An ear for all colors

…listen up-

>Color me deaf.
Prejudice is mostly based on one’s vision. If you see someone of a pigment not of your own you immediately start analyzing this person’s whole life. Listen up; eighty percent of the time you are wrong (#fakenews).
Imagine a little white boy growing up on the south side of Memphis. Being bussed to four different schools while growing up can influence a kid to either understand or dislike people of a different color. It’s called prejudice. As it turns out a kid can become friends with others of a different color. There could also be an influence from other means. The little boy’s best friend and neighbor is half Philippine and half light. But, other people thought they were brothers because one was half light and the other had a dark tan.
What if the same kid came from a broken home and had to go to a little town in Wisconsin every summer of which probably only had one or two colored families. People of color didn’t matter. The only prejudice in this little town was as if one was very heavy or really skinny. Maybe if one was an alcoholic there could be gossip.

People love spreading rumors about others, picking on them, harassing and bullying. Why, because they are of a different color. It doesn’t have to be of a drastic color or can it be just a little different.  There are many shades of grey. Gray really? People are referred to as black or white. That needs to stop. If that were true wouldn’t children of a couple, one black and one white end up gray. But, no, the children are a blend of tan.

The last president of the United States is referred to as the first black president. That is rude. With all due respect. Though it is a step in the right direction for people of a somewhat darker color. Why call someone black if they are half and half. Where do you stop? Are you colored if you are one part dark and seven parts light.

Talk about prejudice.  According to the Nazis you were Jewish if three of your grandparents were Jewish. Oy-vey.

Black or white is an easy description to give the police for a simple description. That’s all well and dandy to help track down a suspect.  On the other hand, not to sound too prejudice but, when a police officer hears a black was involved they automatically have an assumption.  Sometimes even a colored officer will have the same assumption.

Blind people must think everybody is crazy. Though blind people can judge people by their tone, articulation or accent. They probably assume all the well spoken and educated people are white. People who can’t hear don’t have to worry about it. Others won’t listen.

Politicians are prejudice against their rivals. They ‘assume’ your beliefs. If you are of one party and everyone else in the room are your rivals do you fight for your friends. Beyond the color of people; there is prejudice by your wardrobe.  If you wear a pink shirt they can come to an opinion. Or if you wear your pants too large.

There was a Star Trek episode where there were two races on this one planet. They were all black and white. Except they were literally black and white. Except group one was black on the left side of their bodies and white on the right. And group two were the opposite.  They had always fought because of their differences. Then Captain Kirk showed them a mirror and they discovered they weren’t much different after all. Then someone turned off the light and they started fighting again.

Note: I have been corrected from a friend/family. It appears people of a darker persuasion prefer to be called “Blacks” or “African-Americans”. I respect that. But, someday I hope everyone will be the same color.

An Orchard where kindness grows

…hold the fertilizer-

>A Jewish Settlement (World peace is possible).
There is an urgent need for people to settle down and come to terms. The Republicans and Democrats can’t come to terms; neither can the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s nor the Capulet’s and Romeo’s family. The American athletes and sports teams owners are willing to throw away American and now International pastimes and it’s all about the money. You throw away or slapshot a season out of the rink because you can’t come to terms about a billion dollar industry. It must be the Twinkie complex. The debaters of these negotiations can’t be players and owners, but it is the lawyers and investors.
These sports figures make more money than legally necessary. One player can “earn” more money per year than some small cities combined income and more than most individuals in a lifetime.
Israel and Palestine don’t get along either. One has money and the other has land. The Jewish people want to extend their horizons and territory. They don’t have to take the land. They can buy it. It is understandable that they don’t get along. They have been at odds since the beginning of written history. But, that doesn’t mean they can’t have a settlement.

Each can take a map of their country and where they wished the boundaries were drawn and overlay them. Two opposing groups can draw their own maps. Compare them and negotiate the areas that are more important to them. And they need to take a realistic approach and not just cross out the border and say I want it all for myself! Where Israel overlaps into Palestine make that part a “phase two” negotiation. Phase one is where Israel already overlaps into Palestine and needs to negotiate these lands, which they have already taken and built settlements.

