SITTING HERE at the bottom of the cliff, shaken, but glad to still be alive, i look around, and see the after effects of the great leap. Its a very different view, looking up. Now i and probably the rest of you americans can see a future of sacrifice, frustration, and striving, as our once much more prosperous nation settles into a lower standard of living.
Exporting all these jobs overseas to save money might finally become to haunt us, as we now scramble to keep even low wage jobs in this country. you simply cannot simultaneously maintain a global military empire while accumulating a national debt of untold trillions of dollars - not indefinitely, anyway.
We quit making clothing, shoes, household appliances, motorcycles, and heavens only knows what else, in america, and instead sell each othr financial and other trivial services. A nation of productionless paper chasers.
so going over the cliff, in some way, shape, form or fashion, in one way or another...was/is inevitable. Swe all, as americans, have to help pay for this mess we're in. And there's no time like the present.
Welcome to the salt mines. I'll see you at work tomorrow...
Monday, December 31, 2012
The short lived fiscal cliff
AS THE CLOCK approached midnight monday night, first it was obvious, then it was officila; no aggreement would be reached, we have gone off the fisal cliff. This is very surprising to me, all along i felt a last minute deal would be announced.
the next thing to happen will be the convening of the new congress in early january, immediately by urgent calls by the president to recity what their predecessors wrecked, one piece of legislation at a time, as we climb back up the face of the cliff, and resume our high perch.
There'll just be more drama, rhetoric and sound bites and so forth, and the new congress will be guided by obama back up the cliff. And its too bad, in a way, because, this fiscal cliff, with its tex increases for everybody and its spending cuts, is escatly what we need in the united states, and we should be glad we fell over the cliff, and make no attempt to climb back up.
We should cancel for the time being any cost of living increases or spending increases for social security, medicare, and medicaid, and start means testing immediately. The military should be cut by at least oe third, and money for infrastructure repair, or increased slightly, as debt reduction permits. Legalize vice, like drugs, sex, and gambling, and tax the hell out of it.
Let's raise government reveune, cut government spending, and get our economic house in order, so we can resume economic growth, the right way, with real prosperity, not just paper profits.
As the new years rings in across america, i lift my champagne glass, and say a hearty toast..to the short lived fiscal cliff...
the next thing to happen will be the convening of the new congress in early january, immediately by urgent calls by the president to recity what their predecessors wrecked, one piece of legislation at a time, as we climb back up the face of the cliff, and resume our high perch.
There'll just be more drama, rhetoric and sound bites and so forth, and the new congress will be guided by obama back up the cliff. And its too bad, in a way, because, this fiscal cliff, with its tex increases for everybody and its spending cuts, is escatly what we need in the united states, and we should be glad we fell over the cliff, and make no attempt to climb back up.
We should cancel for the time being any cost of living increases or spending increases for social security, medicare, and medicaid, and start means testing immediately. The military should be cut by at least oe third, and money for infrastructure repair, or increased slightly, as debt reduction permits. Legalize vice, like drugs, sex, and gambling, and tax the hell out of it.
Let's raise government reveune, cut government spending, and get our economic house in order, so we can resume economic growth, the right way, with real prosperity, not just paper profits.
As the new years rings in across america, i lift my champagne glass, and say a hearty toast..to the short lived fiscal cliff...
The Inevitable
FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD, if ever you have wanted to see the united states of america take a bitter dose of its own medicine, your chance may be coming, very soon, as soon as tomorrow, january first, 2013, less than eighteen hours away.
The "fiscal cliff" as it came to be called, was intended as a way to guarantee future cooperation between the two stalwart, and all too similar american political parties. What will happen tomorrow was deemed two years ago as being so undesirable that the politicians would be willing to do anything, even cooperate, to avoid it.
Willingness to cooperate, as a last resort. If all else fails, cooperate. Now, that's pathetic. Pathetic that basic human cooperation and compromise must be coerced into simply doing what is right.
it turns out that even if no agreement of the national budget is reached, and the great plunge occurs, we will immediately begin doing everything possible to climb back up. A new congress will take its place in early january, with many new members, and legislation will be introduced reversing much of the results of the fiscal cliff.
They should reverse nothing, they should just let it happen, and leave it alone. We americans are so spolied by low taxes and huge government spending that we are simply not willing to do without either. And yet, to heal our ailing economy, we must, sooner or later, do both; raise taxes, and cut spending.
That's the way it is when you are sixteen trillion dollars in debt. Its just a matter of how long we keep postponing the inevitable.
The "fiscal cliff" as it came to be called, was intended as a way to guarantee future cooperation between the two stalwart, and all too similar american political parties. What will happen tomorrow was deemed two years ago as being so undesirable that the politicians would be willing to do anything, even cooperate, to avoid it.
Willingness to cooperate, as a last resort. If all else fails, cooperate. Now, that's pathetic. Pathetic that basic human cooperation and compromise must be coerced into simply doing what is right.
it turns out that even if no agreement of the national budget is reached, and the great plunge occurs, we will immediately begin doing everything possible to climb back up. A new congress will take its place in early january, with many new members, and legislation will be introduced reversing much of the results of the fiscal cliff.
They should reverse nothing, they should just let it happen, and leave it alone. We americans are so spolied by low taxes and huge government spending that we are simply not willing to do without either. And yet, to heal our ailing economy, we must, sooner or later, do both; raise taxes, and cut spending.
That's the way it is when you are sixteen trillion dollars in debt. Its just a matter of how long we keep postponing the inevitable.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Jumping to our Health
LESS THAN TWO DAYS to go until we go over the fiscal cliff. Less than thirty six hours until we plummet. As i understand it, we plunge and fall to the bottom at exactly one minute past midnight, january first, twenty thirteen. This happens automatically, and nothing can stop it, no presidential stay, no congressional act, no supreme court ruling.
Nothing, except a new federal budget to supercede the cliff fall.And that seems increasingly unlikely, as the minutes tick by and both sides dig in deeper, and deeper...the best bet is that somebody caves at the last minute and a deal is struck.
Obama'll probably make some last minute concession, ask for something small in return, get it, agree on a deal, and claim victory. On the other hand, now that he's been reelected, the president might just let us go off the cliff, knowing he'll be president four more years either way, and that much of the country will blame the republicans.
If going off the cliff causes a recession it will only be because the american economy is too heavily dependant on government spending. The federal government should indeed collect taxes and revenues, and use the money to shape, guide, and assist the american economy, but not to control it or prop it up.
If we go off the cliff we will be taking a huge step in the direction of healing our sick economy/currency system; but it will be strong, painful medicine, just like the rest of the medicine we'll have to take a bit later on.
If we don't go off the cliff, we'll jsut keep on trying to prop up a failing economy by printing money with no real material wealth with which to back it up, and concentrating the cheapened money in the hands of the very few.
The american economy has deteriorated to the point where strong medicine is needed. Let us swallow the bitter now, before its too late.
Nothing, except a new federal budget to supercede the cliff fall.And that seems increasingly unlikely, as the minutes tick by and both sides dig in deeper, and deeper...the best bet is that somebody caves at the last minute and a deal is struck.
Obama'll probably make some last minute concession, ask for something small in return, get it, agree on a deal, and claim victory. On the other hand, now that he's been reelected, the president might just let us go off the cliff, knowing he'll be president four more years either way, and that much of the country will blame the republicans.
If going off the cliff causes a recession it will only be because the american economy is too heavily dependant on government spending. The federal government should indeed collect taxes and revenues, and use the money to shape, guide, and assist the american economy, but not to control it or prop it up.
If we go off the cliff we will be taking a huge step in the direction of healing our sick economy/currency system; but it will be strong, painful medicine, just like the rest of the medicine we'll have to take a bit later on.
If we don't go off the cliff, we'll jsut keep on trying to prop up a failing economy by printing money with no real material wealth with which to back it up, and concentrating the cheapened money in the hands of the very few.
The american economy has deteriorated to the point where strong medicine is needed. Let us swallow the bitter now, before its too late.
Being Reasonable
AS HILLARY CLINTON prepares to leave office, and do whatever, Obama's foreign policy under hillary is being trashed by the usual crew, the ultra conservative automatic obama bashers. The main criticism is that obama's foreign policy lacked aggressiveness, and therefore conveyed weakness.
Hillary should have banged one of her high heels on the podium, and threatened to nuke iran, and, just for good measure, north korea, say the ultra conservatives. Obama should do or say more about syria, they blather. Exactly which is not made clear, nor precisely what. Minor details.
Syria is in the middle of a big civil war; just exactly what is president obama supposed to do or say about it? Can you imagine some foreign country coming over here to america during our iconic civil war and trying to stop it, and fix the problem?
You can only imagine how Grant, Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Lincoln, et al would have taken to that. Like a cat on a hot stove, you reckon. And you can imagine the history books now; united states was in the middle of a bloody civil war when the syrians broke it up and made us declare peace. Ever since, the same north-south animosities have been seething just beneath the surface, but open conflict has been avoided, for fear of renewed syrian intervention.
I mean, come on, let's get real. Even though the united states is currently the greatest military power on earth, it aint god, and cannot control the hearts and minds of a million people in syria. The united states would be better off trying to cooperate with other countries more, and dictating policy to them less. But, when you're a super power, the temptation to throw your weight around is simply too great.
Hillary should have banged one of her high heels on the podium, and threatened to nuke iran, and, just for good measure, north korea, say the ultra conservatives. Obama should do or say more about syria, they blather. Exactly which is not made clear, nor precisely what. Minor details.
Syria is in the middle of a big civil war; just exactly what is president obama supposed to do or say about it? Can you imagine some foreign country coming over here to america during our iconic civil war and trying to stop it, and fix the problem?
You can only imagine how Grant, Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Lincoln, et al would have taken to that. Like a cat on a hot stove, you reckon. And you can imagine the history books now; united states was in the middle of a bloody civil war when the syrians broke it up and made us declare peace. Ever since, the same north-south animosities have been seething just beneath the surface, but open conflict has been avoided, for fear of renewed syrian intervention.
I mean, come on, let's get real. Even though the united states is currently the greatest military power on earth, it aint god, and cannot control the hearts and minds of a million people in syria. The united states would be better off trying to cooperate with other countries more, and dictating policy to them less. But, when you're a super power, the temptation to throw your weight around is simply too great.
Eating Ourselves Alive
I SAW A MOVIE Recently in which a big chemical or pharmaceutical company of some sort, owned by a scotsman who was a descendant of a martyred rebel, developed a nano technology warhead, which upon impact unleashed hordes of microscopic machines which proceed to devour everything.
This concept is gaining popularity in science fiction; nano warfare, along with nano medicine. These tiny machines could be programmed to either rebuild someboey's healthy body, or destroy the world. If they ever exist, and it looks like they will, they will have to be accompanied by very tight controls and agreements.
The movie got me to thinking, (a bad omen in itself). How many giant pharmaceutical companies are there in the united states? Five? There used to be five, and i used to be able to remember all their names. Merck, Ely Lily, and so forth. By now some of them might have merged, to form an even stronger corporate monopoly, or oligarchy, within the drug industry.
Do any or all of these companies have biological warfare divisions? Just wondering. Something about that movie, whose name I forget, that makes me wonder. Do any or all of these companies sell deadly weapons to the U.S. government, to defend liberty, promote justice, peace, and the american way, and to protect good upstanding harmless citizens such as myself?
In the movie the idea was that the mad scotsman billioniare industrialist was selling deadly weapons to all sides simultaneously (like his "martyred" ancestor had done in the seventeenth century}. I hope our good upstanding american corps are sellling to the syrian government, for instance. Of course, you never know.
This concept is gaining popularity in science fiction; nano warfare, along with nano medicine. These tiny machines could be programmed to either rebuild someboey's healthy body, or destroy the world. If they ever exist, and it looks like they will, they will have to be accompanied by very tight controls and agreements.
The movie got me to thinking, (a bad omen in itself). How many giant pharmaceutical companies are there in the united states? Five? There used to be five, and i used to be able to remember all their names. Merck, Ely Lily, and so forth. By now some of them might have merged, to form an even stronger corporate monopoly, or oligarchy, within the drug industry.
Do any or all of these companies have biological warfare divisions? Just wondering. Something about that movie, whose name I forget, that makes me wonder. Do any or all of these companies sell deadly weapons to the U.S. government, to defend liberty, promote justice, peace, and the american way, and to protect good upstanding harmless citizens such as myself?
