To Get Strength

Training is not knowledge and knowledge is not strength.  But combine knowledge with training and one will get strength.
—    The Book Of Sinanju
[I have a large number of “quotes” in my journal which are simply attributed to “House of Sinanju“.  I am sure they are all (each) from one of the 70+ books in “The Destroyer” series (co-written by Richard Sapir & Warren Murphy) which I was reading back in the 1970’s.  I didn’t record which book each quote came out of at the time I found them.  So, I’m just leaving them as recorded.  If anyone finds the book with the quote in it, and lets me know, I will be happy to attribute the quote accurately.    —   kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	And Do The Right Thing…
2021	Rational Response
	This Can’t Go On
2020	A Different Premise
2019	Can Too
2018	To Get Strength
	Drip, Drip, Drip
2017	Bricolage Art
2016	Just A Shame
2015	Treasures Of The Mind
2014	Not Quite Exceeded Reach
2013	Who’s Side?
2012	Why I Joined The Army And Not The Navy…
2011	Is It Your Turn Yet?
	Just Trippin’

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Effective Violence And A Government At Risk

The effective use of violence implies a preponderance of destructive power at vital places through the entire operation.
—    Harold Lasswell
[When I first wrote this in my journal I was in the military and “studying” leadership and the art and science of warfare.  Re-reading the quote in modern days, I recognize it applies equally well to President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Justice, the FBI and (repeatedly) on legitimate news organizations (cable / TV and print).  American political norms and our Constitutional form of government are under attack.  It remains to be seen how sturdy our government and the rule of law actually are and whether / if they can survive these attacks from the literal head of our government.     —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Just The Same
2021	Starting Young
	I Hear It, Too
2020	My Thoughts On #LyingDonald’s Corona Briefings
2019	As I Recall
2018	Effective Violence And A Government At Risk
2017	Playing The Same Music
2016	Survival Instinct
2015	Tears
2014	Bourne Again (4)
2013	God’s Protection
2012	Happy Easter!!
	Edge, Class, Clash, And Flight
	The Value Of Bureaucracies
2011	Logic Cuts

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Poetic Marker

Punctuation
If I could be any mark of punctuation…
I would like to be a comma,
To me, periods are too abrupt.
And exclamation marks are too flashy!!!!
Semi-colons are too technical;
And dashes are too – drawn – out –
But a comma is nice,
It’s a brief pause,
A chance to rest in between ideas,
And that is how I think I would like my life described,
[This isn’t the first “poem” I ever wrote, but it was the first I added to this blog site.  You can find it – and more – linked from the “Poems” tab at the top.  Please leave a comment if you happen to enjoy any of them.      —     kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	A Clear View Of #45
2021	Not Here, Not Again
	Will The Senate Convict An Insurrectionist?
2020	Senate Perfidy
2019	Contributing To Congress
	Yellow Signs Of Spring
2018	But Take Heart
	Poetic Marker
2017	The Few, The Many, The Most
2016	To My Brother
2015	For Junior
	A Roman Rome
2014	Hmmm
2013	What’s A Motto With You?
2012	Worthy Companions
2011	Bourne Again
	Which Ten Are You In?

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Time For More Research, Too

We must all take time to do enough thinking to formulate our own conclusions.
—     Thomas J. Watson
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On This Day In:
2021	My Thoughts On Global Climate Change
	And Never Understand
2020	Waiting For 20 January 2021
	#45: You Would Cry Too…
2019	#Corrupt45 Fails Another Great Test
2018	Where The Economy Is Headed Thanks To #IncompetentDonald
2017	Time For More Research, Too
2016	Original Thoughts
2015	If They’re Good Enough
2014	Three…
2013	Uncle Joe’s Song
	Live, Then, As If…
2012	Still Trying
2011	Not Deserving

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Trump Carnivores – The Revolution So Far

The revolution is like the God, Saturn, it eats its own children.
—    Georg Büchner
From the play:  “Danton’s Death“
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On This Day In:
2021	Does Blogging Count?
	Another Notch
2020	Even Being President For Almost Four Years
	#45: Crying About The American Voters
	Dying Isn’t Much Of A Way To Make A Living Boy
2019	And Autumnal Foliage
2018	Up Hill, Both Ways
2017	Trump Carnivores – The Revolution So Far
2016	Election Results
2015	Speak Louder
2014	Why I Frequently Give In
2013	Am Remembering
2012	Sustained Fear
2011	Commitment

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The Promise At Risk

Part of what is at risk is the promise first made on this continent…  This promise means that all children by virtue of their own efforts, competently guided, can hope to attain the mature and informed judgment needed to secure gainful employment and manage their own lives thereby serving not only their own interests but also the progress of society itself.
—    “A Nation At Risk“
The National Commission on Excellence in Education, April 1983
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On This Day In:
2021	Closer To Understanding
	On My Knees
2020	Profit From Ongoing Disintegration
	I’m A Dreamer
2019	Even When We Have A Criminal / Dangerous / Incompetent President
2018	But It Keeps Trying
	Blue Wave, But Not Blue Tsunami
2017	The Promise At Risk
2016	Or As Will Come In Time
2015	It Is Another Beautiful Day At The Red Pony Bar And Continual Soiree…
2014	Days And Years
2013	Currency And Transport
2012	Something Which Did Not Exist Before
2011	True Magic

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Until He’s Elected President…

We grow tired of everything but turning others into ridicule, and congratulating ourselves on their defects.
—   William Hazlitt
[Then there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021	And / Or A Profound Falsehood
	Feel A Draft?
2020	Trust But Verify
	I Search For Light
	#CryBabyDonald Is Too Human
2019	With Faith
2018	Spiritual Matter
2017	Until He’s Elected President…
2016	Reasonable Discounts
2015	Poem For A Friend
2014	A Very Unusual Mind
2013	Just Lucky
2012	The Undeveloped Child
2011	What Is Your Canvas?
2010	Giants Win Games 3 & 4 – One Away From World Series!!

