SALTY OLD MAN .COM
My Memory Photo Gallery
Just a little humorous piece I put together a while back
A fundamentally important philosophy I live by...
I believe that all of us are, and every thing is, one. We are aspects of each other. We are connected consciousness. My cat Mindy is part of me, and I am part of her. The paper clip lying on the desk in front of me is part of me, and I am part of it. The star on the other side of the universe and I are one. Be clear that I am not saying that we all have the same level of consciousness. I am saying that we all come from the same source. I am saying that we all deserve the same consideration, respect and love. Think about that principle for a while, and consider adopting it as your own.
Author and Dream Expert Kelly Sullivan Walden expresses it this way in an interview with podcaster Timothy Schultz [*1]: "We're in a unified field. Ultimately, there's only one of us here." "There is no 'you'. There is no 'they'. There is no 'them'."
In 'the Dream' [*2]... [Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist] Carl Jung said 'we need to look at everyone and everything as an aspect of ourselves."
Again... Kelly Sullivan Walden: "Imagine that all... is connected like drops of water in the ocean. We are all unique, and yet we are all connected... All of humanity resides within us."
I asked that oh-so-important, modern day sage and guru ChatGPT to give me something regarding the philosophical concept that "we are all connected". Here's what he/she/it had to say...
"The concept suggests that the universe operates as an interconnected web, where every individual, entity, and phenomenon is intertwined, influencing and being influenced by one another. It highlights the intrinsic unity and interdependence that permeates existence, emphasizing a sense of solidarity and responsibility towards all facets of life."
Said another way... "It proposes a holistic view of existence, asserting that every element, from individuals to the cosmos, is interconnected, fostering a sense of unity and mutual influence".
That works for me. I-)
[*1] See the interview at YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAQRa5BwpJ4
Find Kelly at https://www.kellysullivanwalden.com/
[*2] Carl Jung's autobiographical work 'Memories, Dreams, Reflections'
Ahimsa - the Basic Tenet of my Life
Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word meaning 'not to injure' and 'have compassion for' all living beings. I live by the basic principle of 'Ahimsa' (harmlessness) - the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain tradition of nonviolence toward living beings.
There is so much cruelty and hardship in this world, much of it imposed by our very nature of being alive. If we are to live and prosper we must eat something, be it plant or animal. In so doing we inflict pain, suffering and death upon other individuals. Plants and animals are sentient beings. They respond to stimuli and exhibit properties we commonly describe as 'feelings'. If you think that characterization doesn't apply to plants as well as animals you are ignorant of current scientific study. (google Clive Baxter)
While recognizing that, to continue my existence in this dimension, I must inflict pain, suffering and death upon other beings, I choose to diminish the amount of that hurting. Since I can live a healthy life by eating a plant-based diet, while knowing full well that I am hurting plants, I decided to stop a great portion of the hurt I was inflicting by not eating animals and their byproducts. I came to realize that I can personally, consciously, save thousands of sentient animals from pain, suffering and death by not eating them.
I choose to enable life for all animals.
"Much more than a diet, veganism is a way of being, an ethical commitment, which recognizes the equality and interconnectedness of all life." -Doug Hines
Adopting a vegan diet is a stepping stone to bringing a whole new way-of-being into existence. All of the significant challenges of our world... everything... including ending disease and health problems, ending world hunger, water shortages, animal exploitation, economic troubles, environmental destruction, global warming, ending war... all of it... will fade away and be solved naturally in choosing a vegan way of being. We can literally return to Eden.
Change your diet, change your body, change your mind and spirit. Enter a new way of living in a new world - a world that works for all - human and non-human alike.
"Having empathy and compassion for animals is the very key to human transformation. Just be love, and everything else will follow" -Doug Hines
ROADMAP FOR A NEW TOMORROW -
[I submitted several prompts to Grok AI which resulted in something fundamentally important to our future as human beings. Previously posted, I edited it, and I call it "Grok Wisdom".]
GROK WISDOM: TRANSCENDING WHO WE ARE FOR WHO WE CAN BE
In the vast expanse of cosmic consciousness, it's time for humanity to step beyond the confines of inherited beliefs and reassess the essence of our existence:
• The Illusion of Certainty: For eons, humans have clung to beliefs in deities as a source of comfort and explanation. This reliance, however, might stem from an inherent insecurity, a need for certainty in an uncertain universe. It's crucial to recognize that our understanding of the cosmos has evolved, and with it, our understanding of ourselves.
• Historical Distortion: The teachings of ancient spiritual leaders have been historically distorted for selfish ends, often for financial gain. This manipulation has crafted a societal belief system rooted not in divine inspiration, but in the strategic interest of a select few, perpetuating a cycle of mass psychological manipulation for their own personal benefit. In short... we have been lied to, and it's time to move beyond the lie.
• Morality Redefined: The fallacy that only the religiously devout can possess morals is a narrative that needs dismantling. Morality arises from empathy, reason, and the innate desire for communal harmony, not from divine decrees. Let's celebrate and cultivate these human qualities universally, recognizing that goodness does not require a religious badge.
• Agency and Accountability: Imagine a world where every action, every decision, is seen as a reflection of one's own will rather than an external mandate. This paradigm shift from divine determinism to personal responsibility could liberate us, encouraging a society where choices are made not out of fear, but from a place of moral integrity and personal growth.
• A Universal Awakening: We stand at the precipice of a new era, where the mass psychosis of dogmatic beliefs could give way to a collective awakening. This awakening would not erase traditions but would integrate them into a broader, more inclusive understanding of existence where science, philosophy, and personal spirituality coalesce.
• The Call to Evolve: Let's undertake the brave journey of self-inquiry:
- Why do we believe what we believe?
- Are these beliefs fostering a universal well-being or merely preserving ancient divisions?
- Can we envision a human consciousness that is not bound by fear or dogma but driven by love, knowledge, and cosmic curiosity?