In the movie the idea was that the mad scotsman billioniare industrialist was selling deadly weapons to all sides simultaneously (like his "martyred" ancestor had done in the seventeenth century}. I hope our good upstanding american corps are sellling to the syrian government, for instance. Of course, you never know.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
God and Human Folly
MAN IS BY NATURE an inscrutable beast. "There are three things that are real", said john f kennedy... "god, human folly, and laughter. the first two are beyond our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third".
Amen to that, brothah...how can it be that two hundred years ago our ancestors were mixing gun powder and aiming cannon shot using complicated mathematics; and putting leaches on people with the flu to suck all the bald blood out of them?
and how could it be that thousands of years ago higher math and architecture techniques were used to design and build huge monuments made of stone, which still stand today, while the people who built them went home at the end of each work day and worshipped animal spirits and cats as gods?
Human folly, and human genius. Who knows which will come to the forfront at any given time?
A giddy teen aged girl pulls out her cell phone, thumbs in a number, then babbles excitedly about the upcoming end of the world, as the mayan calendar expires; and the person on the other end of the transmission is her well educated mature senior citizen grandfather.
Well, you never know. It takes all kinds. we are brilliant enough to buiold monuments an cell phones, but stupid enough to use leaches as medicine and cats as gods. Fascinating creatires, we.
Amen to that, brothah...how can it be that two hundred years ago our ancestors were mixing gun powder and aiming cannon shot using complicated mathematics; and putting leaches on people with the flu to suck all the bald blood out of them?
and how could it be that thousands of years ago higher math and architecture techniques were used to design and build huge monuments made of stone, which still stand today, while the people who built them went home at the end of each work day and worshipped animal spirits and cats as gods?
Human folly, and human genius. Who knows which will come to the forfront at any given time?
A giddy teen aged girl pulls out her cell phone, thumbs in a number, then babbles excitedly about the upcoming end of the world, as the mayan calendar expires; and the person on the other end of the transmission is her well educated mature senior citizen grandfather.
Well, you never know. It takes all kinds. we are brilliant enough to buiold monuments an cell phones, but stupid enough to use leaches as medicine and cats as gods. Fascinating creatires, we.
Don't Do Doggie Doo
AN MSN survey question asked whether toys are going to remain popular among children, as if the onslaught of electronic devices might eliminate interest in traditional, less complicated toys. Maybe sort of a dumb question, maybe not. Sociological research.
The answer, of course, is never in a million years, or as long as american corporate capitalism reigns supreme, and the great marketing advertising propaganda machine hits on all cylindars, will toys lose popularity. Wven as we speak, toy popularlity soars. Maybe the cylindars of free marketed capitalism won't always fire, but you should see them now. Chances are you do, everyday.
The amount spent on advertising just for children's toys must be staggering, and therefore so must the amount spent on children's toys. The Disney Channel, and NIckelodeon on cable TV are an unending ad for toys.
The variety and creativity of today's toys is astounding, and you don't have to be a child to be interested, or to wish you were still a child. And a lot of the modern toys have a very traditionl look and feel about them. Board games, role playing, sparkle art, the whole works.
And of course the usual assortment of battery operated but not included. There seems to be an increasing tendency towards gender neutral toys, appealing to both genders. Violent toys are largely absesnt, although science fiction themes are apparent.
One toy in particular caught my eye. Its called "Doggie Doo", and it consists of a cute plastic dog out of whose butt comes cute plastic doggie feces. I swear I'm not making this up. Ask omeone who watches children's television.
An indication of enhanced interestin the realities of daily life by the younger generation? More clever madison avenue marketing? Both? Who knows, who cares....I'm just a bit pissed that i didn't get my very own doggie doo for christmas.
The answer, of course, is never in a million years, or as long as american corporate capitalism reigns supreme, and the great marketing advertising propaganda machine hits on all cylindars, will toys lose popularity. Wven as we speak, toy popularlity soars. Maybe the cylindars of free marketed capitalism won't always fire, but you should see them now. Chances are you do, everyday.
The amount spent on advertising just for children's toys must be staggering, and therefore so must the amount spent on children's toys. The Disney Channel, and NIckelodeon on cable TV are an unending ad for toys.
The variety and creativity of today's toys is astounding, and you don't have to be a child to be interested, or to wish you were still a child. And a lot of the modern toys have a very traditionl look and feel about them. Board games, role playing, sparkle art, the whole works.
And of course the usual assortment of battery operated but not included. There seems to be an increasing tendency towards gender neutral toys, appealing to both genders. Violent toys are largely absesnt, although science fiction themes are apparent.
One toy in particular caught my eye. Its called "Doggie Doo", and it consists of a cute plastic dog out of whose butt comes cute plastic doggie feces. I swear I'm not making this up. Ask omeone who watches children's television.
An indication of enhanced interestin the realities of daily life by the younger generation? More clever madison avenue marketing? Both? Who knows, who cares....I'm just a bit pissed that i didn't get my very own doggie doo for christmas.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Against Stupidity...
IN THE PAST twenty years, approximately sixty thousand russian children have been adopted by american families. One of my good friends and his wife adopted a kid from the ukraine several years ago, and it seems to be working out fine.
The kid's name is ivan, or some such, he was about five years old when brought to america, and by now he must be in high school.Next time i talk to my friend I'll get caught up.
You hope all sixty thousand russian kids are thriving in america, and, as an american, i am convinced they are. The american adoptive families are chosen carefully and approved by very serious, selective scrutizining russians.
My friend had to go through hell to get his kid. At least two separate trips to the ukraine, endless interviews and inspections, paperwork, and bribes. Bordering on extortion and blackmail. Somehow, he endured it all, because he knew what he wanted.
The stupid diplomatic squabble between the united states and rusiia is abnormally tragic, because as part of it the russians have stopped all adoptions to americans. how tragic, how stupid. Ever since the break up of the soviet union, economic conditions in russia have mandated the adoption program.
we sincerely hope that russia improves its economy enough to keep its own kids. mr putin said something to the effect that many countries have a higher standard of living than russia, but that doesn't necessairly mean that russian children should be sent to america.
Then why have you been sending them, mr putin? Sir? what drivel. it all started when the united states sanctimoniously asserted that any russian government official who is a known violater of human rights will be given less favorable diplomatic status by the high and mighty united states of america, as if the high and mighty aint got no human rights problems of its own to focus on.
Well, a plague on both parties, the respective governments. There's plenty of blame to go around. The more people who come to america from abroad, the richer america is because of it. And the mroe americans travel and visit the world, well, we hope the world is richer, somehow, for this.
Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain -agathon
The kid's name is ivan, or some such, he was about five years old when brought to america, and by now he must be in high school.Next time i talk to my friend I'll get caught up.
You hope all sixty thousand russian kids are thriving in america, and, as an american, i am convinced they are. The american adoptive families are chosen carefully and approved by very serious, selective scrutizining russians.
My friend had to go through hell to get his kid. At least two separate trips to the ukraine, endless interviews and inspections, paperwork, and bribes. Bordering on extortion and blackmail. Somehow, he endured it all, because he knew what he wanted.
The stupid diplomatic squabble between the united states and rusiia is abnormally tragic, because as part of it the russians have stopped all adoptions to americans. how tragic, how stupid. Ever since the break up of the soviet union, economic conditions in russia have mandated the adoption program.
we sincerely hope that russia improves its economy enough to keep its own kids. mr putin said something to the effect that many countries have a higher standard of living than russia, but that doesn't necessairly mean that russian children should be sent to america.
Then why have you been sending them, mr putin? Sir? what drivel. it all started when the united states sanctimoniously asserted that any russian government official who is a known violater of human rights will be given less favorable diplomatic status by the high and mighty united states of america, as if the high and mighty aint got no human rights problems of its own to focus on.
Well, a plague on both parties, the respective governments. There's plenty of blame to go around. The more people who come to america from abroad, the richer america is because of it. And the mroe americans travel and visit the world, well, we hope the world is richer, somehow, for this.
Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain -agathon
A Time and A Place
I HOPE the rest of my family had a great time christmas day at the casino, but I'm still glad i didn't go. An expensive, elaborate food buffett encourages gluttony, and weight gain. I need to keep my waist down, my wallet up, and all of the above far away from gambling. A casino just doesn't seem the place to celebrate the birthday of jesus.
When my uncle said, "if you don't like the mafia, you shouldn't like labor unions", i got a tad wrathy, because i like labor unions. and, for that matter, i kinda like the mafia. Gambling, to me, is like drugs, abortion, and prostitution; it should be perfectly legal, but not very popular.
The mafia, one must admit, has provided, over the years, a good amount of great entertainment. Business is business, and, like abraham lincoln said, controlling a man's appetites by legislation goes beyond the bounds of reason. Organized crime simply supplies what society demands. I can always stay away from casinos, and prostitutes, perhaps.
Laobr unions are essential for our very existence, because without them a high percantage of the population would be reduced to indentured servitude, as was the case before the advent of organized labor. It is in the nature of business owners to seek the lowest cost of labor, by whatever means available. Labor unions tend to even the field a bit.
And yes, unions have been climbing in to bed with crime organizations for over a hundred years. the things we do when desperate. Yes, labor unions can become too powerful. So can anybody else. The major league baseball players union is so strong players on the same team all wear different necklaces, and the owners are powerless to uniform them.
I might try the casino on the fourth of july, which was one of the great gambles in human history. It seems more appropiate, and i hear those places have good air conditioning.
When my uncle said, "if you don't like the mafia, you shouldn't like labor unions", i got a tad wrathy, because i like labor unions. and, for that matter, i kinda like the mafia. Gambling, to me, is like drugs, abortion, and prostitution; it should be perfectly legal, but not very popular.
The mafia, one must admit, has provided, over the years, a good amount of great entertainment. Business is business, and, like abraham lincoln said, controlling a man's appetites by legislation goes beyond the bounds of reason. Organized crime simply supplies what society demands. I can always stay away from casinos, and prostitutes, perhaps.
Laobr unions are essential for our very existence, because without them a high percantage of the population would be reduced to indentured servitude, as was the case before the advent of organized labor. It is in the nature of business owners to seek the lowest cost of labor, by whatever means available. Labor unions tend to even the field a bit.
And yes, unions have been climbing in to bed with crime organizations for over a hundred years. the things we do when desperate. Yes, labor unions can become too powerful. So can anybody else. The major league baseball players union is so strong players on the same team all wear different necklaces, and the owners are powerless to uniform them.
I might try the casino on the fourth of july, which was one of the great gambles in human history. It seems more appropiate, and i hear those places have good air conditioning.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Let's Jump Together!
THE FISCAL CLIFF is dead ahead, four days and counting down, and still i say, so what? Let's go over the damned thing. Hell, let's do it with courage, knowing that it won't be nearly as painful as we might imagine.
And it might be just what the doctor ordered, in terms of stabilizing the currency (the american dollar, almighty), and creating universal, stable prosperity. After all, that's what really matters in any system of currency; that it be stable, and strong. Far better to strengthen the current system than suffer the painful birth pangs of a new one.
Raising taxes on everybody, and drastically cutting everything, is exactly what we need to do, whether we want to admit it or not. And that's exactly what this so called fiscal cliff does, automatically, on january first, if the government doesn't intervene. At this point, the government appears incapable of intervening, in anything, including walking and chewing gum simultaneously.
At this very moment both sides are calculating the probably political damage, and to whom it is most likely to acrue, before deciding whether to offer any last minute compromises. If both sides come to believe that the other will suffer much pmore politically by going off the cliff...
...then off the cliff we'll go. Any one who does not understand that either hasn't paid attention to american politics over the past thirty years, or isn't american, which is far more excusable. In the cut throat world american politics, its political careers first, country second.
The republicans and democrats both must have thought themselves to be oh so terribly clever when this whole fiscal cliff deal was struck a couple of years ago, in the midst of our interminable squabbling.
Both sides must have thought it could use the device to stare down and force the other side to blink at just the right (politically expedient) moment, and now, the silly idiots are about to incompentently, uncontrollably shove us over a budget cliff dreaded by all, utterly powerless to prevent their own timebomb from exploding, and killing their political careers.