Squatters’ rights should not apply. It is similar to “whites” taking land from Native Americans. They could have afforded to purchase it, but they thought they were stronger and smarter, so, they didn’t need to buy it.

Today though, practically everything is for sale and almost everything has a price. No one steals property from another less fortunate anymore, not since Hitler tried to take over the world.

The reason Hitler didn’t take over the world was his country built their own weapons. Though they used the less fortunate to manufacture them. It was all internal. Now is different in that big businesses around the world manufacture these weapons for a profit. Of course war is easy, all you have to do is out buy, purchase, the weapons. America tries to overtake a country, then bring peace and try to rebuild the country they have just destroyed. Probably for the benefit of American lobbyist.

This brings us to Israel. Briefly, the Jewish people were given back their “homeland” after WWII. Unfortunately, others were displaced and/or uprooted.

Now is the time for a good settlement, maybe not correct a hundred percent, but at least a move in the right direction. Try to make a deal for the property already taken. Then make a deal for the future land that would have otherwise been confiscated. And you can’t have Robin Hood take from the rich and give to the poor. The rich have to willingly come forward and negotiate fairly what they have already taken. There are tens or hundreds of subdivisions that the Israelites have taken and occupied under the claim that it is all their property. Pay for your property like every one else does.

This is not a reward for years and years of terrorism. And it doesn’t have to be a trade of land for money or diamonds. The Palestine people need more than money. They need food and clothing and what every other people need. They used to have easy access to Israel for many jobs and food and building materials before the onslaught of suicide bombers and rockets.

There should be an easement and/or highway between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Also, there are countless areas of antiquity that one or both wish to visit and worship. These areas should be considered parkland and should be run by a third party, maybe a council of both parties or maybe the United Nations could be the ruling party over the parks. The point is to not have one religion or sect in control of multi-interested relics.

“The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck enlightens us to the true value of real estate. Land is everything. When times are tough, buy more land. It only makes sense if you can afford it. But, life is even more precious. Going to war over property puts life as the second priority. The purpose of the settlement is for living. A settlement between two peoples will not create world peace, but it could be the next step.

After 911 the United States was angry at the world and we are lucky there wasn’t a nuclear bombardment across the middle east. Yet, we showed constraint. There has to be more constraint; in the United States and across the world.

The United States have power over the whole world. The 1% has control over the stock market. That makes the tycoons the puppeteers of the world and has them by the strings. Your family can’t vacation together when the stock market is governing the price of rental homes. There won’t be peace in the middle east until people learn to understand that poor people are not just poor people, but people, living human beings.

Some people are crazy and kill people for no reason, there are some people who want to make a profit to improve their portfolio and there are people that are just plain nice and want to help other people less fortunate. There is a choice that we all can make.

This is a test: Do you care about people that are less fortunate. If you said yes, then, you are okay. If you said that the less fortunate should take care of themselves because it is their fault they can’t take care of themselves, then you know where you rank. And if you say that ‘everyone must die’, then you are crazy and should be put away.

Of course it is not that easy. The better question maybe is why do people, human beings, take advantage over others for monopolization or for fun. People have their choice, so it cannot be sane to kill others for your own self. It seems poor people or those less fortunate take care of those in poverty; more than the wealthy.

If you own a dog and keep him chained up in the backyard; is he a pet or a guard or a slave? You are the owner. There is only one answer, but, many people can answer in many different ways. It has to be difficult for those more fortunate to try and justify ‘how am I like this’. But, then again it should be easy to justify how you ended up with riches and the poor are just less fortunate.

If you own a cat, of course you don’t chain it up in the back yard, you let run wild. You allow it to come in when it wants, you feed it.