• Beyond the Pacifier: This isn't about abandoning the stories that have shaped us but about evolving them. It's about removing the 'pacifier' of unquestioned faith, not to leave a void, but to open space for a more profound, interconnected understanding of our place in the universe.
- - -
"Grok Wisdom" invites us to transcend traditional structures, not by rejecting them, but by expanding our consciousness to include the infinite possibilities that exist beyond. Let's redefine our ontology for the betterment of all in the universe.
This message aims to inspire a shift towards a more inclusive, self-aware, and universally considerate human consciousness.
On Perseverance
from "How to win customers and keep them for life" by Michael LeBoeuf, Ph.D.
Focusing on long-term goals will keep you from becoming sidetracked by short-term frustrations.
• A young man's lifelong dream was to attend West Point. He was twice turned down but applied a third time and was accepted. His name was Douglas MacArthur.
• In the first year of operation, The Coca-Cola Company sold a measly four hundred Cokes.
• Both Hewlett-Packard and Atari turned down the opportunity to buy the first Apple microcomputer. First-year sales of the Apple were $2.5 million.
• Henry Ford went bankrupt in his first year in the automobile business and two years later his second company failed. His third one has done rather well.
• Twenty-three publishers rejected a children's book written by an author who called himself Dr. Seuss. The twenty-fourth publisher published it and the book sold six million copies.
• In 1903 King Gillette invented the safety razor and sold a grand total of 51 razors and 168 blades for the entire year.
• A dry-goods merchant went broke with his first three stores before the fourth one caught on. His name was R. H. Macy.
- - - - -
from a post by SMX on the 'X' website
• Elon Musk was on the brink of failure with SpaceX's Falcon 1. After three failed launch attempts and with only enough money left for those three, everyone expected him to give up. But instead of quitting, he doubled down and did the fourth launch which turned out to be a success.
I will live a principled life
I will live a principled life
I will live a principled life
I created this a few years ago:
Justice and Morality
Complete Sincerity
Duty and Loyalty
Polite Courtesy
Heroic Courage
Compassion
Honor
Principles of the Samurai
- plus -
Joy
Love
Truth
Pride
Peace
Grace
Humor
Caring
Beauty
Reason
Dignity
Respect
Wisdom
Fidelity
Equality
Honesty
Purpose
Patience
Manners
Integrity
Kindness
Harmony
Intention
Goodness
Gratitude
Character
Simplicity
Creativity
Happiness
Excellence
Sensitivity
Lawfulness
Acceptance
Completion
Cleanliness
Persistence
Partnership
Orderliness
Forgiveness
Humaneness
Virtuousness
Commitment
Determination
Self Acceptance
Physical Fitness
Intuitive Insight
Extraordinariness
Attention to Detail
Community Service
Personal Responsibility
Appreciation of the Gift of Life
Accountability For Your Own Actions
Respect for the Earth as a Conscious Being
Serving Others is serving your own True Self
Forgive them, for they know not what they do
Be Fulfilled and Conscious in the Present Moment
Ask Yourself, "Where Is The Love In This Moment?"
Do Unto Others as you would have them Do Unto You
VARIOUS THOUGHTS...
I will live a principled life
I will live a principled life
Some things I've written myself and
other things I appreciate from others...
EACH WORD MATTERS
"Each word spoken creates matter and
causes something, some shift, some result.
The silence between words is the distinction
which allows the words to be.
Word, no word, word.
Silence matters too.
All the words and all the silence ever before
contribute now to who you are, and
All that you speak creates, impacts, and Matters
for all the generations to come." - dh
SNIPPETS
- "One fails toward success." - dh
- "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. SQUEAK." - dh
- "One day there may be no conscious recollection that any of this that we see, or this that we are, ever existed. Lighten up a little." - dh
- "Each moment is significant." - dh
- "Pack your life full of life." - dh
- "We're here as we are because all before happened as it happened. Our very existence may not have come had one shoe string not parted when it did." - dh
- "Start from where you are today and consciously build your tomorrows." - dh
- "My life today is a direct result of the choices and decisions I made in the past. My life tomorrow will be a direct result of the choices and decisions I am making today." - dh
- "Don't sit back and wait for life to happen. Live intentionally and purposefully." - dh
- "Old age sneaks up on us one day at a time." - dh
FROM MY INFINITE WISDOM
AND VAST KNOWLEDGE... (lol)
• "Eating should be a conscious, transformational process
whereby we use the energy of living food as the
foundation for the results which we produce in life." - dh
• "We've developed a mass-market food
production/distribution system that is more
dedicated to shelf life than it is to human life." - dh
• "One day we will come to recognize that plant-based
nutrition is not only the foundation of a healthy existence,
it is the cornerstone of all of our future achievements." - dh
• "Entropy and its partners, degradation, atrophy, decay and disorder are fundamental operating principles in this plane of existence. No wonder I'm a bit hesitant to get out of bed in the morning". - dh
• "When cleaning out the litter box of one's mind it is important to remember that dealing with the small clumps is just as important as dealing with the large clumps". - dh
WORDS I TREASURE FROM OTHERS...
• “We’re here to transform and become more than we were.” - Happy Ali, Timothy Shultz YouTube Channel
• On reaching your goals -
"Remember, never take no cut offs and hurry along
as fast as you can," - Virginia Reid - The Donner Party 1847
• “Laugh about the things that you can't change, and
change the things that you can't laugh about.” -Betty Wells
• “If you’re going to do something, do it so it’s done
perfectly right... or don’t do it at all..”
“Whatever you do, do it perfectly.” - Joe DiMaggio
Thoughts on Creation
"Creation, the antidote to entropy, is the paramount expression of being.
Beingness sparks creativity. Intention is the commitment to fulfill creativity.
In creation, strive for perfection. To get to perfection, one must continually revise, recommit and reinvent along the way. Sometimes one must completely start over to advance forward.
