About

Updated March 2024

Yup, it’s that time again . . . time for an update to my “About” page (previous updates are retained below, starting at “The Old About “). I do this every few years, sometimes expanding on previous efforts, and sometimes trying to simplify the section. Some sections are entirely revamped, while others are the same.

Readers should note that much of what one writes depends on one’s mood at the moment. I try to be as objective as possible. Still, without knowing that I’m not losing my mind, I can only make a qualified assurance as to the veracity of what you’re reading and are about to read.

At the core, I could go with the description in my sidebar . . .

I aim to inform, entertain, and share my views, and I make no claim to expertise in any of the arts or of insight into the human condition.

However, when I read someone’s About Page, I’m disappointed when I learn nothing about the person. So, with that in mind . . .

My name is Emilio J. D’Alise, and I’m in my 71^st year of life as I write this. I am a retired engineer, happily married. I dabble in writing fiction and opinion pieces, but less than I used to, and one of my hobbies is photography. I think I have a good sense of humor and am a nice guy, but who doesn’t. I’m told I’m opinionated, but then, who isn’t.

That’s my standard intro, but my sense of humor is suffering the strain of current events. I still try to be a nice guy, but it’s increasingly difficult given the World’s rapid approach to peak stupidity. On the plus side, that has sharpened my opinions, giving them depressing clarity.

That’s an overview, and now onto particulars . . .

I used to break down my positions into generalities. You can still find them in the older “About” below. This time, I want to be more direct to lessen the possibility of misunderstandings. So, in no particular order, here are my opinions on issues that occasionally serve as focal points for conflicts.

• I don’t have a party affiliation, but I stand in opposition to both Left and Right extremists, whom I generally refer to as willfully ignorant or outright stupid, devoid of any integrity, and self-serving. Even when I agree with their concerns, their solutions are usually so simplistically idiotic that I’m amazed (and profoundly disappointed) that they have any followers. If it’s not evident, let me spell it out . . . like it or not, you are tainted by the people you associate with, and that’s how I will judge you. Feel free to reciprocate.
• I’m not religious because all the religions I’m familiar with are hokum. I respect a person’s beliefs and have no desire to change anyone’s mind, but I expect the same consideration in return. I’m also vehemently against anyone using religion as a basis for dictating human behavior and practices. Hence, be it reproductive rights, matters of gender and sexuality, and morals in general should be discussed wholly divorced from religion. This can be summarized thus: keep your religion out of government and public life.
• I believe the U.S. Bill of Rights is a good thing and unique in the World and men’s affairs. Much has been argued about it, but I’m a simple person and thus fall back to accepting the words as written mean what they say. I detest anyone “reinterpreting” meanings that should be clear to people with basic literacy skills. Specifically:
  •  Free speech, the right to own a gun, civil rights and due process, privacy rights, and what I consider fundamental human rights not enumerated in the Constitution (Ninth Amendment) should all be apparent within the confines of the “your right to swing a fist stops at my nose” doctrine. When they are not, they should be subject to reasoned arguments, not ideological drivel.
• I recognize Justice is an imperfect notion, and I strongly believe in redressing past wrongs. That said, that argument swings both ways. This means I don’t believe in harming someone to redress the harm done by someone else. That’s revenge, and that path leads to the unending resentment we see played out throughout history and current conflicts. We should maybe learn from that.

I know few people give two spits about what I think (I can’t affect any of the things I mentioned), but that never stops anyone from taking offense at my views (some go out of their way to do so).

To wit, I actively encourage people who don’t agree with me to do one of two things:

1. Give me a wide berth.
2. Engage me in reasoned debate.
   reasoned – adj. a discussion or argument based on sensible reasons rather than an appeal to emotions.

For the record, there is a difference between an Argument and a Debate (LINK). One should familiarize oneself with the difference. I can do both, but I prefer a debate to an argument. You might even change my mind about stuff or at least make me consider whether I should modify my beliefs.