That's what'll happen if we're lucky; we'll go over the cliff, survive it, gradually learn to accept and then to like it, get back on our national economic feet, and run all these incredibly incompetent politicians outta town.
And it might be just what the doctor ordered, in terms of stabilizing the currency (the american dollar, almighty), and creating universal, stable prosperity. After all, that's what really matters in any system of currency; that it be stable, and strong. Far better to strengthen the current system than suffer the painful birth pangs of a new one.
Raising taxes on everybody, and drastically cutting everything, is exactly what we need to do, whether we want to admit it or not. And that's exactly what this so called fiscal cliff does, automatically, on january first, if the government doesn't intervene. At this point, the government appears incapable of intervening, in anything, including walking and chewing gum simultaneously.
At this very moment both sides are calculating the probably political damage, and to whom it is most likely to acrue, before deciding whether to offer any last minute compromises. If both sides come to believe that the other will suffer much pmore politically by going off the cliff...
...then off the cliff we'll go. Any one who does not understand that either hasn't paid attention to american politics over the past thirty years, or isn't american, which is far more excusable. In the cut throat world american politics, its political careers first, country second.
The republicans and democrats both must have thought themselves to be oh so terribly clever when this whole fiscal cliff deal was struck a couple of years ago, in the midst of our interminable squabbling.
Both sides must have thought it could use the device to stare down and force the other side to blink at just the right (politically expedient) moment, and now, the silly idiots are about to incompentently, uncontrollably shove us over a budget cliff dreaded by all, utterly powerless to prevent their own timebomb from exploding, and killing their political careers.
That's what'll happen if we're lucky; we'll go over the cliff, survive it, gradually learn to accept and then to like it, get back on our national economic feet, and run all these incredibly incompetent politicians outta town.
Leaning Toward the Light
WHY DON'T WE tear up that list of new year's resolutions before it becomes too long and unrealistic. As midnight on december thirty first appraoahces, there need be no pressure and excitement of becoming, instantaneously, a devoted physical fitness fanatic, or a non smoker, or heavens only knows what else. Maybe one more cigarette, even after midnight.
Thinking oif giving up meat? Why do it on january first, or any other particular day? Instead, a more gentle, pallatable approach might lead to better long term results. I shall think in terms of less meat, more plants, and as I eat my way into the new year, gradually i will manifest a tendency towards the vegan lifestyle. Maybe one vegetarian day per month, or per week, for starters. Baby steps.
No alcohol, no smokes, no fat, no booze - ever! Sounds a bit harsh, doesn't it? Harsh, unnecessary, and unrealistic. Maybe a gentler alternative is needed to complete cold turkey abstanance. Maybe just most of the time. Maybe minor deviations are to be tolerated. A cold beer here, a cheeseburger there, maybe even a nice cigar on holidays.
Rigid resolutions and rules weaken and stagger, the bubble bursts, the dam breaks, the avalanche of regret fueled by mindless orgies of pent up excess leave a shell shocked, defeated idealist, broken and confused.
"There is no surer way to blunt a resolution than by talking about it." (goethe) Avoiding the grandiose planning, the bold talk, and quietly leaning into the light, in the general direction of our desired destination, and calmly taking a step ot two; its a start, and with the beginning comes greater sureness of purpose, and most likely, ultimate success.
Empty beer bottles, empty boxes of twinkies wrappers, the dusty stationary bicycle in the corner...signs of high hopes dashed by the forces of reality. It is perfectly acceptable to not become perfect at the stroke of midnight. Just a little progress each day is good enough.
Thinking oif giving up meat? Why do it on january first, or any other particular day? Instead, a more gentle, pallatable approach might lead to better long term results. I shall think in terms of less meat, more plants, and as I eat my way into the new year, gradually i will manifest a tendency towards the vegan lifestyle. Maybe one vegetarian day per month, or per week, for starters. Baby steps.
No alcohol, no smokes, no fat, no booze - ever! Sounds a bit harsh, doesn't it? Harsh, unnecessary, and unrealistic. Maybe a gentler alternative is needed to complete cold turkey abstanance. Maybe just most of the time. Maybe minor deviations are to be tolerated. A cold beer here, a cheeseburger there, maybe even a nice cigar on holidays.
Rigid resolutions and rules weaken and stagger, the bubble bursts, the dam breaks, the avalanche of regret fueled by mindless orgies of pent up excess leave a shell shocked, defeated idealist, broken and confused.
"There is no surer way to blunt a resolution than by talking about it." (goethe) Avoiding the grandiose planning, the bold talk, and quietly leaning into the light, in the general direction of our desired destination, and calmly taking a step ot two; its a start, and with the beginning comes greater sureness of purpose, and most likely, ultimate success.
Empty beer bottles, empty boxes of twinkies wrappers, the dusty stationary bicycle in the corner...signs of high hopes dashed by the forces of reality. It is perfectly acceptable to not become perfect at the stroke of midnight. Just a little progress each day is good enough.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Ascent of the Common Man
THE RUSSIAN MEDIA isn't really all that different from its american counterpart; it hits hard, it hits often, and it really attacks at the end of a presidential or prime ministerial press conderence, figuring they have nothing to lose, and, hell, the leader is tired, worn down, ready to give.
Within this delightful civilized set of circumstances the russian media ganged up on and voraciously attacked russian prime minister medvedev a few weeks ago, at the end of a long series of questions about nothing in particular and everything in general, in which he had given his all, and was spent.
He confessed that the russian government has secret information concerning aliens; that whenever any new leader assumes power in russia he is handed a thick notebook detailing the precise nature of this information.
In a way, he seemed to be joking, in a way, he didn't. The questions was thrown at him in the half witted hope that he might really hadve something and, under duress, spill it by accident. Another possibility is taht medvddev, feeling put upon by an overly aggressive gang of reporters, decided to mess with it a bit.
Either way, the real truth about aliens and human contact probably does not lay concealed in government circles, russian, american, or any other. Most probably it lies within the hearts and minds of nightshift cops, airline pilots, naval deck hands, and other ordinary run of the mill folks.
whatever a man like medvedev says, we pay attention. So, men like medvedev must be careful what they say.
We tend to want to focus on the powerful, the famous, the dominant. In so doing wo often forget the enormous impact the millions of us "little people" have on human history and culture. Most human achievement is provided by the masses, and ignored. Even when it comes to UFOs, the best sources of information are probably people you have never heard of.
Somebody should get busy describing the history of all of us, because we all have a contribution or two to make.
Within this delightful civilized set of circumstances the russian media ganged up on and voraciously attacked russian prime minister medvedev a few weeks ago, at the end of a long series of questions about nothing in particular and everything in general, in which he had given his all, and was spent.
He confessed that the russian government has secret information concerning aliens; that whenever any new leader assumes power in russia he is handed a thick notebook detailing the precise nature of this information.
In a way, he seemed to be joking, in a way, he didn't. The questions was thrown at him in the half witted hope that he might really hadve something and, under duress, spill it by accident. Another possibility is taht medvddev, feeling put upon by an overly aggressive gang of reporters, decided to mess with it a bit.
Either way, the real truth about aliens and human contact probably does not lay concealed in government circles, russian, american, or any other. Most probably it lies within the hearts and minds of nightshift cops, airline pilots, naval deck hands, and other ordinary run of the mill folks.
whatever a man like medvedev says, we pay attention. So, men like medvedev must be careful what they say.
We tend to want to focus on the powerful, the famous, the dominant. In so doing wo often forget the enormous impact the millions of us "little people" have on human history and culture. Most human achievement is provided by the masses, and ignored. Even when it comes to UFOs, the best sources of information are probably people you have never heard of.
Somebody should get busy describing the history of all of us, because we all have a contribution or two to make.
Are We Living In THE New Age Yet?
WHEN ASKED for a succinct definition of history, a renowned historian replied "one damned thing after another". And right he was. Dude got right to the point, didn't he?
We made it past december 21, 2012 apocalypse day, the day the mayan calendar and the world ended. Earth crosses the galactic equator once every twenty six thousand years, including most recently last friday. The mayans, fifteen hundred years ago, knew this was going to happen, and so they stopped their calendar, rather than continue it for another twenty six thousand years.
All this hoopla about 12/21/12 we have endured/encouraged over the past few years was entirely a modern phenomenon' the mayans said nothing about what would happen last firday, other than the end of a long count.
Blame the media, blame the new agers; blame us all, it was a lot of fun, rather remindful of 1/1/00/, 11/11/11, and all the rest. Having fun with numbers. and why not?
But we still need to hear something from the new age people, the true believers, those who insisted all along that after the solstice, everything would be different. Yet in all the pre solstice excitement, not many specifics have come forth concerning exactly how the world will soon be different.
During the past several months what i remember hearing mostly is that the world will be a better place in general, with sweeping economic reforms and direct extraterrestrial participation in human affairs combining to make for a wonderful future for all.
Well, bring it on! It is probably safe to assume that most of us humans would love nothing more than to live the remainder of our lives far different and better than the current one. What's a little extraterrestrail involvment among friends? Sw'll get used to it, and, probably end up liking it, wondering how we ever managed to get by before our friends from the stars arrived.
Within days, as you know if you haven't been living on mars, the united states must either go off the fiscal cliff, or back away from it. Who knows? Maybe this budgetary turmoil is part of the overall plan to bring about drastic reform to the world's economy. Let's hope so.
We made it past december 21, 2012 apocalypse day, the day the mayan calendar and the world ended. Earth crosses the galactic equator once every twenty six thousand years, including most recently last friday. The mayans, fifteen hundred years ago, knew this was going to happen, and so they stopped their calendar, rather than continue it for another twenty six thousand years.
All this hoopla about 12/21/12 we have endured/encouraged over the past few years was entirely a modern phenomenon' the mayans said nothing about what would happen last firday, other than the end of a long count.
Blame the media, blame the new agers; blame us all, it was a lot of fun, rather remindful of 1/1/00/, 11/11/11, and all the rest. Having fun with numbers. and why not?
But we still need to hear something from the new age people, the true believers, those who insisted all along that after the solstice, everything would be different. Yet in all the pre solstice excitement, not many specifics have come forth concerning exactly how the world will soon be different.
During the past several months what i remember hearing mostly is that the world will be a better place in general, with sweeping economic reforms and direct extraterrestrial participation in human affairs combining to make for a wonderful future for all.
Well, bring it on! It is probably safe to assume that most of us humans would love nothing more than to live the remainder of our lives far different and better than the current one. What's a little extraterrestrail involvment among friends? Sw'll get used to it, and, probably end up liking it, wondering how we ever managed to get by before our friends from the stars arrived.
Within days, as you know if you haven't been living on mars, the united states must either go off the fiscal cliff, or back away from it. Who knows? Maybe this budgetary turmoil is part of the overall plan to bring about drastic reform to the world's economy. Let's hope so.
Diagnoses
AS I GREW into adolescence, i began to think that i might be manic depressive, or what they perhaps call bi polar, or something even newer, now. I thought this because it seemed to fit. my father treated for it, millions of people have it, and its hereditary.
Then, just a few years ago, in no uncertain terms, during a casual conversation with a psychiatric therapist, i was told that i am indeed not bi polar. I merely have mood swings, like anyone else.
You've never seen real bi polar, i was told. YOU do not know real bi polar. I do, i was told, because i have seen it every day for fifty years. Real bi polar people are nothing like you, i was told. They are the real deal. well, I became convinced.
Whereas in the fairly near term we are almost certain to find definite ways to prevent and treat cancer, and many other diseases, using nano technology, computer imaging, and other ultra modern methods. No such luck seems lurking on the horizon for various mental illnesses, most notably depression. Twenty years ago we got all excited about prozac...
... and we continued to stay excited through all its various improved versions, and all the other new and improved anti depressants to have hit the market since. and the sad fact is, none of them works all that well, or as well as we want them to, need them to.
Depression is caused by a generalized feeling of being unable to help a bad situation, of ultimate powerlessness. Much of this comes from environmental events which cannot be prevented. Plug a leak in your depression here, and another pops up somewhere else.
The isolation alienated culture, the competition and consequences, and external petty tyrannies which researchers think may contribute to depression, seem destined to remain with us, and tinkering around with the electro-chemical processes within the human brain seems a tad....well, tricky.
