Lets-take-a-ride (A taxi ride)

Unemployment in California; Just how big is the problem?

2010-04-21T10:31:00.000-06:00

Please guess the number of States that have a population that in total is smaller than the 4,657,169 people unemployed in the State of California. CA population is 36,961,664 with 12.6% unemployment. This is interesting to me, as I could not get a grip on the size of that population of unemployed - in just one State.

Well, here is the answer according to the population estimates in late 2009 by the government. The total number of States that have a population that is smaller than the number of people unemployed in California is twenty-one. My guess was just 8.

Here they are: AR, CT, DC (NOT A STATE AND WOULD BE NUMBER 22), DE, ID, IO, KS, ME, MS, MT, NE, NM, NV, NH, ND, OK, RI, SD, UT, VT, WV, WY,

To help you see how big the unemployment numbers are, think of California’s unemployed as 1 in 8 do not have a job.

At the round table (seating 8) at a conference or restaurant - at least one of the chairs is empty because of unemployment. For those music lovers, an octet would become a septet, or what ever a seven person group is called. Name 8 relatives, and one of them would be unemployed.

disclaimer:
I used gross population numbers as reported in late 2009. The government has most likely used some other base line for the 12.6% unemployment figures. So allow for the number to be close enough for this blog.
If the details are not accurate, the fault is _______.
(David you guess whose fault.... :)

This is a cab ride only in the sense that the cab driver wouldn't shut up....
If I read between the lines, I couldn't expect to collect a fare for a ride in a rant, so just get out and walk away.

CABBY

The "Lasts" - A Sign of the Future

2009-10-01T21:06:00.000-06:00

Today was the last day I will be first unemployed, without a job, no prospects, no resume', no interview, no appointments, no presentations to make, no catalogs to distribute, no calls to return, no stamps to lick, no complaints to sort through, no more work.

I know, how can all of these items be relative to me?
The helm of the Curves is today up to the new owner.

What is the relevance of the title of this post?

Well, the last payroll has been calculated. The last restlessness at 6 am has occurred. The last commercial utility account has been closed, the credit card processor has drawn it's last, the last commercial transaction line at the bank has been waited in.

I've received the last alarm company call about an alarm and the last bill from the Albuquerque City for alarm response has been paid. The last lead bag placed.
No more BR's, no more webinars, no more projection sheets, no more mis-management by a pathetic owners association, and no more franchiser. No more fighting with job flakes about undeserved unemployment. You get the idea? No more paying city, county, state, fed, employment, unemployment, social security, sales taxes, and inventory taxes. No more surcharges for commercial uses of government facilities, like water, power, trash police and fire department.

Will I miss it? No.

So what will take up my time?
Painting on canvas, board, paper, glass, vinyl, stainless steel mesh and clay.
Drawing and sketching.

Volunteer at some community event or activity once per year or so.

Quick short trips around the country to see long ago friends, relatives and sights and places. Healthier life decisions: Cellared wine, craft beer, aged scotch, whiskey and bourbon. Fine food prepared at home for friends and guests, etc, etc.

Ceramics. Home gardening, house trim in and out painted, trim repaired, Christmas,
blogging, Grand kids, family, friends.

You get the idea.

Please do not call too early tomorrow.
Cab is on blocks for the night. No ride, no fare.
CABBY

What would it be called today, and where is it?

2009-09-26T10:24:00.000-06:00

Self-reliance, individualism, inventiveness, pragmatism, mobility and restlessness. These are the characteristics of a people in an era gone, and yet seemingly returning to some of the most amazing stretches of America.

Get out of your rut and take some head clearing time and visit some of the areas of the country where the population is declining to the internationally recognized standard for 'vacant' land as a separate measurement from land of a 'frontier' which is also a recognized measure of land, people, usage, along with population density.

Did you know (I hope to have you care by the end of this post)? that the only population increasing in some stretches of the middle plain states and the high tier Canadian border states of the U. S. is the American Indian and a few species of once threatened birds, and animals.

So what?

Well, if you will recall your history lessons in that little one room school house you are old enough to have attended, or young enough to have been taught about, the Indians were unceremoniously marched down the streets of the towns of the old west and not so old west to reservations as recently as the early 1900's.

So what?

Well, these people are returning to the lands from which they were forced. They are finding ways to live and return to values of importance to them.

So what?

The Indians are returning to what was once the 'Frontier' of the country as it fulfilled its long harsh intent of eminent domain. What the tribes and small groups of Indians are finding again is what a huge share of the airy fairy population claim to desire. They have found the solitude of living with the land and what it offers and do not dwell on attempting to change the land to fit them. They are again teaching those who care and wonder about this unique place we live. They are showing that the land is open to heal itself, and can support 300 thousand of what was nearly an extinct life line - the buffalo. It is too late for the carrier pigeon, the plains wolves, and the many tribes of people who were trampled with the disease and greed of the westward drive to the 'frontier', however it is not too late for you to see what is going on today to recreate a 'frontier' for the country.

It is not too late for you to see the frontier being reborn.
It IS happening in various places across the west and plains.

You will find people who can and do live through their self-reliance, individualism, inventiveness, pragmatism, mobility and restlessness that make-up the characteristics of people who settled the country during the great rush west. The people who stuck to the ground and didn't necessarily drive all the way West to the coastal states are still represented, however they are now able to live so far apart with cars etc, that there are no communities for gathering and marketing.

Lots of authorities consider the Horace Greeley quote; "Go West young man, go West." as the cry of the doom of the Indian people and the era of the frontier.

I for one think that the paper presented to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 by Frederick Jackson to be the grand description of what Horace Greeley was actually saying.

It seems to me, now that much of the plains and west has been recently measured as vacnant and much more as frontier, we can all go west and consider our values and wonder just how much 'stuff' we ought to be collecting on the back fence and walls of our casitas.

How much junk do we get to take with us when we die?

How much do we need to be comfortable and live happy? After all, that we will be able to allow ourselves to live as happy as we can is our biggest fear. Most are unable to create happiness and contentment with what they have.

There is a daily experience that was for thousands of years a non volunteer experience that I'd guess the majority today haven't experienced for possibly years. The peace in a sunset or sunrise. Or even something as simple as experiencing a tomato while standing at the plant and wiping the dust off on your bib overalls as you pull it from the plant and stuff it in your mouth.
Where is the limit to living with the earth and living off of the earth?

At what point in the scheme that allows the Indian as a people to return to live contentedly on the 'frontier' and 'vacant' land where civilization has not been able, do we begin to look for our individual human animal responsibility? What is our real responsibility to the earth and to our fellow inhabitants on earth?

Is it really as simple as to just live as happily as I can while causing as little impact on others as possible so that when I die, there will not be a carbon footprint, monuments and shrines to my having been here? Is it my responsibility to leave here and have someone say of me. "He was happy."

The answer is to listen to your mind chatter less, and listen to the sunrises, sunsets, waterfalls, rainbows, butterflies, buffalo, tall grasses and the birds. Do not forget to smell the roses,also.

No cab fare, as there is no place for me to spend it in a 'vacant' or 'frontier' land as you could find out if you would get out of the rut.

Oh yes, here is a link to what Fredrick Jackson Turner had to say :

http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/frontierthesis.html

CABBY

Nothing posted for weeks, and now twice in a few days - go figure.

2009-09-25T08:59:00.000-06:00

This is a piece I wrote out long hand while watching and listening to a Charlie Rose bit late one night recently:

Oh, for the days of our military pilots doing "touch and gos" to stay qualified and prepared.

The airspace over our cities occupied by our 'best in the world'; now that was a sense of peace and security.

Attempt to watch them today, and you'll be in a 'forward observers position' which because of the evolution of society would require you to be in a combat zone.

Or should that be evolution of religion instead of evolution of society.

Now then, this posting can go two directions here, the one about religion, or the one I am focused upon.

The religious one seems futile in todays world, so I will stick to my original idea here.

What visible signs of our 'might' are left for us?

Ships in port? Battalions on CONUS (stationed in the continental US). Sailors, soldiers, Coasties and Marines in our airports? Just a small portion of what we were used to seeing before this religious war commenced back in the Clinton days.

These are all we 'see' any more.

Is it because all of the hardware is deployed? What about training? Recovery from the stresses of the action? Families? What about change?

Well, in reading "In Search of America" by Jennings and Brewster, I found in the intro the following which was written mourning the passing of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams:

"The Republic will cease to be," offered the eulogist, "when it ceases to remember, to revere, and to imitate the virtues of its founders."

So where are we in relation to what the founders of this Republic expected and wanted?

Since I offer no conclusions and have left this with a question, I will not post a fare for the ride...
CABBY

6 Years

2009-09-23T09:39:00.000-06:00

6 years and a glass of Port with a little triple cream Bree cheese.
A celebration we had! We sat at the kitchen table. We talked of this night 6 years ago. We called our Treasured friend, Rachael for whom we were compelled to leave a message that thanked her for this night, 9 22 03 (six years ago).

Now, back to today.

Curves is still going strong.
We are worn out. We are, at long over 60, beginning to feel the results of the abuse we have heaped upon our bodies and minds over the years. Hopefully by the time we reach the celebration for the 7th year, we will have worked out how to not have the daily requirements of the life we have chosen seem so intrusive and exhausting. Hopefully by the next celebration, we will have figured out how to fulfill our happiness as a steady 24 hour achievement. Hopefully we will be looking back at the 7th year as a gift that springs us to a new level of happiness.

The original plan was to do five years, divide the territory in 1/2 and sell the two pieces. We are at six years I remind you. What happened to the five year mark and that plan?

This is still a possibility, however not likely, due to the present economy.

There are stories to tell that I have written down of tales and experiences and people, however sharing those will have to be a different posting.

What I want you to know is that the door we walked through six years ago, is still open, we can see back through it, however: "There is no going back." The futile struggle that would be required to attempt to go back just makes me tired to consider. I see and hear people all of the time saying and talking like it was easy to go back. It is not easy or possible, so looking forward is the real way to celebrate. We did.

We agreed over the port and cheese that we have no business regrets, and that if it weren't for people we would have no regrets at all. We have had lots of disappointments that do not concern the club, mostly disappointments about people and how easily they seem to give up on themselves.

In this day and age; with the present economy, world level strife, racial and religious prosecution, radicals on the right and left, politicians that are not taking care of our world and domestic best interests, what do we have to look forward toward?

The future is ours to chose for ourselves. We cannot rely on others to get us to the fulfillment of our main purpose in life. This life purpose is often circuitously discussed, however the main purpose (to be as happy as we want to be) is seldom declared aloud. It doesn't sell newspapers! and - most people do not think they can achieve it!

I have stopped the local paper. I do not watch the National, local, nor the world news. I seldom watch live TV, and race through the commercials to enjoy what I record to watch later.

As a result, I find the days are the same length (too damned short), the work necessary for me to complete is the same and that the things (news) that I need to know, I can read daily via a great website called: newseum.org.

Now then, what is this post about?

Know that even though the anniversary of opening the club was for the sixth year, we have more days and years (hopefully) of work to get through to be as happy as we want.

The cab has been parked for the month of August. Reasons are personal. Maybe probably I will explain why next time I post.

A good friend, (does anyone have a bad friend?) told me to blog about why I haven't been blogging. Maybe I will....

Since this post is a celebration announcement, I have waived the fare.
CABBY

Attitudes: A self test

2009-07-31T08:48:00.004-06:00

"You may believe that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. What you do comes from what you think." CoM

So the old adage: "You are what you think you are" can be supported by a test.

The test:
Get off by yourself.

By yourself:
Think mean nasty and derisive thoughts about either yourself or your closet, or your garage or ??? (not someone else!)

Go on about your day. Notice how the day seems to have a tilted attitude toward the negative.

Now, at about the time limit for your ability to stand the tilted view or when you see the negative as clearly as you want... go off by yourself again.

By yourself:
Mentally reestablish in your mind that this is an experiment to see the effects of your thoughts on yourself.

Quiet your mind chatter enough to wrest control of your thoughts and think of something that is powerfully positive for you. You will know what to think about: personal, pleasant, important, and again not a person.

Go again off into your day and continue to observe the influence of the brain with positive pleasure in the minds' recesses.. (No, do not send your mind out to recess - only the little kids get those).

End of experiment.

Each morning as I awaken, I apply a routine that has mostly allowed me to, as Rhona Barrett used to say: "Think the good thoughts".

I look out the window at the darkness, and imagine the glow of the coming sunrise and say to myself: "Fuckin' A - Dale lives".

As I absorb the wonder of that, (I have had so many friends and family not live as long as I have) I actively smile and inwardly then say to myself: "This is the best day ever".

I then get up and go about a day filled with all of the same stuff as other people. I just burn through the day with this acceptance of what I cannot change, and the mental position to allow me to change the things that I can if need be.

Make sure to clear any negative thought position for this experiment prior to going to sleep.

"Think the good thoughts".

Is it possible that I didn't start the meter? Yes. Too many times in real life, sort of like not knowing how to set up each day with positive ideas.
I hope you enjoyed the free ride (and advise).

CABBY

Change and resposibility

2009-07-02T09:10:00.002-06:00

I have been thinking about Change and responsibility.

If we were to have another chance at the vote for President last year, would it result in a different outcome? I do not think so, even in hindsight.

If the average American were to go back in time to the election and admit to what they perceived the word “CHANGE” to mean to them, would they step up to Gandhi? Gandhi is quoted as saying;
"You must be the change you want to see in the world."

Would each of us accept that our own words describing what we would like changed are our own message to our selves to "be" that change?

If we accept the premise that the “CHANGE” we hoped for would be our own responsibility. If we then accepted the responsibility to effect that change. We would be better off not locking up dope smugglers and releasing on parole serious felons, as one example. Pick your own change here, please.

I have taken on a few changes I hope to see. I anticipate that you will consider what “CHANGE” you will be responsible to see occur by you "being" that change.

Here’s your change, thanks for finally paying it forward, oh sorry, got carried away with ‘responsibility’ and included yet another responsibility - paying it forward.
CABBY

Birthday

2009-06-23T10:12:00.002-06:00

Birthday

A day to remember my mom and dad.
A day to attempt to remember clearly any other single birthday. Seems harder this year to remember anything actually.
A day to consider that I am an exception - to have lived this long. (From a book called "Outliers." by Malcolm Gladwell.)
A day to remember that I am a "Black Swan" a book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
and
To enjoy a funny email bd greeting, a song sung on the telephone, cards and a DVD CD of Robert Prechter at the London School of Economics.

and

What would happen if Face Book didn't have birthday reminders?
Would nearly no one send greetings? I just love being the center of attention for a few hours a year. I am at least my center of attention - outrageously!

(Oh by the way; did anyone observe the close visual proximity of Mars and Venus in the NE sky on the 21st? We were overcast at night from the 20th through the 22nd, so i missed it.)

I once celebrated the summer solstice by taking the cab to the Russian River, parking in the parking lot and hiking up the trail to Russian Lake and fishing and camping overnight near the USFS shelter East of the foot of the lake. Spectacular. (and rainy if I recall correctly)
I got back to the cab, to find a note asking me to go to one of the camp sites and to drive someone to Anchorage when I returned to Anchorage if I came back before one of the days of the weekend.
I do not recall taking anyone, so that was what we called a DUD in cab lingo.
Who could imagine getting a DUD out in the edge of the Alaskan wilds about 107 miles from town?

Oh well, life in the 49th state in the '70's.

Have a great day, you can count on me having a great day.
In fact this day, just like every one that follows will be the best day ever. Think about it!
CABBY

"Down" and what it refers to...

2009-06-18T16:29:00.002-06:00

"Down" and what it refers to...
Down is a lot of things:
___________________________

1.) An attitude often resulting from looking at check book balances. (You younger generation may not know what this is, with all of the electronic banking going on.)
1.) My attitude is one of gratitude today when I look at the balance in my checking account. Even though it is steeply declining as the economy and inflation are eating up my money. Compared to a great many others, I am okay right now.

2.) Attitude of someone not seeing all of the possibilities of the moment.
2.) I gave up on being down and narrow minded and locked in to anything I said or took a position about earlier. I see possibilities and responsibilities of more than this change in my agreement with myself now. I see that the new information I can unexpectedly receive if I can just be open to it, is most helpful if accepted without some predeclared attitude.

3.) Something lower than something else.
3.) I have decided that my composters need to be elevated from being 'down there' so that I can maximize their production. I could not think of anything else I wanted to say for # 3. (Elevating them will allow me to recover the liquid fertilizer they produce, which I currently do not utilize.)

4.) From a higher to a lower place.
4.) The reason I have 8 ladders.

5.) Fine soft fluffy feathers.
5.) The real reason for writing this blog.
I am sending my pillow to the maker so it can be refurbished, cleaned and updated. This is what I wanted to say: "Yikes, I am going to miss it. They will have it for about a week plus shipping. I have the best pillow ever. It is small enough. It will wad up and be all wrinkled. It will lay out flat. It is usually cool on my neck when I lay down on it each night. It can muffle sound, absorb perspiration and show where I slobbered last night. I can fold it into half and it is as tall as I ever want it."

"I will be so happy to have it back."

So what does this have to do with taxicabs?

Not sure, except I never saw an adult get in my cab with their pillow to go to the airport for a trip away; only kids were free enough to desire their pillows stay with them. Damn, maybe I can relive my youth?

Cab fare is paid because I want you to think about just this, not struggle with thoughts from the other side of your brain...
CABBY

Enrollment

2009-06-12T08:08:00.003-06:00

Enrollment

America's Heritage Dictionary: (Electronic Pocket)
To enter the name of in a register, record or roll.