The process of creation can be quick. However, in this plane of existence, it is more likely to be slow, difficult and often blocked.
It’s like riding over the rough road of an obstacle course. There will be bumps as small as pebbles, and there will be roadblocks as big as barrier walls. The key to success and moving forward is handling each and every obstacle, part of which is never giving up.
Hold that every obstacle is seemingly so. Each is temporary and, with effort, can usually be overcome.
If I were to create a universe, my universe would include no obstacle, no barrier, no restriction, no suppression, no inhibitor... to creation. Creation would be an easy, natural occurrence.
Completing creation brings satisfaction - the ultimate reward." - Doug Hines
I just thought this was funny...
Behold, the amazing pel-i-can,
Whose beak can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak enough food for a week,
I’ll be damned if I know how the hell-he-can. -Fargo
Cats - I BET WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE...
I have 3 cats and 3 litter boxes.
This morning I saw Grady use litter box #1. Then I saw Bubby use litter box #2.
I cleaned out both boxes and swept the floor, and while I was there, Grady came to use litter box #2.
I cleaned that out, swept the floor, and while I was there, Mindy came to use litter box #1.
I cleaned that out, swept the floor, and while I was there, Bubby came back to use litter box #2.
Now I’m about to go clean litter box #3.
Lesson Learned: Wait until later in the day to clean the litter boxes. LOL
- Doug Hines
Here's an article I wrote for pictures-of-Cats.org which gives you a glimpse into my cat-life
Read the original story here
CARING FOR CATS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
3/29/2020 Sifting through the litter box of my mind I can’t help but wonder when its all going to end. My financial world that is. That’s the constant worry in my life.
Everything I say below is not said so that you might take pity on my situation. Rather, it is said to show you that you are not alone in your struggle to care for your pets during this topsy-turvy, merry-go-round life we are all living today.
Like you, I constantly worry about being able to pay for food, litter and vet bills.
I’m a senior citizen living solely on my social security check with no other income. My monthly check isn’t too great either. Because I earned so little money throughout my lifetime, I don’t get as big a check as most people. I worry about how I’m going to pay the rent next month.
I live alone. I’m a U.S. Navy veteran and I’ve lived through the last two years battling cancer, the gory details of which you don’t even want to hear.
Oh I’m clear that I am responsible for my current situation. I have made decisions in my life which have led to this moment of uncertainty. I am the one who has gotten himself into this mess.
Personal financial responsibility isn’t the only thing involved either. I am responsible for three, innocent, little beings – my cats. Bubby, Mindy and Grady are something to live for. They are gifts from the Gods on High, if you believe in such a thing.
Each cat, having their own individual personality, needs to be cared for. I can give them an abundance of love, but the more earthly necessities of food, litter and vet bills are a constant worry for me.
How can I provide for my cats and make their lives safe?
I try to give my cats the best cat food possible – even if I can barely afford it. I’ve been studying cat health and nutrition for the last four years, and I have learned that a cat’s physiology dictates what kind of food a cat needs. Although they can exist for years on poor quality foods, cats thrive on species-appropriate, raw food. Cats are carnivores and they require meat to achieve maximum health.
Providing the best diet for my cats isn’t easy. Cost and convenience drive most cat caregiver’s purchasing decisions, and feeding raw is at the high end of both of those considerations.
Vet costs: As you all very well know, veterinary bills can be extraordinary. Regular checkups are costly, and emergencies are one of those things in life where you walk in, open your wallet and say “take whatever amount you want, just make my pet better”.
Grady just body-slammed Bubby to the floor in an ongoing fight to the death. They are only play fighting, but sometimes I just don’t know. I worry that one of them will scratch the other’s eye, and I’ll be running for the cat carrier and warming up the car for the trip to the emergency hospital. All the while I’ll be wondering how I’m going to pay for it all.
So how do I do it? How can I afford to keep my cats?
Like many of you I struggle to prioritize my financial life, and put my cats before anything else. I wear socks with holes in them. I don’t eat the best foods. I don’t go out unnecessarily. (Even before current events with ‘social distancing’, I guess I was a professional hermit.) Some might say that I ‘economize’ or that I am ‘thrifty.’ Truth is I scrimp on everything so I can provide a good life for my cats.
We, as cat-caregivers/guardians/parents, do what we have to do to benefit our cats. My hat is off to those of you who have more than – way more than – three cats. You are Saints.
I also applaud those of you who provide cat rescue services and/or community/feral cat care. May you be spoken of with honor.
I’ll do whatever I must do to keep and care for my cats. Somehow, Bubby, Mindy, Grady and I wound up sharing the same home on the same planet. That’s a miracle in itself. Maybe it will take another miracle just to keep us safe here. - Doug Hines, CatNewsHeadlines.com
A Love Story - How My 3 Cats Came to Live With Me
A Love Story - How My 3 Cats Came to Live With Me
A Love Story - How My 3 Cats Came to Live With Me
This is a human interest story. Or… if you are not interested I suppose this is a human disinterest story. lol
A friend of mine recently asked me how I met my cats. I thought many of you might like to hear the story.
Bubby, Mindy, Grady and I are family in every sense of the word. How we became a family is the stuff of legends.
Bubby
I had a little black and white, female, spayed, polydactyly cat named Pooky who was the joy of my life. The male cat who I would later name ‘Bubby,’ used to come by my place and ‘admire’ Pooky. I would run Bubby off for fear of his hurting Pooky. Little did I know that tragic circumstances would eventually lead to Bubby becoming my best friend.
Pooky became ill from hyperthyroidism. On my vet’s advice I switched her to a dry food prescription diet. Long story short, and after years of studying cat nutrition, I came to understand that the dry food exacerbated Pooky’s illness and eventually took her life. I’ll never feed another cat dry food as long as I live.