I’m pretty liberal with my comment policy, but I also don’t want to waste my or my readers’ time. I will casually dismiss and delete stupidity . . . after ridiculing it.

---

The Disperser Name.  Disperser came about from our 2007  trip to Yellowstone.  A wolf walked not 20 feet from me, and at the time, I wasn’t sure (couldn’t believe it) that it was a wolf because I wasn’t aware they traveled alone.  Once home, I came across this definition:

Disperser – A wolf that leaves the pack and strikes out on its own.  Some of these “lone wolves” have no social territory and live on the fringes of established packs or in the areas where several territories come together. Their single status may make them vulnerable to malnutrition and to attacks by other wolves.  

I chose it as my blog name because of that description and because the other meaning of Disperser is to spread widely or disseminate, and that’s my aim with the blog.  

I wanted to spread my views, opinions, observations, photographs I like, and the fiction I write. Of course, the “widely” part is not entirely accurate; on a good day (and when I have a new post), this blog gets about ten unique visitors, most of them people who, within the limits of Internet contact, I consider friends. A few stragglers come and go, but few linger.

This Blog (you should read the FAQs for more information).   As I write this, this blog has 1,915 subscribers. They are primarily businesses, people who subscribed thinking I’d subscribe to their blog, and people trying to sell something or other. Fewer than ten readers regularly interact with the blog, and that’s fine. I would go as far as saying I consider them friends. I had a few more, but in the last seven years, they succumbed to disease, old age, or both. I considered them friends, and I miss their presence, wisdom, good nature, and humor.

I subscribe to only a few blogs. If I subscribe to your blog, know I intend to read it, not just browse it. When I tire of it, I will unsubscribe.

If I subscribe to your blog, I don’t expect you to subscribe to mine. If you subscribe to my blog, don’t expect me to subscribe to yours.

I read anything on your blog about thanking this or that god, invoking magical thinking, or mentioning anything I consider irrational and anti-science, I will avoid all contact. If I deem you closed to intellectual self-challenge, consider me gone.

This is for my protection. While not prone to depression, I don’t want exposure to such people, and there’s zero benefit for me in attempting to educate, enlighten, or push anyone toward rational thinking.

Note: I’ve had instances when, while subscribed to a blog, my comments have offended and/or angered the owners of the blogs. Sometimes, it’s my humor, but sometimes, it’s something I say in response to a post (particularly if I disagree with something I read). I accept responsibility and deeply regret such instances. I’m often drawn into a false sense of security regarding my real or virtual relationship with others. My intent is never to anger anyone. It may be of little comfort but know that if I’ve offended you, it stems from a sense of respect and consideration. When I read something that I deem should merit a response, I’ll either engage or unsubscribe, and the choice is driven by what I think about the person. If I don’t care about the person and find them unworthy of my attention, I wouldn’t comment. Heck, I wouldn’t be subscribed in the first place. These days, I try very hard to remember that people are not looking for discussion, and I will likely unsubscribe instead of risking offending someone.

Note 2: I subscribe to a few people with beliefs different from mine. As long as they don’t try to push them on others or encroach into my life, I have no problem with whatever comfort they get from their beliefs.

The above does not apply if you comment on my posts. I’ve lost my patience, and while I won’t be nasty, I will be blunt. You will be called on it if you hold beliefs I consider irrational and express them on my blog. Present a sound argument, and I will listen because I love to be proven wrong. You heard correctly; prove me wrong, and I will thank you for it because you’ll have made me a better person and improved my life. Feel free to babble on about an unsupported belief, but be aware of the consequences.

I say all that, and it sounds antagonistic . . . no; it’s just a fair warning; I’m old, I love a good debate, but I have little patience for ignorance, and I am frank with my opinions. Some people don’t like that. If you are one of them, stay away.

For my part, I’m actively culling my subscriptions based on the above criteria.