Then, just a few years ago, in no uncertain terms, during a casual conversation with a psychiatric therapist, i was told that i am indeed not bi polar. I merely have mood swings, like anyone else.
You've never seen real bi polar, i was told. YOU do not know real bi polar. I do, i was told, because i have seen it every day for fifty years. Real bi polar people are nothing like you, i was told. They are the real deal. well, I became convinced.
Whereas in the fairly near term we are almost certain to find definite ways to prevent and treat cancer, and many other diseases, using nano technology, computer imaging, and other ultra modern methods. No such luck seems lurking on the horizon for various mental illnesses, most notably depression. Twenty years ago we got all excited about prozac...
... and we continued to stay excited through all its various improved versions, and all the other new and improved anti depressants to have hit the market since. and the sad fact is, none of them works all that well, or as well as we want them to, need them to.
Depression is caused by a generalized feeling of being unable to help a bad situation, of ultimate powerlessness. Much of this comes from environmental events which cannot be prevented. Plug a leak in your depression here, and another pops up somewhere else.
The isolation alienated culture, the competition and consequences, and external petty tyrannies which researchers think may contribute to depression, seem destined to remain with us, and tinkering around with the electro-chemical processes within the human brain seems a tad....well, tricky.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Always
NIGHTMARISH, REALLY, being told by a good friend that he or she has cancer. The first implulse is to deny , run, and hide, because the news hits like a jackhammer. But then when one calms down a bit and starts to think about it, one starts getting a sense of hope.
You start to remember, for instance, that here in the twenty first century anything is possible. Anything is probable. If you are alive now, you have a chance to be alive a long time, just based on current state of the art medicine and disease treatment.
The progress we the human species have made was paid for at a high price, so we want to keep and take care of it. Hence, civilization. Hence, history and the other social studies. Preserving our knowledge, and using it to create new knowledge tomorrow is the key to our success.
We accept the fact that we are going to die, but we never accept it now, or in the immediate future. Its always a few moments away, at least. And better to keep it that way, because it is that way, the universe is that way, always pointing to the future, although ultimately, timeless.
Our eternal timelessless confuses us. In this lifetime we are so closely joined to the clock that the our ture nature, eternal timelessness, eludes us in our constant slinging to schedules and time. Truth is, we need never worry about dying, anymore than we need worry about second grade being different from first grade.
All the phases are different, the river of life journey is always good, always changing, transforming, never ending, always beginning.
You start to remember, for instance, that here in the twenty first century anything is possible. Anything is probable. If you are alive now, you have a chance to be alive a long time, just based on current state of the art medicine and disease treatment.
The progress we the human species have made was paid for at a high price, so we want to keep and take care of it. Hence, civilization. Hence, history and the other social studies. Preserving our knowledge, and using it to create new knowledge tomorrow is the key to our success.
We accept the fact that we are going to die, but we never accept it now, or in the immediate future. Its always a few moments away, at least. And better to keep it that way, because it is that way, the universe is that way, always pointing to the future, although ultimately, timeless.
Our eternal timelessless confuses us. In this lifetime we are so closely joined to the clock that the our ture nature, eternal timelessness, eludes us in our constant slinging to schedules and time. Truth is, we need never worry about dying, anymore than we need worry about second grade being different from first grade.
All the phases are different, the river of life journey is always good, always changing, transforming, never ending, always beginning.
Keeping Power From the People
Every presidential election in america someone asks the same question; why do we have the "electoral college?", what purpose does it serve? The answer, of course, has always been the same, from the day the constitution was ratified on september 17, 1787, to the present day.
The purpsose of the electoral is to keep power away from the people, the masses, the unruly, uneducated mob, and to keep it in the hands of the aristocratic elite. That is the purpose for which it was established, and that is the purpose it serves today, though it neednt; we have invented much more effective means of oppressing the people.
From the beginning the purpose of government in the united has been to create a natural aristorracy by putting power in the hands of people with money. Possession of land and money prove intelligence and ability, and create a stake in society, and therefore that is where power belongs, naturally.
The founding fathers feared democracy more than anything, because crazy political ideas and candidates were capable of spreading in popularity among the uneducated masses. Therefore they installed various representative devices, like the ecectoral college, in which electors chosen by the legislatures are elected by people believing they are voting for a president, then those electors vote for the president. They (the electors) do not necessarily have to follow the people's vote.
On several occasions the will of the people was blatantly disregarded with regard to choosing a president, notably in 1824, 1876, 1888, and most recently, latest but not not least, 2000, when the supreme court, voting strictly along party lines, chose bush over gore by a five to four vote.
The time has most likely come to abolish the electoral college, and possibly ordain and establish a new updated federal constition without it. While we're at it, eliminate the prohibition and repeal of prohibition amendments; they are redundant, and only make us look silly anyway.
The purpsose of the electoral is to keep power away from the people, the masses, the unruly, uneducated mob, and to keep it in the hands of the aristocratic elite. That is the purpose for which it was established, and that is the purpose it serves today, though it neednt; we have invented much more effective means of oppressing the people.
From the beginning the purpose of government in the united has been to create a natural aristorracy by putting power in the hands of people with money. Possession of land and money prove intelligence and ability, and create a stake in society, and therefore that is where power belongs, naturally.
The founding fathers feared democracy more than anything, because crazy political ideas and candidates were capable of spreading in popularity among the uneducated masses. Therefore they installed various representative devices, like the ecectoral college, in which electors chosen by the legislatures are elected by people believing they are voting for a president, then those electors vote for the president. They (the electors) do not necessarily have to follow the people's vote.
On several occasions the will of the people was blatantly disregarded with regard to choosing a president, notably in 1824, 1876, 1888, and most recently, latest but not not least, 2000, when the supreme court, voting strictly along party lines, chose bush over gore by a five to four vote.
The time has most likely come to abolish the electoral college, and possibly ordain and establish a new updated federal constition without it. While we're at it, eliminate the prohibition and repeal of prohibition amendments; they are redundant, and only make us look silly anyway.
Reverse Psychology
IT HAS BEEN widely reported in the media (what isn't widely reported in the media?) that the young man who killed twenty eight people, including himself, was quite a viedo game addict, and spent hours each day in his mother's basement, violently gaming: black ops, and so forth.
Nothing is cited as a cause of our epidemic of random shooting sprees as much as american culture in general, violent games, movies, and TV programs in particular. It is widely considered to be the root cause of the problem. The NRA recently joined in the attack on mainstream violent culture, keeping attention away from real guns in the hands of real people.
Now it has been suggested by dallas lawyer and student of american society norton rosenthal that quite the reverse may be true. All the violent culture may be the only thing, or one of the only things, keeping potential shooting spreesters away from the real action.
Last year the U.S. Supreme Court made mention, in one of its rulings, of the fact that no study has ever been produced positively linking violent images in popular culture with violence in the real world.
Is it really possible that all this vicarious violence is a social palliative, a soothing salve providing an outlet for internal agression, gently drawing off tension, keeping folks in their basements and off of the streets, making america safe (well, almost).
Instead of violent culture making violent people violent who start shooting sprees, maybe the opposite is true; violent society ( divorce court, parental alienation, asperger's syndrome, bullying) creating violent people, who, sooner or later, despite the angry energy being constantly drained away through vicarious entertainment, will reach a limit, and will explode, violently, if pushed far enough by the circumstances of their lives.
Maybe the root problem of our ongoing american orgy of violence is not so much vicarious violence in entertainment, but rather, violence in our personal lives, our anger with each other, our divorces and lawsuits and grudges and lingering unresolved resentments from bygone days.
Nothing is cited as a cause of our epidemic of random shooting sprees as much as american culture in general, violent games, movies, and TV programs in particular. It is widely considered to be the root cause of the problem. The NRA recently joined in the attack on mainstream violent culture, keeping attention away from real guns in the hands of real people.
Now it has been suggested by dallas lawyer and student of american society norton rosenthal that quite the reverse may be true. All the violent culture may be the only thing, or one of the only things, keeping potential shooting spreesters away from the real action.
Last year the U.S. Supreme Court made mention, in one of its rulings, of the fact that no study has ever been produced positively linking violent images in popular culture with violence in the real world.
Is it really possible that all this vicarious violence is a social palliative, a soothing salve providing an outlet for internal agression, gently drawing off tension, keeping folks in their basements and off of the streets, making america safe (well, almost).
Instead of violent culture making violent people violent who start shooting sprees, maybe the opposite is true; violent society ( divorce court, parental alienation, asperger's syndrome, bullying) creating violent people, who, sooner or later, despite the angry energy being constantly drained away through vicarious entertainment, will reach a limit, and will explode, violently, if pushed far enough by the circumstances of their lives.
Maybe the root problem of our ongoing american orgy of violence is not so much vicarious violence in entertainment, but rather, violence in our personal lives, our anger with each other, our divorces and lawsuits and grudges and lingering unresolved resentments from bygone days.
Wherefore Sandy Hook
THE ULTIMATE QUESTION IS: why did it happen? What caused it ? A very plausible answer to this question comes from dallas attorney and social analyst norton rosenthal, who coherently lays out a four part combination of forces which he demonstrably argues conspired to produce the tragedy in sandy hook.
1. Divorce Court
2.Parental Alienation Syndrome
3.Asperger Syndrome
4.Bullying
The young man who allegedly committed this awful crime was the victim, product, result,(whichever term suits) of that great american spectacle, a nasty divorce, and that great american nemesis, divorce court. The mother was awarded custody, and substantial financial considerations. There was a conses among close observers that in this particular case the father would have been a far better custodial parent, but the court chose to stick with tradition, and favor the mother.
She proceeded to carry out a persistant brainwashing campaign on her son against the father, for no other apparent reason than typical divorce anger. Anyone who has spent a childhood hiding from the hostilities between beloved parents can attest to the emotional trauma thus sustained.
Asperger Syndrome is one of the mysterious, inexplicable mental disorders, like autism. Its cause or causes are not known with any degree of certainty,, treatments are sketchy, and its effects are subtle in appearance but profound in their effects.
People with aspergers see the world in very clear cut, black and white terms, and rely heavily on rules of conduct, rather than creative, spontaneous decision making. Teasing a friend who has aspergers can lead to misunderstanding because some of the subtle nuances, body language, vocal inflections, and so forth, frequently used in humor and other communication, are not as apparent to asergers folks.
This can often lead to difficulties in social integration and relationship building. In grade school in particular, (and in america in particular) bullying can set in, and add fuel to the anger and confusion of an asperger's person with lingering familial based anger.
Victims of bullying later exhibit bullying behavior with sufficient frequency and predictibility that the term "they tend to" is quite appropiate. And this is the breaking point, the formation of catastrophe.
Bullying can assume many many forms, and it does not have to last long to be effective, e.g., to yield satisfactorily comforting internal, emotional results. If only for a moment. If only for that brief, unbelieveably high moment febore the uniforms and pointed weapons intervene to spoil the horrible desperate angry fun.
1. Divorce Court
2.Parental Alienation Syndrome
3.Asperger Syndrome
4.Bullying
The young man who allegedly committed this awful crime was the victim, product, result,(whichever term suits) of that great american spectacle, a nasty divorce, and that great american nemesis, divorce court. The mother was awarded custody, and substantial financial considerations. There was a conses among close observers that in this particular case the father would have been a far better custodial parent, but the court chose to stick with tradition, and favor the mother.
She proceeded to carry out a persistant brainwashing campaign on her son against the father, for no other apparent reason than typical divorce anger. Anyone who has spent a childhood hiding from the hostilities between beloved parents can attest to the emotional trauma thus sustained.
Asperger Syndrome is one of the mysterious, inexplicable mental disorders, like autism. Its cause or causes are not known with any degree of certainty,, treatments are sketchy, and its effects are subtle in appearance but profound in their effects.
People with aspergers see the world in very clear cut, black and white terms, and rely heavily on rules of conduct, rather than creative, spontaneous decision making. Teasing a friend who has aspergers can lead to misunderstanding because some of the subtle nuances, body language, vocal inflections, and so forth, frequently used in humor and other communication, are not as apparent to asergers folks.
This can often lead to difficulties in social integration and relationship building. In grade school in particular, (and in america in particular) bullying can set in, and add fuel to the anger and confusion of an asperger's person with lingering familial based anger.