The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary: (Pocket book size)
To enter or register on a roll or list. To offer (oneself) for enrolling.

Webster's New Encyclopedic Dictionary (Library Size - BIG)
To enter in a list, catalog or roll. ENTER, JOIN (enroll in school).

Dale's head: (Large but Empty)
The act of loving and caring enough to go as far as necessary to know I have gone too far to determine what can be learned about another person's willingness to pursue the life they want - and know they can have.

David White: (Quick 'off the top' of his gorgeous head)
"Sharing my life with others"

Today's blog is clearly written for myself.

Sorry I do not mean to bore you.

If we have one thing that is clearly our life's full purpose, then we are shorting all of the other possibilities. I maintain that the purpose of each life is to accomplish what we uniquely can contribute. To do what no other person will be able to do. To make whatever we can of each day, hour, minute, second. To stay in the present.
To realize each and every day that there will be no other day for any other human being EVER like the one we have right now.

So what is the blog message?
Go enroll.
Go share your life with others.
Be who you uniquely are today.
Do not pass up this special one time only opportunity to contribute what you are the only one who can.
Enroll yourself in the life you know is possible.
If you do not know what I am talking about, let's talk. I may not be eloquent, but I do know what this can mean.

Go ENTER your life! The life you know you can have. It will be wildly and rewardingly and satisfyingly better than the life you have now. Enroll yourself in the idea that you can have the life you want. Do not settle.

Choo-Choo!
We have been at a railroad crossing for the Durbin Rocket. A lot more fun than sitting at the railroad crossings down by Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage on a cold dark winter afternoon. Never got hit by a train, however I did have my cab struck by a bus.

No cab fare for being stopped at a rail crossing.
CABBY

Blog and spam

2009-06-10T10:05:00.001-06:00

Blog and Spam

Someone turned my blog in to the blog gods and I was removed from blogging for a while. After a silent trial of emails, I was returned to the ethernet with an 'cause unfounded' verdict.

Such a relief for some to have me silenced for a short time.

I may have something more to say soon, and I am looking forward to saying it.
Just a heads up to the 'culprit.'

I may be silenced for a while, however, I am determined to rant and rave as I can, if not here - then at a new site.
This site has been a hassle from the beginning, and I am once again searching for one that will not be so addled by political correctness.

I will stop with a simple saying that I found at the very beginning of my latest read:

"Enchantment and Exploitation"
William deBuys

"... in an unforgiving environment, small errors yield large consequences."

If that doesn't get your head started, you are eating a different word experience than I am.

Ever get in a taxicab with a thinker?

I had a self proclaimed preacher of some esoteric denomination of his own 'creation' that lighted incense in the backseat of the cab to "cleanse the sins" of what undoubtedly had happened in the cab before he ever sat his sorry ass on the clean seats.
The incense burned only as long as it took me to pull over and toss it into the roadway.
He was beside it in an instant and I was gone about two seconds later.
Whew, I didn't think I would ever get the air cleared out. Smelled like China Town San Francisco for days.

He got a short free ride, and so have you here.
Fare not collected, as it is time to pull over and think of something such as:

"... in an unforgiving environment, small errors yield large consequences."

CABBY

'Too much' and 'Too little'

2009-05-21T09:54:00.004-06:00

'Too much' and 'Too little'
I said last posting that I would talk about: "What are you pretending not to know".
Here it is:

Too much

How can we have too much when we create what we have?

Too many bills?
Too long at work?
Too many 'friends' that only send jokes or chain messages without a personal note?
Too many demands on your time?
Too many chores?
Too many health issues?
Too many mean drivers?

You get the idea.

Change your intent.
Results are measured by successfully carrying out your intent.
Change your intent until you get the results you want.

Too little

See how little you can get along with.
Too little money?
Too little time? (Now there is a common excuse!)
Too little love?
Too little conversation?
Too little enjoyment?

Change your intent.
Results are measured by successfully carrying out your intent.
Change your intent until you get the results you want.

I said last posting that I would talk about: "What are you pretending not to know".

There it is.

Just change your intent, and the results will change. Period.

The best example of this in my cab owner/driver days:

Ted came to work and said it was going to be a slow day, because it was Saturday of the weekend and payday was Tuesday. He asked if he could take the day off.
I replied that if he would just go out with the intent to make a pile of money, he would change the day for himself.

He went out to the airport and picked up a fare that he drove to Fairbanks, and made about $450 for himself. A regular good day was about $130.00 for a day.
You see, it was COLD in Fairbanks and the ice fog was THICK. Airport shut down.

Being a smart cab driver, he went out to the airport in Fairbanks and went into the bar and said to the bar tender that he would drive any two people to Anchorage for individual fares of $150 each. He had a bidding war and collected $200 each from three women.

All in all he grossed about $900 that day for a slow day.

Intent. Opportunity. Fortune. Attitude.
You choose.

Fare is paid for this ride. Ted got so drunk celebrating that night after returning to Anchorage, that he called me about 3:30 a.m.and I took him home in the same cab for free.
He never missed the chanced to drive a shift again.
Oh yeah, I made about $100 for the short shift I drove that night after Ted got back to Anchorage.
Intent.
CABBY

Disagree - Agree - "Nuts." / Nutty

2009-05-08T08:28:00.004-06:00

Disagree - Agree - "Nuts."/Nutty

Definitions for this blog:

Disagree
Webster: 1. to differ in opinion; 2.to have an unpleasant effect.

Agree
Webster: CONCEDE (Websters caps not mine)

"Nuts."
In Webster the closest thing is nutty.
Nutty
Webster: mentally unbalanced.

The blog:
Isn't it interesting that people have a shared experience and not agree about what it was?

Friends can be moved to a limbo of limited, selfish, unforgiving, rigid, huffy, blaming, accusing, small minded 'non friend' (NF) status over the stupidest of things.

One person chooses NF; the other is stuck in confusion.

A self chosen limiting view of another person most often is the cause for these NF breakdowns.

I have been on the edge of this kind of bad choice because of what I observe as self centered unbending closed minded smallness way too many times to list.

Why is it that the choice to limit their view has to be the choice; instead of choosing an open dialog an eventual agreement and realization that the event, issue, or occurrence occurred in the past?

The present is now.

All of the hurt feelings, indignation, 'I was wronged' thoughts, the unforgiving occurred in the past. Why do people hang on to that crap?

What is the reward for keeping that alive in your life when it is healthier, easier and more fun to just move forward and laugh at ourselves?

I sometimes become 'mired in' trying to locate the reward for this kind of childish pettiness and negative choice.

I am guilty of some of this. When it is pointed out to me, or when I see it, I just plain say: "Nuts." "I am over that and attempt to repair any damage I can."

I just was confronted with an example where it took me 10 months to get to that point. I thankfully was confronted by the other person, in person. The resulting conversation revealed that I am now 'clear' with them. I have apologized, that has been acknowledged and the air is clear. How hard was that? "Nuts."

I however seem to be stuck with being on the edge of some one else's pettiness and insecurity and their choice to hang onto the past.

Being on the edge in this case really has taught me that:

"When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen -
There will be something solid on which to stand
or
you will be taught to fly."

Today I am standing firmly on the side of
Let go of "disagree."

I hate not getting to fly! If only there was "agree"?

(The next blog): "What is it you pretend not to know?"

Cab fare was picked up by Rebecca Grace Jones - in 2004
CABBY

Call you - me

2009-05-06T17:09:00.002-06:00

Ever think of someone while walking to your gate at the airport?
or
While waiting for your coffee to cool while in Starbucks?
or
While waiting for the car at a fast lube store?
or
While having a craft brew in a local brewery?
or
???

Ever want to hear form someone who hasn't called?
Well, place yourself in their shoes. (See top three lines).

Pick up the phone, or cell, blackberry, iphone, vonage, or even your keyboard and:
"Commence firing!" (Dail the thing!)

Communicate, commit and care.

Just know that I was thinking of you right now, and picked up the keyboard. I used the cell yesterday, and the cell again last night. You know it caused me no pain and cost you no cab fare.
Of course, I am so guilty of all of this that I still have some to call tomorrow...
CABBY

Gardening

2009-05-04T06:46:00.002-06:00

Work.
Rewards.
Flowers.
Vegetables.

Snails,
Birds,
Fungus,
Drought,
Hail,
Shade.

I love it all.

I look forward to the planting season. I have planted corn, peas, squash all together in a shared plot.
I have some planters (pots) planted, with a few to do still.
I have lawn to nurse through what looks like an underground assault of ???
Trees have been thinned and pruned.
Hedge is ready to fill in after serious pruning.
Roses fed, beds weeded, and all are well watered.
Tomatoes and onions in the ground.

Anticipation of an abundant flower show; food on the vine. (nothing tastes as good)
Pleasant times just watching the development while pinching back, watering, mowing and cleaning.
Bouquets through the house. Yummy to my nose!

Ah, gardening - a satisfying way to plan for the future while staying in the present.
Why did we leave the old family farm?

Weeds are the compost (3 comppost bins) of the growing season through the fall - which comes all too soon.

Maybe I ought to look for a house with a larger place to farm, not garden?
No!
I have it perfectly arranged as it is now.
I can blame the failures on flower beds too shaded, the slugs, the drought, and just let the garden use my spare time.
All without a single seed catalog!

Come on by in a few days, (60+/-) and enjoy a fresh yellow pear tomato or two fresh on the vine. Ever smell a lightly crushed tomato plant leaf. One of the best smells on the planet.
No cab fare for visiting the garden.
CABBY

Swine flu information day-to-day

2009-04-29T11:36:00.000-06:00

To learn the latest about swine flu, without all of the "news" hype
visit:

http://www.who.int/en/

I typed in simply who to search and was connected directly with this site.

Again, I have the windows up, and the fan turned off. I am taking no fares, as yet, so I cannot charge a cab fare.

Whew! I better find a car wash and get a shower...
CABBY

Swine flu update of facts

2009-04-27T07:56:00.002-06:00

Here is the latest info on swine flu. A FAQ if you are interested.

GENEVA – A swine flu outbreak that appears to have caused fatalities in humans in Mexico and nonfatal cases in the United States prompted the World Health Organization this weekend to urge countries around the world to be alert for suspicious cases of influenza.

WHO chief Margaret Chan says the global body is taking the outbreak very seriously, though comparisons with the 1918 epidemic are premature.

Here are some facts about swine flu:

Q. What is swine flu?

A. Swine flu is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease normally found in pigs. It spreads through tiny particles in the air or by direct contact. According to WHO it tends to infect large numbers of a given pig population, killing between 1 and 4 percent of those affected. Not every animal infected displays symptoms.

Q. Where do outbreaks occur?

A. Swine flu is considered endemic in the United States, and outbreaks in pigs have also been reported elsewhere in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of eastern Asia.

Q. How do humans contract the virus?

A. People usually become infected through contact with pigs, though some cases of LIMITED human-to-human transmission have been reported.

Q. Is it safe to eat pork products?

A. WHO says properly handled and prepared pork products are safe to eat. The swine flu virus dies when cooked at temperatures of 160Â°F/70Â°C or higher.

Q. How high is the risk of a pandemic?

A. Since the swine flu outbreaks in Mexico and U.S. Were identified, the risk of a pandemic has increased. Health officials worry the swine flu might develop into a form easily spread among humans. To do this, it could combine with a human flu virus or mutate on its own into a transmissible form. Experts worry that the more the virus circulates, the more likely a pandemic strain will emerge. But there is no way to predict when a pandemic strain will develop.

Q. Does a vaccine exist?

A. Pigs in North America are routinely vaccinated for swine flu, but no vaccine exists for humans. In any case, the flu virus evolves quickly, meaning that vaccines are soon obsolete. Health officials say there is no suggestion that the vaccine prepared for seasonal flu will protect against swine flu.

While people who are given the seasonal flu vaccine will probably be not protected against swine flu, it may prevent them from getting the seasonal flu. If they are then infected with swine flu, that reduces the possibility of the two flus mixing in that person to create a potential pandemic strain.

Q. What other treatment is there?

A. The swine flu virus detected in Mexico and the United States appears to respond to treatment with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). In terms of prevention, maintaining good hygiene, for example regular hand-washing and staying a safe distance from those infected, may help.

There is no cab fare, as I am riding around with the fan off and the windows rolled up - alone.
CABBY

This scratches the inside of my head

2009-04-26T16:39:00.003-06:00

Why can a bank receive billions of dollars without collateral when a citizen has to provide collateral?

Using the same reference to funds:
The US Treasury loaned about $1,000,000 in a week in August 07.
The US Treasury loaned about $400,000,000,000 in a week in October 08

Is there really a separation between borrowing and face value?
Is there a reason I am paying only if I collateralize, and the bank can get money on a few words?

Is it true that the Chinese, Mexican, Russian, Philipine, Japanese, South Korean or you name a government do not have to collateralize?

NUTS.

Just get out of the cab, you are entitled to something for free. No fare, no worry.
CABBY

Changing times?

2009-04-10T10:15:00.002-06:00

So what did you think of that video from last post? Didn't go there? It isn't too late to copy and paste the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go
We need to get 'er done while we can.

Changing times?

Consider getting married vs. not getting married:

In the formative days of our country, marriage was something that people made it a point to do if they were going to live together. Sometimes they had to go to a great deal of trouble to get it done. Why'd they bother? I suspect there was a lot of problem with being a bastard. That is what they used to call children born out of wedlock. There was of course the 'Church" and all of its zeal. Also, there was the commitment.

Today, I hear weekly or more frequently, 'Why get married?'

'Why can't we get married?'
I observe that this question most frequently is related to becoming entitled to some 'benefit' or some such. I understand that there are relationship reasons also. However my observation for all of these years is that there is a financial reason among all of the other reasons.
So why do those who have been denied marriage want it and so many who are able to get married not interested?

Again - 'benefits' are usually in the mix.

The exception I observe to much of this, and I am not saying this is true for all; is that the rich and famous and those who are so unable to 'commit' say 'who needs to be married? Why get married? What purpose does it serve?'

Well, in MHO it is a sign of disrespect to not be married and to be having children. It is a slap in the face to the kids. It is a good thing for parents to be committed enough to suffer through the frights of marriage to raise kids.

That said, I find it deplorable that there are so many people, 'families', that have taken the bastard route for the 'benefits' and not taken the route to having kids that are full family members instead.

Some lawyers, judges, congresswomen and congressmen have created a social disease that makes it 'better' for people to live together and raise children that are bastards.

We can blame ourselves for not demanding that the law and rule makers and enforcers stop doing this to our society.
Hey, let's have an election and get some more of those twisted thinkers in there to see what else they can do wrong.
Be careful the next time you call one of them a bastard, you could just be right.

I once took a congress woman in my cab. She asked me to take her home. She was too drunk to tell me where she lived. She gave me her drivers license to get the address. Now I am not implying that they are all like that, however she is the one I came in contact with and it is like the blindfolded woman touching an elephant... it depends on what part of the elephant she touches, whether she thinks it is a prospective date, or an old orange... The congress woman was an orange for me.
Hope you enjoyed the ride.
The cab fare is charged to the government, they are the only ones besides my brother who have any money these days. I salute my brother. I will not start on the Treasury Department.
CABBY

Pay attention here! - please

2009-04-05T00:16:00.002-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

Give this a try when you think you are someone else.
I am still right here.
What have I become?
dh CABBY

Iditarod

2009-03-18T23:06:00.002-06:00

To some that word is electric.
To some it is a question mark.
To others it signifies endurance.
To some it implies cruelty.
To some it is a winter break in an isolated life.
To some it is money.
To some it is another pin to collect.
To some it is a real nightmare.
To some it is life threatening.
To some it is no big deal, their venue has a 'better' race by some measure.
To some it is sleep deprivation.
To some it is months and months of planning.
To some it is unfathomably difficult to imagine.
To some it is a mystery.
What all agree this morning is that another one is over for the winner.
What they all agree is that there is still a week or so to go for many.
What it is, is Dog Racing of the most severe.
Congratulations to Lance Mackey of Fairbanks.
and especially, congratulations to his dogs.

The fare was for sure paid and the freight hauled by the dogs for this one.
CABBY

Green

2009-03-17T09:45:00.002-06:00

What did you expect?

Environmental stuff?
Saint Patrick's stuff?
Photos of New Mexico?
Photos of Alaska?
A trip to the greenhouse?
Gardening discussion?

Sorry, I have only two things to say about green.
Nuts, three.

Happy St Patty's Day!

Drink green beer at least once today.

What's up with the NY Times?
Not a single front page headliine about St Patrick's Day.

No fare, as I only drive to pubs, saloons and bars today. So I will be back to pick you up when you call, and then I will collect because you will be full of Blarney.
CABBY

Personal interests

2009-03-14T09:11:00.001-06:00

I often wonder how some people came to be TV watchers and some are activity doers, and some are computer addicts and some are bar, tavern, saloon or club people.
I admire them all, however I cannot help but wonder from what each may be fleeing.

I wonder about myself the most of course and have decided that everyone has in their persona a ‘Nerd” that drives them to be a certain distortion of the real person they know they are.

If everyone would just go; (Yes I have a destination in mind for all of you) If they would just go take a strong, honest, blinders off, personally safe, private, critical and admiring look via a SERIOUS self examination and evaluation.

I think we would have more artists of quality, more health, more smiling, more satisfaction, more secure perceptions, more responsibility, more fulfillment, more acceptance, more beauty, more sharing, more realization that we can be everything we want of and for ourselves and not give a hoot about what we think others think of us in our real skin.

Have you ever done something to please someone else, and at the same time displeased yourself?