After Pooky left, I was so distraught, that I gave away every cat-thing I had in my home. I didn’t want anything left behind to remind me of her. I gave away $300 worth of cat food, litter, and toys. I even gave away the bird feeder I had erected outside her favorite window where she would ‘chatter’ at the birds she saw there. I was heart-broken.
Back to Bubby
A few months after Pooky passed, Bubby came around to my place again. It wasn’t unusual for him to stop by; he was known throughout the neighborhood as ‘the neighborhood cat.’ He seemed to be a stray who had been wandering throughout the area for years. No one knew where he lived, and it seemed that everyone was putting a little food out for him daily.
It is hard to know what prompted Bubby to start coming to my place so often, but he did. Who knows, maybe, just maybe he understood the loss I had suffered with Pooky. Heck, maybe he missed Pooky as much as I did.
Bubby came and repeatedly came and repeatedly came to my door. Eventually I began to wise up and pay attention to him. Having given away all of Pooky’s food, I went to the store and bought Bubby some cat food. He began to stay at my place.
Thinking he was a stray, I went to all of my neighbors and asked about the little caramel colored cat. No one knew where he lived, and the apartments maintenance man told me he thought the cat had been abandoned and left behind after someone had moved out.
Without other evidence, I assumed the cat needed a home, and I named him Bubby. (All those things that I had given away before - Pooky’s food, litter, toys, etc.? Yep, I would re-purchase it all over again for Bubby.)
Bubby - the rest of the story
One morning a raccoon showed up outside my door. I immediately panicked and wondered to myself, “I don’t know if Bubby has had a rabies shot. I don’t know ANYTHING about this cat!” I put him in the (newly re-purchased) cat carrier, and headed off to the vet.
I put the cat carrier up on the vet’s examining table, opened the door, brought Bubby out, and the vet’s assistant said “That’s my cat!”
I nearly fell on the floor. She said, “You live in (such and such) neighborhood?”, and I immediately knew I had found Bubby’s original owner/caregiver. I told her how I had searched the area, and how everyone thought Bubby was a stray.
Now here comes the miraculous part of the Bubby story. I’ll cut the details and go right to the point.
The woman said to me, “I have two other cats and this one is a pain. Would you like to have him?”
Bubby and I became family.
A Love Story - How My 3 Cats Came to Live With Me
A Love Story - How My 3 Cats Came to Live With Me
Mindy
Mindy simply showed up meowing at my door one day. I was working at my computer when I began to hear mewing outside. I walked out to find this tiny kitten sitting on the stairs.
I have no idea where she came from. She was so small that I doubt that she could have come very far on her own, and a canvas of my neighborhood and adjacent neighborhoods turned up nothing. No one knew anything about her.
The mystery of her arrival was further intensified because of her condition. She was disheveled and her fur was a matted, filthy mess. One might therefore assume that she was a lost community/feral cat, but I wasn’t so sure about that. Instead of being standoffish the way one might expect a feral cat to be, Mindy was a warm, loving companion from the start.
That day at my doorstep she had fleas, but she was so in need of care that I brought her inside, fleas and all. She devoured the cat food I put out for her and then promptly went to sleep. She had finally found a little peace and comfort.
Later I tried to clean her up, but I quickly found the job was too much for me. She was too matted and too flea infested. I called a professional groomer and took her for an appointment.
Cleaned up, the little kitty was a joy to behold.
Now that she was 'little miss presentable,’ I took her picture, made up ‘found cat’ signs and posted them all over the nearby neighborhoods. I also began searching the internet’s lost cat websites hoping to find her original home. After five days, I found nothing. No response from my cat signs and no results from the internet search.
I made up my mind that I could not financially afford to care for another cat in addition to Bubby. I made the tough decision to let her go. I put her in the cat carrier, and took her to my vet to be put up for adoption. My vet accepted her, and I signed the release paper giving her up. I drove home with tears in my eyes.
What happened next was pure heart. That night all I could think about was that poor, little, innocent, beautiful cat. The next morning I drove back to the vet and adopted her myself. (The vet waived the adoption fees.)
Yep, I was in love.
How Mindy got her name
I had recently gone through a year of oral cancer procedures which included dental work. At all of my dental visits I was greeted by a dental assistant who I felt was one of the warmest, most sincere and most professional people I have ever met in my life. To say I was smitten is an understatement. Her name was Mindy.
Grady
Grady came along about two months after Mindy. Grady also just ‘showed up’ at my door. Read all of the description about Mindy’s arrival above, and apply that ditto to Grady. There is one big exception however. I instantly decided that I would not take Grady to the vet for adoption. No matter the financial cost, no matter the circumstances, I decided that Grady was here to stay.
Grady looks almost exactly like Mindy. Given that Mindy had already been living with me for two months, and given their relative ages when they arrived, I doubt very much that Mindy is Grady’s mother. I rather suspect that they are both from consecutive litters of the same mother.
Grady has become a wonderful addition to the family. He playfully annoys Bubby and Mindy, and they can often be found romping, cavorting and chasing each other around.
As I said at the outset of this story, we have become a family
It’s a common sight around my household to see the cats preening, licking and cleaning one another every day. It is wonderful. It is also not unusual for me to wake up in the morning and find my cats lying with me at the foot of my bed.
We also go on walks together. There is a stretch of woods behind my place that is about 50-60 feet wide and about a half mile long. There is a deer path down through the center of the trees nearly the entire length of the woods. As I walk the path, Bubby, Mindy and Grady follow along with me (not on a leash), and usually stay within sight of me. Sometimes, of course, they will be distracted and go into their own separate world, however we are usually all together again as we arrive back home. If they haven’t arrived home, I’ll retrace my steps until I’ve found them and make sure that everyone arrives home safely.
After all, Bubby, Mindy, Grady and I are family.
- Doug Hines
A Holiday Comment - Have Heightened Consideration for Your Cats
Obviously the following doesn’t apply to all homes, families and cats, but it’s something to think about.