People, not knowingly own their employees. You feed them, manicure them and walk them when it is convenient for you. Politics are the same, yet, we hire these masters of our wishes. Yet, they receive money from multi-million dollar businesses and gate their community. We continue to allow them for deciding our lives. They, our congress people, decide or not (gridlock) to make decisions based on what they are paid.

They aren’t the cat or the dog, but, owner and they control us, the pets, and we are waiting for food, grooming or just acknowledgment that we exist. What do we have to do to keep them working for us is a good question. How can the poor people pay the rich to get government to recognize them. It seems the government is getting paid off, but, not by the poor. The rich, government or those that receive benefits from the rich to persuade the government are not the enemy, just an obstacle. The less fortunate have to find a way to gather boat loads of money to pay off the politicians. If they can find a way to do that then, we can find peace in the mid-east and maybe world peace.

Best MOM

…ever!

>Painted by Grandma Brunner.
She really was the best ever. At least most of her children believe it is true. She raised five wonderful kids all by herself. She did hire a maid occasionally to help around the house. But, for such a small house it wasn’t totally necessary, except don’t forget about the five little hell-yea’ns. They weren’t the nicest little children which adds proof that she was the best ever.
She owned a small little house on the south side of Memphis with three bedrooms. Since there were four boys and one girl in the litter someone had to sleep with mama. Well, that had to be the little girl. Imagine sleeping with your child until they aren’t a child anymore. That is a burden on both of them; assumingly.
Then there was the baby. Spoiled, yes. It was the biggest burden of all. Constantly crying and begging for more attention. Always changing diapers after a hard day at the office. She deserves some sort of medal or something. She used to clean his ears with a “Bobby pin” before they invented the cotton swab.
She used to arrange to go to bakeries and get the leftover bread and bring it to homeless shelters. Some referred to her as the bread lady.
The unusual thing was after having five kids her husband left her high and dry. It couldn’t have been because of that fifth one. It must have been that overwhelming urge to raise cattle. Wait, they won’t listen to you either.

Being the twin and oldest of nine siblings she really knew how to raise kids. She had a special technique of discipline. She would make you cut your own switch for misbehaving. Cutting your own switch? That must have been frightening. If you didn’t learn from that you had to be really hard headed.
Imagine that times five. Perhaps she should be a saint.

Two percent too much

…you do the math-

>Being generous is not too bad.
Republicans versus Democrats is today’s fare. ‘Who are you for’ is the greatest question of today. You have a choice. You may choose Republicans based on your belief, since they are the better of the two parties.
Republicans did not win this election on their own. The parties are too equal. They, the Republicans, needed Democrats and Independents to side with them. They needed to compromise and side with the Democrats. If the Republicans can’t compromise with the others, there will continue to be a stalemate and no improvements will happen.
Over the last several years there has been no progress because the Republicans would not give an inch. In ‘fact’ no matter what, they would not compromise, even if they designed the resolution. And now the Democrats are doing the same thing.
Consider this: Congress is in session. There is a vote. Someone has an idea to help poor people after a catastrophe. The Republicans want to help the store owners so they may distribute (maybe discounted) goods that would help those people in need. And the Democrats want to give money to the poor to allow them to get aid they need. This would give the store owners profits also.
If you give money to the needy they will give money to the store owners. What is the difference for the store owners, nothing, they get the money either way. But, for the needy people, they benefit also.

Maybe it is “trickle-up” economics or maybe it is common sense. The rich people find a way to make the money. They don’t need government assistance. Though, it does give them many benefits.

The Republicans are the store owners and the Democrats are the poor or actually those that care about the poor. The Independents could go either way.

We need to come together or in this case, lean toward helping everyone. We can’t get anything done in a stalemate. Let us go out and vote, not for ourselves alone, but, to vote for everyone.

The economic cliff is where we are standing and looking over it is a little scary. The Republicans were actually allowed to decrease the taxes on the top one or two percent. They lowered the taxes on the wealthiest.

Thinking about the current downturn in the economy, it is all about themselves. Of course it is human instinct to think about themselves first. Cogito ergo sum means: I think, therefore I am. But, it also seems that the country is divided, together.