Victims of bullying later exhibit bullying behavior with sufficient frequency and predictibility that the term "they tend to" is quite appropiate. And this is the breaking point, the formation of catastrophe.
Bullying can assume many many forms, and it does not have to last long to be effective, e.g., to yield satisfactorily comforting internal, emotional results. If only for a moment. If only for that brief, unbelieveably high moment febore the uniforms and pointed weapons intervene to spoil the horrible desperate angry fun.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Predicting, and Hoping
FRIDAY THE twenty first of december, 2012 came and went , the mayan calendar ended, but the world did not end, which many peopew no doubt regret. But no worries. Not everyone predicted the end of the world. A fair number of folks were talking about amazing things happening, alright, but in the other direction..
..in the direction of happiness, not termination. The direction of enhanced human happiness and prosperity, rther than the current continuing grinding poverty. Among all the thinkers and future planners we have running amok are a fair number who insist the future, the near future, is filled with promise, with progress and enlightenment.
The precise nature of these events is a bit murky, but the two most recurring prediction seems to bve that the current state of the global economy will soon be drastically altered, indeed is currently in the process of being so altered.
The other most frequently encountered new world paradigm has the enlightened extraterrestrials of the galactic federation working with certain humans to bring about "disclosure", the blatant entry of the aliens into direct human awareness.
So, that should be exciting. The are other predictions about the near future as well, concerning the end of poverty, disease, inequality, and violence. You end up hoping they all come true, and you wonder if this is what makes them so attractive to their adherants.
The earthquakes, tornados, electromagnetic wipe out and end of world did not occur, and it very strongly appears that it is not going to occur. That in and of itself, is comforting. Now, however, we are stuck with the same old world we had before we all begin to hope so forvantly for another one.
..in the direction of happiness, not termination. The direction of enhanced human happiness and prosperity, rther than the current continuing grinding poverty. Among all the thinkers and future planners we have running amok are a fair number who insist the future, the near future, is filled with promise, with progress and enlightenment.
The precise nature of these events is a bit murky, but the two most recurring prediction seems to bve that the current state of the global economy will soon be drastically altered, indeed is currently in the process of being so altered.
The other most frequently encountered new world paradigm has the enlightened extraterrestrials of the galactic federation working with certain humans to bring about "disclosure", the blatant entry of the aliens into direct human awareness.
So, that should be exciting. The are other predictions about the near future as well, concerning the end of poverty, disease, inequality, and violence. You end up hoping they all come true, and you wonder if this is what makes them so attractive to their adherants.
The earthquakes, tornados, electromagnetic wipe out and end of world did not occur, and it very strongly appears that it is not going to occur. That in and of itself, is comforting. Now, however, we are stuck with the same old world we had before we all begin to hope so forvantly for another one.
Entertainment
Throughout this great nation football, including high school football, provides one of our backbones of culture and entertainment. Millions of us love the friday night games in particular. We spend great amounts of money on it.
In the small town of lincoln, arkansas, a niew high school was built, along with a new football stadium, which wasn't ready for the season. So they played the entire season in the old stadium, clearly showing that it was good enough. They have no auditorium - and two football s.
In the great american community of fayetteville, arkansas, special attention is being given the high school football program. An indoor football practice facility is being built, is in fact into the final stage of completion, so its too late to stop it.
Apparently the field is fifty yards long, not bad, and regulation width. It must be truly lovely, and I can't wait to see it. But it does bring to mind a possible question or twenty, such as; are we really sure we want to do things like this?
Is it even remotely possible that the construction of this nice building is an indication of just a bit too much interest in american football by americans? One wonders whether the money spent to build it might have been better spent on something a bit less exciting, such as microscpes, book, and so forth.
Nonetheless, its a very nice building, I understand, and the football games are riveting.
In the small town of lincoln, arkansas, a niew high school was built, along with a new football stadium, which wasn't ready for the season. So they played the entire season in the old stadium, clearly showing that it was good enough. They have no auditorium - and two football s.
In the great american community of fayetteville, arkansas, special attention is being given the high school football program. An indoor football practice facility is being built, is in fact into the final stage of completion, so its too late to stop it.
Apparently the field is fifty yards long, not bad, and regulation width. It must be truly lovely, and I can't wait to see it. But it does bring to mind a possible question or twenty, such as; are we really sure we want to do things like this?
Is it even remotely possible that the construction of this nice building is an indication of just a bit too much interest in american football by americans? One wonders whether the money spent to build it might have been better spent on something a bit less exciting, such as microscpes, book, and so forth.
Nonetheless, its a very nice building, I understand, and the football games are riveting.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Nation of Extremes
Americans either work too much, or they work too little. Overemployed, or underemployed. Its appropiate, in a strange sort of way, because with the constant shrinking of america's middle class comes the shrinking of the balanced healthy life.
Overemployed, or underemployed.......
Those who work work well over forty hours a week, on average, as many as forty five, fifty, sixty hours per week, or beyond.
Then, there are those millinons who get in just under the full time mark, sometimes wroking thirty eight hours a week for very clever scheming employers, thus just missing out on benefits. ouch!
Then, of course, the millions of unemployed, who seem to have less hope for a future then ever before. Long term unemployed are increasing in number.
The average work week in europe is thirty five hours long, with six weeks of paid vacation, on average.
The united states has a way to go. Not only is the standard of living higher in europe, not only are they wealthier in europe, but they dont spend trillions on military procurement, trying to control the world.
maybe there's a connection somewhere.
the united states is a nation of haves and haves not, with little to nothing in bewteen.
It has been pointed out by economics demographers that america, in structure, more closely resembles a third world country than anything else. We certainly do not seem to match up very well with europe's industrial and prosperous nations, what with their benefits and pay for workers, and socialized health care system, and general prosperity..
The Danes pay a seventy percent tax rate, if you can believe it, but in denmark the lawyer and the custodian live in the same neighborhood, college students are paid to study, and danes, on the whole, are happy. Much happier than americans, it seems.
in fact, americans rank 33rd on the world wide happiness list, and follow up surveys indicate that most americans do not consider themselves underranked.
Maybe a little humanity and compassion and cooperation comes in handy, after all.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Fighting Back
THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION, which claims four million members and has for a very
long time been considered by american conservatives to be the backbone and soul of american strength, virtue, and prosperity, has quite possibly gone a bit too far this time.
Or maybe its just par for the course for america's hallowed jesus, guns, and money crowd.
The NRA, expected to say something, anything, about the long established american custom of gun violence flavored with the occasional shooting spree, and how to mitigate it a bit, has done so. The NRA believes the solution to gun enhanced violence in freedom's land is for all the "good" people to own and carry more weapons, to join the national rifle association, and to perform a few incidental tasks, such as taking more target practice and keeping their handguns cleaner.
A wave of grumbling and outright discontent spread across the amber waves of grain, with conservatives lagging a bit behind, but showing up belatedly, no worse for the wear.
A friend of mine has decided that he and his wife will protect themselves from the forces of evil by purchasing their own handguns, nine millimeter semi automatics, if i heard the details correctly. Their aim is to do it up right, with formal training and the purchase of something called a "gunsafe".
I extrapolated that their intent is to lock their pieces in the safe, and to remove them only when necessary, such as when its time for a lesson, or to fend of violent intruders. I asked what the plan is:
when a terrorist or home intruder threatens or begins burgling or blasting away, does the strategy call for calling time out, turning the key with memorized combination, loading up, then rejoining the fray packing heat? I swear on a stack of bullet proof bibles I cannot recall my friend's response, but he damned well had one, My loss; do doubt it was a doozy.
You can't just put the hardware under you rpillow; they are somewhat lumpy and inhibit sleep comfort, and might present the danger of doing the job intended for the bedside alarm clock, but a bit more dramatically.
This scenario is being played out all across the span of our well armed bastion of freely marketed democracy and christian virtue. Gun sales are once again up, up, up, and those who earn their keep teaching other show to defend themselves are moving into the middle class, which is more noticable than ever, because nobody else is.
Grade school children are even starting to head off to class toting bullet proof backpacks. The ever popular phrase "I've got your back" has taken on a whole new meaning.
As always, stay tuned. Chances are things will only get weirder and more enchanting here in the fun house.
long time been considered by american conservatives to be the backbone and soul of american strength, virtue, and prosperity, has quite possibly gone a bit too far this time.
Or maybe its just par for the course for america's hallowed jesus, guns, and money crowd.
The NRA, expected to say something, anything, about the long established american custom of gun violence flavored with the occasional shooting spree, and how to mitigate it a bit, has done so. The NRA believes the solution to gun enhanced violence in freedom's land is for all the "good" people to own and carry more weapons, to join the national rifle association, and to perform a few incidental tasks, such as taking more target practice and keeping their handguns cleaner.
A wave of grumbling and outright discontent spread across the amber waves of grain, with conservatives lagging a bit behind, but showing up belatedly, no worse for the wear.
A friend of mine has decided that he and his wife will protect themselves from the forces of evil by purchasing their own handguns, nine millimeter semi automatics, if i heard the details correctly. Their aim is to do it up right, with formal training and the purchase of something called a "gunsafe".
I extrapolated that their intent is to lock their pieces in the safe, and to remove them only when necessary, such as when its time for a lesson, or to fend of violent intruders. I asked what the plan is:
when a terrorist or home intruder threatens or begins burgling or blasting away, does the strategy call for calling time out, turning the key with memorized combination, loading up, then rejoining the fray packing heat? I swear on a stack of bullet proof bibles I cannot recall my friend's response, but he damned well had one, My loss; do doubt it was a doozy.
You can't just put the hardware under you rpillow; they are somewhat lumpy and inhibit sleep comfort, and might present the danger of doing the job intended for the bedside alarm clock, but a bit more dramatically.
This scenario is being played out all across the span of our well armed bastion of freely marketed democracy and christian virtue. Gun sales are once again up, up, up, and those who earn their keep teaching other show to defend themselves are moving into the middle class, which is more noticable than ever, because nobody else is.
Grade school children are even starting to head off to class toting bullet proof backpacks. The ever popular phrase "I've got your back" has taken on a whole new meaning.
As always, stay tuned. Chances are things will only get weirder and more enchanting here in the fun house.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas in Russia, and Elsewhere
IN RUSSIA, CHRISTMAS is celebrated on january sixth or seventh, if memory serves. The holiday season begins on january first, and its usually about a ten day celebration, with shopping for presents, decorations, decorated evergreen trees, much like the united states.
The difference in dates stems from calendar and cultural differences. Of course, for seventy years, the soviet union was officially an athiest country, so the past twenty years have seen a return of christmas with a special vigor. Even during the soviet era, all the trappings, and to a certain degree the religious aspect remined intact, but much abridged.
The russians celebrate the brith of joshua ben joseph, the person whom we call jesus, just as we americans do and people do all over the world, in winter, even though he was most probably born during the first week of april, in early spring, according to the experts.
The early winter observance was designed by the early christian church to lure the northern europeans into the faith, by coinciding with their festival celebrating the passing of the winter solstice, and the beginning of the lengthining of days, the return of the sun. christmas is, in a very real sense, a pagan festival rejoicing at the end of ever shortening daylight hours.
The message of jesus has influenced the world like no other, and for this, we give thanks and reverence. The sad part is the manner in which we have distorted him.
Pure was jesus in his passion
In his heart but one god serving.
Who of him a god would fashion
From his sacred will is swerving. (johann wolfgang von goethe)
Jesus never intended to be called a god, claimed goethe. No only do we butcher his name, we misunderstand who he was, and what his purpose was. Instead of simply accepting his incredible wisdom and living by it, we erected around it a bizarre dogma, in which he becomes a sacrificial lamb for a vengeful, capricious god.
Perhaps there will come a time when we accept joshua ben joseph on his terms, not ours. Not likely soon, unfortunately.
The difference in dates stems from calendar and cultural differences. Of course, for seventy years, the soviet union was officially an athiest country, so the past twenty years have seen a return of christmas with a special vigor. Even during the soviet era, all the trappings, and to a certain degree the religious aspect remined intact, but much abridged.
The russians celebrate the brith of joshua ben joseph, the person whom we call jesus, just as we americans do and people do all over the world, in winter, even though he was most probably born during the first week of april, in early spring, according to the experts.
