real weapon that Republicans have in the upcoming election.

And if gas prices go to $5.00 a galleon ( or higher) than that weapon becomes a real bunker buster.

The President is hinting at using reserves to help control the prices. Can't he just ask the oil executives to work on a little lower profit margin?

JUST ASK....NOT DEMAND

TOO SOCIALISTIC FOR YOUR TASTE?

If he can apologise for the military accidentally burning copies of the Koran, than asking the oil companies to work on slightly less margins doesn't seen like that big of a deal.

I have a 30 gallon tank in my Yukon and IF I filled up in Santa Monica at my local Chevron station......it would cost me
$130.00.

IF is the optimum word.....since I don't generally fill the tank. No long road trips in awhile so therefore no fill ups.

Airline tickets are going to skyrocket and truckers expenses will rise and before you know it nobody will be filling their tank....because nobody will be going anywhere further than 5 miles from home.

And just a few weeks ago the economy looked like it was starting to show signs of life.

$5.00 a gallon gas prices will bitch slap that notion in a hurry!

AND THAT SLAP WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL
TO THE REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATE

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Just another reminder where we are

Book review for Christian soldiers and other such folk

I don't write about it very often, except of course an occasional tirade focused on the Nuns, but having been raised a Catholic I have definite built-in....quirks. Those quirks morph into quarks and then transform into patterns that lead to various questions that generally have no concrete answers.

My spiritual (non physical reality) awareness and knowledge is completely based on personal experience and has nothing to do with Catholic doctrine....even though the Nuns would probably debate that statement. After all, they are a feisty little bunch of devoted ladies and everyone knows that devoted ladies when they get together in feisty little bunch's can truly be a handful.

Every so often I'll come across a book, or a concept, having to do with Christian and Catholic ideals that will perk my interest but it's kind of like visiting the house you grew up in.....it seemed so much larger than it actually is. And compared to the reality of the Universe....those Catholic and Christian concepts are very very very very small.

The Lost Angel by Javier Sierra would seem like a must read to any Christian who has an interest in historical reference points. Which when one stops to think about it, actual Christian and Catholic historical references points seem to be limited to the Bible.

Other works just seem to be simply dismissed.

I have a broader interpretation of God's writing ability. I don't think God is a one or two book wonder. I think The Creator of a Universe can convey concepts and realities at any given moment.......including right now.

I think The Creator of a Universe can write amazing poetry, beautiful movie scripts, wonderful novels, engaging political thrillers and of course mesmerizing musical lyrics.

Limiting God's word to one or two or three or four or five books seems really really silly.

What Javier Sierra has done with his exceptional research is lift some veils that seem to have been smothered by modern Christian scholars. Smothering can consist of ignoring or altering for sake of discrediting.

I have never heard of the religious group called the Yezidi until I read The Lost Angel. In reality they might be the oldest known religious organization that has ever roamed the planet Earth.

Their anonymity is due to the fact that they have been classified by some Christan scholars as.....devil worshippers. They believe they descent from Adam and not Eve. They believe in reincarnation and the revere snakes.

John Dee is another new name I learned from this book and a very interesting historical figure.

who lived from 1527 to 1608.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is another new learning curve for me. Written 4000 years before the birth of Christ and found in Iraq, this story of a Sumerian king who is determined to find God's kingdom and reclaim man's right to immortality.

The Nuns never taught me about the Yezidi, John Dee or Gilgamesh because they were too busy teaching about their own stars.

If you are a devout believer in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism or even an atheist I highly suggest reading The Lost Angel.

At the very least it will make you think of non-physical reality while introducing you to a new concept of what Angels might be, and how electromagnetic energy can play a role in the human experience.

It also made me conceptualize a story of how Marconi and Tesla waged a battle over the various waves of energy that can be captured and created....but of course that's another story for another day.

THE LOST ANGEL by Javier Sierra. Give it a go!

Michael Timothy McAlevey

Going my way

Today is my first birthday in 66 years without my father and I planned on watching the Pebble Beach golf tournament and simply relaxing, with an occasional thought about the many times we teed it up together.

I woke up, walked Ollie Yoda, the dog, and then had Eggs Benedict while watching golf on the Golf Channel. At 11:30 the coverage ended and there was a half hour break before it resumed on CBS. I flipped the channels and just starting on TMC was the 1944 Best Picture....GOING MY WAY.

The first three minutes of viewing included a few very quick observations that resembled critical opinionated behavior that centered on certain thoughts such as......corny, childish, trivial, mundane and then one small scene with Barry Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby and instantly the thoughts changed to classic, timeless, wonderful and "why can't they make movies like this anymore?"

