J.P.

Mary.

In November 2013 I took a solo trip to Minneapolis because I had never been there and it was a non-stop flight from Syracuse on Delta. It was the first time I ever sat in First Class.

I planned on just exploring the city and picked out a reasonably priced hotel downtown. Much of downtown Minneapolis is connected by the Skywalk, which allows one to walk from building to build throughout the downtown area without ever going outside. When I left the hotel on my first exploration of the Skywalk, I suddenly realized that I was staying adjacent to the IDS Center, which was the location of many shots from the opening to The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

I found the escalator that Mary had used.

I had to take my own photo.

Then I looked up and saw the restaurant where Mary and her then husband Grant Tinker are having lunch in the opening credits.

I ate lunch in the “Mary Tyler Moore booth” that day.

I was absolutely delighted to find this piece of Americana while visiting Minneapolis. That trip was life changing for me, for it was during that trip that I decided that it was time to become a private pilot.

Mary Tyler Moore passed away at age 80 today. I’ve always enjoyed her show and hearing the theme song and seeing clips from the show has made me smile today.

Love is all around. Thanks for the smiles, Mary. RIP.

25 January 2017 by J.P. Ponderings and Musings 0

Resist.

I think this is awesome. Freedom of speech is awesome. Let’s continue to keep our country awesome.

Photo courtesy of NBC News.

25 January 2017 by J.P. Political BS. 0

Multipass.

So who wants to wager how long it will be before the Trump Administration starts pushing for a national “Multipass” type credential card for every citizen of the United States? I’ll admit that I have a tin foil hat in my closet that seems to not be gathering dust lately, but if you take a step back from the insanity spewing from the White House, you can see the signs where such a scenario is quite plausible. A National registration card using the latest technology for this sort of thing would be a wet dream for Trump and his efforts.

Trump wants to deport illegal immigrants. No Multipass? Out you go.
Trump is still carrying on about alleged election fraud, despite the fact that there is no evidence that massive election fraud took place during last November’s election. No Multipass? No vote.
Trump wants to take our border security to the next level. No Multipass? You’re not getting back in the U.S.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. How long would it be before you had flash your Multipass to get into a sporting event or a concert or the mall? With embedded RFID technology in the Multipass, every citizen of the United States could be tracked at any given time. Why go through the hassle of bugging the telecoms or tech companies for access to smartphones and other devices when you can just track the Multipass? You wouldn’t even know when your Multipass is being scanned. Have a scanner in the mall and Johnny is at Destiny USA. Bomb goes off at Destiny USA, let’s round up everyone that was in the area where the bomb went off.

Craziness, right? Don’t be so quick to dismiss.

Now, I would use every ounce of voice that I have to dismiss such an act. One of the many perks of being an American is the fact that we can move freely about the country without constantly being tracked. But if there’s enough hysteria, enough lies and enough spin, I could totally see Trump supporters backing such legislation. And we know that Trump is really good at lies and his folks are really good at spin.

And his supporters think nothing of denying the truth of their own senses if they feel it’s in the best interest of their chosen political party.

Scary times, people. Scary times. I feel like I should start practicing, “J.P. Wing Multipass”.

25 January 2017 by J.P. Politics. 1

Truth.

Without debate, without criticism, no Administration and no country can succeed — and no republic can survive. … And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment — the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution — not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply “give the public what it wants” — but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion. This means greater coverage and analysis of international news — for it is no longer far away and foreign but close at hand and local. It means greater attention to improved understanding of the news as well as improved transmission. And it means, finally, that government at all levels, must meet its obligation to provide you with the fullest possible information outside the narrowest limits of national security. … And so it is to the printing press — to the recorder of man’s deeds, the keeper of his conscience, the courier of his news — that we look for strength and assistance, confident that with your help man will be what he was born to be: free and independent. — John F Kennedy, April 27, 1961

The words “truth” and “lies” have been coming up a lot since the inauguration of Donald Trump to the presidency. Mr. Trump has been president for four days and there has been nothing but the release of “Alternate Facts”, declarations and bold statements that contradict what we see and hear with our own eyes. Trump validates his success via ratings and numbers and polls, and when they don’t swing his way he declares that these numbers are false and that the media is nothing but a bunch of Fake News.

