Big Brother 2

This example of Big Brother meddling in your lives borders on stupidity! And the worst part is that people are doing it willingly.

The other day my wife was buying a bottle of wine at the liquor store. The clerk told her that as of January 1, 2018 they had to scan ID's on all liquor sales. Okay, seemed reasonable. I mean it's an easy solution to the store's liability in underage sales to minors. I get it.

But wait -- the punchline is coming.

I asked the clerk how fast the database they were creating got transferred to the State of Minnesota. She shrugged it away and made some kind of comment about why would the State want to look at their database. As far as she knew it went into some great void that was never touched again.

Really?

Really?

REALLY?!

Let's not be stupid, people. If they've said ID's need to be collected on all liquor sales you can be darn sure the State has interest in that information. I mean, why else would they be collecting it?

Maybe liquor is the first of many steps. I can envision some time in the future going to buy a box of shells for my deer rifle and being asked for my ID so it can be scanned. Such a thing would help create a database of all of my weapons, submitted willingly by me each time I buy a different box of ammunition.

Starting to see the problem? Yeah!

Gun registration has its pitfalls. I can always buy a gun from a neighbor willing to part with one. I can inherit them from my family. And what about people who might steal my guns? None of these examples fall under the current gun registration laws.

You register your vehicles, your boats, your cell phones, your internet and now your alcohol purchases. Your pets are registered; even your children and yourself are all in some humungous government database.

And you've done it all willingly; never batting an eye or raising any concern as you did so. Thus, when they start asking for your ID to buy ammunition, don't be surprised. Just be a good sheeple and hand them your government issued ID. They'll thank you for your cooperation -- one way or another.

Do you have thoughts on this subject? If so, please comment on this post. I love hearing from free thinking people.


Until next time,

e a lake

Big Brother 1

Here's a sign I saw in the Twin Cities a few days ago. It made me shake my head.

Was the State of Minnesota really telling me when to put gas in my car? And were they saying this so poor, old, stupid me wouldn't be out in the smog that I could clearly see? Or were they saying it because it was best for the environment? Or was there some other reason at play?

I appreciate the government worrying about my health (though it really is none of their business). I also appreciate them helping to remind citizens that the air was bad that day.

However, the role of government is not -- and never has been -- to tell me when I can and can't put gas in my car... or go outside ... or drive... or anything else that infringes on my personal liberties.

It's like the signs you see sometimes on the side of the road reminding you not to text. You know the ones; they usually have some clever slogan on them.

"Don't drive distracted."
"Drop the phone because I said so - Mom."
And my favorite...
"Texting and driving... It can wait!"

All they really need to say is something like what I saw in Wisconsin this past summer.

"Texting while driving is a $300 fine."

There, isn't that nice and to the point? Don't waste your time on snappy slogans ("this is your brain on drugs" was a huge failure); just give it to us straight. Trust me, we can handle the truth.

What are your feelings on the subject? I'd really like to hear from you. Am I over-reacting? Or am I simply pointing out another case of the government acting like Orwell's Big Brother? 

You all know where I stand!


Later people,

e a lake

Things you won't miss in the Apocalypse: #4

Unwanted Phone Calls

We all hate them. And I don't think the discussion about the pesky interruptions in our day needs to go on any further. So when the Darkness wipes out phones -- all phones -- no one is going to miss any form of telemarketing.

No one is going to miss...

Unwanted telemarketers telling us they have a crew in our area today and they'd be happy to remove that low hanging tree branch. Newsflash -- I don't have any large trees in my yard. And even if I did, I'm sure I could handle it myself.

Or how about the lovely folks that call us on our cells, begging for donations. Yes, I love puppies, and old people, and clean air. No, I don't want to give money to Bernie, or Hillary or Ted. I don't care to share my pending vote on the citywide dog catcher referendum either. Just leave me alone.

I hate talking on the phone, anyway

Just ask my children. They'll tell you how a conversation with dear old Dad goes.

Them: Hi, what you doing?

Me: Super busy (sometimes true). What do you need?

So if I don't care to talk on the phone with my loved ones, why in the devil do I want to talk to you?

Sorry all teens, the Darkness will suck for you

Remember, all forms of electronic communications are going to die. That means no:

• Lengthy calls with that person you can't live without
• Chatting
• Instagram
• FaceBook Updates
• Texting

I know, dagger through the heart. But there will be an upside. You're going to get to know your immediate family members better. Okay, this might not be such an upside for either party now that I think it through.

But you'll be too busy surviving (hunter/gatherer mode) to care anyway...after several months of iPhone withdrawal.

Want to talk to your friends? No problem, sort of. You'll need to figure out where Chrissy and Tommy and Trigger have gone to. You like dead people? (Not so much?) Then maybe you should just stay put with your family. It'll save the emotional trauma.

Yeah, it's going to suck

But look on the bright side. According to most "preppers" and "prepping experts", chances are you're not going to live more than a year or two. So that phone that's glued to your hand right now? Not a big deal when you're starving, or sick.

In the next ten days I'll be beginning a new series...five people you'll meet in the apocalypse.

Until then -- enjoy your phone....

e a lake

Apple vs. The Big Bad Wolf

Yes, I am oversimplifying things with the title above. And yes, there are always two sides to every story. But no, I don't honestly know where I stand on this issue yet.