Half of the country is Republican and half the country is Democratic. The president is not trying to find middle ground. He is trying to divide us. He is getting old and wants to go down in the history books. He wants the 2% or as some refer to them as ‘the Royalty’ to take over the world. Starting first to divide the country then to get rid of one race not wanted. It is funny, one Republican said we don’t want to get rid of them, we need someone to do the gardening. We saw this same plan about 80 years ago. (This may sound impossible, but, you never know. History could repeat itself.)

On the other hand…Consider one big happy family wants to take a summer trip to the beach. They all want to relax and play on the beach together. But, annually they rent a house for the week. The mother and father, parents, want to bring all of their children and grandchildren together so all can have fun together. The parents are middle income, both work, and still have some debts from college payments for their offspring, in one way or another, namely the second or third mortgage on their house for those that chose to finish their ultimate education.
Like all families some finish college and some choose another path. That being said, not all of the children, et al are in the same income level. Some are upper class and some are not that fortunate. The parents, middle class can’t afford the rental of the summer house by themselves, of course everyone should contribute their share to make it possible.
Now comes the million dollar question: divide the rent equally for each sibling? The lower status siblings can’t afford too much and the upper income class can afford a lot more than the others. Yet, they shouldn’t have to carry all the weight for all. Perhaps the ‘better off’ should, out of kindness of their own hearts, volunteer to pay additionally more.
Republicans appear to be richer or at least siding with ones that can afford the costs. They tend to side with a group, #teaparty. They want all America to be their religion, white and independent of the rest of the country.
Of course they don’t want to support those that all have an equal chance to profit and succeed, but, just can’t. It is the lower classes’ own fault; they had the same opportunities.

The democrats, which some deem socialists, only want to help those less fortunate. There are rich democrats but they are not heart set on stepping on the less fortunate, they want to contribute to the poor and still maintain their status quo.

Some siblings have the money to contribute to the higher rent, they should, if they want one big happy family without making those less fortunate feel bad; they can go back to their mansions and let those less fortunate go back to their way of life, maybe humble, which they chose.

The country needs to take a hard look at who can afford the higher rent and how much less fortunate, though their own making, should contribute. There is no sense in a billionaire owning twenty yachts just because his friend owns nineteen.

 

Flying for Freedom

…get ready for the ride of your life-

>Not contrails but barometric pressure.

We can actually control the weather if we put our heads together and sacrifice what is actually causing the inconsistent weather. It all begins with airliners heating up the upper atmosphere. When airliners are shooting exhaust at a temperature of about 1,700 degrees above zero and the surrounding air is about 80 degrees below zero the air doesn’t know what to do. The earth has a natural way about it where heat rises up until it reaches the upper atmosphere and then it turns really cold due to outer space. The airliners are like a speed boat on a still lake. The propeller just churns it up. That is for visual effect. In reality the air is churning not just the temperature, but, also the barometric pressure. This is almost impossible to see, but, it exists. And every day there are a couple thousand jets flying in the jet stream. The exhaust from these airliners are actually heating up the jet stream. How this affects our weather only mother nature knows; except for the barometric pressure and the churning affect.