The controversy as to the attendance, in person and via television and media streaming, of his inauguration has gone on for way too long. The issue is that Press Secretary Sean Spicer made statements on Saturday that contradicted what actually happened and what was recorded by journalists, citizens and other observers at the event and around the world. The first appearance of Mr. Spicer as Press Secretary set a dangerous precedent of stating facts and painting the media as to be loaded with falsehoods, bad intentions and liars. Again, I reference George Orwell’s “1984”. We are coming dangerously close to the storyline in the famous novel.

In addition to “1984”, I can’t help but think of the original mini-series “V” and its follow-up “V: The Final Battle”. After an appearance of the antagonists, “The Visitors”, was thwarted by The Resistance and the Visitors were revealed to be who they really are, the broadcast was shut down and the journalist covering the story was shot dead. Later, a new press conference was held, completely staged, with the same audience threatened and instructed as when to applaud.

I can’t help but reflect on the fact that Mr. Trump had paid staffers in the crowd at the Press Conference before his inauguration clapping and cheering at his remarks. When the president spoke at the CIA Memorial Wall on Saturday, he used the opportunity to falsely talk about the turnout at his inauguration, slam the media a bit, attempt to reverse the fact that he and the CIA have been at odds over the possible connection between Trump’s business dealings and Russia (and perhaps Russian’s influence on our last election) and all the while there were staffers applauding his remarks. At a memorial wall that honors those that died in the line of service.

It is reported that Trump brought his own staff for the purpose of cheering his remarks during this event.

Today, Press Secretary Sean Spicer mentioned during the press briefing that the President believes that 3 to 5 million illegal immigrants cast a vote in the last election, alluding to the cause as to why Hillary Clinton actually won the popular vote. The man just can’t let this go.

According to Trump, there has been some vast conspiracy across the country that caused this rift in the electoral process, despite the fact that:

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that this actually happened, despite the fact that the media has been trying to somehow prove this since Election Day
The president is doing absolutely nothing in the way of an investigation to prosecute the people that were involved in this alleged conspiracy
The president and his administration is taking absolutely no action to assure that this sort of voter fraud will never happen again
There is absolutely no evidence that this happened
Do we really think that if the election was so skewed by the numbers of voters he is stating that we wouldn’t want to have a special election after determining that the potential for fraud had been eliminated? Why is Congress or no one else taking action on this?

Trump is banking on the fact that if it’s discussed enough and if it’s said enough, this blatant lie will somehow become a truth in the dialogue of the American public.

People. This is the storyline of “1984”. This is how the Nazis ascended to power in the 1930s.

I am trying my best to maintain the respect of the office of the President of the United States. I really am. But I have absolutely no respect for the man that currently holds that title and most of that is because the man is a lunatic and all evidence suggests that he is some sort of pathological liar. The man lies constantly. He keeps telling these lies so he will believe them and he hopes everyone around him does the same thing.

I don’t think the American public is that stupid. I think we’re pretty stupid, but we’re not that stupid.

If Trump was being honest all the while I could wrap my head around the fight against some of his idiotic policies. Don’t get me started about him silencing the EPA or the National Parks Commission. But when you take honesty out of the equation, it is impossible to know what to fight, what to ignore and what to focus on. A man is only as good as his word.

And right now, Trump is proving that he is completely unworthy as a man.

I’ve always thought that Trump supporters, as much as their beliefs differ from mine, believed that they were doing what they believed was right as a patriot. A patriot has honor, dignity and respect. Trump has none of these. He’s a bully. He’s deluded. And he’s a liar.

We deserve better than this.

24 January 2017 by J.P. Fun and Games Dept Politics. 1

Change.

I cannot help but reflect on these quotes from 1984 by George Orwell.

The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became truth. ‘Who controls the past’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.’

As of this writing we are just over 48 hours into the Trump Presidency. In those 48 hours, the only statement from Press Secretary Sean Spicer is to contradict the eyes and ears of the nation and state that Trump’s inauguration was the biggest inauguration ever.