Have you ever bought a dress (Do women still wear dresses?) that you knew was just to look better for a specific other woman in some sort of personal fashion war?

Have you ever worn Khakis for someone else when you wanted to wear jeans for yourself?
Have you ever ??? - you fill in the blanks, (there is more than one thing to go here for each of us).

Have you ever ordered wine when you wanted a beer?

Have you ever said to yourself that you wish you had done what you wanted for yourself instead of doing something else for what someone else might think?

Enough, by now you either get it or are bored or have checked out. If you are still here, the real blog follows:

My point is that this is the real deal here that we are living today. This is the Final night of the play. This is the last time the orchestra will play the theme for curtain calls. This is the last experience we will have that is this unique experience - life.

Do whatever it takes. Do all you can. Please do ask yourself – Am I worth it to ‘be’ myself?
Ask yourself: Have I satisfied my desire to ‘be’ the person I know I am? Really. Way really down deep inside where only you can see, feel and know what is right for you.

If you haven’t yet done this, you are in for a treat. Just do it!

Then, when you have acknowledged who you really are not, go to the web site I won’t mention http://www.millennium3education.com). Here through yourself you can capture your life as you want it.

Ask yourself,
“What Is It That I Am Pretending Not To Know”

Fare is paid, tuition is not. You are worth it. I know. Do you? Go find out how to ‘be’ you.

Love with power and freedom,
CABBY

A Good Word

2009-03-06T07:45:00.002-07:00

No, Not Charley Brown :)

Just a thought or two to set up a traveling weekend.

"We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take
charge and rule our lives from within."

Free your heart from hatred.

Free your mind from worries.

Live simply.

Give more.

Expect less.

Stop trying to be perfect.

Don't get overwhelmed.

Resist temptation.

Reward yourself.

You just rode in a taxicab through a car wash with me.

Yes, we left the windows down to help clear out everything. Today I will see something I never noticed before.

You'll dry out, so will I.

Hope you enjoyed the ride. I am going to go dump the car wash water and wax out of my boots. ha - ha!

Fare was the price of the car wash - 'free' with the windows down.

Laughing, CABBY

Bill paying

2009-02-26T11:47:00.002-07:00

If we pay our city utility bill via telephone or internet, we pay a third party fee to make each payment via those methods.
So, I could save money by using the postal service?
Here is a prime example of that twisted logic of the politically correct getting in my face again.

Damn the bastards, I'll be post dating checks again.

(Do you realize that if you get a mile a dollar for using a credit card on a rewards card, that the merchant you do business with pays for those miles? He cannot charge you more for the use of the credit card, so he has to inflate his prices to everyone.
Look for another blog soon about that whole thing.) NUTS!

I can't charge you more when you pay your Curves bill with your rewards credit card, even though it costs me a dollar more to take your payment than it would by check or cash. So if I were to have a third party take your payment when you call me to pay it, then they can charge you more.

We 'otta sue the bastards that created this abomination!
Talk about a loop hole. Why not jsut let the merchant charge the fee?

Where were the regulators when Congress allowed this? Love those banker lobbyists!

It sucks to pay conveniently.
I have more to say. However instead, I am going to go pack to go on an Oryx hunting trip.
I'll show 'em about politically correct.
I may even go piss outside under the stars while I am there.

You know, I may even swear at the animals before we shoot, just to be completely politically outspoken.
I will still sample the blood when I butcher the carcass, though. I am after all aware of what I will be doing in the control of the range and environment.
(Singing here) "Here little Oryx. Here little Oryx. Come closer little Oryx. That's it". BANG!
Fresh liver soon. Oh, and Fresh heart. Yum-yum yum.

Sorry, I didn't get you away from the curb, I was afraid of my political rage turning to road rage.
CABBY

National Safety

2009-02-22T16:02:00.002-07:00

India is a very poor country. People there are as smart as every where else.
India is having a very hard time with terrorists. Terrorists regularly and randomly murder Indian citizens daily.
India is arming its citizens to thwart terrorism because they think that will work.

America is (was) a wealthy country. People in America are as smart as every where else.
America doesn't have a hard time with in country terrorists. Americans are presently safe on their streets.
Americans are an armed society.

Some Americans want to take guns away from responsible gun safe people.

Some responsible gun safe Americans want to teach gun safety to ALL citizens, so it will be safe for everyone to own guns.

Some Americans want to require all Americans who own ANY gun to register and pay a registration fee and secure a license / permit to own each gun.
The proposed fee for such a licensing is approximately $ 25. That is $ 25 for each gun. The proposal says that this license would require renewal at about 5 year intervals.
I suggest that for $25 per student, I can teach adequate gun handling safety to everyone. It would not require renewal, EVER.
That would include a registry to record such training.

There are states that have progressed from a culture of licensing concealed gun carry permits to a culture of carrying a gun does not require a permit after gun safety training.

There are states that are attempting to make the possession of a gun a felony.

There are states where people collect their protein and table fare with a gun.
There are states where the people living there think it is unnecessary to own guns - at all.

The bottom line is that we have allowed the 'polite thinking' to permeate the sensibilities of logic.

There are people who would rather kill any innocent person, to support a drug habit.
There are people who would spend money to support these people with drug habits and not teach gun safety.

The next time you read your Daily Advertiser (Newspaper) headlines, just recall that the headlines could be that the Mayor, Governor or President actually told the truth and said we have as many people on the dole, welfare, handout, charity, you pick your name for it as we do paying taxes.

The next time you blow a red light, don't signal a lane change or a turn, just recognize that you are a part of the National safety problem.
You are, in committing that little illegal maneuver, a contributing reason that the police have to spend so much of their budget on traffic and not on crime protection.

If people would stop thinking of themselves, and begin to think of the whole bunch of us, we would begin to reduce the burden of crime, violence, welfare, food shelter and work shortage, social strata perceptions, poverty, trash in the environment, crimes against the citizens that are unable to protect themselves, pet cruelty, drug abuse, domestic abuse, traffic problems etc.
We would be able to take whatever of the stimulus money that might trickle down and attack all or any one of these items in a positive and effective way.

Now those of you who know me, you know I am no Bleeding heart, or Joe Straight or a Do-gooder. I am an opinionated, salty ol' bastard at times. I have my mind made up, but can be budged to reconsider.

So, I ranted on longer than I wanted, and ranged way wide of what I planned. I apologize for that and will soon begin a project to write a memoir, where some of this opinion will be focused - which might relieve some and for sure will make this more conducive to complete reading.

I think I got the response links repaired, however I can always be screamed at at:
wdaleh9047@hotmail.com.

Enjoy the race from Fontanac CA this afternoon. Attendance is down as a result of the economy, so I will end this ride at the race track, and waive the fare to help reduce the economic effect on my favorite sport.
Anchorage didn't have well organized racing. We used to race down (or up) Northern Lights Blvd.
CABBY

Writing

2009-02-21T00:10:00.002-07:00

Did you ever consider that you might want to write a book?
Well, I have the reference guide for you. I am not paid, nor does the author know I am touting her book.

"Shimmering Images" by Lisa Dale Norton
(A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir) is the sub title.

Consider taking it to the beach, on a flight, to visit your in laws.

It is 138 pages of delightfully written advise. The book would make a great textbook for a writing class.
Step by step with labels for things and mental images for the processes so that it is easier to understand than any BBQ assembly instructions I have ever struggled through.

She is able to speak plain English and clearly is aware of the scope of the pitfalls of attempting to be published.
She also has great advise if all you are thinking of doing is recording your life for posterity.
I presume that some day my offspring will read what I plan to memoir and say, thank you. It will be nothing like this blog.

So, if any one of you think you are unique and are inclined to record the details of what has made you who you uniquely are, this is a handy, easy thorough discussion of the task.

I have a brother-in-law who journals. This book should be in his library.
Hmmmm maybe a Birthday present from me?

I once had a travel writer charter my cab for about a day.
We went to the Indian Health Hospital.
We went to the Psychiatric Hospital.
We went to the Cemetary and to a mortician.
We went to the Chapel at the City Cemetery.
Needless to say, the passenger was writing an article on Anchorage for a funeral director / undertaker trade magazine.

It was real interesting that even though there were a couple funerals that day, He wasn't interested in the people in the cemetery (alive). He did in the end take a scenic trip around the town. I was even able to get him into Chilcoot Charlie's.
I tried to get him to go to Mr. Whitkeys, however he was a woos and didn't want to be out that late.
Oh well, after seeing how easy it seemed to be to do the research and the outlining of the information, I decided that anyone could do what he did. Write.

So my blog is current proof that I was wrong about that.
Fare is paid.
CABBY

1. Communicate 2. Blog hosts 3. Valentines

2009-02-14T23:03:00.002-07:00

1. Why is it that so many people have become completely inept at such a basic skill?
Have you ever listened to an interview of someone less than about 38 years old?
Every sentence starts with: "What I mean"... or "Like"... or "I know"... or "You know... or ----____ .
Do you know the expression: P-tooey!

2. New blog hosts are, as we are reading this, being contacted to host this thing. I have asked a blogger that I highly respect and who has a great blog site to assist me in getting connected with his host. More will be blogged here as this 'change' develops.

3. Valentines and Valentines Day are interesting.
A.) Men buy more gifts and spend more money.
B.) Women expect more. Women know they have the power.

To draw what seems to me to be a logical conclusion from those two facts - women don't really think of the acknowledgment of the relationship to be their obligation as much as men think it to be their obligation.
So, does the expected reward seem more valuable to men?

Men are sure of the necessary responsibility to confirm the relationship. The obligation to reinforce the relationship is a nonverbal certainty for men. There is something that women have been using as leverage to keep the relationship tilted so that this Valentines Massacre is always for the man to be rewarded. Aren't women lucky? Think about it.

I have enjoyed some pretty amazing activity as a voyeur or as an auditory eavesdropper of conversations and human bodies in the back seat of a cab. In the waning hours of the Valentines Days of Anchorage, celebrants have been known to do, say and appear in ways they would never have considered any other day of the year. Today we would not even blink an eye in the movie theaters if we saw what occurs in taxicabs. Cab fares used to tip really big for the calm presence I showed in ignoring, not acknowledging, or just plain experiencing occur in my not objecting presence.
I recall one time....
How big will the tip be for the rest of this story?

Happy Valentines Day.
Remember, the CABBY has seen, heard and cleaned up after just about anything you can imagine two or three, and even - one time - four people doing in the back seat of a cab in Anchorage, Alaska on February 14th at about 3 a.m. when the saloons closed.
I recall one time.....
Fare was paid by the Bodacious huge tip!
CABBY

Posting my blog

2009-02-13T18:25:00.003-07:00

I have had numerous complaints that comments cannot be made, and connection to my blog site doesn't seem possible. So I am going to look for a different location to host a blog.

I will post the information about where it will be when I find a better place for access. Until then, it will be here.

I value comments and the dialog that I can have with each of you, and hate when you do not get to have your two cents worth. I may even need to collect the two cents before too long. :)

Well, the racing season started tonight. See, ya.
Racing is fun and interesting to me. so what can I say? You get tennis, golf and football. I understand there are even people who do the colossal waste of time called basketball. So allow me.

The meter for this blog was used in the couplet from the blog earlier this a.m. so you have no fare to pay.
CABBY

Octuplets

2009-02-13T00:30:00.002-07:00

So the L A P D are going to investigate threats to the octuplet mom?

Hey, run octuplets through your spell checker. Mine says it is a bad word.
My spell checker suggests sextuplets. That is the cause of this whole drama. If she'd just had sex, we wouldn't be reading this.
My spell checker also suggests quintuplets. Remember the ones from when we were kids?
My spell checker also suggests couplets. Well, according to one www source;
"A couplet is a pair of lines of verse. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter. Some cultures have decorative traditions associated with them."
When I was a kid on the farm, I remember a couplet as the time when we ran the bull and one of the cows into the small corral for a day or so...

I guess I should have used couplet - these things are appropriate for this discussion:
A pair of lines of verse. I couldn't be a couplet-er, as it takes me two lines of parenthesis comments to just cover my tame thoughts. Nothing I say makes sense, so rhyming is out of the question.
I believe in flying the US flag daily, so I am spot on with the decorative traditions - I guess 1 out of 3 isn't so bad.

Back to the subject:
Okay, I will say nothing bad about the LAPD and the investigation, if there is serious threats, then go get 'em!

The question is however (again In am politically incorrect, but with change, should come straight talk and straight logic.)

Don't you think she needs an investigation of being a fit mental candidate to be a mom for 14 kids? or even 5 (which is the closest legitimate number she could have been expected to be pre-checked for.
Shouldn't there be a testing for these kinds of possible moms?

Come on...

I didn't even get the cab in gear, as the passenger limit for a passenger taxi cab is 5. She couldn't even take them to a fertility clinic...
Oh - my bad.

CABBY

What drives the market?

2009-02-11T09:06:00.002-07:00

The pundits, the press and the talking trash cans on wall street, the TV stations and the financial news stations are all selling something or someone. Consider their motives to be saying something, instead of working at a discussion about solutions.

They unanimously gave the Secretary of the Treasury credit for the market fall yesterday. Woohee! To be so powerful. They were ALL wrong. That is they were incorrect. They said things that were not true. They lied. I know, what I just wrote is politically incorrect, but we are for 'change' - right? So let's start telling the truth. Painful isn't always the final result of truth, it goes away as the truth sets you free.

Yesterday the market fell further before Geitner spoke than it did during and after he spoke.
So YOU decide what caused the fall. Do not let those other guys tell you. You can figure it out every day. It only takes a watch, note pad, addition and subtraction and a few minutes to gather the daily chart of the market indexes. Note the index level at the minute, and then weigh the 'news' they are reporting, you may see that the market is driven by fear, greed and emotion. In my opinion, the last is the most important piece. They each play a part and need each other to show shifts in market value.

Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geitner, does not appear to have that charismatic presence we like in our public speakers, however, he had a message to deliver that seemed unclear. Maybe next time he will have something to say that is based on information. Yesterday the message appeared to be an attempt to say something was being done to discover the key to unlocking this economic challenge. It seemed to be a message directed at appeasing the impatient needs of American citizens to see some positive results of their voting. (Do you realize President Obama has only been President for 22 days?)
Geitner's message would have maybe been better for all of our expectations to have said: "We are just not clear about this. We have so much to do. The solution may involve some black swans. I will be vague and unclear because today the keys are still in the haystack."

I would encourage everyone to consider that at 10 billion dollars a day, we could come clean of the deficit we are driving our economy into. That is: at near 10,000,000,000 dollars a day in positive sales of goods, our country would still not overcome the debt of 1,000,000,000,000 dollars we are piling up as debt.

Have a nice day, the cab fare is still only measured in dollars and cents. Just go buy a cup of coffee for a homeless American. The need may be for you to buy it for me very soon.

Back to the opening question:
So what drives the market? We do as investors and savers. Protect yourself. See if you can 'not spend' something on a geegaw today, as it may become a cup of soup tomorrow. If you are young, continue to save in a retirement treasury bill, and if you are old, start being good to your offspring.
Have a smart day. Do not believe everything 'they' say.
I am going to go read Susie Orman. She has a new book: "2009 Action Plan" while I await my next cab fare.
CABBY

What are people thinking?

2009-02-08T08:55:00.002-07:00

1. The economy is in a spiral. So the government is going to do a rescue and a TARP.
Now, another stimulus bill. Also talking about another 360 Trillion additional appropriation. People want the President to be responsible, without learning the details themselves.

It is our money folks, we need to know what is happening.

Can you explain these bills? Most cannot. I am lost, I cannot explain them. Scary!

2. IRAQ: Do you have a 16 month calendar counting down on "No American Troops in IRAQ," which was the election platform of the President. He was elected still stating that the acceptable level of danger to America would allow that by the time 16 months would have rolled past.

3. Afghanistan: I actively suggest that the book "A brief history of Afghanistan" by Shaista Wahab and Barry Youngerman, is a book the contents of which we should all understand. The book tells of the history, politics, indigenous borders, religious differences, and the humanitarian values of Afghanistan and some of Pakistan.
What are we doing when we haven't changed operational methods from what the President campaigned against? Who has the President's ear? Does the President suffer from overload? Has he forgotten the platform he campaigned with said: "we will talk." In the event that fails, we will act. When did he talk to the people we are bombing in this war front?

4. Democrats and Republicans are still playing the same old game of divide and accomplish nothing. When is the 'Change' going to begin to occur? When is the power of our government going to be positioned to act for the country before their individual political power?

5. The money give away: Where are these trillions of dollars going? I understand that many citizens are content to think that these bills are necessary and the only thing we can do for the good of the country. I am not sure about that.

My argument is about: How are we going to protect the money from greed and graft and corruption?

I am not in favor of giving any money to any person, place or thing that cannot face both criminal and civil prosecution for violating the best interest of the country as a whole.

Is my expectation any more unreasonable than for the citizenry to blindly accept it on good faith that the money will be the answer and handled safely and effectively?

Here is the real question and the important topic. This is the real issue of significance. We really can agree to set up a dialog on how this topic will resolve itself by next year.

6. Who is going to win the NASCAR Sprint cup championship this year?

What are people thinking?

Enjoy the NASCAR ride. Racing started last night at Daytona. Watch it again next Sunday, you know I will be.
The fare for this trip is paid, I apologize if when you got in the cab you wanted to go to someplace besides a race track. Please get out now, I am going to watch Speed TV.
What are people thinking?
CABBY

A thought provoking note

2009-01-26T08:25:00.003-07:00

The following is a note from a person I never met. The ideas are frightening when you consider where our economy is heading financially. (and taking a great many of our citizens)

Thoughts from a homeless guy now that I'm back on my feet

I won't ramble too much. Most stories are the same. I just want to tell you what I notice now that I'm stable.