It could be proven, but, it will take a lot of effort. Start off by flying four hot air balloons evenly spaced in a line; the direction doesn’t matter. And then each balloon will lower a wire with a string of barometers and thermometers evenly spaced about every 100 or 200 feet. This would create an accessible wall that will allow an airliner to fly through it and you can see via a computer the changes one airliner affects the upper atmosphere. Then you can see that affect multiplied times the thousands of miles, times the one hundred thousand flights a day.
Now that it is proven, next is a way to control the weather. When the airliner churns up the upper atmosphere and heats up the sky this can be used to our advantage. What if instead of flying from one city to another a group of airliners are flown together in a circle. Maybe thirty of them would work. By this group circling at a radius of maybe twenty miles it will create it’s own high pressure system. This, in turn, will alter the path of weather coming from the west. By introducing a high barometric pressure it may alter the path of the jet stream. Now, one contributor will have to be the airliners that are going with the jet stream to save fuel. They will need to manipulate their flight to help alter the jet stream. By doing this we can bring rain to the Hawaiian lava streams and rain on them to stop the flow and slow down the destruction.
You can also use helicopters to drop water on the lava streams just like a forest fire. By this combination we can slow mother nature and maybe bring peace to the island.
While we are talking about the weather and how we can control it, we need to put an immediate stop to all the airliners that cross the polar caps. The caps are being heated up by all the airliners crossing the cap and melting the ice very needed to preserve mother earth.
This technique is a theory and can be greatly adjusted by scientists, but, it must be looked at as a real solution to many weather conditions such as last years California forest fires and Puerto Rico’s devastation. So, hold on. The weather is ours for the flying.

Next read: Tropopause Terror

The Jerk Alerter

…Ump, there it is-

>Mountable device.

Imagine sitting at a bar and having a nice refreshing brew. And then comes in your boss from the office. He comes over and starts bullying you. Now do you really have to take it? Are you afraid of losing your job? Well, not anymore. Now there is a new app that can prevent such a situation. You can make a list of people who you don’t particularly care for. Then when they come into your territory it alerts you.

This App is fairly simple. You should have no complications in your construction. You touch a button on your screen and it flashes on and off and announces, “Jerk Alert, Jerk Alert!”. This in general announces to others in the vicinity that a jerk has entered the room or has said something unwanted.

Perhaps with some ingenuity it can be used in your vehicle where others can see, maybe on the dashboard like a button. And maybe alerting others in the vicinity utilizing blue-stuff that would alert other drivers with the same software.

Mine, I created using a Quick Shortcut Maker in cahoots with Touch Alarm Protector and Ringtone Maker.
My friend was in the car repair business when he said he wished he had a dashboard button that said, “Gook Alert” and I said that wasn’t politically correct. And I said what about “Jerk Alert”.
The Jerk Alert is a simple button I believe will become a big hit with phone lovers. It might even advance to more apps that have their own exclamations, such as, “Oh Shit” or “Happy Birthday” or “You’re the Man”, etc.
This is a really simple app. Your youngest engineer should be able to design/build it. But, it has potential to expand from a simple app to a dashboard button to other exclamations as stated earlier. The most difficult part is probably the patent search, but, I have proof of my idea going back to 1987.
If you are a jerk, then be ready. We are not coming to get you. But, when you are around we will know. No more bullying. Then, at the end of the day a person could enjoy a cold beer in peace. As long as there is not an app for “stalker alert”!

Headlights On

…for all the world to see.

 

Brilliant idea

>Reely looking forward; brilliant idea!
It is understandable why people don’t want to waste energy with their headlights on all the time. When it is a beautiful day outside, not a cloud in the sky and you are going for a Sunday drive through the country. That is fantastic.
But, when the sun is getting low, cloudy, raining or driving through the city you need to turn your headlights on. Most people now have autolights that come on when the sensor orders it to. You are allowed to turn them on when you want; sensor or no sensor. What makes sense is people turn on their lights to save people and animals and even the junkyard.
At schools you have teenage drivers and pedestrians that are really anxious at the end of the day to get home, etc. With your lights on you can save a life. There is no statistic informing how many youths are saved by vehicles with their headlights on. But, just to save one life is worth it everyday. Think of it like each year you go without killing a pedestrian you actually save a life. You don’t have to put a candle on your birthday cake, but, you can still enjoy it.
If you are driving through the woods or into a tunnel, turn your headlights on. There are animals that can’t judge your speed and distance. And they may be shocked by the headlights but you can’t win them all.
If you don’t care about saving someone’s life or an animal that didn’t do anything to you. Think about the junkyard. There are enough wrecks in the dump already. Can’t you see you can help? Then turn your lights on!