From the pbs.org website, a side by side comparison of the crowds in 2009 and 2017.

Mr. Spicer indicated that the magnetrometers used by the Secret Service to screen the audience at the 2017 Inauguration slowed the down folks from getting into the viewing area and prevented many from getting to view the historic event.

The Press Secretary also said that white protective coverings were used for the first time for this inauguration, and the white coverings highlighted any empty space.

When confronted with the blatant inaccuracies of Press Secretary Spicer’s statements during the conference yesterday, Kellyanne Conway told NBC’s Chuck Todd that they were “Alternate Facts”.

They were lies. Spinning lies as “Alternate Facts” brings us to the quote posted at the beginning of this entry.

The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

The people of the United States deserve better than this. We deserve to be told the truth. We deserve to have a president that was elected by a majority vote. We deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, fairness and most importantly, as human beings with eyes and ears and a functioning brain.

Kellyanne Conway is banking on societal apathy. Trump is banking on apathy. Spicer is just destroying any credibility he may have right out of the gate.

I’m frustrated. What can I do, Joe Fairly Average citizen, to help further positive change in our country? I have asked myself, “what can I do?”

For one, I have been very vocal since Trump took office. Vocal on Twitter, somewhat vocal on Facebook and now, vocal on my blog. I have found a reason to blog responsibly again.

Secondly, I started a petition at change.org today. This is my first time doing such a thing and I don’t know what the outcome will be. If you agree with the petition I have started, please follow the link and make your voice heard. Spread the word.

Please follow me on Twitter. Yesterday I spent much of the day sharing the news of marches around the world. I was so proud to see the millions of people protesting in the Women’s March, across seven continents around the world. I shared photos and stories and evidence that there is strong motivation in our country to keep us moving forward. We need to keep up that momentum.

We need our progress to keep moving in a forward direction. We want to embrace the 21st century, not retreat back to the 1950s.

We can do this. But it’s going to take a lot of work, a lot of dedication and a lot of patience.

I am ready to do my part. Are you?

22 January 2017 by J.P. Politics. 0

Best.

I will not be watching the inauguration tomorrow. I will be working hard at my job, strengthening the company I work for that connects Americans to one another and earning money to support my family. I will strive to solidify our future which may be plagued with uncertainty due to the change in presidential administration. We are outside of the “norm” and must do what we can to make sure we are protected no matter what legislators try to do.

I believe that a good citizen contributes more than you take, works hard, earns your way and builds your own existence. Good citizenship, good morals and good values all make the true wealth of a person. None of this is inherited or given to you through handouts. I don’t care what color, sex, creed, race or sexual orientation you are. I don’t care who you pray to or if you don’t feel the need to pray. We all have our own set of beliefs and abilities. And we should use those abilities to learn, to grow and to be our absolute best. And tomorrow, I will be doing what best makes me a good American.

19 January 2017 by J.P. Political BS. 0

Response.

So yesterday I saw this tweet go by on my Twitter stream.

I tweeted back at Rosie O’Donnell with a response. Honestly, I feel like folks are just disregarding the intelligence from, well, the Intelligence folks in D.C. because they were told that it’s all fake news.

One of my biggest criticisms of the Democratic Party is that they seem to have no fire, no feistiness, no desire to be on the offense. I have heard very little about any sort of investigation into the claims that Russia influenced the elections or their ties with Trump and/or associates. This is frustrating. The Republicans spent millions and millions of dollars to go after President Clinton over Monica Lewinsky. The Republicans have spent millions and millions of dollars to investigate Hillary Clinton endlessly. The Republicans have spent millions and millions of dollars trying to stop anything and everything that President Obama did during his term.

The Democrats need to get their act together. Now.

I received many tweets hurled back in my direction in response to my response to Rosie’s tweet. Most of them were unkind. Several were just downright hateful. The majority of them carried common themes: “Trump won, get over it”, “you’re a stupid liberal, cry your liberal tears”, “stop being a special snowflake”, etc. All but two of the responses were from accounts with less than 100 followers. These folks apparently created accounts just to troll folks who speak out against Trump.