The early winter observance was designed by the early christian church to lure the northern europeans into the faith, by coinciding with their festival celebrating the passing of the winter solstice, and the beginning of the lengthining of days, the return of the sun. christmas is, in a very real sense, a pagan festival rejoicing at the end of ever shortening daylight hours.
The message of jesus has influenced the world like no other, and for this, we give thanks and reverence. The sad part is the manner in which we have distorted him.
Pure was jesus in his passion
In his heart but one god serving.
Who of him a god would fashion
From his sacred will is swerving. (johann wolfgang von goethe)
Jesus never intended to be called a god, claimed goethe. No only do we butcher his name, we misunderstand who he was, and what his purpose was. Instead of simply accepting his incredible wisdom and living by it, we erected around it a bizarre dogma, in which he becomes a sacrificial lamb for a vengeful, capricious god.
Perhaps there will come a time when we accept joshua ben joseph on his terms, not ours. Not likely soon, unfortunately.
Different Ways To die
"EVERY TIME there's a shooting spree they want to take away the guns from everybody who didn't do it" --- William S. Burroughs
"Before every shoothing spree the gunman is among those who hadn't yet done it." -- R. R. Bond
Just another example of: its all how you look at it.
Of the tens of millions of guns in america, one or two of them, at least, are owned by people who will, within a short period of time, get off their lazy butts and get out and kill a few folks at random. That is, at any rate, what is indicated by recent history.
Or perhaps it will never happen again (he said, while dreaming). Since we don't know who the future shooters are, take everyone's guns, punish a few million innocent gun owners. Just to be safe. Maybe its worth it. Maybe it isn't.
Random gunpeople kill more people than terrorists, and cars kill more people than guns. Cars don't kill people, people kill cars. Oops, I mean, people kill people. If we eliminate guns and cars both, people will kill one another with neither as the vehicle of death. Then, we would have to think of other ways to do the killing, and, given our creative minds, don't count us out. If all else fails, we might have to rely on God to do the killing. He (or she, or it) seems willing.
Prescription medication doesn't kill people, hospital emergency rooms don't kill people, people kill people using prescription medication and emergency rooms. Its wisest to use these things judiciously.
I heard someone on the radio say something to the effect that anyone who is alvie right now has a chance of living indefinitely, due to advances in medical arts and sciences. It was either an octogenarian who said it, or a medical specialist on the aging process. Maybe both. Get a load of that one hundred year old doctor in san fran who said he does not think exercise or vitamins does much good, and he can back it up. Is he still living?
I think I'll exercise, take a few vitamins, but not too many, try to drive less, and stick to target shooting with BB guns. I'll try to avoid tailgaters, and practice dodging bullets. Maybe I'll live longer.
That way, if I die young, it might at least be my own damned fault.
"Before every shoothing spree the gunman is among those who hadn't yet done it." -- R. R. Bond
Just another example of: its all how you look at it.
Of the tens of millions of guns in america, one or two of them, at least, are owned by people who will, within a short period of time, get off their lazy butts and get out and kill a few folks at random. That is, at any rate, what is indicated by recent history.
Or perhaps it will never happen again (he said, while dreaming). Since we don't know who the future shooters are, take everyone's guns, punish a few million innocent gun owners. Just to be safe. Maybe its worth it. Maybe it isn't.
Random gunpeople kill more people than terrorists, and cars kill more people than guns. Cars don't kill people, people kill cars. Oops, I mean, people kill people. If we eliminate guns and cars both, people will kill one another with neither as the vehicle of death. Then, we would have to think of other ways to do the killing, and, given our creative minds, don't count us out. If all else fails, we might have to rely on God to do the killing. He (or she, or it) seems willing.
Prescription medication doesn't kill people, hospital emergency rooms don't kill people, people kill people using prescription medication and emergency rooms. Its wisest to use these things judiciously.
I heard someone on the radio say something to the effect that anyone who is alvie right now has a chance of living indefinitely, due to advances in medical arts and sciences. It was either an octogenarian who said it, or a medical specialist on the aging process. Maybe both. Get a load of that one hundred year old doctor in san fran who said he does not think exercise or vitamins does much good, and he can back it up. Is he still living?
I think I'll exercise, take a few vitamins, but not too many, try to drive less, and stick to target shooting with BB guns. I'll try to avoid tailgaters, and practice dodging bullets. Maybe I'll live longer.
That way, if I die young, it might at least be my own damned fault.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Put Up Or Shut Up Time
THE WORLD IS ON THE BRINK of extinction, for tomorrow is december 21, 2012, the day of infamy we all , or at least some of us, have long feared and anticipated. Several years ago my mother and my uncle said they hoped they would live long enough to see what happens. I told them that they probably would, but that probably nothing would happen. They did, and so far, nothing has. But it ainit over till its over. He's eighty eight and now she's ninety two, so, way to go, folks.
I hope they aren't disappointed after tomorrow. Did they want the world to end, and simply to live long to see it end, briefly, as they perish? Or did they want the world to go on turning, and look back on the ado about nothing. The latter, methinks.
During the past few weeks the true believers, the new age mayan calendar crowd, have been conspicuous by their absence. The furor has actually decreased as the great date approaches. Could it be that as crunch time nears, and the apocalyptic folks realize its put up or shut up, prudent silence has descended?
I certainly wouldn't want to be in the position of having preached impending doom for years, and be faced now with the prospect of a business as usual paradigm. It happens all the time. Some cult leader picks out a day of future doom, perhaps without fully comprehending that the future always arrives, and later leaves town with egg on face.
Doomsday shelters have sold out, and are now full, presumably well stocked, just in case the end is partial. Are the prophets getting nervous as friday morning nears? I would be, were i they. Nervous because of fear of the unknown, nervous for fear of death, or perhaps fear of future ridicule.
So, we wait and see, but not for long. the mayans were amazing astronomers and matheticians. Either they were extremely dedicated to their complicated calculations, they had too much free time on their hands, or the once every twenty six thousand year crossing of the solar system over the galactic equator fascinated them, and they knew that after it happens, the calendar need go no further.
Every calandar must end sometime, why not now, at this mathematically significant point in astrnomical history? From now on, every twenty six thousand years, its only going to be the same ole same ole, as earth and sun roller coaster their merry way around the edge of the milky way spiral disk. No need for a repitious calendar. The long count has been laid out, and enough is enough.
I don't know about you, but I have no plans to spend my retirement money tomorrow morning.
I hope they aren't disappointed after tomorrow. Did they want the world to end, and simply to live long to see it end, briefly, as they perish? Or did they want the world to go on turning, and look back on the ado about nothing. The latter, methinks.
During the past few weeks the true believers, the new age mayan calendar crowd, have been conspicuous by their absence. The furor has actually decreased as the great date approaches. Could it be that as crunch time nears, and the apocalyptic folks realize its put up or shut up, prudent silence has descended?
I certainly wouldn't want to be in the position of having preached impending doom for years, and be faced now with the prospect of a business as usual paradigm. It happens all the time. Some cult leader picks out a day of future doom, perhaps without fully comprehending that the future always arrives, and later leaves town with egg on face.
Doomsday shelters have sold out, and are now full, presumably well stocked, just in case the end is partial. Are the prophets getting nervous as friday morning nears? I would be, were i they. Nervous because of fear of the unknown, nervous for fear of death, or perhaps fear of future ridicule.
So, we wait and see, but not for long. the mayans were amazing astronomers and matheticians. Either they were extremely dedicated to their complicated calculations, they had too much free time on their hands, or the once every twenty six thousand year crossing of the solar system over the galactic equator fascinated them, and they knew that after it happens, the calendar need go no further.
Every calandar must end sometime, why not now, at this mathematically significant point in astrnomical history? From now on, every twenty six thousand years, its only going to be the same ole same ole, as earth and sun roller coaster their merry way around the edge of the milky way spiral disk. No need for a repitious calendar. The long count has been laid out, and enough is enough.
I don't know about you, but I have no plans to spend my retirement money tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow!
MY MY MY, how we all jump at the opportunity to spew suggestions about how to deal with the perpetual epidemic of violence in america. All it takes is a good old fashioned shooting spree to jump start our suggestion making juices.
Similarly, springtime in februrary, a few weeks of triple digit thermometer readings, or three and a half dollar gasloine, and here comes te green energy crowd, screaming bloody global warming. And similarly, I always do a better job of body weight supervision when I glance at the floor, and my gut blocks the view.
Might be nice if we could all amend human nature a mite, and go to work on our problems before they start slapping us in our newly freaked out faces, before they start kicking our collective behinds.
Next time the price of petrol drops below two fifty, let's pretend a dire emergency is upon us, and talk about green energy.
If ever a day passes withot one of our patented american murder marathons, let's talk turkey about how to find a way to refrain from sniping at each other.
Next time I see the floor, if ever I do again, I'm gonna make like a health and physical fitness fanatic, get some exercise, and cut out the twinkies. Just wait and see - tomorrow!
Similarly, springtime in februrary, a few weeks of triple digit thermometer readings, or three and a half dollar gasloine, and here comes te green energy crowd, screaming bloody global warming. And similarly, I always do a better job of body weight supervision when I glance at the floor, and my gut blocks the view.
Might be nice if we could all amend human nature a mite, and go to work on our problems before they start slapping us in our newly freaked out faces, before they start kicking our collective behinds.
Next time the price of petrol drops below two fifty, let's pretend a dire emergency is upon us, and talk about green energy.
If ever a day passes withot one of our patented american murder marathons, let's talk turkey about how to find a way to refrain from sniping at each other.
Next time I see the floor, if ever I do again, I'm gonna make like a health and physical fitness fanatic, get some exercise, and cut out the twinkies. Just wait and see - tomorrow!
Convoluted Arguing, For the Love of Money
MY UNCLE, A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL business person, decided unilaterally that the entire family will enjoy christmas dinner at a casino. I politely declined the invite, citing my inexplicable aversion to businesses owned and operated by organized crime.
Ever the clever conservative retort specialist, uncle suggested that if i have something against the mafia, maybe i ought not be so enthusiastic in my support of labor unions, which, it has long been rumored, have historically maintained a cordial relationship with our fedora bedecked violin case carrying friends.
Well done, dear uncle. Good point. Not quite good enough, albeit. The first thing i pointed out to him is that casinos are not necessary for modern industrial luxury laden human existence, whereas factories and coal mines are, last i heard.
I went on to gently remind my beloved that it is necessary that people be employed in aforementioned factories and mines, somebody has to do it, and that, if we the american people wish to justifiably consider ourselves to be among the civilized peoples of the world, workers in factories and mines must be treated fairly.
I tried to break it to him gently that this has not always been the case, in fact rarely if ever has it so been, and that folks with families who live in impoverished squalor sometimes mysteriously feel the need to gather together in barns, and talk about what to do to improve their collective lot.
One on one, worker against board of directors, somehow just don't too often seem to git 'er done. Then I made a few brief remarks about sweatshops, wal mart, the degree of reluctance with which owners tend to voluntarily bestow benefits, like health insurance, to workers, and so forth, and so on.
Hell, i said, what's wrong with a little mafia - labor union confabulation, just between friends? I mean, you know, whatever it takes, eh? If uncle sam ainta gonna do it, and the owners and managers ainta gonna do it, then, well...
Uncle conceded, with some reluctance, that yes, i had a good point or two. But he had to keep plugging away. He pointed to a comment made by a friend of his, a political science professor, to the effect that every time minimum wage is raised, high school students are motivated to drop out and go to work, due to the allure of wealth. My response to this was that his friend the professor must be out of his ever lovin' economically conservative head.
So, if minimum wage should by chance be generously raised to a living wage, which is unlikely at best, it seems america's senior class will drop out en mass, never get an education, and spend their lives in low wage hell, all because of a silly decision made for the shortsighted allure of quick money.
But if minimum wage is such a bad choice to choose, then are we sure that even high schoolers are gonna be stupid enough to be sufficiently attracted to an increase in said minimum wage to actually....
well, anyhow. I mean, what're you gonna say, or do?
Ever the clever conservative retort specialist, uncle suggested that if i have something against the mafia, maybe i ought not be so enthusiastic in my support of labor unions, which, it has long been rumored, have historically maintained a cordial relationship with our fedora bedecked violin case carrying friends.