-- Here's me: At age 18 I was a drug mule and got busted on my first trip. My first time, but the amount (marijuana) was enormous and I got 4 years. First two years out, I had some bad luck with roommates; got robbed so much by my own roomies I had to move out but was then immediately hit by the back-rent no one paid. No one could be located except for -- guess who -- me.

-- I had the apartment's lawyers and the phone company chasing me for money. How'd you like to hire somone who has at least two garnishments you have to figure out for each paycheck? Also, would you like to lease an apartment to a guy who has an unpaid judgment from his last apartment? Don't forget the convicted felon part.

So, I was homeless for about 4 years until the manager of a car dealership took a chance on me and now I am the manager of our detailing department.

Okay, so what are the things that I really appreciate?

-- Light switches: In a shelter, lights come on, lights come off and you have no say. The ability to control your own lighting is a big deal.

-- Access to toilets: Ever hear someone mention how those 'disgusting' homeless guys pee outside? Where else should we? The search for a place to relieve yourself is a constant problem when you are on the streets.

-- Weather: I don't pay much attention to weather anymore. On the streets, weather is your life. A homeless guy rummaging for newspapers only wants one section, the weather report. If you can read, and you know the weather, you will have every dude you know asking what is coming.

-- Clean water: Are you impressed with the cleanliness of your average gas station restroom? How'd you like to drink from that sink?

-- Not losing things: Homeless shelters are life-savers in bad weather, but they are also a guarrantee that you will lose all your stuff. Either it's stolen while you sleep, or the shelter staff told you you have to leave it outside. Secret hiding places never are.

-- Night fear: You never stop being afraid of being outside at night. Think it's scary to have a breakdown at night? Someone gets mad, gets drunk or gets mean, you are going to be the first person they find.

-- Internet: I am now an internet addict. I got arrested in 1997 and I barely heard of the net back then. When I got my job in 2005, I got sent to a computer class right away. When I got my own place six months ago, I went all out and got my own computer plus an internet line. It is like magic. I cannot get enough of it.

-- Health Care Fear: Did you hear about that Bumfights video? It's BS! No homeless guys are going to fight. We never fight each other because everyone is afraid of getting hurt. You hear about guys who sprain their ankle and then die because they couldn't move for two weeks. Or, you hear about a guy who cuts his arm and his arm swells up the size of his leg. Little injuries kill. I was always terrified of getting hurt because of that.

-- The Looks: I admit, I got used to the looks from people in the real world. I kept a pretty clean appearance but people can always tell when you are in the 7-11 just to warm up or kill time. I never minded the looks. Didn't really care, not sure why.

-- Girls: I still have not solved the girlfriend riddle, but I love talking to ladies when they come pick up their car and see that we made it look like new. Seeing a woman's smile is nice. When a woman smiles AT you, its like nothing else in the world.

The following is my comment about this growing situation:
Cab drivers were the easy touch in the frozen north called Anchorage. We would take homeless to shelters, and the police station, to the hospitals, and to a meal sometimes late at night. Often I would just have them sit in a warm place for a few minutes while I awaited my next fare. They almost consistently wound up on the street because of one event. Usually a bad judgment, or just a last straw of poor circumstances strung together.
Nearly all admitted that they were one check from the street for a while before they lost their job, health or had an accident.

Think of what we may be called to do as a society of abundance when that abundance is soon among a smaller segment of the population in your town.

Enjoy this ride.
CABBY

Beer flavored Doritos

2009-01-22T08:12:00.002-07:00

New York Times on the net today:
Touts beer flavored Doritos.
Microsoft canceling 5,000 jobs.

Anchorage Times this morning:
Palin to give state of the state tonight, you can watch it streaming at KTOO.org/gavel
Alaska to lose jobs for first time in 20 years.
Murkowski to have seat on appropriations committee. (Stevens used to chair this committee.) She gave up a chair on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Albuquerque Journal today:
Coaches allegedly knew of hazing; Staff accused of drinking at camp
Don't feel sorry for the Governor He loves the job.(remember the one with his hands in the till)

Here is the point.
Everyday we are told what the news is.
Everyday we accept it as the news.
Everyday we do not read a paper, we can decide what the news is.

There are so many choices for the news today, I haven't chosen the local paper in almost a month.

I have a 'frequent' button on my computer that takes me to the headlines around the country.
The last time I was there was right after the election. I guess I don't use it much either.
www.newseum.org
- just in case you are interested.

Not reading the local paper has saved me a walk out to the cold driveway, and being disappointed early in the morning. I do not sense that I have missed much - as you will probably think of this - when you have read this.
No fare for this trip, we just sat and read the paper.
CABBY

Change

2009-01-19T21:20:00.002-07:00

Well, I went to see a movie.
No, I do not think of movies as important, any more than I think of those who make them as important.

The movie I saw was the David Frost / Richard Nixon drama.

We are indeed due a change. I hope we do not head back to those types of politicians, those certainly were not the good old days.

Without going into details, I can only say that I am happy to have seen this movie prior to Inauguration Day.

We have been promised 'change' and have not really had it defined, so who knows what to expect. However, I bet if we had a wishing tree, your hopes and mine for change would be so similar that it would become boring after sharing just a few of our personal expectations.

I know we all expect something, tho.

I had hoped to see cooperation and lack of a dividing line down the center of the Senate and House.

However, as of the last discussion of the Financial Crisis issue, it seems like nothing has changed.

So, with a black President, we are anticipating a removal very soon of segregation of blacks and whites. Too bad that same kind of removal isn't looking like it might be in the future of the Dems and Repubs.

We may have a new definition of segregation: The haves /have nots; the Dems / Repubs; the bailed out / the non bailed out; the employed / the unemployed; the insured / the uninsured, etc. Business as usual?

I am actually amazed at how little good I expect to really see in this change.
Oh well, I may just have been Tricky Dicked.
CABBY

A Very Interesting Interview

2009-01-11T23:52:00.002-07:00

Mike Mc Connell
Director of National Intelligence

Interviewed:
Charlie Rose January 8. (Charlie Rose.com)

If you want to know how things in the US Intelligence team have changed since 9 11, this would be a great place to find out before the administration changes.
The Intelligence community has the expectation to be gutted, if you listen to the talking heads.
I suggest you get this info. I am not sure how long it will be available.
Do you know exactly why Sadham decided to convince the world he had MWD when he didn't?
This interview tells the story as Sadham told it.
Dale

The times. (long, but final maybe)

2009-01-09T09:08:00.004-07:00

Accelerating unemployment:
I noticed just this week that the government didn't publish a percentage of National unemployment. Did I miss it? Or, are they hiding it? During the Great Depression unemployment rose to over 25%. Then there were only 120 to 150 million people in the work force. How many are there now in the work force? How many become unemployed daily now?

Go find a different job, or hopefully you are not unemployed – try to find a job. {Editorial note: I do not believe in try. Either you can or you can’t there is no try. This may be the exception to the rule. I recall when it was possible to find a job in a single day. Even in a single hour. Oh my, how things have changed….}

Unscrupulous money lenders:

Why are we putting up with the obscene salaries for them to take our retirements and savings? Why aren't some of these executives in jail or at least under indictment?

A generation of self-seekers:

Why is it that we vote for our special interest instead of the self interest of the country as a whole? Let’s appeal to our ‘elected’ to represent ALL of us.

Nationalized banks:

Some say it is a passing necessity. I say bull shit. I know bull shit when I smell it, and this is a new permanent fixture in our economy.

Financiers who binged on speculative excess:

What? Are we allowing these people to stay out of jail? Are we crazy?

Banks failing:

Yes, just try to get a loan - I dare you! Then tell me how you will pay for it as the economy continues to dry up. Reduced maximum credit card limits, increased credit card interest rates, and larger penalties for missing credit card payments are all a part of this. Stricter lending guidelines are a result of the bankers seeing the downturn as a National threat..

Businesses, large and small failing:

Just drive past ten strip malls. I defy you to find just six (or four) that do not have recently vacant closed small businesses. You can read the paper, internet news, watch pbs reports and know about big businesses. Check out your local scene. I encourage you to not listen to the National news, they are selling condoms, padded bras, money lenders and American cars, not reporting the ‘real’ news. I wish we had Mark Twain to comment on the National News. Or for the younger generations, Tim Russert.

Wages being cut:

Some salaries and bonuses will take many more reductions. If you keep your job, pretty soon you will feel this event. Business has slowed down, so there is less money circulating, which means there is less to pay employees.

Hours being reduced:

When business slows, fewer people are needed to populate the stores, factories, markets, and entertainment venues.

Benefits more expensive:

As the government goes further in debt, the resource for citizen benefit will take a major hit at the lower income levels for sure. As the economy slows more, it will begin to be seen at more affluent levels. Health care and proactive ways to reduce the effects of crappy diets and obesity will become more the focus over the long run. However, when it is realized that Americans accept that they are obese and not willing to do anything about it, the benefits will become more difficult to qualify for and to receive because the ‘thinking’ will become that we have to do something for ourselves, and not rely on drugs and surgeries.

Social medicine being the means to provide health care:

We already see that America pays more for less. Do you really have a choice anymore about who you see, and what testing is allowed? Where does all of the money for health care go? I suspect that it goes to those attorneys that prosecute doctors and to the insurance companies that went upside down in our stock markets. It sure doesn’t go to the docs.

Extended unemployment benefits:

This has already started. What happens when 25% of our work force is applying? Yikes! We do not have to be the government to know this is a dead end road.

It is even starker for countries other than America.

My point of taking you on this taxicab ride is that these are nearly all the same features that America faced when we as a country had the Great Depression. You get the picture. These are all features of today's U S economy.

Do you recall that you and I knew we were presently in a recession about a year before the press and the government would admit it?

Do you realize that we are at the threshold of another Great Depression? Do you hear any alarm from the reporters? From the ‘elected’? Nope. They are afraid to admit that things are going to hell in a hand basket. 1. We may not buy what they are selling (the press). 2. We may expect them to perform for ALL of us (the ‘elected’).

What are they thinking in Washington yesterday (1 8 09) and today (1 9 09)? Do they think it is important to defend themselves as Democrats and as Republicans instead of the decision makers for ALL of America? They are still thinking they represent their home states. Who they represent is ALL of America. Period! The business model has changed!

I say it is time to call, write, email, send a telegram, share what you think with the ‘elected’ and your face book friends and your email contacts and your family and your business contacts and your blog. Oh yeah, while I am on it, it is time for us to write more instead of less. My niece’s son Andrew said it really well this a.m. (He is quite young by my standards and I really respect him for having a say). Here is his quote:

“First of all, do not apologize for length. It is nice to actually talk with someone who does not feel the urge and need to condense their thoughts down to meaningless one-line statements.” So, have a go at being conversant about the state of affairs we are in.

If you do not know how to reach the 'elected' in Washington, go to your local library or to your local library website and get the information and act now. After the recent elections, the names probably have changed and you will want to contact the current people.

We must speak for ourselves; they are not speaking for us.

Just yesterday, it looked like the politicians in Washington are attempting to wrest the changes from the new administration, and the new administration has not even taken office.

Why are they reporting about the back packs that the President elects children are using, when we are failing as a nation? Come on National News as a group, we want news, not crap.

Help yourself. Help me. Help your offspring. Help by speaking your position of co-operation as a must, party politics as a part of history.

Well, I just reread and edited this. Whew, what a mess I forecast. I am confident that we have HARD times ahead. That is my reality. I just wish we could all see it as OUR problem, and not as something that is occurring ‘over there’ or ‘over there’ or in BFE or where ever each of thinks it is or isn’t occurring.

Enough from me.

This cab fare may be the last. I am not sure if I am up to the events in the future. I will donate this fare, as I am anticipating that you will need the money to feed yourself. Please buy your sustenance wisely, nutrition will get much more expensive rather than less expensive.

Good bye from
CABBY

PS: Want a sign of the times? We just received our new Yellow pages from the local Telephone Company.

It is 3/32 of an inch thinner. It is now just 1-7/8 inches thick, and the total of pages of “Advertising” is 1415 where last year it was 1554.

A sign of two events I suspect. 1. Technology – people use them less. 2. Less money for advertising.

New Year

2008-12-31T00:30:00.002-07:00

This is a logical time to mark down what is important to me. At New Year I like to set multiple short term goals and long term goals. Some of the goals are shared, so I will be accountable for the success or corrections. I create a list in writing and refer to as the time goes away. I keep the list under password. (My bucket list is there, too.)

This year, I have about one third of my goals for 2008 complete. Sounds like a failure. Only 1/3 complete. However, I have all 1/3 of them behind me. Period.

What became of the other 2/3? (Some I deleted along the way) The remainder may go on the list I will create after today, before New Years Day.

Here is what has become important to me:

My list crosses four areas of my day (life).

1. What I expect of myself this day.
2. What I will have forever behind me after today.
3. What I will have started today.
4. A review at the end of the day, from which I can sleep on the plan for the next day.
5. Some days I elect to not have a list just for the sanity that decision gives me.

Am I nuts?

This process is clearly supportive to filling the day – my way.

I am focused on the projects and goal steps early enough in the day to have them in action at the beginning of the day.

By having my list before the day starts, I get a head start over the procrastination that is fed by a late start on a goal.

I have an outline of the path my day will take if I manage my time.

In doing this planning exercise, I am early on able to see when a planned goal step is outside the plan. I can leave it incomplete and I can plan on when it fits back in – as the plan changes. (A goal step is one of the steps toward an entire goal being complete.)

I have done this on paper for years. Often the day gets so full I lay it on paper to help me catch all of the details.

Anyone want a coach?

I can offer the best source to learn these skills. This coaching has saved me hours, removed struggle, replaced disappointment with accomplishment and freed my mind to support me being who I want to be each day – everyday.

It is sort of like planning the day as a Cab Driver.

I knew when to wait at a Cab Stand for a good trip to the airport. I knew when to be in the Safeway parking lot in East downtown to catch as many as was possible of those short trips with those huge flag drop fees. I knew when to be at the airport to meet those incoming flights. I knew which schools had kids that rode a cab to music lessons, babysitter, or to mom’s or dad’s work each day.

So, let me know if you are serious about having the life you want. I decided a few years ago to go for it. I have not looked back except to smile and swat myself on the back for one of the best rides I have ever taken.
Fare is paid by the great shift in my life.
CABBY

Christmas Day

2008-12-25T23:27:00.003-07:00

I went to bed at 1 a.m. when I tried to convince Judy, who had been asleep for hours, that it was 6:30 a.m. and that we'd better get up and get the lumps of coal exchanged so we would have time to fix dinner for 4 p.m. (for seven people)
The ruse didn't work. She opened an envelope with cash in the dark and I went to sleep.
She never even looked at the contents in the envelope.

I got up at 5:30 a.m. and read until 6:30 a.m. when she rushed in (NOT) and we opened gifts from around our world.

They were all perfect. Shirt, VHS to DVD translator transfer machine, Raven for the roof, book about the 60's and its discontents, a recipe organizer binder, three more shirts, a snow flake emblazoned 600 degree spatula, a world class pheasant hunting trip to TX panhandle, Judy's old sewing machine (since I gave her a new one).

No partridge in a pear tree. I did however, see a peacock on a yard wall three days ago over by COSTCO.

We finished the greed part about 10 minutes to 8 a.m. Oh yeah, Judy also got some gifts.

Then our day started:

I sat in a chair alone while Judy fixed posole' for herself. I thought about all those young people all around the world making sure I was as safe as I could be here in the homeland. Doesn't that word homeland have a different meaning since 9-11?

8 a.m. came and went. I was content to recall a Christmas in 1963 off the coast of Okinawa in an APA (208) awaiting the saber rattling to quiet down in Viet Nam where Colin Powell and his troops were 'advisers.' Man did that whole thing change!
That change was not good.

It was good to reflect.

'Thank you' to each of those young Americans who serve each Christmas Day, and today to those who are serving now.!

It is a shame that some of the people of this country cannot sense the good we are doing around the world. It is a wonderful country this experiment of free people. I am so happy to be here. I love this country.

I respect that even though we do not all agree that the conflict in Iraq is noble, that we are at least establishing a foothold for freedom for Women and children and young girls and college students and literacy about the entire world and all of the beliefs that conflict with each other.

Imagine any woman you can. - Now picture her wearing a burqa.

To me that says it all.

Merry Christmas in the best place in the world.

Fare is paid, no one can afford the cab on a holiday.
CABBY

Baghdad time

2008-12-21T08:51:00.002-07:00

At 8 a.m. Eastern daylight savings time it is 4 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Central daylight savings time it is 5 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Mountain daylight savings time it is 6 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Pacific daylight savings time it is 7 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Alaska daylight savings time it is 8 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Hawaii daylight savings time it is 9 p.m. in Baghdad.
At 8 a.m. Kabul, Afghanistan it is 6:30 a.m. in Baghdad.

During your sharing the joy of giving and receiving on Christmas, If you are inclined, at 8 a.m. pause and consider our troops and countrymen and women serving us for our way of life. Think how differently they must feel right then.

source: time and date.com (time zone converter)
No fare, cab is parked to think of our Combined military forces.
CABBY

Ramadan

2008-12-17T08:38:00.002-07:00

The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar arrives with the sighting of the new moon. The month of Ramadan is a special period for Muslims the world around – a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, reading of the Qur’an, charity, and fulfillment of the third pillar of Islam, fasting. During this lunar month, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and likewise abstain from smoking and sex. A meal sahoor, is eaten before sunrise and a much larger one, iftar, after sunset. Iftar is often communally celebrated with family and friends. The last ten days of Ramadan are a time of spiritual power and commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Mohammed. The twenty-seventh night of the month is known as Laitlat al-Qadr, on which the Archangel Gabriel revealed the first verses of the Qur’an to the Prophet. The first three days of the tenth month in the Islamic Calendar, which is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon marking the new month, are known as Eid al Fitr, a period of celebration and feasting.