Within the next hour I found myself crying three different times and by the end of the film I was simply stunned at how my birthday had been reduced to a celebration of nostalgia and wonder.

Seriously......where are the modern day versions of Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald and where are the stories that simply appeal to a higher part of our nature?

I totally realize that that last statement puts me in the old foggy category but one must remember that I started the day by planning on reminiscing about rounds of golf with my dad while watching the Pebble Beach tournament.....which used to be called the Bing Crosby Clambake.....so any old foggy implications can actually be blamed on my father.

While watching Going My Way I also realized that they filmed it at St. Monica's which happens to be my high school and also sits about 300 yards from my front door.

In 1944 Americans were extremely ready for bad times to end and good times to begin, and it took another year before that actually happened....but a film like Going My Way really paved the way for a new attitude in the United States that would start in 1945. An attitude that would last until 1963.

An attitude of WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.

Going My Way was simply a preview of how people could recover from a tragic experience by working together, being kind and of course singing and creating new music.

The music that would be introduced from 1946 to 1970 changed the world...and it took a voice like Bing Crosby to get the ball rolling. Of course Elvis really got the ball rolling but Bing was also one of a kind.

I fully understand the stretch taken with that last statement.....but seriously there's never been another Bing Crosby and I doubt if there ever will be. Life had to be represented in black and white and it had to be represented by kindness and simplicity and I'm sorry to say those two tangents are truly things of our past when it comes to modern film making.

Of course I could be totally mistaken....but it's my birthday and a little negativity is to be expected after watching myself cry over a movie that could never be made today.

The Black and White dealio has been given a shot in the arm with this year's Best Picture nominated film "The Artist," so maybe an occasional touch of the past can be experienced from time to time, but most likely that film is simply an anomaly.

Now that I've stopped being a baby and started thinking about things.....I realize that my favorite movie of 2011....MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.....is also an anomaly.



A FEEL GOOD MOVIE WITH AN INNOVATIVE THEME THAT SIMPLY COMPELS ONE TO WATCH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

I wonder how many times the average American, over the age of 60, has watched Going My Way?

I highly suggest getting a group of people together and make a party of watching it......and make sure you include some young people in the group because their observations will really make the experience worthwhile.

Or Not........

I truly have no idea but I have a feeling it will be a very interesting evening.

Make it a dinner party with Going My Way showing after dining.

Then have everybody sing Silent Night before saying goodnight.

What a fun evening!

Thanks for
Going
My
Way.


Michael Timothy McAlevey

Egypt is another one of those.....

We, The United States of America, have always been extremely generous with our foreign aid and quite often that aid comes in the form of military supplies. One of the ways it seems to work is that we give certain countries cash, and then they turn around and buy their weapons from American suppliers of such items. Often times it doesn't appear that we analyze future behavior on the part of certain countries and simply settle for the quick deal.

Egypt apparently is the latest one of our benefactors that could prove to be a nightmare.

One-third of all foreign aid goes to Israel and Egypt. We generally know how a democratic Israel will respond in times of crisis but we have no idea what will happen in Egypt. We were banking on the fact that a President, such as Mubark, would lead Egypt into the modern age of democracy and diplomacy.....but after 30 years that comfort zone has quickly evaporated.

If extreme Muslim leadership assumes control then suddenly all of our benevolence simply becomes stupid decision making on the part of multiple administrations and hundreds of congressional figures.

It's hard to blame the corporations who manufacturer the weapons because they just want to wheel and deal. It's up to the government (elected officials) to make sure who they wheel and deal with....and Egypt now appears to be one of those countries that makes OPPS the optimum word when considering the deals that have been done over the last 30 years.

Egypt is one the greatest tourist attractions on the planet. But making sure they have modern weapons might not be such a grand idea.

Just once during one of the mass gatherings of Egyptians I would like to see a woman's face.
Just one female face in the crowd.

Another country where woman are dehumanized but weaponry is world class....thanks mainly to the United States.

It seems we should have rules in place regarding the treatment of woman and the ability to buy weapons....because wherever there appears to be erratic mass behavior, there also seems to be a deep mistreatment of the females species.

That seems like a fixable problem.

Don't sell weapons to dickheads.

Amen

Michael Timothy McAlevey

The defining moment and The Definer

I really wish I had more recent pictures to share.

And that most likely sums up the entire scope of emotions.......I really wish I had more recent pictures to share.

18 years........18 years......and Sean will forever remain the definer......