Life in general.  I have a good life, and I’m at the stage where I want to live the remainder of it spending time with my wife and living in a constant state of amazement and wonder.

I am not blind to the problems of the World, the suffering of literally billions, and to the gathering darkness (within my lifetime, I don’t think things will get better; the opposite, actually).  I give to charity, help others when I can, keep up with world events, and cast my small voice hither and fro to join other voices in opposition of bad stuff and in support of good things.

But, make no mistake: my personal commitment has shifted to my and Melisa’s physical and emotional welfare.  It’s always been true that either or both of our lives could literally end tomorrow. Still, we’re now at an age where that is more of a reality. I aim to live what time I have left in a manner that will not cause me to have regrets later on and to leave the small portion of the World I can influence better off for me having been here.  Or at least no worse off.

< < < < < < < < < < o o o o > > > > > > > > > > 

The Old “About”

Updated April, 2021

Yup, it’s that time again . . . time for an update to my “About” page (previous updates are retained below, starting at the “The Old About “).

My name is Emilio J. D’Alise. I’m in my 68^th year of life as I write this. I am a retired engineer, happily married. I dabble in writing fiction and opinion pieces, and one of my hobbies is photography.

I think I have a fairly good sense of humor and am a nice guy, but then, who doesn’t. I’m told I’m opinionated, but then, who isn’t.

That’s a nice overview, and now onto particulars . . .

Political views.  I have opinions about many things, some of which are deemed “political” by people who seem more interested in using said issues for personal gains, be they financial gains, or perceived gains in relevance and self-importance.

This best summarizes my current view of politics:

I don’t understand anyone who buys into either of the major political parties as representing the “people”. At best, they represent special interest groups, but mostly, they represent themselves and very narrow self-serving views.

I’m especially saddened by how easily people can be manipulated using lies and fear-tactics, and especially vexing is the hate being fostered by “news” agencies, pundits, celebrities, and politicians, all posing as champions to this or that cause while in fact, they are myopic rubes at best, and calculating callous sociopaths at worst. I lean toward the latter.

But make no mistake . . . it’s NOT politicians, pundits, or celebrities I hold to blame.

Frankly, I’ve lost all hope that this so-called American Experiment can survive the twin onslaught of willful ignorance and cognitive dearth that seems to have gripped the majority of the population.

Never have so many claimed to hold moral superiority over others and done so while wallowing in a morass of hypocrisy and lies born out of a self-serving and myopic belief that a nebulous ill-defined end justifies the means. Idiots!  

. . . which brings me to . . .

Religious Views.  I do not believe in gods.  I do not believe in mystical forces.  I do not believe in a universal intelligence.  I hold no belief in anything which violates what we know about the real world and I’ve lost all respect for anyone who doesn’t constantly challenge their beliefs, especially when those beliefs feed their desire to limit other people’s freedoms.

Yes, there is a lot we don’t know, but not knowing something doesn’t give anyone the right to make up bat-shit crazy stuff and claim it’s “knowledge”.

We came so close to elevating intellect and rationality and reason and critical thinking as virtues worth nurturing . . . only to see them ridiculed and eschewed for the sake of momentary gains in perceived relevance.

History will judge harshly on those willfully denying the truth of evidence for the comfort of lies.

Let me go a step further . . . I view religion as the single most dire threat to any progress we may make as a species. I don’t say this lightly, and it’s especially true in this country where a depressing number of people hold beliefs that in any other context would be classified as deranged.

My charitable view is that people just haven’t thought much (or at all) about the tenets of their chosen religion, or follow a particular religion for the social aspects without deep investment in the doctrine.

My less-than-charitable view is that religious people are willfully ignorant, and for that, there is no excuse.

The Disperser Name.  Disperser came about from our 2007  trip to Yellowstone.  A wolf walked not 20 feet from me, and at the time I wasn’t sure (couldn’t believe) it was a wolf because I wasn’t aware they traveled alone.  