Peter R. Mansoor “Baghdad at Sunrise” A Brigade Commander’s War in Iraq

This is to help all who have wondered without clarity about a most important holiday in the Muslim world.

Fare paid.
CABBY

Grandsons

2008-12-12T22:13:00.002-07:00

All grandsons are entities that have no equal.

Kendahl is mine. I am his only surviving grandpa.

With the only surviving title comes some interesting responsibility and pressure.

I love him. I love the special relationship and all it entails.

He proved himself to be a chip off of his other grandfather and his dad and hopefully me this past weekend.

We went pheasant hunting in the panhandle of Texas.

He was successful in bagging his target and all of the hunters in the group seemed comfortable with his obvious awareness of the seriousness of having a gun in his hands.

Not once did I consider that he had more to learn: Bravo!!

This posting was interrupted by a glitch, at my fault.
I hope all understand how inept I am at this computer stuff.

So, who is next to plese me?

Good job Kendahl. You make your grandpa Dale and I am sure your Grandfather Norris very proud.

Oh yeah, Thanks to Will for doing such a complete job of instilling gun safety in Kendahl.

Fare was paid by my pride of Kendahl this trip.
CABBY (Grandpa Dale)

Reality

2008-11-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

We are a country that yet today has a government that serves at the pleasure of the people. There are others that profess to be like us, however their structure is a replication of only some of the parts of what makes us – us.

Imagine how it must have seemed to the men and women of the first 13 states to say to the world: “We the people….”

It had never been done.

These people had to create everything – a new reality - so to speak. They had to create (make from nothing; bring into being) recognition from Kings and Dictators and Princes and Rulers of all existing authorities around the world the acceptance of a group of men who declared into existence the very thing that these other countries were not and had never been. The other entities of rule and control were ALL - not - “We the people….”

So this is reality. How does this fit in here today?

Within this country is the only opportunity to be truly yourself and become what ever you are capable of becoming. There are no longer any of us white males that can legitimately consider ourselves ‘the only,’ ‘the exclusive,’ the expected,’ ‘the most entitled,’ ‘the best’ or ‘the leader.’

Think about what has shifted.

Power to all of the downtrodden, expectations of the excluded, hopes of the destitute and opportunity where only limit existed before 11 p.m. November 4, 2008 – all of this has been created by “We the people….”

Reality (the quality or state of being real) is what the rulers and Kings and Dictators had to accept. Reality is ours to accept, or fight over, and then accept. Accepting reality is not a choice. Moving forward is a necessity, so let us make sure we do not ‘be’ one of the doubters, and cause a delay in finally becoming “We the people….” because “All men are created equal….”

Note:

This discussion came to me as a result of an email I received yesterday. I was mired down in my life. I was focused on the travails and problems I will have in the future as a result of the economy being so devastated and different than I had planned.

I will quote the principle part of that email here:

“Sorry I have been MIA for so long. All of the sudden my life has grown so very busy. Work is driving me up a wall - my business has all but dried up. I have to lay another rep off next week and not looking forward to it. Sales are nearly non-existent. My sister Diane had a massive stroke this past Monday and is not responsive. My brothers and sister think she is near the end. We have decided to pass on heroics concerning her. Her quality of life sucks, and she will be better off if the end comes quickly. May God have mercy on us if we are wrong?

Anyway, other than that crap my life is perfect.”

That is reality. I am fortunate to have all of my relatives, health, a charming and loving wife and responsible, participating progeny. I am back to reality, where I can accept the gift of a new sunrise each day, a breath of air, and a smile from Judy. My life is perfect.

CABBY

Where do these thoughts come from?

2008-11-20T20:20:00.002-07:00

Consider that racial prejudice didn't always exist.

Consider that it had to have started sometime.

Wonder what created it?

Be so thrilled that we might be living when it doesn't exist - today.

What will it take for that to be the case?

Work. A lot of work. Unrelenting work. Intent.

It will require that our Intent be followed only by actions necessary for each of us to individually chose to not 'be' prejudice anymore. No other action will get our intent fulfilled.

Following our consciously making that our intent, we will 'be' our Intent followed by the action necessary to have the measure of our real intent (results) reflect the intent fulfilled.

But this will be required in and of, each and every one of us. Yes. You. And me. And them, and those people over there, and the ones who live down there and the ones across there. Every one.

It is going to require that we become color aware after we are individual aware.

It is possible. It is desirable. It is necessary. It is the only way we will all have any offspring still alive when the planet reaches its end.

Prejudice is a system of saying: I do not have your best interests in mind when I live my day.

Prejudice is a way of placing ourselves ahead of the human race. No one will ever be better than anyone else ever again if we all agree to that being the least of what we will accept.

So here in America we have chosen to not see our President as a black man first.

Why don't we take the next step and chose all other people who are not exactly like us?

The wonder of this is that we can chose to change the pattern of tolerance that we have come to accept; individuals of minorities accepted across the prejudicial barrier. Examples most visible to me are athletes and celebrities.

When we have truly stepped into our best future, we will have accepted any and all minorities across the prejudicial border to the extent that we will not be using the word prejudice when referring to the present, only when referring to the past.

Oh hell, I know what I mean.
CABBY

We have a Chance to choose

2008-11-05T21:36:00.003-07:00

Post election at 12 midnight Tuesday 11-4-2008.

So where do we go from here?

"We" as used herein is defined as the collection of voters that voted any one of the three ways I see possible in this election:
1. For the winning candidate.
2. For a different candidate.
3. A vote incorrectly cast and/or didn't vote.
We have admitted that it is in us to set aside the context of serious leadership in America as being a white mans domain.

We have a chance to:

We have a chance to admit that we can have friends without color or race being the earliest consideration.

We have a chance to acknowledge that the younger people are capable of seeing and then following through when they know that things are better done their way.

We have a chance to see in ourselves what we were not willing to see before this election.

We have this one first chance to leave all that ill perceived experience behind and to never look back at that way of 'being' - ever again.

We have a chance to place the benefit of this change of perception as a priority and to have a desired different experience than we could have had prior to the election.

We have a chance to acknowledge that we are at a time when it is important to see what directions and priorities are important to us.

Knowing all of that:
We can redefine ourselves.
We can create a new paradigm.
We are at a place where we can transform.

The following I am wrriting at 10 p.m. (Ten hours later.)

This may be a little nuts, a little woo-woo, a little over the top or under the horizon to some of you.
If nuts or woo woo or over or under is how you see it, know that that perception is to me like my life prior to this new life I woke up to, Post election 2008.

I saw two young boys going into the library today running and dodging and giggling and having fun. I observed them at first glance as 'two cute little boys'. Prior to the election I would have seen two Hispanic boys first. Maybe after having judged them as Hispanic I would then have seen them as 'two cute little boys' with the Hispanic prejudicing my observation. If I could communicate this clearly you would know that I see differently today than I have ever prior to today.
I had to smile to myself, because I liked having this clearer vision of them. I liked that I am sure that I knew how they felt: first they felt like little boys, and probably did not feel at all like Hispanic boys.

This was a small thing, however it was monumental for me. I chose to 'be' in a different way for me. I choose to be different. I choose to be 'change'.

This whole day has been like I was a young boy with the innate knowledge that all of us have been given a chance to do it right this time.
We do not have to answer for how we were. We will always be responsible for how we are - how we choose to 'be' in everything we do. Life is choices. Choose to be who you want to be. You will never have an earlier chance in your life. You are the only one who gets to choose for you.

So, as I look at the change America is going to experience, it looks nothing like it looked while I was listening to two men spin it. It has gone from a nebulous undefined term to a personal choice.

I sense a sadness for my parents and grandparents because they couldn't experience this day. I have the shared experience with them of their having lived in a narrower time than we have stepped into today.

I will have more to say on all of this.
Change. It is easy. It is a choice. Join me, I chose for me, I ask of you to choose for you.

I am determined to live better, longer and to be loving powerful and free.
Dale

44th and 1st

2008-11-04T22:20:00.002-07:00

Well, here we go on a wonderful adventure.
I think I will park my cab and just type for a while.

I am ready to renew the dedication to this wonderful experiment.

"I pledge myself to do and be my best for all of my fellow Americans".

CABBY

Tell Me It Isn’t So

2008-11-04T00:01:00.002-07:00

It is though.

The voting has begun, and we will next be noticing whose chest will be saying: 1 20 13.

When will those divisive bumper stickers come off the cars? I saw a Kerry and a Bush sticker as recently as last week.

We can complain and make the statement, “Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for him”.

Who wants to go into business with me selling count down clocks and T shirts?

Maybe he will be the answer to our needs and we will say, “I voted for him.” and be making excuses for him.

Please don't gloat. It is rude and a put down. My mom would wash your mouth out with soap if you did it around her.

Either way, I will always not tell you how I voted. My mom used to say that to vote was “a responsibility, and it is none of your business how I voted”.

In the past I recall that it was important to me how others voted. I realize this year that I do not care, as neither of them spoke to me about the important issues that might have been cause for me to say, “Ah hah, that does it, I’m voting for him”.

There will be graft, favors repaid, cronies, social issues reflected in the new Supreme Court Justices appointed and a new first pet. There will be four more pardoned turkeys and four more more egg rolls, there will be four more annual Christmas tree lighting's and four more Fourth of July celebrations. There will be four more laying wreaths on the tomb of the unknown soldier, and the flag will fly at half mast a few more times. All in all, we are still America, don't forget it.

Will he have a global awareness and make green decisions about what cars to buy and be driven around in? Will he cut the emissions of his travel by reducing staff that travels and the size of the press corps that travel? Will he work toward an America that will “Invent, Invent, Invent?”

Will we be smart as a population and not expect him to get any significant policy changes in place within ‘100 days?’

Will he communicate with us? Will he be committed to us? Will he connect with us?

Are we willing to communicate, commit and connect with him?

Let’s all go buy a bumper sticker that says:

"I pledge myself to do and be my best for all of my fellow Americans".

I hope you voted for the winner, we certainly need one.

Fare is paid since it is my gift to help you take on a little extra to remember how lucky we all are to be on this side of the border.

CABBY

"....10 little indian boys"

2008-11-01T13:41:00.004-06:00

Yes, I want you to sing the lyrics to that childhood song while reading this.

I will start it for you: "1 Little, 2 little, 3 little indians.."

I have taken it upon myself to bludgeon ten of you with an e mail notice of my posting on this blog. I've finally figured out what 'blog' is the acronym for. ((I know, sentences ought not end in prepositions.)) B = Barely L = Literate O = Old G = Guy. Another just crossed the brain cells: B =Boring L = Lazy O = Outspoken G = Gramps. (I think I know why it isn't used in uppercase.)

I have ten friends / relatives that I have selected as targets for the Indian arrows I am writing. I am just learning to shoot this thing so they are safe for now, from any harm when they see the arrow go past.

I have been reading about the immigration of the non-dinay into the Navaho country, and find that I have had a lot to say for a long time, and just didn't trust that I had it right.
After reading some from the Navaho and some from the immigrants, I am convinced that I might be safe to trust what I consider as worth sharing, at least in part.

That has been the doubt. What is worth expressing? I have no doubt that lots of it is not.

So, if you are on the involuntary cab ride, you can advise me and I will remove you from the pain of watching the arrows bounce, fly or slide past if you would prefer to not be bothered.
For those who are not on the list, let me know, and I will affix the arrow to target you also, if you want to be bothered.

"....Ten little indian boys."

I once had 7 Alaskan Natives in my cab. They were all school children. One was white as she is caucasian (my daughter), and I am not too certain about a few of the others. You see, they were the attendees to my daughters birthday party. She wanted to go skating.

Now the interesting thing is when she gets married next Spring, she wants to go skating.
Some things never change.
Like the prejudice we all deny that is in our daily lives.
This Indian song was meant innocently, however today it is not seen that way. Call that change, or call it shoving the issue under the rug?

Fare is paid. Afterall, it was a birthday party.
CABBY

The World Without Us

2008-11-01T09:58:00.002-06:00

The World Without Us

Alan Weisman

The following is stolen from 'The World Without Us' and restructured to combine much of my thinking. (The combining of the book content and my thoughts doesn't imply that I have sound thoughts!)

Suppose we all of a sudden were unable to procreate. (Would some religions forbid intercourse?) (Is this is the old zero growth thinking revisited?)

The first to notice would be the crisis pregnancy centers. No one would be coming in. (Well, maybe coming in - but not coming in.) In a few months, abortion would be out of the dialog. It would be tragic for people who kept trying to conceive. (Maybe they'd eventually begin to see the joy they were having when previously they were principally 'trying'.)

Still, in five years, there would be no more children under five, etc. (Neonatal nurses could take all of the time off they richly deserve.)

How long would it be before we realized the reality of the finality of humans becoming extinct? (When would research face it and focus on living and cleaning the planet?)

The living circumstances of all children would improve as they became less disposable. No orphans would go un-adopted.

In 21 years, there would be no juvenile delinquency. (When would graffiti end?)

By then, as resignation sinks in, would spiritual awakening replace panic? It would have to at least begun to dawn on people that as life drew toward a close, it was improving:

There would be more than enough to eat, and resources would be plentiful, including safe unbottled water. The seas would begin to replenish. And, because new housing wouldn’t be necessary, so would the forests and wetlands, the air, the birds and large mammals. What would we do about Kudzu in North America?

Imagine the health of the last humans.

With no more resource conflicts, how long would we still be wasting lives in combat?

When would we begin to rid the world of the obviously unused, unsightly clutter that would have no purpose after the last one of us died? Imagine recycling as a final industry? Reactors and the fuel for them stored safe beyond doubts, How? Windmills and power lines taken down so the birds would be safe to fly about. Dams removed to revive the rivers. Houses dis-assembled to facilitate the return of natural landscapes. Would wilderness become a desired state of condition for the planet?

What to leave behind? Would we 'need' to leave a legacy? If so,what would we leave as a legacy? Would we remove the concrete channel that we have made the Mighty Missouri?

Would we consciously begin to help rehabilitate the natural wonders of the planet?
Would we leave the physical remnants of our presence to be dealt with in a natural way?
Would we attempt to leave a beautiful place behind as we breathed our last breath??

Would we leave the world so that the last humans could enjoy their final sunsets peacefully, knowing the planet has been returned as close as possible to the ‘Garden of Eden’? (I know, just the concept, not the religious one.) Lighten up.

I picture a beer commercial sunset (bikinis and beer - maybe a little or a lot of pot) at the beach at Ninilchik Creek where it drops into Cook Inlet on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Of course I am imagining a warm summer days end, with a silent dispatch radio, the meter off, and Jimmy Buffet music from the finest portable boom box playing 'Margaritaville' clearly as the sun and my consciousness fade away. (Wait! I was the last human. No bikini!)

If you rode this far, I was not the last human, and I am so glad you wore a bikini.

Fare? No fare, remember the meter was off.
CABBY

Jobs going away - or - workers going away.

2008-10-25T11:00:00.003-06:00

I just read that the job market is so bad, that the immigration into this country has slowed WAY down.

I further read that many that are here trying to work are leaving for better prospects the other side of the border.

I will be interesting to see how the Canadians feel about coming to spend their cold months in the Southwest this winter since the economy is forecast to be so bad.

Maybe spring training will be canceled if not enough Canucks come to watch.

Never has a Loony or a Dubloony looked so good.

So now, those of you who routinely say 'Adios' or 'Eh' will need to sharpen up on your English.

Fare is paid.
CABBY

Vote, right?

2008-10-23T18:14:00.002-06:00

I did.
Not telling for whom.
Glad it is over.
I ignore for the next few weeks all of the 'spinning'.

This has been a L-O-N-G ride.

Please get out of the cab.

See you again in four years.

Wonder what that will be like?

Will we still be captured by two of the same?

Fare has been picked up by the lack of the truth.
CABBY

100 Years Ago

2008-10-22T20:54:00.002-06:00

Let me see, uhm.

Was it only 100 years ago that the Roosevelt administration was replaced with a new President?

Yes, I guess it was.

The 27th President was about to take over.

Who was it? What was his background?

Here he is:
Post Presidential 10th Chief Justice of the U.S.
Family member of a political dynasty.
Republican.
World peace advocate verging on pacifism.
World known for his foreign postings in his career.
Trust busting, improvements to both the I.C.C. and U.S.P.S. were all part of his presidential work. All were seriously effected by his administration.

Yale

So, do you give up?

William Howard Taft 1857 1930 age 52 when sworn in.

I most recall reading of Taft and his allegedly being the cause of Roosevelt starting the 'Bull Moose' party (The Progressive Party).

So now you know. So do you think the politics of the country are at all similar today?

Didn't McCain wrest the party form the Republicans? Didn't Obama wrest the party from the Clinton's?
Didn't McCain come from a self made dynasty in politics? Isn't Obama a self made dynasty in politics?

What are we in for?

Fare has been paid. This trip has been almost as horrifyingly remembered as:

On a cold mid spring day, a lady tried to pet a calf moose in the walkway to a classroom building on the campus of the University of Alaska in Anchorage. She was stomped to death by the cow moose. They put down the mother moose.