Tropopause Terror

…weather on a wave-
>Art of a child looking at the future.

Ok this will be difficult…imagine 50,000 airliner flights across the United States in one day. That is the peak of the day and so active they need traffic lights up there. In addition imagine all those flights crossing in from the troposphere to the stratosphere. Now these two are supposed to be separated by this barrier (#needawall) that keeps all of what we see in the skies separated from outer space called the tropopause.  The tropopause is supposed to keep them separated but because of all the air flights it is disrupted. The flights poke thru the tropopause like shooting a machine gun in a pool that is frozen over. It is probably the concentration of so many during the day a wave is created. It is similar to boiling water. This is a phenomenon never suggested. Mainly because there never has been so many flights in one day (and now every day). And the “wave” doesn’t just sit there. It moves west over the Pacific as the Earth rotates. Imagine this wave also popping up in other highly populated regions such as Europe,  Russia and the Middle East. These “waves” are messing up normal weather patterns and creating chaos. The current weather systems are reaching extremes in all directions. One day it hails in the desert the next it has mudslides all over California, etc. These airliners are mostly flying in the stratosphere, the jet stream and over the polar caps to save money. Now the jetstream is not a totally different story altogether. It is also impacted by too many airliners. Now many will say the jetliners are just like a boat flowing with the current.  In reality they are pushing back exhaust which slows down the jetstream behind them just like a motor boat going upstream it always pushes back even going down stream. And like all airliners the exhaust is 1,600 degrees hotter than the surrounding area. When that air is usually 30 degrees below zero; that is quite a difference. And the same thing is happening at the polar caps. Airliners taking a short cut to save fuel. You don’t put the chili in the fridge until it has cooled off; much less put it in the freezer. #stopallpolarcapflights

Now, I am not suggesting we stop all flights. Aircraft owners should work together and solve this problem. They are already billionaires. Perhaps there are stockowners trying to get some retirement savings, but, we are talking about the future of the world! So, maybe you save a little money on flying over the polar caps like a short cut. Or you fly with the Jetstream to save a little fuel. Or you fly from one side of the country to the other just to deliver a freaking pizza. Is any of that really necessary? We aren’t just talking about global warming. Though automobiles and factories also contribute. We are talking about chaotic weather and how we can actual control it. #savetheworld
Next read: We can’t believe you

Sophist at work

…the cost of freedom-

>Money where your mouth was?
A debate between two parties over the lying of an individual. Watching a debate like this is very difficult. With America being split by politics the hearing went back and forth and was very frustrating. If you are a Republican you say this person is a liar and you won’t believe anything he says. If you are a Democrat you really want to believe him even though he has already acknowledged he has lied to Congress. One questioner ranted on and on how much time and money was being wasted ($450,000,000) and how he spoke with his wife just before the hearing. He read that from notes which were obviously written ahead of time. It makes you wonder. His rant sounded like it was all about him. From his cancer to his daughter he then said no one should watch the event in which he was participating. Meanwhile the Democrats apologized and thanked the testifier for participating. They were not adamant about torturing the testified, but, were giving him a break like a child inquired for seeing something that their sibling had committed. A sophist knows there are at least two sides to every story. Some opt to take the higher bidder, some take the less fortunate and some just follow their party no matter what. If you had a “Jerkalerter” app on during this hearing it would have sounded like a duck farm. It seems the whole liar thing is based on an interrogation of someone trying to protect their client. Sort of like your parents broke the law and you tried to protect them. Yes, do anything to protect your family. That is until your parents call you out and degrade you just for their satisfaction. There is an agreement out there, maybe in fine print, that stipulates if your client screws you, then you are allowed to screw them back. Where money is involved it isn’t very smart for a multibillionaire to mishandle the lock to the safe. Do you shoot the only pilot on the plane. Do you think you are so great that you can land the plane yourself just because you saw it on television? You will probably crash. It’s funny one reaction was that `he lied about everything except the “Russian Collusion”. Meaning: he isn’t a complete liar.