His shortened physical reality continues to define the very essence of my life....and of course his mother's life and probably his sister's life and from time to time his friend's.

It's one of those pages in the universal yearbook that haunts who we are.

And to be be completely honest......I'm never going to be comfortable with the physical reality of the situation.

We learn to create compartments and various storage units within our memory banks, and then we place certain experiences in those compartments and hope they stay out of our way while we attempt to conduct the business of living day to day.

Sean's life is impossible to place in one of those storage units but the experience of February 3 1994.....is.

And on this day 18 years later, in 2012, I am reminded with extreme intensity of how horrible that day was. Then, without the slightest bit of effort, I simply recall all the days that followed and the years that have ensued and the pain that will never go away.

I really wish I had more recent pictures to share.

Last week our family said goodbye to the 92 year old dude (sorry Dad) who started the California McAlevey experience. The Celebration of Life was just that......92 years and a complete and comfortable endeavor because that's the way it should be....even though I would have liked to tee it up with him into his late 90's.

Today I am reminded that life can cause extreme damage on the physical level....and I'm reminded by that defining moment 18 years ago.

I am also reminded that Non-Physical Reality (NPR) is a creation of an even bigger DEFINER.

The soul of Sean Maximilian McAlevey is eternal, as is the soul of every single human being that has participated in this physical reality.

Neo-Illunimation #5......The thread of life is eternally attatched to your soul

and it didn't get there by accident.

It's just hard to take snap shots of the soul and

I really

really

wish

I had

more recent pictures

to share.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

We all seem to know it's there but what's being done about it

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also described as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135°W to 155°W and 35°N to 42°N.[1] The patch extends over an indeterminate area, with estimates ranging very widely depending on the degree of plastic concentration used to define the affected area.
The Patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre.[2] Despite its size and density, the patch is not visible from satellite photography, since it consists primarily of suspended particulates in the upper water column. Since plastics break down to ever smaller polymers, concentrations of submerged particles are not visible from space, nor do they appear as a continuous debris field. Instead, the patch is defined as an area in which the mass of plastic debris in the upper water column is significantly higher than average. (Wikipedia)

I've watched seven of the Republican debates (ok, maybe six. but I do record all of them with perfect intentions of viewing them later.....but sometimes later just hasn't arrived)....and I haven't heard any mention of this massive ecological disaster taking place in the pacific ocean.

Supposedly it's twice the size of Texas but maybe even bigger when width and depth is measured.

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS.......IT'S GETTING BIGGER and people in power positions and people who want to be in power positions don't seem to be bringing it up......EVER.

I read the other day that there is four times as much plastic in the ocean as there is zooplankton.

I guess anything that outnumbers jellyfish is ok with those vacation seeking politicians. After all none of them have ever been stung by a piece of plastic.

BUT WHEN THE PIECE OF PLASTIC BECOMES THE SIZE OF SOUTH AMERICA, THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA COMBINED....THE BITE WILL PROVE TO BE COMPLETELY FATAL.

Now it's time to suggest a few solutions.

Laser beam disintegration seems logical

Large trash compacting ships makes sense

I do know that nothing will be done until somebody with a lot of vocal chops makes it a pet issue.

I can't even name a musician who has championed this cause....and jumping on this bandwagon would seem to be a perfect vehicle for numerous voices.

IT'S TIME TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE ON A GLOBAL BASIS AND A REPUBLICAN DEBATE WOULD BE A WONDERFUL PLACE TO START.

What do think the odds are for anyone in the Republican party bringing up the issue of a giant garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

I'd put those odds at about a million to one.

The trouble also being.....

I don't seem to hear too many Democratic leaders addressing this problem.

Maybe they are all in cahoots and what we are witnessing is the construction of a new plastic land mass in order to connect the continents of North America and Asia. A plan devised by the oil companies so that cars can travel back and forth between Japan and San Francisco.

Maybe Donald Trump is behind it to create the Pacific Trump Highway.

Maybe

Maybe

Maybe.....

the human species is simply not paying attention to certain problems that are created by certain consumer habits.

Gotta give Santa Monica kudos on the plastic bag ban.

It's more than any politician, musician or sports star is doing.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen might be the only celebrities I've heard mention it.....oh yeah and they live in Santa Monica.

THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA SHOULD MAKE A WEEK DEDICATED TO THE ISSUE

OF..............

THE GREAT GARBAGE PATCH disaster.