Are we about to have such a perplexing experience?
CABBY

My apology to Nancy Pelosi

2008-10-16T23:12:00.002-06:00

I have allowed myself to make a judgment about the Speaker of The House of Representatives.

I am not proud of that judgment. I made an incorrect judgment.

I apologize to The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of The House.

I regret taking that stand. I apologize to any one else I may have taken that judgment to in conversation.

Thank you for taking this trip which reminds me of a location in Anchorage I used to take fares to.

Up on the upper 'hillside' area of Anchorage, there was a restaurant called "Stuck Again".
This restaurants' reputation and the price of a meal there were legendary. It was a favored destination for well heeled visitors to the city.

In the winter it was virtually impossible for the average car to climb the hill to the restaurant. I frequently would wait at the bottom of the hill and drive multiple diners to the parking lot and then return later to drive back to the wide spot at the bottom of the hill to the cars that diners had parked while eating dinner. I often ran this trip in relays, fares up and fares down.

The fare each way was $20.00. The distance was about 5 miles.

At the bottom of the parking lot just outside the restaurant was a ridge that was the start of a straight drive about 200 yards up the hill and an elevation rise of about 75 icy slick and shiny feet.

I would simply reverse the car in the driveway and slowly back up the hill to deliver my fares to the sanded icy walkway entrance to the restaurant.

I delivered some very famous people there over the winters. If I were star struck, those could be some other stories.

So the likeness to this story, is that I have reversed myself once again.

Fare is paid.
CABBY

Anticipation and responsibility

2008-10-01T17:48:00.003-06:00

Well, I did it. I stuck my neck out to about 40 of my e mail contacts. About current events - how silly am I?

I am anticipating a straight accurate discussion tonight on Charlie Rose tonight.

I told these friends about an interview on PBS tonight across the country.

Let's see what wrath I may have wrought.

I am hoping to get some sense of what Warren Buffett has to say to my friends.

I will be okay, a mess or not have any measurable difference on the other side of this program tonight.

I just hope I have not misled my friends.

CABBY

Boondoggle

2008-09-30T23:49:00.002-06:00

What we are watching happen to us (the ordinary people of the US) is pathetic.

To consider that there is any possibilities of either of the two parties (D) (R) having our best interests seem to have been proven absolutely not probable.

To watch a country's citizenry have their life savings destroyed in such short order, reflects the greed that is rampant in America.

I fully expect to be bankrupt before this power struggle and the pathetic partisan posturing has run the course.

All I can say to any of you who might stumble across this diatribe is: "NUTS!"

To charge cab fare here would be obscene - as we all have so little asset to use to pay.
You have just taken a "Ride on the Reading" to partially quote a monopoly game card.

Fare is paid.
CABBY

Pres debate No. 1

2008-09-26T21:12:00.001-06:00

Well, neither of them were in my cab.

He didn't change my mind.

No fare is due, still awaiting the next fare.

CABBY

Murderers and the system

2008-09-24T23:00:00.002-06:00

March 12, 1996 Peter Matthias Sanson was murdered on the streets of Denver.

Three accomplices all actually held a knife and violently stabbed Peter a total of more than thirty times.

All three were sent to prison.
Murderer number one:
While in custody, she walked away from a day work crew. In the days of before political correctness, she 'escaped'. Using today's mumbo-jumbo she didn't 'return at the end of the day'.

She became pregnant while an 'escaped' interstate fugitive. She was apprehended at a truck stop in the mid-west. (Be careful in truck stops). She was later released from prison and was out in less than 12 years total time served for MURDER! Paroled. What horseshit!

Murderer number two:
Now up for parole hearings which started last January. We drove 400 miles in the winter mountains of Colorado to attend his first parole hearing. We spent the night in a motel, stayed away from our business for two days, disrupted our lives with the whole memory of the tragic loss of a son being murdered in Denver to attend the hearing. (This is a traumatic event folks!)

We arrive for the hearing to learn that this murderer has to attend the hearing from solitary confinement. How in the hell does that make sense?

If you are so socially inept to be housed in solitary confinement during the time frame of your parole hearing dates, doesn't common sense direct clear thinking to say; PAROLE not considered?

Nope. Wrong! It only means that the 'hearing' is conducted via closed circuit video.
(How is that solitary?) How is that making sense? I actually think this is a perfect example of the inmates running the asylum!
He was denied parole. Nuts. As if?

Now in the last week in the mail, we receive a notice from the Colorado Department of Corrections:
In accordance with blah blah blah, this dickhead is about to be referred for possible placement in a community corrections program (halfway house)'.

So, we are again dragged into this murderers sewer of a life to write our letters asking for sanity. We have asked for the maximum security bars to stay locked around his worthless ass and that he not be placed in any kind of half way house.

What I didn't say in my letter is that it would be way short of right to place him in a halfway house filled with ice water to just above how high he can sustain himself afloat while naked and alone until he expires. Now it would be fun to know that was a possibility. If we can say something clearly, it certainly isn't through the parole system. He could alternatively be sent to live in the ground with Peter.

I am not knocking the parole boards of CO, I am knocking the citizens of America that have allowed their country to become some politically correct cesspool of permissiveness that allows a murderer to be considered for parole at 12 years confinement when he was sentenced to 28 years. He should serve every day of the sentence without credit for good behavior - period.

Well, if he were in my cab, I can tell you for sure he would turn up NEVER at the end of his ride.

Fare paid. I am sure I could speak plainer, however I wouldn't want to incriminate myself for actions I may have opportunity or intent to take at some future date.

Remember, one murderer has already been released out there into this passive / violent, permissive / vigilante, forgiving / revengeful, healthy / possible terminal and fearless society.
If I haven't spoken clearly, and there are any questions, write me.
(Murderer number three is doing life without parole, so he is out of reach)....
Leave your remarks here.
CABBY

Hello?

2008-09-09T23:50:00.007-06:00

Here we are, post Olympic; pre-election; beginning in Afghanistan; lame duck; wildly polarized parties; ineffective congress. Porous borders, medical care in ruins, CEO salaries at an obscene level

No one in America's government is willing to say: "Mistakes were made." They might be willing to say; "Mistakes were made, but not by me"

Now then, I was asked this question tonight.

What would you lay down as your political platform were you campaigning for the office of President?
I was given time to consider an answer, and then spouted off a list of items. Some of them are more the territory of the congress than the President.

By answering honestly, I stumbled into an area of the Universe where no smart man had ever stumbled before. Not real smart am I?

The list as I recall it in no particular order included:

Flat tax (25%)for all income generating efforts.

Government administered, doctor and patient treatment deciding medical care for all.
Insurance companies placed on a schedule to make only enough profit to pay the costs of the care, and adopt a non profit position. Removal of malpractice suits from the courts, to hearings overseen by boards of non insurance representatives. (Remember there are no more medical insurance cos.)

Doctors paid $250,000.

A medical services price schedule determined by a commission of doctors, patients and bureaucrats.

Any doctor who wants to make more will have the option of charging through payment outside the national program. To offer outside the system care, each doctor will have a regular patient care responsibility fulfilled, or find another way to make their income other than patient visits inside or outside the US medical system. Doctors will meet so many patients within the system, or see no patients at all.

Government paid college education after each student works for the military for two years. Education through PhD for any student who can achieve the degree.

All US citizens will serve two years for the government between 18 yoa and 20 yoa.

Private and State Universities will have strict and equal achievement standards.

All applying immigrants will prove oral proficiency in English when taking the citizenship exam. Tested literacy in written English will return a $10,000 financial reward at time of citizenship award. Failure to pass these tests is a one time event. Permanent deportation for non English oral proficiency. One chance only to test.

Any illegal immigrant after 2010 will be permanently banned from immigration.

Immediately implement a one year cycle for any illegal immigrant in the country now to take the exam and take the steps to legal citizenship. Deportation will be permanent for any who do not meet the standard.

Every highway and railway bridge will be replaced or repaired. All Interstate highways will be replaced or repaired. All Federal Infrastructure will be replaced or repaired. All Federal employees will be skill tested every three years to retain their jobs. All teachers will be skill tested every three years to retain their jobs.

All eligible citizen will be given a 1% income tax credit for voting in the Federal election every two years. Credit is for only one year.

I first wrote this September 9th.
Oh well, I wish I'd known about the economy. I'd have said more.
Thanks for taking this ride. We only have 19 days to go.
I'm going to go vote tomorrow, if I can get time....
Fare is paid.
CABBY

Oh, my!

2008-09-05T06:29:00.002-06:00

I picked up this fare in Dallas in November 2004. He is still riding in my cab. Hopefully he will bring macaroni salad to the party some day.

My friend David has advised us that he is not immortal. Some sort of serious ticker problem has come up it seems.

He is such a wonderful man, friend, husband, father, employee, farmer, beer consultant, visitor, co KISS (M3E) LP147 band member, vegan, American, presence in my life that I will be saddened if he has to begin to struggle with his health at his young age.

If I had to tell you about important people in this life, I would first think of David. You see, I was able to create David for myself as I want him to be. I was able to accept him as he presented himself.

He taught me that when people are who they want to be, they are just so incredibly wonderful. I watched the butterfly in him appear. I was there! I watched his experience of real self acceptance occur and was able to trust that if it worked for him, it could work for me. I transferred from the place I imagined others wanted me to be, to the place where I wanted to be as I was seeing it happen for him. I leaned on him, hard. Thanks in large part to David, I am having the life I want for me.

(Picture two old guys having an epiphany.) It must be something to watch! It is wonderful to experience. David and I can even prove flying is possible without an airplane. Ha ha. I am really laughing here, David.

I was able to spend time involved in numerous events with him in person. The learning from him at those shared events has been having such a long term effect on the experience I am having on the top side of the earth, that it seems unreal to consider seriously that he is not immortal. That is not to say that I worship him as though he has everlasting life, it is just that he is such a bright light in me that I have been ‘brought up short’ to consider him and failing health in the same thought.

How do you know you have made a mistake?
Just think of someone who was alive, that you didn’t fully express your appreciation for - then, they died before you could. (I have reworked that sentence repeatedly, and have just settled for what is written now).

So, my appreciation for David has been made clear, if inadequate, here.

A giant has a threat to his health. In a goofy way this altered my experience of richness of life. Is this some sort of ironic ‘pay it forward’?

I have worked hard at paying forward ‘good’ things in life. David lives ‘paying it forward’ as a daily part of his life. He just does it, know what I mean?

So, here is the deal: Life is full of unexpected opportunities. Life has this interesting way of slapping us up along side the head to remind us that we are only in charge of things we can control. Life has just shown me that the influence we have over others has a random way of manifesting.

David, all who shared those events together are interested in and affected by what you are going through. Our personal lives are deeply changed as a result of just the news that you are not immortal.

Love to you.

If you have read this far, you must know the cab fare for the trip is paid. You must also know that it is too soon too late, so just do it!
CABBY

Watch out!

2008-08-13T22:12:00.000-06:00

We are driving North on the Old Seward Highway {OSH} (misnamed, as it is the old road to Seward, but no longer a highway, just a typical two lane in each direction street). The intersection at Airport Road is wide, with open great visibility in each direction.

Watch out!
An old Cadillac nearly runs me and my fare off of the street as we are headed north.

I see a police car about a quarter-block away headed toward me at this intersection.

I have a red light. I run the red light. I am immediately stopped and the cop says you will seriously pay for this…. I explain that I ran the red light to get his attention to the fact that there is a drunk driver that nearly ran me off of the street up ahead on OSH. I explained that I will drop my fare and meet him where ever he wants as soon as I do if he still needs to give me a ticket for the red light violation if he will just go check out the other car. He races off, red light and siren.

I go on to where the fare was to be dropped.

As we discussed the incident the fare said, I think what you did was over the requirements, and I want to go with you when the cop calls. He/she gave me the information on how to reach them for the next couple of hours, and went on about their day.

I seem to remember that they went to the IRS bldg, but that is irrelevant.

I never received a call form the cop, however I did receive a call from the fare when the day was over, asking about the conclusion of the incident.

Moral of the story: Intent is measured by the results.
I intended to protect others, and I simply protected myself and my fare.

So, what is the intent of the US in the world?

Multiple choice test:
1. Change everyone to Christianity.
2. Have an end to terrorism no matter the costs.
3. Secure the Iraqi oil.
4. Win more Gold Medals.
5. Win – win.

I hope you have read this far. If you did, the fare is paid.

Oh yeah, the correct answer to the test is:
It depends on YOUR intent.
CABBY

China’s Olympics Opening!

2008-08-09T17:13:00.000-06:00

Whew! Were you blown away?

I could hardly contain my amazement.

As the maze of my foggy thinking was reeling with this spectacular show, I was thinking that there is no way, that is NO WAY that the technology experts, architects or ‘entertainment in America’ experts could have TODAY presented such an advanced and full out WOW! show.

Thank you China for a wonderful in home entertainment evening.

This may not be a cab ride, but the show last night for sure was a trip.
No fare for this.
CABBY

2008-08-06T20:12:00.000-06:00

This fare I picked up at the center of the block on a short street just above the zoo mid summer.

A family of four had folding chairs, blankets, a hamper, ice chest and ‘stuff’ that nearly filled the trunk of the cab.

There were three other cabs at the same time picking up three other groups that were to meet at the Zoo.

A picnic

In the band shell, not greatly known musicians are creating sounds of harmony, a lyric and a beat that, even if it is familiar is pretty much hard to follow hear and understand - a result of the over riding sounds of people enjoying people.

The children dance free and innocent during the music - and after.

Very small boys are in collared casual shirts, wearing leather looking vinyl sandals, bulky long shorts that are built as though for diapers, but poorly matched to the anatomy they are paired with. They look like the dressed the same dads. Only grandpa is differently clad - he has on black socks and white Velcro shoes.

Little girls are in ‘pretty’ hand-me-down or second hand store long princess dresses. Their jellies, or similar, are from the same sources or from an older sister. The ‘real pearl’ necklace on her neck is continually pulled at by the wearer - the elastic stretches freely with each jerk. The older sister is ‘bored’ and is sure everyone is staring at every move she makes, yet she is the least interesting of the gathering to observe. It is painful to watch her level of awkward self consciousness. Is puberty fun? For whom?

Both the little boys and the little girls enjoy tossing the drying fallen leaves skyward and celebrate with laughs and shrieks, joining them in falling, twirling to earth again and again. Those same leaves become worse-for-wear caused by the clutching grasps and swift brushing against the ill fitting picnic costumes.

The young moms wear chic colored short summer sleeved tops with stylish cropped pants. Middle aged (45+) women are wearing dark striped, dingy colored hemp skirts under worn appearing limp plaid print shirts that are cinched with faux Conchos threaded on a wide dark brown drapery cord looking belt. They hold hands with their similarly dressed partner. Is that a ribbon in her fraying graying braid? Grandma wears slacks, a sensible long sleeved (cuffs rolled back) pressed cotton top and has a sweater on the back of her chair. She has on her sparkling white training shoes, new stylish heavy framed glasses, and her make up is perfect.

All the adults that gather for the sheer pleasure of sharing each other in a wide open gathering have lost that palpable innocence they observe in the little ones. While here each can richly sense and vividly remember what they have lost. And wonder -where? When? Why? How? – That it got lost. They each can, however, remember when they thought they could fly by flapping their arms.

But, adults are polite and behave as expected. There are no physical boundaries, no territory or State or National border lines here. Folding outdoor chairs and blankets are spread on itchy grass, a sort of turf possession. Unknown other people (strangers) are close about but ignored as though they are not also singing maybe out of tune out loud and for sure quietly to themselves. Adults could sing aloud as if they were still children - if they just would! Aren’t manners just plain in the way some of the time? I love it when the musicians ask every one to join in: “Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea….” “This land is your land; this land is my land….” (You should here, provide your own tune and lyric.)

Each family brings enough food it seems for at least six thousand even though there will be at maximum a total of 7 adults with 9 kids. Potato salad and sandwiches of ham, turkey, cheese, tomato, lettuce on a croissant roll are the main course with three types of grapes and two types of chips. Four kinds of cookies are to follow and accompany seconds around. There are flower decorated paper plates, sturdy plastic forks and large paper napkins. Also they have iced flavored drinks and water. This is a feast by any description.

A near by FOP couple eat their Caesar salad, Frito pie and a bottle of wine for two served in glass wine glasses that match the plates and utensils with subdued colored cloth napkins. With chocolate brownies (adult brownies?) to finish, they sit in ample, sturdy Costco Big Butt chairs. There is a large soft sided cooler collapsing at their feet. Half way through the concert, they stroll off and later return sharing a bag of pop corn and ‘dippin dots’ each with a glowing wrist band. Ex-hippies with the ’Munchies’?

The zoos ancient cottonwood trees are trimmed up so high that they resemble a failing thin jungle canopy. These cottonwoods if not trimmed would be the ordinary tall, full, all limbs to the top, trees. Wonder why they are trimmed up that high? Oh well, the stars show through and the distant dark clouds are more visible this way. There are new 20’ trees planted this season around the grassy knoll and shallow hollows surrounding the face of the band shell. Will these newest trees cause some future generation similar curiosity? (Maybe the trees are trimmed like that so they won’t spook the horses with cracking falling limbs. Another story.)

A breeze rises as the sun settles beyond a perfect perch for sunrise watching (also another story,) - the ancient volcanoes - which overlook the city. There have been sweltering nights and muggy days for weeks now, so the cool flit of air across the arms is a real treat. The cottonwood leaves are sighing and rattling in the breeze way up there. With no lightning to be seen and only far off thunder faintly heard, it is a promise of a great evening.

This is the last zoo concert of the season.