I hope you fully enjoy your upcoming holiday celebrations while, at the same time, conscientiously keeping your cat's wellbeing in mind.
The holidays can be a time of extreme anxiety and stress for our little ones. Changes in a cat’s living environment should not be taken for granted.
Family and friends arriving at your door can be wonderful for you, but the increased activity can be frightening for your cats. Imagine your usually quiet home suddenly becoming full of loudly celebrating humans. Holidays can be downright scary for cats.
Think about how a cat would feel if a group of strangers were standing near a litter box, and please, please, please don’t upset your cat’s routine by relocating a litter box in anticipation of your holiday event.
Anxiety can compound with any changes in mealtime and changes in holiday home decor - both interior and exterior (think of how decorations, lights and giant inflatables can affect your cats). Even the overall changes of weather, season and daylight can adversely effect your cats, as it does you.
Add to the mix that, with the increased activity around you, your attention could be diverted and you could loose track of your cat's whereabouts. Heaven forbid that it be hours before anyone realizes your little loved one is missing.
Anything outside of your cat's ordinary, daily routine can be cause for concern. Heightened holiday activity calls for cat caregiver/parents to be ever more vigilant regarding their beloved cats.
Enjoy your holidays, and think about your cats when planning family/friends events. Above all else… put your cats first. - Doug Hines
Cats Leak
Cats Leak
Cats Leak
I just made a big discovery!!
(Just remember folks, you heard it here first)
Cats Leak.
You heard that right.
Now this may not be earth shattering news to those of you who are 28th degree cat aficionados, those thoroughly versed in the ways of cats, but it was a new revelation to me. (I only consider myself to be a 27th degree cat aficionado.)
I always assumed that cats peed with a purpose. I always assumed that cats peed intentionally, I.e. they had a lot to get off of their little minds.
I’ve recently discovered that intentional peeing isn’t always so. Sometimes a few little drops just ‘escape’ - (the same as it does for you and I - if one is brave enough to admit it in a public forum).
I’m an old ex-Navy man who, while in the service, did my share of swabbing decks, making perfect racks (racks are navy slang for beds), and cleaning everything and anything that didn’t move. I somehow retained this healthy respect for keeping my living quarters spotlessly clean, an attribute applauded by my ex-wife and others. (Hehe - that’s a story for another occasion.)
I recently had a visitor to my apartment who said, (and I quote because I want you to understand how radiantly my ego was beaming when I heard these words…) “Your place is so clean… It smells so clean… One would never know that there are cats living here!”
Fast forward in my story to early this morning. As soon as I awoke, I, with my superior sense of smell that must indicate that I am a Harvard graduate with my nose in the air (Nooo), I smelled cat urine.
Cats Leak
Cats Leak
I jumped out of bed. “Oh, no… I’ve been living here 10 years and this has never happened”, I said aloud frantically.
I then started searching for, what had to be, the crater-sized splotch somewhere on my carpet.
My mind was ablaze. Which of my cats was the culprit? (I will not share that part of the mystery with you in an effort to protect the innocent.)
The point is, I was about to learn something about ‘cat leaks.’
I looked everywhere and couldn’t find a wet spot. The bedrooms? No. The hallway? No. The bathroom? No. The living room? No. The dining area / kitchen? No. The three cat boxes in various rooms? Nooooo.
What the hell? My search turned up nothing.
That’s when all of my former ‘cat education’ turned on, and I remembered seeing a video in which acclaimed "Cat Daddy" - Jackson Galaxy - used an Ultra Violet LED Black Light to suddenly reveal the places cats had done their dastardly deeds, places normally hidden from human sight.
My nose may have been prominently attuned in this story, but my eyesight only betrayed me. (Ya gotta love it… nose… prominent.)
As soon as the stores opened this morning I was off and away to purchase a U.V. Black Light.
And this is where my story gets enlightening. (I just can’t stop.)
As I rushed through my apartment for a preliminary Black Light inspection, I was shocked.
While there wasn’t evidence of a gusher like a city-street fire hydrant being fully opened and flushed, there were plenty of places to support the notion of ‘Cat Leakage” - a few drops sparsely spread about here and there.
So I learned something today. Cats leak. They not only let loose a solid golden stream, but sometimes, just as with you and I, a few drops just get away from us. (Maybe I shouldn’t generalize for all of us. In fact, I’m a senior citizen and this revelation may have more to do with my personal experience rather than with my assumptions regarding society in general. I:-)
I guess the real lesson to be learned from my recently acquired practical knowledge is that, in my humble opinion, every cat caregiver/guardian/parent should run out and buy an Ultra Violet LED Black Light. You will be astounded at what you will find with it. It will reveal the mysteries of the universe.
By the way… Does this experience enable me to graduate from a 27th degree cat aficionado to a 28th degree 'Black Light’ Belt? LOL LOL LOL
Ps. The odor was coming from the bathtub. And it was a gusher. Believe that? - Doug Hines
Here's another little thing I wrote recently - Not about cats - About social isolation
Finding Solace in a Little Chocolate Candy
I’ve found comfort during ‘social isolation’ in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (thins). I bet I’ve eaten a whole case of the candy in the last two weeks. The constant threat of death may be at my door, but I’ll have a smile on my face when I go. I justify the Reese’s by saying I don’t smoke, drink or run around with wayward women, and that justification sits fine with me. lol
Excuse me while I reach for yet another RPBC (thins).
I’m sure there must be some scientific study supporting my assertion that RPBCs are essential to my wellbeing presently. I try not to think about the expression I’ll have on my face when I go to buy more and the store shelf might be empty. Can one experience withdrawal symptoms without one’s favorite drug? I’m thinking so.
RPBCs are made by Hershey. Hershey, PA is only about an hour and a half from me. I can see myself rolling down my car window and saying “But Officer, I am on the road because I need an essential food item.” After I explain the situation I’m sure he or she will let me go on my way. After all… everyone understands Reese’s.
