They probably banned you because they think you're some dizzy lunatic on lithium exploring your feminine side. I'd bet money you're a child molester.

If you were an American and had been watching this nation for the last 40 years you would know that list is almost completely fulfilled in the US. That list was almost prophetic. I have seen just about everything in that list fulfilled and carried forth with verve and vigor.

I know nothing of that author, have read none of his works. I dug that list up from the Congressional Record. It was a Floridian Congressman stating to the floor the list of bullet points the communists will be trying to accomplish in this nation.

Crackpot or not, what he wrote in that list has happened. I have been watching this nation slowly being turned from a capitalist society into a socialist society. Within the last 10 years the process has been greatly accelerated. Barakarama, to me is a Maoist. He will not win the Presidency, but if he did, he would effectively give the nation the last shove it would need over the cliff into socialism.

You have picqued my interest, though. I'm going to dig in to this fellow's history and see what he is about.

Yes,"Z", labels are your forte. I think it was you who were a victim, am I right? Sorry to hear, but I think you have made a man of yourself after a tough childhood. All carpenters are lunatics and child molesters; why else would we explore our inner kingdom and do charitable work for children at Christmas, and Easter time? And we all have a Messianic Persecution Complex when we aren't paid for our work by those who promised we would be rewarded for our hard work.(social contract)

__________________
Marerophilia:
A depth of love that youth can seldom appreciate or communicate;
A love that never can die for it is a wild seed living inside us, and it is what it is;
Love: that which bonds the reality of one's being to the mystery of the unknown;
Wildflowers: evidence revealed."
~~carefulcarpenter

I had a great childhood, and have so far had a great life. Sure, there have been some ups and downs, but that's life. You work with the cards you've been dealt and make the best of it. One thing you don't do is point at everything else so you don't have to make the effort to grow up.

I am far beyond a mere carpenter. I am a top of the line craftsman and get paid damned good money in the highest income areas for plying my skills. As far as charity goes, I give cash in the right places. That is much more efficient and effective.

Explore inner kingdom? I'll save that stuff for when I have too much time on my hands. Right now I'm too busy working like a maniac and saving for retirement.

I'll take back the child molester accusation. That may be a bit extreme, and we all know I am not an extreme individual. But you definitely are into mind fucking people. I think at one time you were an intact, normal human and something happened to seriously fuck your mind up. Let it go, move on, and get back on the path of growing up.

As for contracts being broken, yeah, I've had a few. That's why I don't contract with lawyers and doctors without being willing to fight them in court for my money, and then forcing foreclosure on them if they still don't pay up regardless of whether I still get paid or not. Sometimes you get paid, sometimes you don't. Especially if your lien is so far down the line the money's gone long before your turn comes up to get paid.

But with doctors and lawyers, you have to go in to that contract binding knowing they will try to screw you in the end. Always, always, always count on doctors and lawyers being the ones to screw you. They love to come up with changes along the way. When they do, I stop everything, and draw up a change order. When they sign it, they pay in full for the change order, then I do the work. You never wait and try to collect it at the end. You always make them pay change orders up front and you state that in the initial contract.

No matter how well thought out the contract scope, there will always be stuff missed. Normal cost overruns are about 15-20% above the original contract. When you do a change order, you cannot just figure in the time it will take for you to accomplish the change. You must also factor in the lost progress of the initial scope because of resources having to be reallocated from the initial progress.

It sounds like you've been screwed a time or two and your operation was too small to absorb the impact of screwing attempts by clients. Just thought I'd throw a couple pointers your way. Got plenty more if needed. All learned from the pain of experience.

Another pointer: If you aren't good at selling yourself, contract with the government, preferably the military. It's all pure performance there. You don't have to pump yourself up. You don't have to kiss ass. You simply turn in good competitive bids on solicitations, don't talk like a damned moron in the pre-performance conferences, then give them fine work within the time limit. The main things contracting offices love is their not having headaches, i.e., they don't want to have to get up from their desks. All they want to do is get a solid contractor who won't be calling them all the time with problems, and will always be there when they pick up the phone. With government contracting you always get paid on time. No hoops to jump through to get your money. The only downside is that you have to bankroll the project to completion. You can get material draws, but that's it. If you have a pile of cash saved up or have a line of credit, you're good to go. If not, don't even try until you do.

I didn't know that on my first government contract and boy was that a bitch. I was running around borrowing money from everyone I knew to keep the payroll going. I finally had to go to my mother for a 230 dollar credit card charge for the concrete truck to finish some flatwork. That was the most stressfull damned contract I ever had, but I made it across the finish line. Once you make it through that first one you're in baby. Just do yourself a favor and save yourself the gut-eating stress by having the necessary capital to carry you through that first project.

But whatever you do, you first gotta stop that damned wierd talk. That's downright creepy.

Labels are my forte. Grow up, dude. Everything has a label.

But I get your drift: "Don't judge me you thavage thit!"

Get over it. You have to make judgements everyday throughout the day. If you don't, you won't live long.

I'm happy to hear that your childhood was great. With the little I know about you I would say that you've witnessed a lot in this lifetime. You know how hard work and determination can season a man. The work is a reflection of the man. I'm confident it would be pleasure to see a few of your best jobs. Like my life, my children are a good representation of the character of my wife and I, along with the types of friends they have acquired. Money hasn't been that great but we are very rich in spirit. My work is an extension of my philosophy: integrity, quality, honesty. You would see these things even in a picture. Those who doubt me, or you for the same reason, would change their minds after seeing the work done by a fine carpenter. You just can't hide those qualities of a man; you can't bs the aesthetic.