Why do we wait for a concert in the park to have a picnic?

I really like to hear the harsh throaty hungry lions roar at sunset. I do like that sound, but that isn’t the reason.

Why don’t we invite others and just go to a park and laugh and enjoy each other?

Lets!

Life ambles past at a picnic. The sound that it makes seems more acceptable, and not near as loud as at other places of our day. Have you ever heard the sound a deadline makes as it rushes past?

If you read this far, the fare is paid. Yes, the meter runs when the cab is hired and stopped for a picnic. (Seems wrong).

CABBY

Sunrise over Volcanoes

2008-07-23T20:41:00.002-06:00

Sunrise over volcanoes

Four friends are the fares for this cab ride.

We are five friends, at Dark early in the morning. We traipse out to a view unavailable where many of us live out our daily life experience.

Rain clouds from the night before are broken into scattered pieces this morning. We anticipate they will glow brightly as if on fire.

We stop for sweet rolls, everyone with their 'cupa' to hold onto.

Atop the high desert mesa (5700’ elevation) we arrive at our perch like birds awakening in the dawn. The sky lightens and has begun to glow. Camp and folding outdoor chairs are spread out close but not perfectly placed, so each arranges themselves and their chair for the ‘show.’

This is only 35 minutes from where we started. In the desert beyond the west edge of Albuquerque, above the edge of the mesa, we wait. There is a little early moaning and mumbling, all sharing the dawn.

We are overlooking the tops of ancient volcanoes and petro glyphs and have, across the Rio Grande River Valley, a view of the Sandia Mountains on the east edge of the city.

A spiritual event for some. A missed experience for some. A crisis for one causing an interruption for another. All experiences sound different and that is of interest in itself.

We all 5 share a bond of knowing each other extremely well. We in the past, via an intense shared life altering experience, had been unable to hide our real selves from each other. This few days is a chance to possibly reconnect as just a few years before. Or not.

We can see the horizon full around the four points of the compass. This is the desert. It is flat. We can see lots of developing sky color now. One of creations own displays from a place strikingly and beautifully unique if we only open our internal eyes, give up our expectations and not prejudge. The beauty of the stark terrain and the inhospitable dessert at sunrise are refreshing to me. I learn later this beauty is not appreciated by all the others.

Some want to talk, some to whisper and some just be. Differing combinations of this experience are rolling through us and are palpable when the sun is up.

A sunrise with friends, as almost anything done together with people who see each other only once a year, can be filled with wonder. At the same time it can be fraught with disappointment. Another possibility is ambivalence. It was.

The pale, and at the same time rich colors of the rising light are cast over a flat grayish dun desert. The rising dark chocolate colored tips of ancient volcanoes outlined in front of the farthest-in-the-distance fog laced blue and purple back-lighted silhouette of the mountains was one of those sights to be remembered.

Four of us later topped this same mountain taking a tram ride to be able to look back where we were observing this oft forgotten daily ritual that is as old and as wondrous as the earth and sun.

How can people let this spectacle occur and not be moved?

Sunrise is different for each of us. For some it is a reminder. For some it is an event. For some it is _______. I chose to see it as often as I am allowed and am always stunned.

If you are still reading, you know I have gone on far too long. It is a good thing the fare is paid, it would have been a big one.
CABBY

Then - Possibly now

2008-07-22T23:17:00.004-06:00

Harry Truman gets in the cab:

If someone else can do it, so can I. Accomplishment
Honesty was the best principle. Easier to remember also.
Anything worthwhile required effort. Laziness
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. Perseverance
“You be good.” Be proud of yourself
Right was right and wrong was wrong. Ethics
Honor your father and mother. Respect and appreciation
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Thought before action
Be of good cheer. Be strong
You are the salt of the earth. Personal uniqueness
Say what you mean, mean what you say. Think!
Keep your word. Integrity
Never get too big for your britches. Know your place
Never forget a friend. Loyalty
Loyalty, love of home and unquestioning patriotism. Ethical
Be respectful of elders. Respect experience
“I’m fine, and you?” the only response to a greeting Private and strong

Here’s one that until this morning, I didn’t know the source:
“The people’s good is the highest law.” Cicero Generous, others first.

These are what was, as a boy growing up in the Great California Sacramento Valley in the late 1940’s, ‘50’s and early ‘60’s. Can you find much of this today.
Without a thought?

I see a whole other defined life where I am now in my life. I do not have it in me to define it.

I can recall my grandfather, Louis Troyer Meisner, ‘Gramps,’ saying in such amazing sincerity, “I was born 50 years too late.”

I can remember my mom saying at the August of her life, “I was born 50 years too late.”

I am nearly there, Mom, Gramps. I am weary and downtrodden. I have experienced recently a coming down. It is really sobering and comforting to, at this age, be able to recognize it as sage and observant, not as a slippery hill that just has no footing.

I look at the clouds this summer with a renewing reverence for power and significance of living, communicating, commiting and caring. You see, I am loving powerful free.

I was told once that my Indian name would have been “Cloud Watcher.” I am that.
The power and inspiration I gain daily when I see what a complicated thing like the daily clouds can feel, seem and offer to my spirit and soul. If clouds can lift me, I wonder if that is why I am the way I am?

Why do I read what I read? Why I am so anxious to awake and greet the morning light? Is it this same locked and loaded being that causes me to reflect about the wonder of still being alive and seeing the shadow I cast? Is any of this the same for anyone else?

Do you get up in the morning and say in your head, or out loud, or just think: “Fucking A, Dale (your name) lives today.

Do you arise before the sun so you can cherish that first light? Do you have a sense of the majesty of living and being and doing, when you first arise? Do you like being up when the birds first greet each other (and you)? Do you like smelling the grass before the heat of the day causes a ‘wilt’? Do you partake of a cupa and sit to ‘see’ and ‘be’?

Do you search for the first visible cloud to affirm the arising sun? Do you sit and read for two hours and celebrate each interruption by the birds, the newspaper slapping the driveway, the sighing of the trees, the smell of your cupa, the event of your disappearing into the present of your book, the magic of early morning fresh air, the rested feeling of relaxation from sleep, the amazing experience in all of the senses freshly alive, refreshed and not distracted?

Do you like hearing others begin to stir in the morning? Do you like the alone? Do you have an expectation that is fulfilled by all of this?

If I couldn’t do some of this, preferably all of it, each day, I would like to have my end occur as a part of that shortage.

The purpose for this note isn’t clear to me, nor is the content something I expected when I started playing a particular song of such power in my life. I just knew that if I heard this song over and over while writing, I would no longer be sage and observant; I would be in the present. Damn life is good.

Have you ever flown with your arms spread wide and had your spirit lift you to laughter that rings the room? If not, why? It is possible, ask me about it…

David, you are amazing.

Song; "Go The Distance" Michael Bolton

If you’ve read this far, the fare is paid
CABBY

Stepped off the edge

2008-07-03T21:38:00.004-06:00

Stepped off the edge.

I want to talk about what this blog list is actually all about.

1. Putting out this blog to write about what interests me...

2. To be your friend and my biggest critic.

Step off the edge ought to be the first way one would describe the thing called:

"What I do."

If excitement for "what I do" could be weighed against the necessity to do something (work), the scale of what you accept should tip to the excitement and getting the "What I do" (work) to be the same thing.

I short cut to a conclusion:
If you can say that you get to step off the edge everyday by going to, being at and doing your work each day, you are doing what you are supposed to do to fulfill your unique place in life. If not - you're not.

You might ask: "So how come I am happy and successful if I am not stepping off the edge daily?"
Because you are 'settling.' You have accepted that it is acceptable to do less than you are able to do. If your excitement and what you do are in alignment, your level of success and happiness would be richer and stronger.

You are entitled to be contributing at the step off the edge level of lifes' richness.
If you are not aware of what you consider your stepping off the edge, I can tell you how to get that information.

To find out how to learn what feels like stepping off the edge for you, e mail me @ lets-take-a-ride@hotmail.com

If you've read this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Grand children

2008-06-30T09:00:00.002-06:00

Are they?
Of course. We got together on Wed last week.

Spent Thurs driving from their house to mine (5 hours) and hanging out at home afterward. I drive it alone and with Granny with one stop for food and to stretch. With them, we stopped three times.

Next morning, up at 10 for them.

Off to the Atomic Museum, which they seemed to enjoy, and already had mentioned an interest in seeing. They knew about the first test in the desert of the missile range, and that the bomb had been used twice in WWII. They seemed unimpressed that I'd seen a blast or two myself as I was raised near the Nevada Testing Grounds. Well, close enough to see the cloud and the flash etc.

They'd seen the films about it on the PBS channel. The film "Manhattan Project" was shown at our request while we were there. They remembered seeing that on TV.

Then we went to the Dinosaur Museum, and watched two movies: "Dinosaurs Alive" and "The Living Sea" at the IMAX venue. They were surprised (not really) that I wasn't alive when the dinosaurs were here in NM.

We spent another hour and a half going through the Natural History and Science Museum, at their request. I was ready to go rest. But, I hung in there.

Home, food and picked up 'hoodies' and off to the races.

We went out to Hollywood Race Track for the sprint car races. They had never been to car races, so it was an iffy proposal.

On the way, we stopped for one of NM's best burgers at the Casino.

We were stuffed!

They were not too sure about the races when I proposed it, however after we got there, they were into it.

Grandson, age 14, was the first to pick a car to win the race, followed immediately by Granny, and then granddaughter stepped in. I waited until they'd all picked then I selected what seemed like a sure fire winner. Wrong.
One of them won.
All in all, we had a great outing, and they seemed to like the races as an event.
However, the next day off to the movies with Granny, and then to a swimming party for the final evening.
I will do it again. I really get something I cannot identify from being around the two of them. They are so naive, so willing to accept, so aware of things I didn't even know existed at their ages.

Must be tough being 14 and 12.

Love them both. They are so like their parents. It must hurt for their parents to see them grow into the people they will be.
Look at your parents, that is who you will become. Scary?

Fare is paid.
CABBY

Father's Day

2008-06-15T07:06:00.003-06:00

Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, and special dinners to fathers and family-oriented activities. In 2008, it will be celebrated on June 15 in most countries.

Thank you www.wikipedia.com.

If there were a father that we could all look at and know we were observing a ‘how to do it’ example, whom would you chose?
My instinct is to be protective and say “My dad.”

However, my father image is principally my maternal grandfather, Louis Troyer Meisner.
He is the one person who took the care and interest to tell me how to behave so that others were respected and considered in what ever action I was involved.
‘Gramps’ was the one who said over and over and over, “ If someone else can do it, so can I.”
My roll as a father left a lot to be done as I look back. I would change how I did parts of it. The changes are not possible, however I still think about them.
Some of my day today will be spent remembering the men who were influential in my shaping as a young boy.
I will list some of them in honor of how they influenced me.
Lou Meisner, “Gramps”; Hank Harris, Dad; Nick, brother;
Bob Chappell, cousin; Jack Chappell, cousin; Mr. Culbertson, Teacher; Mr. Hagan, Teacher; Dick Turner, “Turney” Navy shipmate.
Many more, I will recall through the day.
So to you who are a father, and for those who are roll models and a positive influence in the life of a young boy, I say:
Happy Father’s Day
A special acknowledgment to a few men I know are great fathers:
Will Harris, Mike Burley, Dick Turner (I do remember that Dick died this last Spring), David White, Jim Peasley, George Weir, John Kirkpatrick, Don Clocksin, Gary Bacon, Jeff Harden, Ray Smith, John Boyt and "Ketch" Ketchum.
Oh yeah, don’t forget the gift giving…
If you read this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Tim Russert

2008-06-13T16:05:00.002-06:00

Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons by Tim Russert

Here was a man who put his mouth where his heart was.
If you haven't read this book, you are missing one of the finest Father's Day presents you could share with your son, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, father-in-law, business partner or which ever male is a part of your life.

Tim Russert loved baseball.
With this book he hit a home run.

Buy it, check it out at the library, borrow it,.
Just be sure to read it.
A great man died today. He is well known for his unrelenting search for truth and will be strongly appreciated in his obituaries around the journalists circuit.

I am so glad I read this book.

Sad to see him come to his end.

If you've read this far, his fare is paid. Read the book!
CABBY

Game Time

2008-06-12T08:05:00.003-06:00

He gets in the cab.
"Park strip at L Street please, and hurry."

"Whats your hurry to go to the park?" I ask.

"I have a rugby game and my car wouldn't start, so I'm nearly late for my game time."

We race toward the park. I do not recall the rest of the ride, although the expression: "and hurry" is all too familiar to every cab driver.

Today, 'game time' means the length of time one spends playing the game of choice on their computer.

How does 'and hurry' relate?

We have all either been late or nearly late and had to hurry as a result of the thought 'just one more game.' Right?

So, having had surgery on the right side of my body, (I am right handed), I have found a special benefit of surgery that has little to do with a quick, clean, complete recovery.

The game time has been reduced by a percentage that would amaze anyone.
I decided that I would learn to drive my mouse with my left hand.

HAH! Sounds easy. Isn't.

So today, 8 weeks post surgery, I play about 1/10th as much Spider Solitaire, and or Mahjong, or the free Yahoo game offered.

Well now, do you think that changes my life?

It does. It has meant more reading, less eye strain, earlier bedtimes, getting more rest, and more conversations, cleaner garage area, and I am actually getting better at lots of left handed things.

Try it, you also may get part of your life back.

Rugby was a very small sport in Anchorage in the '70's. I wonder about the size in the 21st Century?

I am not sure why this came up, however I believe there are no mistakes. Maybe one of you will enlighten me about a reason.

If you've read this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Final ride...

2008-06-10T10:45:00.002-06:00

Did you ever think you would live forever?
Did you ever consider that maybe, just maybe you might live to be the oldest on earth?

Well, I can recall thinking both of those things. Seems like a million years ago.
Does that mean in some twisted way that the end is not clear when young and VERY clear when older?

I heard a quote of Dick Cavett that said basically that those of us who get old are lucky, and should just keep in mind that the end is just the end and way too close.

I heard a lady on PBS on the show Second Life say effectively that those who spend their time thinking and talking about death and dying ought to rethink their priorities on how to spend their minutes. Makes sense to me.

She also said that she thought that those who think and talk of death just are afraid to die. I say 'nuts' to that.

I get comfort from talking and thinking about death.

I found this last week that I was thinking of my very close and important friend David's wife Nancy.

See, Nancy's brother's wife has terminal cancer and is in the final days of her life it appears. With a miracle she will survive. Without, all who know her will be left with her memory.

I spent the weekend frequently thinking of David and Nancy. I was so aware of who they are and how powerful and wondrous they are for me. I had no idea what they were up to.

I finally talked to David yesterday, to learn that they had a chance to spend individual alone and couple time with this amazing woman this last weekend.

Now I know David would have had trouble being there, let alone spending hugging time with her prior to 2004.

Today I can tell you that the weekend for David and Nancy although painful and sorrowful was a weekend spent with a person they will never let go of. They will keep her life spirit or whatever you would call it going as they recall those treasured moments with her this past weekend.

To Nancy I say, 'I love who you are for me as a friend, I can only imagine who you are to your sister-in-law - and that imaging is the best.'

My heart is full of sorrow and pain and I remind myself that the pain is part of the process of life.
That is of no comfort.

If you read this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Wild Bill... no not that one.

2008-06-05T06:33:00.002-06:00

Not really a cab ride as much as a cab dialog.
Read recently:
Folklore of New Mexico
Folklore of the West
Boom (Brokaw)
Reading:
Hogs in the Shadows (Afong)
Independents Day (Dobbs)
A Reporters life (Jennings)
We are all journalists now (Gant)

The point here is that the 'press' is no longer the sole major source of an informed public. (What the 'press' really is today is the discussion of another cab ride).

As a result of that, (think of the outing of the Lewinski caper, and the Appple Computer lawsuit against Josh Wolf) realize that the people are not served by the 'press' today as they were in Jeffersonian days. Then the people could only find out the subjects of public discussion through the 'press' and not through other reliable connections.

So, as William Shakespeare said; "what's past is prologue" "The Tempest" Act II Scene I.
I used to read the paper and watch TV news for the current events and issues of today. Not now, too slow. The paper is the local stories and the weather for today. The TV news doesn't get turned on here, as they are 'selling' not reporting.

So is the need for the first amendment and it's 'shield laws' an archaic thought?
Should it provide immunity that bloggers like yours truly might use for protection from the courts and ever growing hoard of attorneys?

Is this an issue of some importance, or just some wild paranoid tangent of some group of attorneys?

Well folks, it will become a huge issue soon. We are approaching the 'season of rumor and lies' (presidential campaigning). If you do not think this election will be won and lost over the internet, you are hiding under a different rock than I. It will become the fortune of at least one attorney to bring a case against a blogger. Just hide and watch.

Oh yeah, I am amazed at how the few times politics were discussed in the cab, was when politicos were in the cab. The fares generally were more into the moment, living in the present.
Sorry for the typos and run ons and dangling chads, it is the birthday of my bride, and we are off to get her the i phone she 'just can't get along without.'
If you have read this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Consider this...

2008-06-04T09:48:00.002-06:00

First spot on the cab stand at the Anchorage International Airport, early June, 1975.

The fare is a mid twentyish male. Short hair, clean shaven, lean, slow talker, alert bright eyes, painful creased brow, hiking boots, long sleeve shirt, practical belt, Levis, Navy watch cap. Carrying an efficient back pack not over loaded, with a no nonsense appearance. This guy looks serious and ready for reality, not just a summer spent trekking around Alaska.

He asks for the YMCA. There isn't a residential Y here, so I ask what he is looking for.