Okay, here's what's at Stake

  

Me and my iPhone

(Not me per se, but you understand)

 VS.

The United States Department of Justice

And the winner will be --- Absolutely No One!

Here's why:

• The DOJ needs Apple's help to get into the cell phone from one of the San Bernadino Shooter's iPhones.

• Apple does not want to open Pandora's Box.

I'm sure they both have compelling reasons. But this case is a no win!

If Apple "unlocks" the Phone

It will be seen as a defeat for personal privacy by many. Big Brother now has the precedent (and know how) to invade all of our lives at any time they wish.

If the DOJ doesn't get in the Terrorist's Phone

We may never know what they knew. And we may never find out if other sleeper cells have similar activities planned.

Or, we may just find that this guy had an awesome score on Candy Crush, or something like that.

You can see both sides of the argument. Privacy vs. Saftey. The average US citizen vs. Big Government.

No one wins here, folks. I just wish they would have handled this behind the scenes and worked something out. Yes, in this case, treat us like mushrooms: in the dark and covered with crap.

After all, that's what large companies and the government do every day, isn't it?!

Until next time, hang in there.

e a lake

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You've Got Real Problems Now

Let's summarize what's gone from your world; what I've taken away over the past three weeks.

1. Electricity (all power)     

Yep, you no have use of any electric devices. No fridge, no stove, no air conditioning, no furnace, no television, no radio. No nothing! Fun, right?

You may say, "I'll be fine without these modern conveniences." But really, will you? Can't look up anything on the internet anymore. That's gone too. Just another casualty of the Darkness. 

You know all that stuff you saved on some hard drive? All about prepping and survival skills? Sorry, no access. It's all gone, pal.

2. Transportation

No planes, no trains, no automobiles. 

You're on foot, or horse or bike from this point forward. The range you can roam just dwindled from thousands of miles, to maybe twenty. Feeling a little confined, friend?

Anything with a computer is dead. And almost all of our transportation, nowadays, runs on computers. The average car has a number of them somewhere under the hood. Planes don't use hydraulics that much anymore. Most of what is accomplished to get airborne is done with the aid of a computer.

Now some cars, and some smaller planes, will work - for a while. But once we use up the last of our stored fossil fuels, they are done as well. Remember, no electricity to pump them from deep storage tanks. Bet you forgot all about that, didn't you?

3. Communications

No cell phones, no landlines, no pagers, no faxes, no texting...yeah, you get it: no easy communication.

This one really sucks. How am I supposed to know how my mother, some eighty miles away, is doing? Or how my youngest son and his family 1,200 miles away are holding up in the Darkness?

Even more sobering, what if my wife is some thirty miles away when it strikes and can't get home? Will I ever see her again? Will I ever know what happened to her?

Much will be lost when the Darkness arrives. Ease of living, loved ones, the world we know. How will humankind survive such an event? Will we even care how it happened? Or will we all go into survival mode? Some many questions - so few answers.

This is the world of WWIV. Four full novels, and three novellas (when all are finished) - exploring people's reactions and lives at the time of the event, and in the years that follow. If you want to know what caused all of this havoc, maybe you do and maybe you don't, you'll have to wait for the last novella in 2016 - The Truth.

Until then, if you would like to read any of these stories, click on the books below. If you'd like to know when new books are arriving, click here to receive my newsletter.

I'll have more for you next week. Until then, get your loved ones something decent to read for Christmas.

e a lake

(books below are interactive, so go ahead and click on any of them)

                       

You are really gonna miss this!

You're at a restaurant - like maybe right now. If so, look around. What do you see? Almost everyone has their attention focused on that device in their hands...their cellular phone.

A cell phone is primarily meant for communication, right? At least that was its original intent. But nowadays? Entertainment, news, sports...everything. And people have grown real attached to these devices. Very Attached.

Say goodbye to your little friend

When the Darkness arrives, those handheld devices will be useless. No more texting or chatting with friends. No hour long phone calls with mom and dad. No quick goodnight calls to significant others hundreds of miles away. Nothing, gone, kaput. Dead silence...forever.

Think about it for a moment. How, just how, are you going to communicate with others now? Landlines will be just as useless; no fax machines or pagers either. The Post Office is closed - permanently. 

Looks like you are going to get to know your neighbors after all! What were their names again? Lonnie and Melanie...or something like that?

And no Internet to boot

Jeez, this gets worse by the moment, doesn't it? No text messages, or SnapChats (whatever they are), or Instagram (never used it myself). Just word of mouth now. Perhaps some written letters and notes, as well.  But mostly one on one communication from the moment the Darkness arrives.

And what are you going to do? I'm not letting you give up. No, not going to be an easy way out here. Not this time; not ever again. You're stuck in the middle of a world that is so unfamiliar to most. 

Maybe it's time for a good support system. A human support system. Anyone think they need to work on the interpersonal human relationship skills? Maybe before the Darkness arrives?

Yeah, I thought so.

I'll have a wrap-up for you next week. Now that your electricity, and transportation, and communication is all gone to hell you'll pay attention. Maybe you can still survive. Maybe.

e a lake

(books below are interactive, so go ahead and click on any of them)