Once home, I came across this definition:

Disperser – A wolf that leaves the pack and strikes out on its own.  Some of these “lone wolves” have no social territory, and they live on the fringes of established packs or in the areas where several territories come together. Their single status may make them vulnerable to malnutrition and to attacks by other wolves.  

I chose it as my blog name both because of the description, and because the other meaning of Disperser is to spread widely or disseminate, and that’s what my original aim is with the blog.  

I wanted to spread my views, opinions, observations, photographs I like, and the fiction I write. Of course, the “widely” part is not entirely accurate; on a good day (and when I have a new post), this blog gets about ten unique visitors, most of them people who, within the limits of Internet contact, I consider friends. A few stragglers come and go, but rarely linger.

This Blog (you should read the FAQs for more information).  As I write this, there are a tad over 1,750 subscribers to this blog.

That sounds like a lot of subscribers, but the majority are businesses, people who subscribed thinking I’d subscribe to their blog, and people trying to sell something or other.

Less than ten readers regularly interact with the blog, and that’s fine. I would go as far as saying I consider them friends. I had a few more, but in the last four years, they succumbed to disease or old age, or both. I considered them friends, and I miss their presence, wisdom, good nature, and humor.

I subscribe to only a few blogs. If I subscribe to your blog, know I will read it, not just browse it. When I tire of it, I will unsubscribe.

If I subscribe to your blog, I don’t expect you to subscribe to mine. If you subscribe to my blog, don’t expect me to subscribe to yours.

I read anything on your blog about thanking this or that god, invoking magical thinking, or mentioning anything I consider irrational and anti-science, I will avoid all contact. If I deem you closed to intellectual self-challenge, consider me gone.

This is for my protection. While not prone to depression, I don’t want exposure to such people, and there’s zero benefit for me in attempting to educate, enlighten, or push anyone toward rational thinking. I tried it for more than forty years now, and I’ve grown weary of it.

Note: I’ve had instances when, while subscribed to a blog, my comments have offended and/or angered the owners of the blogs. Sometimes it’s my humor, but sometimes it’s something I say in response to a post (particularly, if I disagree with something I read). I accept responsibility for — and deeply regret — such instances as I’m often drawn into a false sense of security regarding my real or virtual relationship with others. My intent is never to anger anyone. It may be of little comfort, but know that it stems from a sense of respect and consideration. When I read something that I deem should merit a response, I’ll either engage or unsubscribe, and the choice is driven by what I think about the person. Meaning, if I don’t care about the person, I wouldn’t comment. Heck, I wouldn’t be subscribed in the first place. These days, I try very hard to remember people are not looking for discussion and I will likely unsubscribe instead of engaging.

Note 2: I subscribe to a few people who hold beliefs different than my own. As long as they don’t try to push them on others or encroach into my life, I have no problem with whatever comfort they get from their beliefs.

The above does not apply if you comment on my posts. I’ve lost whatever patience I had, and while I won’t be nasty, I will be blunt. If you hold beliefs not anchored in reason and rationality and not backed by research or supported by logic and you express them on my blog, you will be called on it. Present a sound argument, and I will listen because I love to be proven wrong. You read correctly; prove me wrong and I will thank you for it because you’ll have made me a better person and improved my life. By all means, feel free to babble on about an unsupported belief but be aware of the consequences.

I say all that, and it sounds antagonistic . . . no; it’s just a fair warning; I’m old, I have little patience, and I am frank with my opinions. Some people don’t like that. If you are one of them, stay away.

For my part, I’m actively culling my subscriptions based on the above criteria.

Life in general.  I have a good life and I’m at the stage where I want to live the remainder of it spending time with my wife and living in a constant state of amazement and wonder.

I am not blind to the problems of the world, the suffering of literally billions, and to the gathering darkness (I don’t think within my lifetime things will get better; the opposite, actually).  I give to charity, I help others when I can, I keep up with world events, and cast my small voice hither and fro to join other voices in opposition of bad stuff, and in support of good stuff.