He says: "A job."
A job where people will let him just observe life. A job where he doesn't have to dress and act a certain way and talk to people that are afraid to be alone.

It sounds like a cab driver job to me.
I am looking for a new driver for my second cab, Cab 115 for the night shift for Sun - Thurs.

I ask him about his driving experiences. His drug record. His ultimate Alaska destination. His ability to pay rents, and his criminal record. Great answers.
His name is Mike Cha____ .
He asks what it pays. I offer to buy him lunch and discuss his potential and fit for the job. He agrees. We go to Gwennie's Restaurant on Spenard Road, just up from the airport.

I hire him after he shows great manners and politeness to the staff there.
I take him to get an Alaska State and a city cab drivers license. I take him to the Ronald Arms on Arctic Road to rent a room.

After spending this day riding and watching in the cab with me, he agrees to go to work in three days, after he gets the lay of the land and settles in.

He comes with me for a night shift ride for one night. I complete the training and explaining the city layout, show him how to get the calls and the rides at the best places to pick up fares. He is an excellent and courteous driver. He 'gets' Anchorage and the cab business immediately.
Move forward approximately two years.

Mike owns two cabs, goes to University of Alaska, Anchorage. He buys a house, brings his mom and sister to Anchorage to live with him. Mom is infirm. Sister is about 12. He is the pillar of strength and sole support for his family.

Mike is a Viet Nam vet. Mike has been doused with urine in San Francisco, called 'baby killer' in Berkeley, has been beat-up in New York - just because he speaks up for his role as an American who answered the 'call.'

You see, Mike was drafted in 1968. He served a tour and a half. He was decorated, and released all in one day. He left Viet Nam on a Wednesday and was in San Francisco heading home to Ohio on Thursday night.

Mike was just one of many men to come to Alaska in the early '70's to leave behind those that didn't 'get it.' To remove themselves from the ones who were so sure that the GI's were the problem. To leave behind those privileged protesters who negotiated deferments and dodged the draft in many other ways that a street poor 18 or 19 year old male couldn't fathom.

Mike was one of those guys who believed that their country called and they answered just like their parents did for 'WW II.' Mike never thought to make sure his country didn't take the young men off to another war that was a mistake, or that didn't need to be fought.
Sound familiar?

Well, talk to nearly any veteran of the Viet Nam conflict (not even called a war) and most will say that they had no idea when the US would be able to leave Viet Nam. Remember over 55,000 men and women died as a result of the 'conflict.'
Ask those same vets about Iraq, and they will say this war is worse. In Viet Nam there was one enemy. In Iraq they will point out that there are at least three, and all want something different.
A solution?
If you read this far, the fare has been paid.
CABBY

2008-05-30T11:29:00.002-06:00

So when I am alone, the flag is up and the dispatch radio is chattering in the background as 'noise' until I hear:
"Adam 1; 5 4 / Discover Park, at the statue."
I reply:
" 5 4 / Discover Park, at the statue
"
I leave the Captain Cook Hotel Cab Stand to drive the 7 or 8 blocks. I park, get out walk to the statue. I see you sitting there with your cigar and guide book, enjoying the 11PM sunset view across Cook Inlet West toward Mt Susitna.
I affirm that you had called a cab, you tell me to turn on the meter, lock the car and come sit.

I sit.

Silence. "So what's up you ask"?

I say, "The sense of loneliness at times is harsh."

I sit at a cabstand and wait. I clean the car, empty the ashtray and trash, wipe down the seats, catch my trip log up to date, read a little in the book I have, make my 'Honey Do" list for the time I will have to do that sort of thing, and then I wait.

I wait.

This is what it was like before cell phones. I wonder what it would be like now? We used to have to leave the car to make a telephone call, (Which meant leaving the radio unmanned.) When away from the car, I can't receive a dispatch call, so I stand to lose money by vacating the car. (known as going 'Blue')

Loneliness is a creeping thing. It is almost as if a previous fare left a snake in the back seat, and as soon as things quiet down, loneliness creeps out from under the seat.

Today, loneliness is a product of either forgetting your cell when you left, or not having enough bars to connect.

Loneliness is a factor of not making the effort to reach out when you can. I suppose loneliness is also a factor of not having the skill or desire to learn the skill of texting.

So what does this cab ride have to do with anything?

I am not sure, except to point out what seems obvious to me.

I am aware of a pervasive loneliness among people today. I see cars being driven as a second thought. I see people sitting together each on a cell phone talking to someone else. I see people using their laptops and "e gear" at the table, at the park, at work on break, at the airport waiting area.

Isn't it a lonely picture this draws in your mind?

Of course the argument could be that they were so engaged that they had a full life and were not drifting all alone.

If you have ridden this far, the fare is paid.
CABBY

Decoration Day

2008-05-24T15:55:00.002-06:00

Oh my God. I may be the only one who recalls that the first name of the current U S Holiday, Memorial Day was actually Decoration Day.

Seems there was a desire to remember and honor those who died in the Civil War.
After the WW I conflagration, the day was changed to honor all war dead.

I am sure I had a memorable Decoration / Memorial Day prior to the one of May 30, 1955, I just don't remember it.
I was a 12 year old living on a farm in Willows, CA listening to the Indianapolis Memorial Day Race when my life was forever changed.

I was a fan of the 'Mad Russian" Bill Vukovich, and was fully devoted to the idea that he was the best car racer ever. If I had a sports hero back then, "Vuky" was it.

I was out in the barn doing chores and listening when the AM radio announcer said that it looked like "Vuky" had been involved in a serious race car wreck. I stopped what ever I was doing and waited in agony for a couple of one minute life times.

Eventually the announcer relayed the 'news' that the world's greatest driver had died.

I was stunned. I was a mess for quite a few days, and just couldn't believe it. He was my hero. He was larger than life. He represented everything important to me.

I didn't even know I was a race car fan.

Even today, 53 years later, I am stunned on Memorial Day (Decoration Day) when I awake to know that this was once the saddest day of this little boys life.

I became a man in some fashion that day. It was a hell of an awakening. I am sure it has made lots of seemingly senseless things that happened later on in my life seem more endurable. I have had some pretty wicked blows. I have seen some very ugly things. I have always remembered Bill Vukovich.

I am happy I do. It keeps me sane.

Bill Vukovich didn't know I existed. He definitely influenced me.

You never know what influence you have...

If you've read this far, the fare is paid.
Enjoy in some fashion the freedom and the Holiday we have been given by those who cared enough to go in the way of tyranny, deceit and all kinds of things threatening the wonderful experience of American Freedom.
CABBY

Readers

2008-05-13T09:14:00.002-06:00

I read about three books a week.

I just finished: "Life with Pi" Martel and "Wisdom of Our Fathers" Russert

"Life... " is truly a fun light quick read. Plan on a cloudy Sunday read. I would read it all at once and plan for that if I could do it differently. Really a head jerker in a good way. It talks of values without judgment and it seemingly can't offend.

"Wisdom " is enough to make a grown man cry. I am a grown man, I cried repeatedly in a happy, forgotten way. I feel motivated, smarter, and assured that I have done all I was capable of at the time after reading this one. It too has a message. I would recommend that families arrange to have enough copies (use a Library) for the whole family to read it at the same time. I know now, as I didn't before, my father.

So, in the cab in Anchorage:
I once had a reader. He was accompanied by one of the most curious co-riders I ever had the pleasure to carry. Between them there resided a friction that was alive.
They saw everything I could show them in about 2 hours of riding about the haunts and sights of the Anchorage bowl area. She would jump out at each stop, take pictures and he would look up, glance around and go back to his book.

She was animated and wanted to see it all. He was quiet and appeared uninterested on the outside.

They pushed the time to be at the airport to continue on their way to the East Coast somewhere. In those days, airlines were not always flying non-stop from the 'Orient" to the East Coast. So occasionally I would take people on a two to four hour tour of Anchorage, while they had a lay over. This was one of those fares.

That Christmas, I received a card through the Cab Co.address from him. He remarked how she had been so alive that day and that he would always cherish that day.

Enclosed was her funeral tarejeta. I just couldn't get over how he even knew how she perceived the day, as he appeared so detached from her excitement.

Of course, I had no idea what a difference a cab ride could make for someone. I have so often not responded to things like this. I wish I had acknowledged his card.

I can only say:
"If you think you would like to respond to people in a caring way, but are unsure of yourself about doing it - just do it."

What do you have to lose?

If you've read this far, the fare for this trip is paid. CABBY

Maintenance

2008-05-11T16:44:00.004-06:00

The idea of this blog is this: You have hailed a taxicab - this is the resulting cab ride. Cabby is the driver, you are the “Fare.” Cabby will decide where we are “going.”

The ride today is to the scheduled maintenance shop.

I used a Goodyear Tire Company retail store at 36^th and Old Seward Highway for routine and preventative maintenance every other Tuesday at 10 AM by scheduled appointment.

In the taxicab business in Anchorage, Alaska (think COLD winter for 7 months) there were two kinds of cab owners. One kind did regular and preventative and scheduled maintenance and the other kind did ‘repairs.’

I had a fleet of ‘regularly scheduled maintenance’ cabs. As a result, my cabs broke down only when a tire gave out and once when an Anchorage Transit Bus ran a stop sign and caused a wreck. (I was highly compensated for down time and repairs.)

This will be the first of few regularly scheduled maintenance rides. I will do the future routine and preventative maintenance when the cab is parked when at all possible.

These postings are on any variety of topics of my selection. I may or may not want to take the cab where a fare's comments want to steer, as the blog in this case is being “driven” by “Cabby.” You can have your own cab for a day (get your own blog!) if you want to pay me the taxicab daily lease fees for one of my other cabs.

I was “Cabby” in taxicab number 54 of the taxicabs in Anchorage, and have kept this moniker as a proud badge. I will always be in charge of this cab and its safety and its passengers. I never had an injury to any of my fares, and will be careful not to injure you while on any of these cab rides. I just want to clarify that I mean physically injured, I am not sure about other injuries real or imagined.

I also had cabs numbered 51, 113, 115, or 121 and a few others I have forgotten. I always had a special place in my head for car 54 however as it was the first and co-incidentally my last taxicab. They even had a series on TV called; "Car 54, Where Are You?" Any one remember that?

I have received blog suggestions that I today am starting to respond to, so bear with me this time.

I did away with the classy looking White on Black background and increased the font size.

I am going to make more Carriage Returns and insert a few more blank lines and indentations.

I changed the comment queue and there is a second place to comment.

I am so happy to be back to posting. I regard this as fun and get some sort of pleasure when I ‘turn on the meter’ (which is how a taxicab makes money.)

The second place to ‘comment’ is to lets-take-a-ride@hotmail.com. I am the owner of that e mail address and only I will read what is posted to that address.

Since you rode this far with me today, the Goodyear store's free popcorn and coffee are on me. The womens ice hockey game we watched outdoors on the rink behind the tire store was won by my daughter Mandee with a shootout goal. Her Pueblo team beat the Denver Spitfires, the Park City Predators and the Fort Collins Flames to win the Mothers Day Tournament.

Thank you.

CABBY

Malpai Borderlands Group April 20, 2008

2008-04-27T08:39:00.000-06:00

Sunday evening you get in the Cab at the ranch house of the Malpai Ranch 18 miles East of Douglas, Arizona. This is a time of the week when the most of the American population has had BBQ, been to a race, a park, the beach, a movie, etc... At the Malpai it was just another day, the Sabbath, but just another work day.
What is going on at the Malpai, as on most (not enough) other Ranches in the West is feeding all of the livestock and checking them for health issues, checking the water tanks, securing the pasture gates, resetting mouse and rat traps, turning on or off windmills etc. You watch the sun fall to the horizon faster than the time available to finish the chores for the day. You do steal a few minutes to enjoy the rich warm western beauty of this Arizona sunset. Arizona sunsets are so unlike any anywhere else, that a magazine, Arizona Highways features them in every issue.
All of these late day activities are daily necessary chores just to maintain the status of viable 'Ranching'. Since all the chores don't get completed by sundown, a rancher (Cowboy and/or Cowgirl) works by lights either hand held or high on a pole where the light is so diffuse by the time it reaches the ground that the crawling, flying, walking nightlife are only sensed, not seen. Imagine walking in the dark along a dirt drive from out buildings to the ranch house. You know that in the morning this same dirt might have javelina, coyote, rabbit, badger, skunk, LION, deer, rat, mouse, bird and/or sidewinder tracks on it. These tracks will be atop your cowboy boot tracks from the walk to the house after the chores were completed.
As you get to the house, you exhale in exhaustion. You wash up and begin the winding down of the days events with the spouse and family, the 'hands' and household activities. There is some discussion of what has to be done tomorrow and when. You go sit on the patio/deck with your ration of beer. A Coronita, (7 oz. Corona) is about it, as you still have a full evening of planning and working out how to get everything done.
The government reports, taxes, bills and correspondence. (it seems these Ranchers seem to have an inordinate amount of mail.)
You recognize the night sounds and enjoy the clean warm fresh air and rustling in the yard. You know the rustling and animal sounds are not your 'pets' as they are either inside or locked down at the 'barns'. You know the sounds of the bats, rabbits, javelina, and of course you can imagine the hawks that have nested in the top of that biggest tree in the yard. Just about the time you go in for dinner, the 32 hounds in the kennels down at the barns 'go off.' There must be coyotes at the barns already.
Dinner is blessed. The conversation is lively and animated with joy and love. Fresh tamales, beans, green salad made at a salad bar. Huge choice of dressings, calabcitas, tortillas, soup of meat balls and flavors of Mexico. Desert is home made apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream.
The telephone rings, the 'hand' at the North ranch checks in. One of the heifers has it seems lost her calf, or else it is hiding. Tomorrow will tell. If she has indeed lost it, she will be bawling loud and clear. You see, if she has lost it and she is still producing milk, she will need to be milked or medicated to stop her making milk or... All else is fine up there.
Bed time is about 8:45 as we will all get up and go at it again at 3:45 AM to have a day at the Malpai.
Goodnight,
Oh yeah, I turned the meter off for the night.

Taxi cab ride to fuzzy thinking April 19,2008

2008-04-19T07:27:00.000-06:00

So you think:
Sexually abused people are more apt to be sexual abusers.
Dolphins are basically benevolent creatures inclined to be helpful to humans at risk of being drowned since someone you read about or heard about on the 'news' was assisted to shore by a dolphin.
Humans are abducted by aliens and traumatized or studied or, you fill in the blank.
Some event that happened earlier in your life is clearly remembered in nearly all the detail.

Well, welcome aboard the fruit loop trolley to twisted thinking and logic.
Some people who think that because something cannot be disproved - it is true.
Some people think they have clear memories in detail of events that occurred much earlier

For instance:
If it cannot be proved that leaving Iraq after the election will result in a collapse of Iraq, it must be true that it will not collapse.
or
If it cannot be proved that leaving Iraq after the election will allow terrorism to expand, it must be true that it will not expand.
If I decline to agree with you, I must be disagreeing with you.
If I am not 'with' you, I am 'against' you.

My point is that we cannot presume to draw one conclusion without confirmation of the clearly opposite possibility as the ONLY other possibility.
How many times have you been placed in the position of someone saying something similar to this?
"If I don't hear from you about this then I will presume you to; agree, meet me, take care of it, you fill in the blank," and you had some other option in mind.
I would like to propose that we all step back. Let's look at things like assumptions of what is, isn't or what might be with an eye to seeing beyond what our mind is most comfortable with and may be limiting us to as additional possibilities.
I get disgusted when someone says to me in effect; "If you don't agree with me then you must disagree with me." "If you do not see it my way then you are wrong."
Places this occurs all too frequently: religion, politics, health decisions, child raising, family discussions, sports events, and blogs.
Oh yeah, only 30% of abusers become abusers.
We have no statistics on dolphins that assisted humans further out to sea.
There is absolutely no proof of aliens.

and (drum roll, please)

If you cannot remember all of the details of an event in your past, your mind will make up some and fill in the blanks to please you, unless you are ready willing and able to be in charge of you - even then it is a struggle at first.
I have been reading a book recommended to me: "Mistakes Were Made (but not by me) Tavris and Aronson.
It has cleared a lot of my anxiety about memory and what I can and cannot recall.

Well, if you have read this far,
The taxicab fare for this trip is paid...

Just picking up my first cab fare April 18,2008

2008-04-18T09:12:00.000-06:00

Here is the start of the cyber equivalent of what was once the most fun 'job' and the most demanding position 'inter-relating' with other people I ever experienced.
(Inter-relating with myself was not a factor of my existence until late 2004). Given my druthers, I'd have had that experience earlier. It wasn't apparently possible. as I didn't DO it any earlier.
I owned a taxicab company and frequently drove for hire in the exploding days of the building of the Alaska Pipeline.
I had adventures that I cannot relate to you, and I had adventures I will write about occasionally. I intend to drive this blog-cab through the cyber-streets of the www (wacky wonderful world) much as I did the car in Alaska.
I promise nothing. I anticipate only the opportunity to see what happens as the city blocks click off. I will keep the comments as I intend them, and am open to ideas from many sources.
First off, I do not care what I look like.
I do not care what you think of me. That is not to say it isn't important to me, it says that I will not take anything personally.
I believe that intent is measured by results. Said another way: Results are the product of intent fully applied.
I believe in DO BE HAVE.
If you DO your life, you will BE that life and you will HAVE the life you DO and BE. Need help here? Ask where is the answer to that riddle-like statement and I will talk forever.
What is important to me and some many others is for every person to have the life they want.
So if you read this far,
The fare for this trip is paid...