I THINK I'LL WRITE THEM A LETTER..........oh yeah

I just did

Michael Timothy McAlevey

And one more time we played around with Bill

Yesterday we held a Celebration of Life for my Dad, Bill McAlevey, at the Westlake Golf Course.

The Celebration took place about 75 feet from where he got his only hole-in-one at the age of 85.

It was casual and relaxed and some precious moments of Bill's life were shared by family and friends.

It's pretty hard to summarize a full 92 years of life in a few hour celebration, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves in an atmosphere that Dad would have appreciated.

No ties, good food and a few stiff drinks to say goodbye......oh yeah and two renditions of Bill Bailey by the entire gathering.

Thanks to everyone who attended and thanks for caring about him.

Hit it straight, don't cheat and keep proper score because it all matters later, and later comes sooner than you think.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

A life worth remembering was a life worth living

William Anthony McAlevey

“Bill,”“Red,” “Dad,” “Grandpa,” “Papa” passed away on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Bill’s oldest son Jerry was at his side.

He was 92 and had a full and wonderful life.

Born in St. Louis in 1919 to Clare and James McAlevey, Bill was one of seven brothers. Jim, Tom, Bob, Ralph, Richie have all passed away. Raymond “Cup” still lives in St. Louis and is the remaining brother.

Being one of seven brothers growing up in the Depression taught Bill the importance of hard work and discipline which would serve him well until he finally retired at the age of 85.

Joining the Marine Corp in 1942, after moving to California and working at Lockheed, Bill met Meredith Mathews at a USO dance and they were married during one of his early leaves. He then shipped out and four years later left the Marines as a Staff Sergeant. He and Meredith lived in Hollywood and had two boys, Jerry and Tim, while he tried to make a living as a photographer. As with many marriages after the war things didn’t work out and Bill’s first marriage ended. There was a serendipitous moment that occurred in his photography studio when two young brothers named Al and Len Aaron came in and tried to sell him a wedding album that they built in their garage. Bill’s photography studio wasn’t doing that well so he simply asked how many of these could they make, and the answer stimulated Bill and he said, “I can sell these for you, start making more.” A short time later Bill asked Al and Len if they knew anywhere to get picture frames because that was something photography studios didn’t have. And that’s how Aaron Brothers started.

Bill became the Vice-President in charge of the Wholesale Division and Al and Len started developing the retail chain. For the next 30 years Bill ran the division of Aaron Brothers which became a major player in supplying framed artwork to the Home Furnishings Industry. At one time he handled an independent sales force of 40 men and women and oversaw showrooms in five major Furniture markets across the country.

During that time he remarried and had two more boys, Richard and David, and then in 1961 fell in love for the third time and married Claudia Smith. They have been together for 51 years and have two daughters, Laury and Marilyn and one son, Steven.

In 1981 Bill bought the wholesale division from Aaron Brothers and changed the name to Spectra Galleries where he continued to compete in the home furnishings industry. In 1997 he altered the business model and ended his wholesale experience but started a retail custom frame shop in North Hollywood, which he ran until closing shop at the age of 85 in 2005.

Bill was an avid golfer and since 1960 has played with his best friend, artist Bill Blackman. Over the last five years, three of Bill’s sons joined him every Tuesday for a round. He had his only hole-in-one on the 9th hole of Westlake Golf Course at the age of 85. He often said how enjoyable it was to be able to play golf on a regular basis with three of his five boys. He also was very proud that he consistently shot his age or less.

Bill was an actively proud verbal member of the Republican Party and loved the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team.

He is survived by his wife Claudia, his brother Raymond, his children Jerry, Tim, David, Richard, Laury, Marilyn and Steven along with ten grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.
His sense of humor, his honor and his honesty were legendary among his family, friends and associates.

He will be greatly missed by everyone who experienced his unique “personality.”

There will be a Celebration of Life at Westlake Golf Course on Sunday the 29th of January at 12 noon. Dress like Bill would.....causal and relaxed.

I sure wish he had made 100....0r 110.....but will settle for 92 and a half.

1919-2012.......a full life with many life's left behind.

Love you Dad......see you on the other side.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

TEST

This test is courtesy of Christian Ellis author of The Enlightened Enterprize



United States GOP Presidency Candidate Competency Test

This evaluation indicates whether a Republican candidate, after completing the form, is
sane, competent, and thus eligible, to run for our nation’s highest office, the Presidency.