But, make no mistake: my personal commitment has shifted to my and Melisa’s physical and emotional welfare.  It’s always been true that either or both of our lives could literally end tomorrow, but we’re now at an age where that is more of a reality, and I aim to live what time I have left in a manner that will not cause me to have regrets later on, and to leave the small portion of the world I can influence better off for me having been here.  Or at least no worse off.

< < < < < < < < < < o o o o > > > > > > > > > > 

The Old-Old “About”

Updated July 11, 2019

Another update to my “About” page (the two previous updates are retained below, starting at the “The Old About “).

My name is Emilio J. D’Alise. I’m in my 66^th year of life as I write this. I am a retired engineer, happily married. I dabble in writing fiction and opinion pieces, and one of my hobbies is photography. I think I have a fairly good sense of humor and am a nice guy, but then, who doesn’t. I’m told I’m opinionated, but then, who isn’t.

That’s a nice overview, and now onto particulars . . .

Political views.  
I have a strong opinion about the importance of individual freedom constrained by social responsibilities and no longer believe the two major parties of this country are even remotely close to representing any of my views.  As I write this, we are suffering yet another presidential election, and it dismays me to no end that anyone believes the people running are the best we can aspire to in a leader of this country.

Since the last election, the country has literally been carved out into two slices and woe is onto anyone not subscribing to one or the other fanatical views.

Frankly, I’ve lost all hope that this so-called American Experiment can survive the twin onslaught of willful ignorance and cognitive dearth that seems to have gripped the majority of the population. Never have so many claimed to hold moral superiority over others and done so while wallowing in a morass of hypocrisy and lies born out of a self-serving myopic belief that the end justifies the means. And the sad part? They don’t even know what the end entails. Idiots!  

Religious Views.  I do not believe in gods.  I do not believe in mystical forces.  I do not believe in a universal intelligence.  I hold no belief in anything which violates what we know about the real world.

I’ve lost all respect for anyone who doesn’t constantly challenge their beliefs, especially when those beliefs feed their desire to limit other people’s freedoms.

We came so close to elevating intellect and rationality and reason and critical thinking as virtues worth nurturing . . . only to see them ridiculed and eschewed for the sake of momentary gains in perceived relevance. History will judge harshly on those willfully denying the truth of evidence for the comfort of lies.

The Disperser Name.  Disperser came about from our 2007  trip to Yellowstone.  The wolf pictured on the header walked not 20 feet from me, and at the time I wasn’t sure (couldn’t believe) it was a wolf because I wasn’t aware they traveled alone.  Once home, I came across this definition:

Disperser – A wolf that leaves the pack and strikes out on its own.  Some of these “lone wolves” have no social territory, and they live on the fringes of established packs or in the areas where several territories come together. Their single status may make them vulnerable to malnutrition and to attacks by other wolves.  

That sounded familiar to me . . . it should because it’s an accurate description of my place in society.  I chose it as my blog name both because of the description, and because the other meaning of Disperser is to spread widely or disseminate, and that’s what my original aim is with the blog.  

I wanted to spread my views, opinions, observations, photographs I like, and the fiction I write.  Of course, the “widely” part is not entirely accurate; on a good day, this blog gets about ten unique visitors, most of them people who, within the limits of Internet contact, I consider friends. A few stragglers come and go, but few linger.

This Blog.  I currently have around 1,500 subscribers, but I subscribe to only a few blogs. If I subscribe to your blog, know I intend to read it, not just browse it. When I tire of it, I will unsubscribe.

If I subscribe to your blog, I don’t expect you to subscribe to mine. If you subscribe to my blog, don’t expect me to subscribe to yours.

With no exceptions, if I check out your blog and I see anything about thanking this or that god, invoking magical thinking, or mentioning anything I consider irrational and anti-science, I will avoid all contact. If I’m following you and find you closed to intellectual self-challenge, consider me gone.