Trust? Reely? Like casting out your lure and bringing in the catch of the day; you get pretty excited. Maybe just reeling it in is the sport.

Fake News Alerter

Mr. Trump hugs the flag
>He does love the UN-United States.

News Alerter, Trump changes to Democrat. Don’t say it is true. Can the president of the United States just drop one party and join another? This must be fake news. This changes everything. Does this mean the ‘witch hunt’ is over? Most of the Democrats have been waiting for this. They just didn’t think it would take so long. Now the swamp can be drained. The Democrats can get what they have been fighting for. They can fix all the health care issues like provide health care for those who can’t afford it. The list goes on. Border refugees can be reconnected with their children. They won’t be set free, but, they will get to live in a decent refugee camp until they are legal. The wall will be built, but, not all at once, but, soon enough. Radical or harm provoking groups such as the KKK and the NRA will no longer be granted permits for fight provoking rallies. The 1% will be required to pay 50% of their income and not cheat on their taxes once the IRS replaces their chief. The Democrats will no longer seek the impeachment of the president. They will wait until he is out of office before they send him to prison. Of which he will not serve time, but, will have an ankle bracelet to confine him to one of his golf courses. He will also have to pay a lot of back taxes and fines for cheating on his taxes. Now the United States of America can be “one again”. No more divided politicians and parties. No more divided families. No more divided races. With all this going on and everybody in the United States are all “one again” Mr. Trump should get the honor of the greatest person ever!

The Republicans have already got everything they wanted.

If you like this then you will like this. .. Ear ache my aye! (Fake news 2)

Friendly Reminder

Friend on life
>Remembering riding in the snow.

For what is a friend?

To be or not to be…

Most everybody seeks help or attention. Some pay with money, others pay with time. Friends pay with time. But it is mostly mutual. Friends take care of friends. They listen to each other. They help each other as much as they can. They are the perfect psychologist. Except psychologists can be fired. When you try to fire a friend, it can get ugly.
Friends, what are they good for? If you have a kegerator you will have a lot of friends. If you adopt a highway, you lose a lot of friends. If you start getting on your friends’ nerves, they fire you. Even if they had performed priceless amounts of home improvements for ya.
There was once a joke about what is the difference between a friend and a fiend. That was sort of funny. But the real funny part was one could switch from one to the other in an instant.
The important ingredient in a friend is good advice. Though you must understand not all of it is good. Everything must be carefully analyzed. Once again race or gender does not significantly come into play. Except, the larger variety of information and help is best. Meaning maybe one psychologist is not enough, but a group of individuals will give a broader perspective.
Some friends are animals such as a cat or dog. They listen well and they don’t talk back, and they are cheap. Mostly all they require is food and water.
Of course, there are children. They can be the best teachers. But they force you to teach them. Not so good listeners, either.
That is an experience that some know nothing about. But, children can be all of those above and more. They do make you pay, but, c’est la golf. You made the shot. Whether it’s in the fairway or woods, you have to deal with it. That is, if you play the game. Otherwise you sit and watch.
Then there are the loners. Those that do not have anyone. Even psychologists have psychologists. Poor loners. All they have is a mirror. Or maybe a moon to worship. Lying out among the moon and stars asking themselves questions and the only answers are in their head. The answers are not in drugs or alcohol. Though you may think the bartender is listening. In reality they have ear buds on and are totally ignoring all. If you are thinking of the “S” word, then forget about it. Join the Army or become a bodyguard. You can’t trump that.
The best of all are probably aunts and uncles. Uncles can give advice without thinking of themselves. And aunts always have the best advice.
People get married so they have a permanent friend. Who needs a shrink? If you can’t speak with your own spousal unit, then what do you do. You then pretend you are speaking to one of the many ears available. Skip the corn stalks. They have ears, but they don’t listen.

And…if your friend moves far away that makes it difficult…except that world-wide-web thing?

And if you have a very bad memory then you may have forgotten them?