Well done, dear uncle. Good point. Not quite good enough, albeit. The first thing i pointed out to him is that casinos are not necessary for modern industrial luxury laden human existence, whereas factories and coal mines are, last i heard.
I went on to gently remind my beloved that it is necessary that people be employed in aforementioned factories and mines, somebody has to do it, and that, if we the american people wish to justifiably consider ourselves to be among the civilized peoples of the world, workers in factories and mines must be treated fairly.
I tried to break it to him gently that this has not always been the case, in fact rarely if ever has it so been, and that folks with families who live in impoverished squalor sometimes mysteriously feel the need to gather together in barns, and talk about what to do to improve their collective lot.
One on one, worker against board of directors, somehow just don't too often seem to git 'er done. Then I made a few brief remarks about sweatshops, wal mart, the degree of reluctance with which owners tend to voluntarily bestow benefits, like health insurance, to workers, and so forth, and so on.
Hell, i said, what's wrong with a little mafia - labor union confabulation, just between friends? I mean, you know, whatever it takes, eh? If uncle sam ainta gonna do it, and the owners and managers ainta gonna do it, then, well...
Uncle conceded, with some reluctance, that yes, i had a good point or two. But he had to keep plugging away. He pointed to a comment made by a friend of his, a political science professor, to the effect that every time minimum wage is raised, high school students are motivated to drop out and go to work, due to the allure of wealth. My response to this was that his friend the professor must be out of his ever lovin' economically conservative head.
So, if minimum wage should by chance be generously raised to a living wage, which is unlikely at best, it seems america's senior class will drop out en mass, never get an education, and spend their lives in low wage hell, all because of a silly decision made for the shortsighted allure of quick money.
But if minimum wage is such a bad choice to choose, then are we sure that even high schoolers are gonna be stupid enough to be sufficiently attracted to an increase in said minimum wage to actually....
well, anyhow. I mean, what're you gonna say, or do?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Making Progress
FOR SOME REASON. i had the idea that there are something like eleven thousand religions in the world. I even said it on here. I don't know why, where i got that idea. Turns out, there are evidently more like seven hundred and fifty,or something close to that, according to texts on world religions I consulted.
Makes it seem easier. Choosing a religion, that is. Easier to look at them all, evaluate, then pick and choose. After all, isn't that what everyone does, choose a religion, and embrace it because it meets our individual needs, unless the parents decide on behalf of their child early, and make it stick by force?
"When I realized that everyone invents his own religion, i decided to invent mine", said the indisputable johann von wolfgang von goethe, who so often appears on, in these cyber pages. Whether we choose our religion, or its chosen for us, or we invent a new one designed specially for our needs, we all, in effect, "invent" our own religion. That's all goethe was saying, and, again, you can't argue with it, at least, not if you want to appear intelligent.
So, as i age and live my life, i invent my religion. I look at them all, all seven hundred fifty, or at least, as many as is reasonably possible, considering all the others things i have to do, to spend my time and energy on, consdiering all the tennis i have to play, and the televsision i have to watch, and the bars and restaurants i must frequent, and, um...
All I'm looking for is one (a religion) that makes sense, to me, one that meets my needs. I reckon that's what we're all doing, in the long run. All I know is, I don't want to choose any religion which orders parents to kill their disobedient children, or tells me that the value of pie is three point zero, or that the good lord who created me required that a brutal torture and murder take place in order to wash away my sins. Every time i make a mistake, i regret it, and i pay for it, in one way or another.
Why must it be "paid for" twice?
I want to invent a religion in which God is truly the good lord; kind, compassionate, intelligent, and generally a great designer and builder. And, to me, that's exactly what it seems we have, in this, "our" amazing, logical universe. a universe which was designed and created by a brilliant intelligent entity, not some insane, pernicious monster. Thank the good lord for that.
My religion is not perfect, and its development is far from complete. But I'll keep working on it.
Makes it seem easier. Choosing a religion, that is. Easier to look at them all, evaluate, then pick and choose. After all, isn't that what everyone does, choose a religion, and embrace it because it meets our individual needs, unless the parents decide on behalf of their child early, and make it stick by force?
"When I realized that everyone invents his own religion, i decided to invent mine", said the indisputable johann von wolfgang von goethe, who so often appears on, in these cyber pages. Whether we choose our religion, or its chosen for us, or we invent a new one designed specially for our needs, we all, in effect, "invent" our own religion. That's all goethe was saying, and, again, you can't argue with it, at least, not if you want to appear intelligent.
So, as i age and live my life, i invent my religion. I look at them all, all seven hundred fifty, or at least, as many as is reasonably possible, considering all the others things i have to do, to spend my time and energy on, consdiering all the tennis i have to play, and the televsision i have to watch, and the bars and restaurants i must frequent, and, um...
All I'm looking for is one (a religion) that makes sense, to me, one that meets my needs. I reckon that's what we're all doing, in the long run. All I know is, I don't want to choose any religion which orders parents to kill their disobedient children, or tells me that the value of pie is three point zero, or that the good lord who created me required that a brutal torture and murder take place in order to wash away my sins. Every time i make a mistake, i regret it, and i pay for it, in one way or another.
Why must it be "paid for" twice?
I want to invent a religion in which God is truly the good lord; kind, compassionate, intelligent, and generally a great designer and builder. And, to me, that's exactly what it seems we have, in this, "our" amazing, logical universe. a universe which was designed and created by a brilliant intelligent entity, not some insane, pernicious monster. Thank the good lord for that.
My religion is not perfect, and its development is far from complete. But I'll keep working on it.
Ronald Reagan Redux
A GROUP OF thirteen thousand seemingly sensible american citizens, some of whom might recently have attended a Star Wars/Star Trek convention, have signed a petition, intended for president obama's eyes, suggesting that the U.S. of A. construct a "death star", and place it in orbit.
Presumably this satellite would be replete with all manner of weaponry: lasar guns, nukes, heaven only knows what. The purpose here is to provide fair warning, in order to give the rest of the world fair warning, and time to build underground bunkers for the wealthy elite, complete with long term survival infrastructure and above ground flag poles to use for flying bright white surrender signals, visible from space..
It is to be hoped and assumed that this cute little monstrosity wouldn't thoughtlessly be placed in geo stationary orbit above our own fruited plains, thus defeating its very purpose.
Death star proponents point out that such a weapon would solidify american superiority in space, create jobs, stimulate the various sectors of the economy such as the armaments and electronics industries,would scare the hell out of everyone, wouldn't ultimately suffer orbital decay and crash, and would give to the american people a sense of renewed nationalistic imperialistic pride.
The last time an idea as blatantly deranged stalked the fatherland, it was called "star wars", and it originated from the declining mind of a chief executive who eventually, mercifully faded into thoughtlessness, and was quietly allowed to fade from view (the idea, and the chief executive).
This time the theraputic phase might be a bit more tricky, because it has grass roots origins, and although the roots don't run deep, thirteen thousand concerned citizens cannot be counted on to avail the rest of us of an opportunity of coughing politely, and excusing the petitioner's behavior with the explanation that, regrettably, they are all afflicated with premature dementia.
Welcome again to the fun house, where nothing is as it first appears, and fodder for bawdy vaudeville style amusements abide, never far away. America is back!
Presumably this satellite would be replete with all manner of weaponry: lasar guns, nukes, heaven only knows what. The purpose here is to provide fair warning, in order to give the rest of the world fair warning, and time to build underground bunkers for the wealthy elite, complete with long term survival infrastructure and above ground flag poles to use for flying bright white surrender signals, visible from space..
It is to be hoped and assumed that this cute little monstrosity wouldn't thoughtlessly be placed in geo stationary orbit above our own fruited plains, thus defeating its very purpose.
Death star proponents point out that such a weapon would solidify american superiority in space, create jobs, stimulate the various sectors of the economy such as the armaments and electronics industries,would scare the hell out of everyone, wouldn't ultimately suffer orbital decay and crash, and would give to the american people a sense of renewed nationalistic imperialistic pride.
The last time an idea as blatantly deranged stalked the fatherland, it was called "star wars", and it originated from the declining mind of a chief executive who eventually, mercifully faded into thoughtlessness, and was quietly allowed to fade from view (the idea, and the chief executive).
This time the theraputic phase might be a bit more tricky, because it has grass roots origins, and although the roots don't run deep, thirteen thousand concerned citizens cannot be counted on to avail the rest of us of an opportunity of coughing politely, and excusing the petitioner's behavior with the explanation that, regrettably, they are all afflicated with premature dementia.
Welcome again to the fun house, where nothing is as it first appears, and fodder for bawdy vaudeville style amusements abide, never far away. America is back!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Computers and Human Expectations
I GOT MY FIRST COMPUTER in the year 2000, when I was forty five years old. While driving it home, I was so excited I was a hazard to other motorists. I guess I waited until computers reached a sufficient level of sophistication to allow their use without having to learn a new language, or buy a user's manual several inches thick. During the green screen era, i stayed away. When in 1992 presidential candidate bill clinton made reference to an emerging "information superhighway", i had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. He probably didn't either.
The first fifty years of the computerized world coincided roughly with the second half of the twentieth century. The first operational computer, demonstrably operational, no mechanical activity, all electronic, took the field at the university of pennsylvania in 1946, if I'm not mistaken. the machine was the size of a warehouse, and was housed in a building covering a full city block. Flocks of graduate students had the onerous task of pushing shopping carts up and down indoor boulevards, replacing burned out vacuum tubes with new ones.
By the middle of the nineteen seventies, any relatively inexpensive store bought pocket calculator had more computational power than the first mammoth leviathon at Penn U. The computer onboard apollo eleven was weaker than a commadore sixty four. It just did a little math. But even from the outset, computer people were as giddy as i was with my first sixteen megabyte hard drive sixty four meg R.A.M. five hundred RPM ten horsepower machine, with what i recall was a thirteen inch monitor.
Early computer guru Alan Turing thought maybe computers would become the moral equivalent of human beings. Claude Shannon, another early cyber thinker, proclaimed that every particle of matter and every tiny unit of energy in the universe is in effect information, which might one day be programmed, in simulated form, into computers.
All this was well and good, save for the fact that these sensational assertions were made in the nineteen fifties, which was a bit, shall we say, early. The term "virtual reality" took on an exaggerated meaning as well, and really has never lost it, because people seem to think of virtual reality as an identical substitute for, rather a simulation of, "the real world". All this hyperbole has lead to dissapointment. Computers are the only products of the industrial revolution which are expected to fail frequently and unpredictably during normal operation, points out modern computer person jaron lanier.
But we may be coming back down to earth. The blue screen of death, which many of us remember without great fondness, is a thing of the past. WE have tempered our expectation of what computers can and will actually accomplish. Ang tio be fair, Big Blue finally defeated a great human chess master, although we can always argue that our organic representative was having a bad day. Problem is, its now getting to the point wherein any reasonably powerful computer can defeat any human being in a chess match.
Now we are becoming worried that someday the world's computers might unite, and take the world away from the human race, adn make us their humble servants. This too was considered by early science and science fiction writers. WE had better hope to hell that it isn't true, because it darned well might eventually happen.
The first fifty years of the computerized world coincided roughly with the second half of the twentieth century. The first operational computer, demonstrably operational, no mechanical activity, all electronic, took the field at the university of pennsylvania in 1946, if I'm not mistaken. the machine was the size of a warehouse, and was housed in a building covering a full city block. Flocks of graduate students had the onerous task of pushing shopping carts up and down indoor boulevards, replacing burned out vacuum tubes with new ones.
By the middle of the nineteen seventies, any relatively inexpensive store bought pocket calculator had more computational power than the first mammoth leviathon at Penn U. The computer onboard apollo eleven was weaker than a commadore sixty four. It just did a little math. But even from the outset, computer people were as giddy as i was with my first sixteen megabyte hard drive sixty four meg R.A.M. five hundred RPM ten horsepower machine, with what i recall was a thirteen inch monitor.
Early computer guru Alan Turing thought maybe computers would become the moral equivalent of human beings. Claude Shannon, another early cyber thinker, proclaimed that every particle of matter and every tiny unit of energy in the universe is in effect information, which might one day be programmed, in simulated form, into computers.