This is for my protection. While not prone to depression, I no longer want exposure to people whose main objective is to not be challenged and especially not challenged by facts. There is zero benefit for me to attempt to educate, enlighten, or push anyone toward rational thinking. I tried it for more than forty years now, and I’ve grown weary of it.

Now, the above does not apply if you comment on my posts. I’ve lost whatever patience I had, and while I won’t be nasty, I will be blunt. If you hold beliefs not anchored in reason and rationality and not backed by research or supported by logic and you express them on my blog, you will be called on it. Present a sound argument, and I will listen because I love to be proven wrong. You heard correctly; prove me wrong and I will thank you for it because you’ll have made me a better person and improved my life. By all means, feel free to babble on about an unsupported belief but be aware of the consequences.

I say all that, and it sounds antagonistic . . . no; it’s just a fair warning; I’m old, I have little patience, and I am frank with my opinions. Some people don’t like that. If you are one of them, stay away.

Life in general.  I have a good life and I know it. I want to live the remainder of my life spending time with my wife and living in a constant state of amazement and wonder.

I am not blind to the problems of the world, the suffering of literally billions, and to the gathering darkness.  I give to charity, I help others, I keep up with world events, and cast my small voice hither and fro to join other voices in opposition of bad stuff, and in support of good stuff.

But, make no mistake: my personal commitment has shifted to my own self and to my wife.  I don’t know how much longer we have.  Either or both of our lives could literally end tomorrow, and I aim to live what time I have left in a manner that will not cause me to have regrets later on, and to leave the small portion of the world I can influence better off for me having been here.  Or at least no worse off.

< < < < < < < < < < o o o o > > > > > > > > > > 

The Old-Old “About”

Updated March 1, 2016

I thought it time I should update my “About” page (the old write-up is retained below, starting at the “The Old About “).

My name is Emilio J. D’Alise. I’m in my 63^rd year of life as I write this. I am a retired engineer, happily married. I dabble in writing fiction and opinion pieces, and one of my hobbies is photography. I think I have a fairly good sense of humor and am a nice guy, but then, who doesn’t. I’m told I’m opinionated, but then, who isn’t.

That’s a nice overview, and now onto particulars . . .

Political views.  Whatever illusion I had that we live in a country where our individual voices can be heard and make a difference has been beaten out of me in the past ten years or so.

I have a strong opinion about the importance of individual freedom constrained by social responsibilities and no longer believe the two major parties of this country are even remotely close to representing any of my views.  As I write this, we are in the middle of yet another presidential election, and it dismays me to no end that anyone believes the people running are the best we can aspire to in a leader of this country.

I’m also tired of hearing the phrase “lesser of two evils” as a reason to vote for one person versus the other. We don’t accept that in any other part of our lives:

Well, let me see . . . you can either eat Broccoli or Cauliflower. What about pasta? No, no, your only choices are Broccoli or Cauliflower.

We resign ourselves to the farce of an illusory choice, and it’s never been more obvious than the current farce of a Presidential Race.

As for individual issues, please interpret “the importance of individual freedom constrained by social responsibilities” as a good guideline in deciding where I stand on hot or even tepid issues. 

Religious Views.  I do not believe in gods.  I do not believe in mystical forces.  I do not believe in a universal intelligence.  I hold no belief in anything which violates what we know about the real world.

I am very close to losing all respect for anyone who does not constantly challenge their beliefs, especially when those beliefs feeds their desire to limit other people’s freedoms.

Whatever reasons you find within yourself for not following a religion different than your own, know those are the same reason I don’t follow yours.

The Disperser Name.  Disperser came about from our 2007  trip to Yellowstone.  The wolf pictured on the header walked not 20 feet from me, and at the time I wasn’t sure (couldn’t believe) it was a wolf because I wasn’t aware they traveled alone.  Once home, I came across this definition:

Disperser – A wolf that leaves the pack and strikes out on its own.  Some of these “lone wolves” have no social territory, and they live on the fringes of established packs or in the areas where several territories come together. Their single status may make them vulnerable to malnutrition and to attacks by other wolves.  