The reason I mention this is because I feel the measure of a person is in the works. Anyone can be a critic, but few can appreciate the work at the level that a master can. We know all the ups and downs and it cannot be hidden from our accomplishments, nor can our successes. Some people have called me a perfectionist; many others have told me I read their minds; the work itself is the evidence. I have a current client that talks about me like I am Christ. You and I know how quickly that can change just before the final check is written. This man, however had the highest government clearance in engineering that one can gain. He was , and is a genius--he sees everything. This means the good and the bad. He's kept me working for almost two years (T and M). He owns a Spanish style craftsman built in 1928. He won't even let his successful architect friend do any drawings; he has that much regard for my talents. I come to KR just for the return to Earth beating that I take here at times.

I think I am simply a handyman, like Rancheria. The reality is that I am a rather creative guy with careful skills working wood and metal. I find really great people to work for. They believe in me. I believe in their good will and good judgment. Those who spin tales have nothing to back that up but their own perceptions. I'll put my work up against their false accusations. I know you and I would be great friends in person. Respect is gained when work is shared. I am not greedy when it comes to sharing of myself, thereby I don't live today for days later; I will always work with wood and people. Retirement doesn't fit into the plan of my wife and I, so I don't kill myself any longer for the dream that life will get much easier anytime soon. I no longer need to feel I am changing the world--once I realized the inner sanctuary and my poetic pastime. MY words are not those of an insane man or a pervert. I write as I live; I live as I write.

I've witnessed many truths along this path and few people can fool me in person, yet I do entertain the idea that an honest man can make a difference in this world--maybe to only a few, but I find these people it seems. They seem to keep me working for months. I don't bit anything any longer; all T and M. Actually I believe they pay less this way--if they trust someone like me to do the work. My relationships are completely based in trust and respect, so why would I have a need to mess with people's minds? I simply like to make them think about things greater than their sadness and disappointments. mOst of what I have said can be supported with various authors, so I am confident that my truths are solid. In a metaphoric sense we must build strong mansions within in order to find salvation--no matter what religion or spiritual practice we pursue. The truth is sourced within. First we must practice this truth with ourselves, then others will find confidence in us. There will always be those who judge us, not by our work but by their own exterior egoic standards. To them perfection does not exist. Character is secondary to social acceptance. Their work becomes illusionary; not something one can touch and admire for its intrinsic quality. Carpenters just see things from a different point of view. Construction has its appeal; destruction is only a part of the whole process of rebuilding. Death is only a chance for new life. No funds can insure this rebirth of spirit; this deep feeling of peace; this satisfaction from a job well done.

These are just some thoughts for you to consider; just some solid clues to the truths found within. At some point we all must journey so that we can return home to a new life. If a man does not do this at some time after 40 it will come with force and derail one's life on its own. I went in search of truths and found that the important truths were right in front of my face. I've returned to home with a new sense of purpose and far less anxiety that one would need financial security to be happy. Reading and growing has far more value in life than a fat bank account, and brings much more wealth to one's life. It isn't about fighting and winning for me any longer, but in living fully and sharing life with those who can appreciate the simple things that come with wisdom and grace.

Good luck my friend, and hope you contribute soon in the spirituality forum. I think I will take a break for awhile. Glad to see you contributing here again at KR.

I love your "herding cats" location.

__________________
Marerophilia:
A depth of love that youth can seldom appreciate or communicate;
A love that never can die for it is a wild seed living inside us, and it is what it is;
Love: that which bonds the reality of one's being to the mystery of the unknown;
Wildflowers: evidence revealed."
~~carefulcarpenter

yeah sure that list has happened, no argument, but IT ISN'T COMMUNISM, just anti-conservatism or liberalism or permissiveness or whatever. calling everything you don't approve of communist is just the same catch all phraseology as when english school kids use the word "gay" to mean anything suspect or disliked, as in "this food is gay" or "geography is gay"

__________________
she's a haunted house and her windows are broken

To be fair, geography is pretty gay.


Wait, what were we talking about?

ted, i live pretty close to highgate cemetery so i went and took a photo of its most famous grave to show you what a real communist is



it was pretty cool that the pinko journalist paul foot was buried opposite

__________________
she's a haunted house and her windows are broken

We do that in America too. Even in college. That's probably going to be my generation's legacy along with our innovations in photography with the creation of myspace angles.

"The path to freedom is through the collective soul, one individuated soul pared with a complimentary soul; the great philosophers of ancient man refered to this; instead, modern movements have followed false prophets towards the state"
~~carefulcarpenter

__________________
Marerophilia:
A depth of love that youth can seldom appreciate or communicate;
A love that never can die for it is a wild seed living inside us, and it is what it is;
Love: that which bonds the reality of one's being to the mystery of the unknown;
Wildflowers: evidence revealed."
~~carefulcarpenter

I thought you were leaving for e-pastures new.

I love the Z vs. titmouse deathmatches.

ted is out spending his economic stimulus money on drink and whores

__________________
she's a haunted house and her windows are broken

Fixéd.