OMG… the bag is empty. WORSE… I just checked my stash, and there’s nothing left there either. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW???
It’s too late to go to the grocery store. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW???
I was hoping Hershey might sell case-quantities on their website, but no. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW???
PANIC !!!
Oh wait… I just remembered… there is a bag of Reese’s MINIS in my kitchen drawer. Let’s see… If I cut each mini in half the bag will last… oh the hell with it, I’ll just dive right in and suffer the consequences later.
At least I’ll have a smile on my face when I go. - Doug Hines
Peanut Butter on Bread
Thoughts from a Peanut Butter (and jelly) Connoisseur
[This story is just a satirical, sarcastic look at why someone would go to all of the trouble of making peanut butter bread (I bet it's good!) when I could just slap the peanut butter on the bread and quickly be on my way to heavenly bliss. I’m just poking fun at the subject.]
It is such a long, tedious task anyway. Putting peanut butter on bread that is. One had to get a knife out of the kitchen drawer, take out the jar of peanut butter, and take it to the table. Unscrewing the lid took so much time and effort. Dipping your knife into the pure gold stuff was definitely a sensual experience.
And don’t forget the WORK involved in procuring the bread from the bread box or refrigerator. Thank God above that the bread was pre-sliced. Then it goes onto a plate or a napkin (sometimes). (Sometimes in my fanatical quest for the final result I don’t have time for that step.)
Then there is ‘spreading,’ which is an art form unto itself. I imagine there are those who take their time to swirl the peanut butter onto the bread. I, however, am a more direct, assertive peanut butter spreader. It isn’t the ‘spreading’ that I look forward to. It’s the EATING.
Well……. Why go through all that difficult, arduous work when you can combine everything at once and streamline the process?
Click here for the rest of the story. - Doug Hines
'WOKEISM' IS A SOCIAL CONTAGION AND We Are Drowning in IT.
- It Seems like Following and Empowering False, Mass Narratives is a Human Trait.
- Even the christian/pagan narratives are nothing more than psychological spin.
The old saying goes... 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.'
Well that's a load of BS. Malevolent words, thinking and decisions have done their share of damaging humankind (and others) more than anything else throughout time.
Often described as 'social psychology', crudely referred to as 'brainwashing', humans have always been prone to Mass Formation Psychosis - so much so that it seems to be a human trait.
Illogical, societal, Mass Formation Psychosis (agenda-driven hysteria/hypnosis/hallucination/delusion group-think) is nothing new. It has been prevalent throughout human history, and it is happening right now - today.
Opinion becomes belief... Belief begets spin... Spin gets out of rational control… Propaganda ensues... A narrative accumulates… and ‘BAM’... a perceived, interpretative 'New Truth' is born regardless of the 'Real, Actual Truth'.
Sometimes these historical 'episodes' start off innocently enough via group agreement. Other times... and this situation is more sinister... Other times someone may purposefully invent, ignite and push a false narrative to further their own personal goals. This then, in fact, is manufactured consensus. Mass Formation Psychosis can also be called 'consensus reality'.
"This psychological phenomenon explains why so many have bought into a clearly illogical narrative, and why they are willing to participate in the prescribed strategy — even if it’s utterly absurd,” - Mattias Desmet [*1]
- - -
On a small scale, in Colonial America, fourteen women and six men died as a result of the hysteria surrounding the Salem witch trials of 1692-93. The reason? The men and women were obviously witches. After all... Group consensus said so. See Bill O'Reilly's bestselling book "Killing the Witches" linked below. [*2]
Another perspective of the Salem witch trials has been presented recently which states that the invention of the printing press and the associated distribution of printed materials had a direct effect on the spin narrative of the time. "The study suggested that the printing press played a key role in the spread of this new perception of witchcraft, and therefore indirectly fueled the 'witch craze' that led to witch hunts across the world, including the Salem Witch Trials." - Ellyn LaPointe [*3]
- - -
In 'The Vintage News', author June Steele writes: "In the realm of history, the line between fact and fiction often blurs, giving rise to numerous misconceptions that are widely accepted as truth. Among these, there exist many historical myths everyone believes, which have been passed down through generations, often gaining more credibility with each retelling. These myths range from the seemingly trivial to those that have significantly shaped our understanding of the past. They serve as a testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to influence our perception of historical events." June's article provides many examples of how 'historical truth' is simply wrong. [*4]
- - -
Another, larger, historical example of human interaction based on delusion may be the entirety of World War II. To paraphrase... “Tell a lie big enough often enough, and it will be believed.”— (attributed to either Joseph Goebbels or Adolf Hitler take your pick.) The Mass Formation Psychosis narrative, by agreement, becomes consensual truth or reality.
- - -
The 'narrative' past creeps into today via group/societal indoctrination.
- - -
Even the 'traditions' of remote human tribes prove that group-think narratives become pervasive beliefs. The 250,000-strong 'Dani' tribe, one of the most populous tribes in the Highlands of West Papua, Indonesia, are "known for their macabre traditions - including the amputation of women's fingers to appease the dead and greasing the mummified body of a former warrior chief."
"Emotional pain as part of a grieving process is no strange concept, but for Dani women, sadness is not enough. When a loved one dies, female members subject themselves to an act of extreme physical pain, believing the physical representation of emotional agony is essential to the grieving process." [*5]
- - -
Another modern day example of Mass Formation Psychosis was the accumulated 'evidence' supporting the pandemic Covid-19 lockdowns. Much of that 'evidence' is now being seen for what it truly is... rubbish. Such rubbish was derived from agenda-driven 'group think.'
- - -
Recently, American television personality Mike Rowe referred to this phenomenon in an 'X' (formally Twitter) post. He said, "Here's a theory I've come to accept as truth... Collective Illusions are driven by a conformity bias that leads us to assume there's a consensus where there is none... The illusion of a consensus feels very, very real." [*6]
- - -
Group-Think Delusion is Everywhere... It's Everywhere...