That sounded familiar to me . . . it should because it’s an accurate description of my place in society.  I chose it as my blog name both because of the description, and because the other meaning of Disperser is to spread widely, or disseminate, and that’s what my original aim is with the blog.  

I wanted to spread my views, opinions, observations, photographs I like, and the fiction I write.  Of course, the “widely” part is not entirely accurate; on a good day, this blog gets about ten unique visitors, most of them people who, within the limits of Internet contact, I consider friends. A few stragglers come and go, but few linger.

This Blog.  I currently have around 900 subscribers, but I subscribe to only a few blogs. If I subscribe to your blog, know I intend to read it, not just browse it. When I tire of it, I will unsubscribe.

If I subscribe to your blog, I don’t expect you to subscribe to mine. If you subscribe to my blog, don’t expect me to subscribe to yours.

With very few exceptions, if I check out your blog and I see anything about thanking this or that god, invoking magical thinking, or mentioning anything I consider irrational and anti-science, I will, within reason, avoid all contact. I say ‘within reason’ but it’s a certainty, especially these days.

This is to protect you, not me. Meaning, you probably don’t want me challenging your cherished beliefs. Besides, contrary to what I once thought, there is zero benefit for me to attempt to educate, enlighten, or push anyone toward rational thinking. I tried it for more than forty years now, and I’ve grown weary of it.

Now, the above does not apply if you comment on my posts. Other than in extraordinary circumstances, I won’t be nasty, but I will be blunt. If you hold beliefs not anchored in reason and rationality and you express them on my blog, prepare to defend them because they will be challenged.

I say all that, and it sounds antagonistic . . . no; it’s just a fair warning; I’m old, I have little patience, and I am frank with my opinions. Some people don’t like that. If you are one of them, stay away.

Life in general.  I have a good life and I know it. I want to live the remaining of my life trying for the most part to enjoy it.  Broadly speaking this means spending time with my wife and living in a constant state of amazement and wonder.

I am not blind to the problems of the world, the suffering of literally billions, and to the gathering darkness.  I give to charity, I help others, I keep up with world events, and cast my small voice hither and fro to join other voices in opposition of bad stuff, and in support of good stuff.

But, make no mistake: my personal commitment has shifted to my own self and to my wife.  I don’t know how much longer we have.  Either or both of our lives could literally end tomorrow, and I aim to live what time I have left in a manner that will not cause me to have regrets later on, and to leave the small portion of the world I can influence better off for me having been here.  Or at least no worse off.

< < < < < < < < < < o o o o > > > > > > > > > > 

The Old-Old-Old “About”

The following is the short bio I wrote for Slice of SciFi (I am listed as a reporter, but mostly I write opinion pieces).

My interests are as eclectic as they are numerous. Racquetball, photography, reading, shooting, traveling, eating, and writing are activities I enjoy, all the while stressing a lack of expertise in any particular one.

A refugee of the auto industry, I now live in sunny Colorado. Currently making little use of my engineering degree, I often wonder what might have been had I listened to the English professor who, in 1976, strongly suggested I switch my major from Engineering to English. Showing a remarkable lack of foresight, I opted to continue on the path to becoming a pretty good, but uninspired, Mechanical Engineer. But for that one decision, I could today be a little known writer, working for little money, and struggling to get some recognition.

That’s a nice generic description, but I figure I should add a little more about me and this blog because, you know, so many people care.

The name.  Disperser came about from our trip to Yellowstone a few years ago.  The wolf pictured on the header walked not 20 feet from me, and at the time I was not sure it was a wolf because I was not aware they traveled alone.  I then came across this definition:

Disperser – A wolf that leaves the pack and strikes out on its own.  Some of these “lone wolves” have no social territory, and they live on the fringes of established packs or in the areas where several territories come together. Their single status may make them vulnerable to malnutrition and to attacks by other wolves.  