I now understand why Trump won the presidency, especially if I heard the voice of “the people”.

I mentioned this in a tweet right after the Golden Globes last week, but Viola Davis was asked what she thought about the election of Donald Trump as President. Her response nailed it. We need to work to make our country a better place by starting with the people.

We have a long journey ahead of us.

I told Earl this evening that I was losing hope. He reminded me that there is always hope, it might just not be where we are looking for it. I revised my statement and said that I see no hope in the next Presidential administration and I certainly don’t believe that the next president has any vision of hope. Darkness pervades the country right now.

It’s a struggle, but we must remain as part of the light.

15 January 2017 by J.P. Political BS. 0

UA 639.

Earl and I are on United flight 639 from San Francisco to Chicago. We’ll be spending a few hours in Chicago before boarding our last flight of this trip and heading home. The scenery from this 757 is beautiful.

This has been an absolutely wonderful trip and vacation. When we left for Hawai’i, I imagined that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us, but Earl and I have decided that we are going to do what we can to get back to the 50th state again. There are other islands to explore!

We’ve spent the last couple of days in San Francisco and San Jose. I had the opportunity to visit Apple, Inc. in Cupertino with our friend (and Apple employee) Rudi. I’ll probably write a separate blog entry on my thoughts about Apple and such but the one sentence version of that experience is: I once again feel very energized to make the world a better place through my technology skills.

I find San Francisco to be a nice city. It’s pleasant enough. Honestly, it’s not my favorite place in the world but the city felt warm and inviting to me. One thing I did not enjoy was the constant smell of people smoking weed on the street. Everywhere we went around our hotel (roughly near Union Square) I’d feel assaulted by the smell of weed. I remarked to Earl that perhaps folks were trying to forget the upcoming horror of the Trump Presidency by getting stoned and he said that people just like smoking pot. It’s never been my thing but to each his own, I guess.

If were to work for a Silicon Valley company I’d probably opt to live closer to San Jose.

This flight to Chicago is pleasant, though this Boeing 757 feels a bit tired. The interior feels dated. I know, I have such First World Problems.

I have begun following a travel blogger named Lucky and his blog One Mile At A Time. His writings are going to be an inspiration for me to do what we can to travel more. There’s so much out there to see. It’s never too late to expand our horizons.

14 January 2017 by J.P. Fun and Games Dept 0

VX 0050

Earl and I are sitting on Virgin America flight 0050 from HNL to SFO. We are back at the gate awaiting repair or replacement of the APU or Auxiliary Power Unit. Jamie chose to disembark the airplane and now they won’t let him back on until we are ready to get back underway. The Flight Attendants have been accommodating by providing free water. I’m comfortable in my seat. I’ve used the bathroom, there’s no reason to disembark when I don’t have to.

This visit to Hawai’i has been awesome. We were to leave about 90 minutes ago, but this delay has us at the gate for at least another 45 minutes. I’m not concerned. We are not making a connecting flight today. The stress level is low. I’m just chilling out on an airplane and life doesn’t get better than that.

I was tempted to ask the captain if I could see the cockpit of this A320 but he is working with maintenance on the issue that is delaying us so I just observed from afar. I doubt that I’ll ever fly an A320, my interest is in staying in General Aviation, but seeing all the avionics of this Airbus is quite interesting to me. Technology used in this manner is interesting to me, much like auto automation and/or self driving cars. I would love to drive a Tesla someday. I hear the touchscreen is running Linux. That’s pretty cool.

For now, I’m just going to kick back, relax and enjoy this airplane.

11 January 2017 by J.P. Fun and Games Dept 0

Hiking.

Earl, Jamie and I did some hiking in Hawai’i today.

The weather was warm but the breezes kept things manageable.

Over our two hikes we went about 10 miles.

Our two destinations were Manoa Falls and the Makapu’u Lighthouse. Both destinations are highly recommended.

9 January 2017 by J.P. Fun and Games Dept 0

J.P.

Mary.

Resist.

Multipass.

Truth.

Change.

Best.

Response.

UA 639.

VX 0050

Hiking.

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