The Peripatetic School

I am a college teacher. In 2012 gave up a tenured endowed professorship to move home to Arizona and simply be a teacher again. My blood pressure dropped by 30 pts within two months of the change. I teach people how to communicate--male-female, conflict mediation, in organizations, rhetoric, propaganda, public speaking and nonverbal.

I encourage and teach my students to embrace ethical behavior from both a religious perspective (see the Bible) and a utilitarian perspective (see Jeremy Bentham). I encourage the acceptance of all people and views. As both John Milton and John Stuart Mill both taught, the only chance we have at finding the truth is to listen to everyone, analyze, and evaluate. Yet as both philosophers also argued, some groups are too dangerous to let have free reign with the privilege of public discourse. free speech must be earned and respected.

I try not to criticize any person, only point out the errors in their logic and the ramifications of their choices.

I an neither democrat or republican, but an active member of the community who cares deeply about how our communities, counties, state and nation are functioning.

I am not anti-government, just anti oppression. I pay taxes because I like nice roads and schools, but my family business takes full advantage of a myriad of legal tax loopholes via my accountant's good advice. Everyone should start a business.

I hope my humble musings, rants, speech analysis and occasional investment comments will be helpful to all. I occasionally post the results of my investing forays, but only so that you might not duplicate my folly.

It's a long hard journey ...

Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 10:47am
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Aaaahhh, the life of a farmer … filled with healthy food, baby animals, fun for the kids, beautiful land, lying back in a field, hands folded behind my head, watching clouds while chewing on an grass stem... and… a whole lot of hard work, government meddling, spring storms that kill blossoms, pests, drought, skunks running amok in the garden, zombies, and did I mention hard work?

Guest Post: Monsters and Metaphors

Monday, February 22, 2016 - 8:19am
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Much discussion this weekend that is relevant to the central aim of our blog seems to center around the legitimacy of this recent metals rally and whether or not “this time is different.” Our fine host Craig has warned us on Friday that this time may not be different. In fact, key signals that have traditionally preceded a metals smash are building.

Why? the monsters are not dead yet.

The muses who inspire our literature and dreams are shouting at humanity with some basic principles. Our monsters are warnings--a coded taxonomy of those people and offices that we must keep in check. Only the people, bonding together, marching out with torches and pitchforks, can stand against their power.

Enjoy your vacation Craig. And don't forget to check under the bed.

No More Cash?

Sunday, January 24, 2016 - 11:18am
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Some musings for a Sunday afternoon as we await the market open.

I just became a real roofer this week—first roof ever. There I am straddling the top of the original homestead building (1905) as my wife snaps a photo. I am getting too old for this kind of work. But we are discovering that our neighbors around these parts are not what we hoped. Its time to switch our efforts to a friendlier location.

The prepping goes on!

An appeal to sensibility

Saturday, January 16, 2016 - 6:20am
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Well, my students say they get too much of me and they really do each semester. But my winter break is almost over and I'll slip back into the shadows again til summer, so I thought I pass along this missive I wrote to my relatives, hoping to persuade them to get out of the markets and do something sensible to prepare for the crash.

None of this is news to our readers here, but feel free to pass this essay along if you think it might help your cause. Otherwise, enjoy it as weekend reading and feel free to constructively critique my efforts so I can warn people even more forcefully in the future.

"WOLF!" and I'll cry it again, "WOLF!!!"

Emergency back-up Podcast

Friday, January 15, 2016 - 7:25pm
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Well life just doesn't seem right without an end-of-the-week podcast. So I'll try to pinch-hit without striking out.

Come on in for a listen and then leave a comment to straighten me out. God knows I need it.

Jerome

On the road again

Thursday, December 31, 2015 - 8:35am
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Just a holiday thread to generate some prepping discussion and give our dear "number 2" host a break. Business needs have called us away from home to work--to get property in sale-able shape so my family can be out of debt, completely! say a prayer for us and we'll reciprocate.

Awake but still sleepy

Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 10:45am
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From my vantage point, the informed consensus is that we have begun a long slow economic decline, hoping to avoid world war, pissed off at the FED and banks for their thievery, but thankful that we have not had a collapse. I feel inspired to quote Thomas Paine’s ending words to Common Sense right here:

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“Until an independence is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity.”

I resonate with that feeing, being haunted each day with the necessity of the imminent collapse, restructuring, revolution or whatever has to come. And if the Totalitarians have their way, it just puts the end off a bit longer, with even more pain and suffering in between and after. The Adults who are awake can see all this. The sleepy teenagers just want to sleep… five more minutes. But they are waking up.

On shemitahs, blood moons, collapse and war

Wednesday, October 7, 2015 - 9:34am
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Hey, lets monger some fear!

September 28 came and went without earthquakes, asteroids, flooding, fires and other such natural disasters that prophets of doom love to ascribe to the hand of God. Sure, there have been a few natural events, but nothing of biblical proportions. WW3 has not started. Israel is still sovereign. The economy has not collapsed.

So why all the fuss, and don’t those forecasters look foolish now?

Circling the toilet, or light at the end of tunnel?

Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 3:12pm
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Feeling somewhat prolific lately, here is another sermon for the choir for your weekend reading. Perhaps I am just getting some ideas sorted out of the messy desk of my mind. I have sent this open letter to my friends and family, not wanting them to hate me for not warning them. I'd rather they think me crazy. I told them it would be my last word on the subject. Feel free to copy, paste, and forward to anyone you like, if you believe it may help the cause. And please, straighten me out if I have said something in error. I tried to err on the side of caution in making claims, staying on solid reasonable ground to make an argument that people who are disinclined to believe might be able to accept or at least consider.

Crazy Bartlett

Sunday, August 23, 2015 - 11:33am
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At the risk of preaching to the choir... besides, we need a new thread for the day so we can speculate about the price action in the coming week.

One of our family stories is about my great-great grandfather who moved to Oklahoma at the edge of civilization after the Civil War. He learned that a railroad line was planned to pass through their region. Of course such things took time, but he got busy...

randomness