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This One Is…

Let us distrust our first reactions;  they are invariably too favorable.
—    Friedrich Nietzsche
[Not every critical political post HAS to be about the “moron” in the Oval Office.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021	The Only Winning Move
	Says Who?
2020	I’m Guessing It’s Real
	For One More Day
2019	Like Smartphones And FOMO?
	Getting Ready For Halloween
2018	Nothing To Build On
2017	This One Is…
2016	Happy Is…
2015	Dare Yourself To
2014	Damned If You Do…
2013	On A Rainy Sunday
2012	Not Sure Anymore
2011	But What Does It Cost?
2009	Another Day, Another Diet…

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Unless You Genuinely Are Small

In affairs of importance men show themselves at their best advantage;  in small matters they are seen as they are.
—    Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort, (aka Nicolas Chamfort)
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On This Day In:
2021	Creation Without Reservation
	From The Tiniest Embers
2020	Listening To The Trees
	Your Mind’s Made Up?
2019	In Silence
	Not Much Light Here
2018	A Gift
2017	Unless You Genuinely Are Small
2016	B1
2015	Five Things
2014	Have Faith
2013	Found In A Mine
2012	Two-Sided Coin
2011	Passionately Scorned Rules

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Or Desserts

There are people who so arrange their lives that they feed themselves only on side dishes.
—    José Ortega y Gasset
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On This Day In:
2021	Givin’ It All Away
	Memories Will Remind You
2020	Does Blogging Count?
	Just Like You
2019	None Absolutely Certain
	Destroying The Republic
2018	Maps For Those Difficult Times
2017	A True American Hero
	Or Desserts
2016	What #AmnestyDon Is Really Afraid Of
2015	What Are You Doing?
2014	The Ideal Man
2013	Daring Ripples
2012	Evermore
2011	Unpredictable Opportunity
2010	Giants Fall In Game 2 (1 to 6) – Leave PA With 1-1 Split !!

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Today Is Not Lost

The most completely lost of all days is that on which one has not laughed.
—    Sebastian Chamfort
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On This Day In:
2021	The Same Goes For Countries And Elected Leaders
	Just Beginning…
2020	Your True Standard
	But When The Smoke Had Cleared Away…
2019	Ooh, Shiny
	Day 4: Surprised
2018	We Are Approaching Default
	Running On History
	Day 37: Blended Not Juiced
2017	Today Is Not Lost
	Day 8
2016	Paying Attention
2015	An Awful Ordeal
2014	What Are You Doing?
2013	Lives > 1
2012	Strange To All The World
2011	Unnecessary Stagefright

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Imagining Humor

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not;  a sense of humor to console him for what he is.
—    Francis Bacon
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On This Day In:
2021	Back To Paying Dues
	Keep Rollin’
2020	Diets And Lifestyle Changes
	Pay Attention
	Just Not Sure, And That’s Okay
2019	The Right Questions
	Day 3: Still Difficult
2018	A Thought For Those Continuing To Support President Trump
	Day 36: Pushing On
2017	Imagining Humor
2016	So Go On And Deal With It
2015	From A Letter To A Friend
2014	Your Part (Here)
2013	Complements
2012	Sound And Light
2011	Two Politicians Visit A Farm…
2010	Labor Day And Honorable Men

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Serving Is Proving Harder Than Winning For #DumbDonald

The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.
—     Adlai E. Stevenson
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On This Day In:
2021	To Trust Providence
	Exactly
2020	I Am Learning
	Plus Plus
2019	Day 2: All Things Considered
	The Path To Reward
2018	Ryan, McConnell & The Republican Controlled Congress
	The Proud Dad
	Day 35: Five(5) Weeks Completed!
2017	Serving Is Proving Harder Than Winning For #DumbDonald
2016	Come Again…
2015	At Five
2014	Touching The Past
	The Supreme Question
2013	Children Will Judge
2012	Liar, n.
2011	Freedom To Doubt

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And The Future Is Now

It is the business of the future to be dangerous.
—    Alfred North Whitehead
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On This Day In:
2021	Why Republicans Are Unhappy
	I Guess It’s True
2020	A Tiny And Fragile World
	Your Lyin’ Eyes
2019	Day 1: Done
	#IncompetentDonald Fails On All Three
2018	I Put It Down To Bad Teachers
	Day 34: In And Out
2017	And The Future Is Now
2016	I Am
2015	Positively Aiming Higher
2014	Suspicious Minds
2013	We Are Not Alone
2012	Lawyer, n.
2011	Each Day Remember…
2010	Impossible Dreams of Camelot

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Directions

Many look with one eye at what they give, but with seven at what they receive.
—    German Proverb
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On This Day In:
2021	How Learning Infections Begin
	Stay Young At Heart
2020	Policies Not People
	Just Thinking To Myself
2019	Should I Start With My Religion?
2018	Fear And Hope
	Day 33: Good News & Prep
2017	Directions
2016	Handle With Care
2015	Nothing But Pride
2014	Go
2013	Well, Does It?
2012	Near Misses Aren’t Successes
2011	Uncomfortable Feelings
2010	San Francisco (favorites)…
	Bullets or Butter?

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