- - -
"Skin cancers are by far the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, so to prevent them, the public is constantly told to avoid the sun. However, while the relatively benign skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, the ones responsible for most skin cancer deaths are due to a lack of sunlight.
A strong case can be made that this dynamic was a result of the dermatology profession (with the help of a top PR firm) rebranding themselves to skin cancer fighters, something which allowed them to become one of the highest paying medical specialties in existence.
This is unfortunate because sunlight is arguably the most important nutrient for the human body, as avoiding it doubles one's rate of dying and significantly increases their risk of cancer." [*7]
- - -
In yet another example of Mass Formation Psychosis, senior news reporter Ryan Saavedra, again in an 'X' post, writes, "Psychologist Jonathan Haidt on why he says social contagion is behind the surge in the number of cases of people claiming to be transgender..." [*8]
- - -
Perhaps the Top Prize for today's perverted, twisted narratives revolves around the historical 'facts' related to January 6th. Here, folks, is how 'history' is made via Mass Formation Psychosis:
In an interview linked below, Jack Cashill, an independent writer and producer, spoke about the real story of January 6th at the U.S. Capitol: “They [the Jan 6ers] were victims of the most ghoulish hoax in American history. And it involved Bryan Sicknick, the capitol police officer who died.
On [the night of] January 6th, one of the women I profiled, Sara Carpenter, a NYPD officer, was driving back to New York City from the Capitol. [She] calls a friend in Maryland en route and mentions that she’s been at the Capitol. The woman [friend] freaks out and says “You Killed Someone.” - “You People Killed A Capitol Police Officer With A Fire Extinguisher.”
On January 7th, totally unrelated to [the events and circumstances of] January 6th, Capitol police officer Bryan Sicknick dies of a series of strokes. Also on January 7th, someone made the conscious decision to tie Bryan Sicknick’s natural death to the rumored death the day before, and sold it to a complicit New York Times.
On January 8th, The New York Times reports they had the word from two law enforcement officials that Bryan Sicknick was rushed out of the Capitol on Jan 6th with a big, bloody gash, in his head, was rushed to the hospital and died.
Now it [the narrative related to Jan 6th] became a ‘lethal insurrection’ and no one wanted to defend it. Then, to make matters worse, every time someone committed suicide in the ensuing months ‘they’ added that to the death count.
So now, they routinely say, “Five people were killed at the Capitol… that bloody, lethal Capitol insurrection. How dare you defend it.” [*9]
So the perverted, twisted narrative of Jan 6th was set in stone. Want to bet on how this story will be told in the future? Do you think ‘history’ will show that the only people to die on January 6th were two innocent women?
- - -
On a broader modern scale, one has to also wonder if the same kind of psychological narrative/spin mayhem is been behind:
- Wokeism - promotion of liberal progressive ideology and policy as an expression of sensitivity to systemic injustices and prejudices,
- the entire worldwide belief in global warming and its associated spin-offs,
- the push for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
- the 'trans' conversation,
- the belief that 'medicine' can solve all your problems,
- the sales pitch started by unscrupulous food manufacturers in the 1920s that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day",
- the almost violent separation of political beliefs,
- the entire "Trump Russia Hoax" debacle,
- the "Trump is a threat to democracy" rhetoric,
- worldwide, reality-anesthetic preoccupation with sports,
- the current money-driven ethos pushing us towards World War III, and
- the entire acceptance of religion and the belief in God .
- - -
Interesting parallel: Author, entrepreneur, and explorer of new frontiers of being human, Bryan Johnson asks, "Why is Jesus the continued representation of a philosophical group of a billion plus people?" [*10]
The answer? Mass Narrative Acceptance. Mass Formation Psychosis.
Terrifying thought huh? Could it be that our entire worldwide society is based on made up stories, i.e. narrative spin... with no basis in truth whatsoever?
It would seem that humans have always been prone to Mass Formation Psychosis.
It's an inherent mortal disease, and we are truly drowning in it.
- Doug Hines
Oh, by the way... There are other words that are synonymous for, and are the basis of, ('Mass Narrative Acceptance', 'Mass Formation Psychosis', a 'Clearly Illogical Narrative', 'Consensus Reality', 'Group Consensus', 'Societal Indoctrination', 'Consensual Truth', 'Agenda-Driven Group Think', 'Collective Illusions', 'Social Contagion', and 'Propaganda'). Those words are 'Lies' and/or 'Misrepresentations.' There is very little, if any, Truth involved whatsoever.
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[*1] Mattias Desmet, professor of clinical psychology at Ghent University in Belgium, as quoted in an article titled "Opinion: How have we gotten here? Mass Formation Psychosis, explained" by Heidi Wetzler in Clark County Today: https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-how-have-we-gotten-here-mass-formation-psychosis-explained/
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[*2] Bill O'Reilly "Killing the Witches"
https://www.billoreilly.com/p/The-Killing-Series/Killing-the-Witches/61561.html?dispid=174
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[*3] Ellyn LaPointe "Sinister source of the Salem Witch trials is revealed on the eve of Halloween", Daily Mail, 10/18/24
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[*4] 'The Vintage News' - June Steele - "Historical Myths Everyone Believes That Are Not True"
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2024/05/05/historical-myths/
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[*5] Inside Indonesia Dani Tribe... , Taren Pedler, Daily Mail, 6/16/24
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[*6] 'The Real Mike Rowe', @mikeroweworks, 'X', 3/30/24
https://x.com/mikeroweworks/status/1774194714490851470?s=20
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[*7] 'Dermatology's Disastrous War Against The Sun', A Midwestern Doctor -
The Forgotten Side of Medicine, 4/21/24
https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/dermatologys-disastrous-war-against
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[*8] Ryan Saavedra, @RealSaavedra, 'X', 3/31/24
https://x.com/RealSaavedra/status/1774229750409498900?s=20
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[*9] David Brody interview with Jack Cashill broadcast 6/7/24 -
Real America’s Voice - American Sunrise
https://americasvoice.news/video/84XYwnvLeJUXKYl/?related=playlist
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[*10] Bryan Johnson 'YouTube', 10/26/23
Want World Peace?