This sounded familiar to me . . . it should because it’s an accurate description of my place in society.  I chose it as my blog name both because of the description, and because the other meaning of Disperser is to spread widely, or disseminate, and that’s what my aim is with the blog.  I want to spread my views, opinions, observations, photographs I like, and the fiction I write.  Of course, the “widely” part is not entirely accurate; I count on one hand the people who read my stuff.  

Political views.  I would say I am in the middle, but I am not.  On some things I am to the right, on some things I am to the left.  And even that is not accurate.  

For instance, just because I hold the view I should be able to own and carry a gun does not mean I am in the camp of typical guns proponents.  It does mean I am not a fan of anti-gun activists.

Abortion and gay marriage are not issues affecting me, so I don’t have strong feeling about the subjects themselves.  I do have strong feelings regarding people seeking to curtail or deny others the freedom of personal choice, so those two topics peripherally fall inside the circle of things I care about.  

In general my political views have a libertarian slant.  I am of the strong belief government should play a minimal role in the lives of people, especially since the majority of politicians appear and act as if they have been corrupted by the power they hold, and seduced by the easy money (meaning: bribes) associated with catering to special interest groups and corporations.

I have no illusion about either of the major party serving my needs or interests, and the smaller parties are often bat-shit crazies organized around simplistic and unrealistic agendas.  I vote based on what I believe will be least harmful to things I am interested in.

Religious Views.  I do not believe in gods.  I do not believe in mystical forces.  I do not believe in a universal intelligence.  I hold no belief in anything which violates what we know about the real world.

I was born into a Catholic family.  Around the age of 8 I started to ask questions about stuff that even at that tender age contradicted what I knew about the world.  I was told I was too young to understand, and eventually I would understand.  Eventually I did, but not the way they thought.  By 14 I told my parents I did not want to go to mass, confession, or have communion.  I remember them not being happy (my uncle, recently deceased, was a priest all his life).   At the time I did not know about atheism, skepticism, and all them other isms.

Through my teens there were still times I wanted to believe in something, so beginning in my late teens and into my twenties I look into other religions, beliefs, etc.  I am kind when I say I found them lacking.  Back then I firmly believed people should educate themselves about their own religion and about competing religious views.  I believed if they did, they would soon realize the emperor indeed has no clothes.  I was naive.  People resist challenges to their beliefs, even becoming more entrenched as problems with their belief system are pointed out to them.

These days my concern goes back to that personal choice and freedom thing.  Unfortunately religion is at the base of nearly every attack on personal freedom.  So religion and I are often at odds.

I think people can believe, worship, and live to whatever cockamamie creation story, wacked-out god, and spiritual force they choose.  The moment they start to actively pursue a course aimed at having others conform to their self-determined rules, is the moment I raise my voice in opposition.

This, of course, is a simplistic summary.  Individual issues are a lot more complex than can be examined here, but in general if one person seeks to infringe on the rights of another based on religious beliefs, they are greatly diminished in my eyes.

And if a person refuses to constantly challenge what they believe in, I have little respect for them.  As one might imagine, I have few friends.

Life in general.  I am 58 years of age as I write this.  I am tired.  I want to live the remaining of my life trying for the most part to enjoy it.  Broadly speaking this means spending time with my wife and living in a constant state of amazement and wonder.

I am not blind to the problems of the world, the suffering of literally billions, and to the gathering darkness.  I give to charity, I help others, I keep up with what is happening, and cast my small voice hither and fro to join other voices in opposition of bad stuff, and support of good stuff.

But my personal commitment is slowly shifting to my own self and to my wife.  I don’t know how much longer we have.  Either or both of our lives could literally end tomorrow, and I aim to live what time I have left in a manner that will not cause me to have regrets later on, and so as to leave the small portion of the world I can influence better off for me having been here.  Or at least no worse off.