Test Questions

True / False
1. Evolution has not been proven at all; school textbooks must reflect this.
2. It is okay to lie to people as long as long as telling the truth was never your intent.
3. Reagan never comprised and never raised taxes. Never.
4. Women should not have any reproductive rights or control over the own bodies.
5. It is okay to kill bad people but not okay for good people to decide when to die.
6. Climate change is a hoax, a baseless theory from people who hate oil companies.
7. Man coexisted with dinosaurs such as velociraptors and pterodactyls.
8. Our Founding Fathers worked tirelessly to abolish slavery. Tirelessly.
9. Taxes are too high for wealthy people in this country: they are persecuted victims.
10. Anyone can be rich; all they have to do is work hard for a while, just a while.
11. Poor old people, minorities, and students should not vote because they are confused.
12. Gays getting married is immoral and will cause all real marriages to fail immediately.
13. The Civil War was about state’s rights and trade, not at all about slavery whatsoever.
14. All immigrants are dirty drug dealers, mules, prostitutes, or gang-bangers.
15. The US Constitution must be followed literally, except when it comes to religion.
16. Reducing taxes does not increase the country’s deficit; in fact we don’t need taxes.
17. All Middle-Eastern countries and their people are enemies and should be bombed.
18. Paul Revere founded the NRA on his way to warning us about the British.
19. Evangelical Christianity is the only faith; the other 5 billion people on Earth are wrong.
20. Automatic assault rifles with Teflon bullets are needed to protect us from tiny rodents.
Bonus: Even though small businesses are the key, the millionaires are the job creators.
Bonus: If you come together and pray to baby Jesus, the needed rains will come.
Bonus: If you don’t have a job, shame on you; it is your own damn fault.
Bonus: Murdering our youth in the military is okay if the number is less than Vietnam.
Bonus: The key to getting elected is to trick poor people into voting for rich people.

Answer Key: All correct answers are False, including the Bonus Questions.

Answer Evaluation and Eligibility

Assessment of scores and eligibility (along with suggested action) are as follows:

Unable to answer due to severe brain damage=Bush Republican—not eligible (imprison for treason).

0 correct=Bachmann, Palin, Limbaugh, Rove, and Cheney Republican—not eligible (just imprison period).
1-3 correct=Gingrich, Santorum, and Coulter Republican—not eligible (hospitalize for mental illness).
4-5 correct=Cain, McCain, Paul, and Trump Republican—not eligible (closely audit bankruptcies and taxes).
6-7 correct=Romney and Nixon Republican—not eligible (constantly fact-check all policy reversals).
8-10 correct=Huntsman and Reagan Republican—not eligible (check for spousal plastic surgery bills).
11-19 correct=Eisenhower and Ford Republican—possibly eligible (however, ensure meds are always taken).
20+ correct=Lincoln Republican, Founder of the Party—eligible!!!

unbelievable

Somethings are just unbelievable to me.......

Some Hummingbirds can flap their wings 4800 times a minute.

Pete Rose is not in the Hall of Fame.

There are 200 to 400 BILLION stars in OUR Milky Way Galaxy.

Reese Witherspoon does not have my cell phone number.

An Italian Ocean Liner can hit a reef after traveling the same route 52 times a year for 11 years.

Politicians really do think we should believe what they say.

Some people keep saying that Kobe Bryant has gotten old.

The Los Angles Dodgers might fetch $1.5 Billion.

The Republicans really think they have a chance to win the election.

Eastman Kodak stock is .51 CENTS a share and they own hundreds of digital patents.

Google is $624 DOLLARS a share and they have never charged US a penny to use their

core product.

The United States spent 4 TRILLION DOLLARS at the retail level in 2011.....in America.

Over 600 MILLION people do not have access to toilets in India.

The number of people going to bed hungry in America every night.

That a Mormon could run for President without showing us the "Golden Tablets."

So many unbelievable things.

Michael Timothy McAlevey

A list just because

The top ten bands of all time....not in any particular order.

Beatles
Rolling Stones
The Who
Band Aids
Glenn Miller or Benny Goodman( depending on who you talk to)
Queen
AC/DC
Journey
The Band or The Doors or Aerosmith (depending on who you talk to)
Led Zepplin

The top ten politicans of all time

Abraham Lincoln
no 2-10

It's amazing that I can name ten bands fairly easily but when it comes to politicans it just doesn't compute. Each and every person I consider just simply falls away when it comes to comparisons with Abe.

Mr. Lincoln would have been Ralph Waldo Emerson's equal if he had only been a writer.
Lincoln's quotes (which are readily available on Google) are beyond fabulous....they are perfect.

It's actually a great way to start the new year......read Abe's words and apply them to your life.

Happy New Year

Michael Timothy McAlevey