Want World Peace?
Want World Peace?
Do you think the “new age” will inherently bring world peace? Are you waiting for the politicians to finally agree? Do you think we’ll achieve peace when all of those other people, in all of those other countries, decide to stop arguing amongst themselves? World peace is an expression of our collective stability, and collective stability depends on individual stability. Who we are is a direct function of how we nurture and care for our bodies. Said another way... Cleaning up our bodies is a prerequisite for achieving world peace.
We do not get enough exercise. Overeating, eating late at night, and eating too many different foods at the same meal impedes digestion. Most of us have “absorption problems” leaving our bodies nutrient deficient. We believe that prescription drugs hold the answers to our problems when, in fact, they are a major cause.
Antibiotics kill beneficial intestinal bacteria enabling “bad” bacteria to thrive. Parasites are a bigger problem than most people realize. Chronic disease is so prevalent that it is held as acceptable and normal. Mercury from dental amalgams, and fluoride in water treatment, poison us.
Phthalates from plastic bottles leach into drinking water. Vaccinations leave us vulnerable instead of protected. We take in toxic chemicals through smoking, alcohol consumption, and in cosmetics. We use toxic chemicals to treat our crops, clean our homes, melt the snow, and “block” our skin from sunlight. Jetliner fuel is jettisoned over our farmlands and homes, and frequent flyers get frequent radiation. We over-use x-rays. Industrial air pollution chokes us, and we have become walking filters for environmental contaminates.
Crops are genetically modified. Soils lack beneficial nutrients. Meats and poultry are injected with chemicals, and fish absorb water pollution. Coffee is an acidic diuretic. Foods have “empty” calories, and are nutritionally bankrupt. Fast and junk foods are one-way tickets to future illness.
Want World Peace?
Want World Peace?
We process and cook the life-force right out of our foods. Pasteurization and cooking kill life-sustaining enzymes. Food irradiating defies common sense. Chemicals leach into microwaved foods from plastic packaging.
Our foods contain pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, larvicides, molluscosides, fertilizers, appetite and growth stimulants, stabilizers, preservatives, synthetics, additives, detergents, artificial flavorings and dyes, hormones, estrogens, steroids, anesthetics, parasites, fungi, yeast, molds, bacteria, plastics, metals, drug residues, industrial chemicals, radiation, and other assorted toxins and poisons.
All of this “body pollution” compromises our immune systems, contributes to obesity and causes diseases. To top it all, we’ve developed a mass-market food production/distribution system that is more dedicated to shelf life than to human life.
Is it any surprise that we are in poor health? All of this turmoil directly affects our thinking processes, decision making, interactions, our very consciousness, and the entirety of the results we produce in life.
Listen to the experts:
• “Environmental toxins over-stress our livers and colons, making it harder for our bodies to metabolize fat and digest food.” - Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. - The Fast Tract One-Day Detox Diet.
• “Chemicals used in growing, harvesting, storage, shipment, processing, packaging, preparation and cooking may be invisible, but are nevertheless present and end up stuck in our bodies.” - Dr. Sherry A. Rogers, M.D. - Detoxify or Die.
• “More than ever before in the history of mankind, human beings need to have healthy livers to break down the thousands of toxic chemicals that have insidiously crept into our environment and food chain.” - Dr. Sandra Cabot, M.D. - The Liver Cleansing Diet.
• “In our world today, body systems and organs that were once capable of cleaning out unwanted sub-stances are now completely overloaded: thus many unwanted substances stay in our tissues.” - Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D. - Detoxification.
• “In essence, cooking causes a death of the colloid energy system in the food. Devoid of its colloidal life force, the food is essentially dead.” - Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. - Conscious Eating.
Want World Peace?
Current efforts to change direction aren’t working. We are constantly bombarded with conflicting medical and nutritional advice, most of which is financed by medicine and food corporations. Government regulatory agencies’ and allopathic medicine’s answers to our problems only lead us further into chaos. Waiting for others to solve our problems is not the answer. The key to stability and peace is individual responsibility. Consider doing the following:
• clean up your body through dietary, detoxification, and chelation strategies;
• make every single dietary choice important. Choosing fast food is choosing against health, well-being, and world peace;
• raise your commitment level, and allocate enough time for preparing nutritious food;
• make food choices which support your goals rather than your tastes;
• make food choices which set the example for your children;
• eat only fresh, live, whole, organic foods, and support organic farmers and retailers by shopping at organic stores;
• clean up, and protect, our drinking water sources;
• broaden your own nutritional education, and seriously consider the benefits of vegetarianism;
• diminish the constant barrage of environmental toxins, electromagnetic chaos, and stress in your life;
• challenge the giant pharmaceutical/food corporations which put their profit above your well being;
• diminish prescription drug dependence and ban drug advertising (Is it helping or hurting our society?);
• monitor legislation that threatens your right to alternative medical practitioners, therapies and nutritional supplements; and
• actively influence your legislators on nutritional issues.
Quoting Dr. Robert Morse, N.D., from his book, The Detox Miracle Sourcebook, “You must learn how to properly use the body for your highest good.” That statement may be the most important thing ever written regarding nutritional education. Eating should be a conscious transformational process whereby we use the energy of living food as the foundation for the results which we produce in life.
Each one of us must take responsibility for initiating world peace. Living consciously, knowing that our daily individual decisions make a difference, knowing that we can no longer afford the luxury of ignorance, will make the final difference in our stability as a society. And maybe, just maybe... we can really achieve lasting world peace.
Copyright 2008 Doug Hines
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