All this was well and good, save for the fact that these sensational assertions were made in the nineteen fifties, which was a bit, shall we say, early. The term "virtual reality" took on an exaggerated meaning as well, and really has never lost it, because people seem to think of virtual reality as an identical substitute for, rather a simulation of, "the real world". All this hyperbole has lead to dissapointment. Computers are the only products of the industrial revolution which are expected to fail frequently and unpredictably during normal operation, points out modern computer person jaron lanier.
But we may be coming back down to earth. The blue screen of death, which many of us remember without great fondness, is a thing of the past. WE have tempered our expectation of what computers can and will actually accomplish. Ang tio be fair, Big Blue finally defeated a great human chess master, although we can always argue that our organic representative was having a bad day. Problem is, its now getting to the point wherein any reasonably powerful computer can defeat any human being in a chess match.
Now we are becoming worried that someday the world's computers might unite, and take the world away from the human race, adn make us their humble servants. This too was considered by early science and science fiction writers. WE had better hope to hell that it isn't true, because it darned well might eventually happen.
Progress, and the Complexity of the Cosmos
A MERE ONE HUNDRED YEARS ago, nobody knew why stars shine, what they are made of, and it was believed that what we call "the milky way" comprised the entire universe. Those hundreds of little smudges looked suspiciously like condensation on the telescope glass.
I'm fifty seven, my mother is ninety two; each day a hundred years seems a less prodigious length of time. Now, we have sent space probes all over the solar system, roamed around on the moon and mars, those little smudges have multiplied into the billionsand become complete galaxies external to our own milky way, and astronomers have stopped scrubbing their telescopes.
So on we go, and the state of the art is that this immense of expanse of smudges has been resolved into trillions of stars, while the stars in the milky way are seen to have planets of their own. We the people have traced the history of the universe all the way back to within a microsecond of its beginning. Before that is still a msytery, and we still do not know how or by whom the universe was created, but, we're working on it. Pretty incredible stuff.
The newest thing is parallel, alternate universes. Some of us think that new universes come popping out of black holes, universes of which we are entirely currently unaware, and the number of possible physical dimensions has grwon from three to eleven, and counting, through what is called "string theory", expanding upon quantum mechanics, the subatomic science pioneered by neils bohr in which every particle of matter in the cosmos is seen as being in many places simultaneously. So much for the old adage about being unable to be in two places at the same time.
Olaf Stapleton, a visionary science fiction writer, said : "Whenever a creature was faced with several possible courses of action, it took them all, thereby creating many...distinct histories of the cosmos. Since in every evolutionary sequence of the cosmos there were many creatures, and each was constantly faced with many possible courses (of action), and the combinations of all their courses were innumerable, an infinity of distinct universes exfoliated from every moment of every temporal sequence."
In other words, it looks like there is a lot of stuff going on, more than we very recently imagined. Here's looking forward to seeing you around - in a lotta different places.
I'm fifty seven, my mother is ninety two; each day a hundred years seems a less prodigious length of time. Now, we have sent space probes all over the solar system, roamed around on the moon and mars, those little smudges have multiplied into the billionsand become complete galaxies external to our own milky way, and astronomers have stopped scrubbing their telescopes.
So on we go, and the state of the art is that this immense of expanse of smudges has been resolved into trillions of stars, while the stars in the milky way are seen to have planets of their own. We the people have traced the history of the universe all the way back to within a microsecond of its beginning. Before that is still a msytery, and we still do not know how or by whom the universe was created, but, we're working on it. Pretty incredible stuff.
The newest thing is parallel, alternate universes. Some of us think that new universes come popping out of black holes, universes of which we are entirely currently unaware, and the number of possible physical dimensions has grwon from three to eleven, and counting, through what is called "string theory", expanding upon quantum mechanics, the subatomic science pioneered by neils bohr in which every particle of matter in the cosmos is seen as being in many places simultaneously. So much for the old adage about being unable to be in two places at the same time.
Olaf Stapleton, a visionary science fiction writer, said : "Whenever a creature was faced with several possible courses of action, it took them all, thereby creating many...distinct histories of the cosmos. Since in every evolutionary sequence of the cosmos there were many creatures, and each was constantly faced with many possible courses (of action), and the combinations of all their courses were innumerable, an infinity of distinct universes exfoliated from every moment of every temporal sequence."
In other words, it looks like there is a lot of stuff going on, more than we very recently imagined. Here's looking forward to seeing you around - in a lotta different places.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Unexpected Joy, In a Box
I WORK FOR a state agency. We give support and assistance to people with disabilities. Many of the clients are mentally disabled, and many are children. Each employee is assigned one client with whom to work, so that everyone needing assistance can have the undivided attention of support staff.
Its really a wonderful system, and many people benefit from it. Its very existence is a tribute to the kindness, compassion, and generosity of the american people, who support these types of programs in every state in the union. My job reminds me daily how truly great the united states of america is, how beautiful the american people are, and I give my deepest thanks and admiration to my fellow americans. In a word, thank you for everything.
My client is a fourteen year old male who ins in the ninth grade, and has a variety of mental disabilities which I am not a liberty to discuss. During the twelve years I have had this job I have had several different clients, and they have all, in one way or another, presented challenges.
They have taught me more than I have taught them, and I hope and pray that i have contributed even a fraction to them of what they have given, unwittingly, to me. Its often frustrating work, it requires a good deal of patience and understanding, and persistence, but make no mistake about it, those of us who work in this field are not special in any way, we have no special talents, we are not heros, as we are often accused of being, we simply love what we do. Its addictive, because its rewarding beyond description, certainly not financially, but emotionally , spiritually.
Day after day is filled with frustration. But when something positive happens, it seems like an enormous victory, breaking in on you like a brilliant explosion of joyful, beautiful illumination.
When I left work today the kid pointed to his mother, then to something on the table. He was too introverted to tell me directly, even though I have worked with him a long time. His mom handed me a square package, crudely wrapped in bright red chritsmas paper, remindful of how i wrap gifts; very poorly. He had obviously wrapped it himself, and he did a better job than i would have, which isn't saying much.
He said to me: "its for your cat"....
"how did you know I had a cat?", i asked him, through his mother, because he doesn't like to talk much to anyone but her. "I think maybe you must have told his grandparents about her, and he overheard you", she replied.
Well, of course, anyone who reads this blog knows by now that I have a new kitten, a stray I named "mandi", that she came to me wild, she is beautiful, and she chose me, by refusing to leave my front porch. Also, of course, I have jake, also wild, adorable, and persistent.
Derek (my client) told his mother to tell me not to open it till christmas, as i stood there, right next to both of them, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. I evidently had not mentioned the arrival of jake, (who was named after a sympathetic character in a john grisham novel). so the gift will be shared.
On christmas morning I will find out what's inside. I might let jake and mandi rip open the extremely lightweight box. I'm sorta hoping its a toy; that's what they need most. I'm thinking about explaining to derek that i actually have two cats, (kittens), and that he could have at least been good enough to give a present to each of them. He would probably understand the joke, but I had better hold my smart ass tongue, just in case.
Right about now I am the happiest man on the face of the earth, and its all because of derek, jake, mandi, and the beautiful, lovely american people. Don't worry, I won't let them fight over it.
Its really a wonderful system, and many people benefit from it. Its very existence is a tribute to the kindness, compassion, and generosity of the american people, who support these types of programs in every state in the union. My job reminds me daily how truly great the united states of america is, how beautiful the american people are, and I give my deepest thanks and admiration to my fellow americans. In a word, thank you for everything.
My client is a fourteen year old male who ins in the ninth grade, and has a variety of mental disabilities which I am not a liberty to discuss. During the twelve years I have had this job I have had several different clients, and they have all, in one way or another, presented challenges.
They have taught me more than I have taught them, and I hope and pray that i have contributed even a fraction to them of what they have given, unwittingly, to me. Its often frustrating work, it requires a good deal of patience and understanding, and persistence, but make no mistake about it, those of us who work in this field are not special in any way, we have no special talents, we are not heros, as we are often accused of being, we simply love what we do. Its addictive, because its rewarding beyond description, certainly not financially, but emotionally , spiritually.
Day after day is filled with frustration. But when something positive happens, it seems like an enormous victory, breaking in on you like a brilliant explosion of joyful, beautiful illumination.
When I left work today the kid pointed to his mother, then to something on the table. He was too introverted to tell me directly, even though I have worked with him a long time. His mom handed me a square package, crudely wrapped in bright red chritsmas paper, remindful of how i wrap gifts; very poorly. He had obviously wrapped it himself, and he did a better job than i would have, which isn't saying much.
He said to me: "its for your cat"....
"how did you know I had a cat?", i asked him, through his mother, because he doesn't like to talk much to anyone but her. "I think maybe you must have told his grandparents about her, and he overheard you", she replied.
Well, of course, anyone who reads this blog knows by now that I have a new kitten, a stray I named "mandi", that she came to me wild, she is beautiful, and she chose me, by refusing to leave my front porch. Also, of course, I have jake, also wild, adorable, and persistent.
Derek (my client) told his mother to tell me not to open it till christmas, as i stood there, right next to both of them, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. I evidently had not mentioned the arrival of jake, (who was named after a sympathetic character in a john grisham novel). so the gift will be shared.
On christmas morning I will find out what's inside. I might let jake and mandi rip open the extremely lightweight box. I'm sorta hoping its a toy; that's what they need most. I'm thinking about explaining to derek that i actually have two cats, (kittens), and that he could have at least been good enough to give a present to each of them. He would probably understand the joke, but I had better hold my smart ass tongue, just in case.
Right about now I am the happiest man on the face of the earth, and its all because of derek, jake, mandi, and the beautiful, lovely american people. Don't worry, I won't let them fight over it.
Finding Solutions to Errors, and Healing
PRESIDENT OBAMA said we don't take good enough care of our children, and the united states of americans must change. Well, nothing wrong with stating the obvious now and then. Its a start. It gives us a firm foundation upon which to begin, to build.
But we must do more than cite error. Our man goethe (johann wolfgang von goethe, 1749-1832) reminds us that one must do more than cite error. We must provide a means for correcting error. The president said he plans to get a bunch of folks together, teachers, parents, law enforcement people, mental health professionals, and have a long hard talk about what is wrong, and what to do about it.
So far, so good. May we all chime in?
For starters, we know that the united states of america was founded and built with violence and aggressive competition. And we understand that when violence, and competition, when these forces are unleashed and given full throttle, they are not amenable to coneveniently sliding back into the genie bottle and silently slipping away.
About a year ago I called the cable television company and politely but firmly instructed them to disconnect my cable service. I had had enough. Not only had I grown tired of the sexual seduction, I had became horrified of the constant barrage of violent images. Also, it was a good way to save money, and to nudge towards more productive pursuits; reading, writing, exercising, enjoying friends and social activities.
I made the phone call around christmas, and they got around to respecting my wishes about the time days and nights equalized in length three months later. Give him some time. He'll come around. they all change their minds. We've seen it before. They can't last long without our drug. He'll come back, like they always do.
Little did they know. Let them play their little money grubbing corporate games. I'll be long gone by the time they bother to notice my absence. Can you believe they tried to bill me for the three months of unwanted service? Sardonically, I admired their temerity. Free market capitalism in its most audacious glory.
Hollywood does the saeme thing, because it works. Seduce 'em with sex, shock 'em with violence. Grab their disposable, and not so disposable income. They cannot resist our alluring opiate.
Stoned on violent images, our children, who sat in front of the flat screen five hours a day for eighteen years, and witnessed something like twenty two thousand acts of vicarious violence, grow up angry, and set out to conquer the world in a society whose economic system worships at the sacred alter of me against the world competition. Go get 'em, tiger.
Obama and his assembled gang of experts might eventually be pleasantly surprised at the ease with which they arrive at the source of our horrific problem, our national sickness. Their next step is to find solutions, to correct errors. We can only hope they do it reasonably soon, before the carnage begins in earnest.
But we must do more than cite error. Our man goethe (johann wolfgang von goethe, 1749-1832) reminds us that one must do more than cite error. We must provide a means for correcting error. The president said he plans to get a bunch of folks together, teachers, parents, law enforcement people, mental health professionals, and have a long hard talk about what is wrong, and what to do about it.
So far, so good. May we all chime in?
For starters, we know that the united states of america was founded and built with violence and aggressive competition. And we understand that when violence, and competition, when these forces are unleashed and given full throttle, they are not amenable to coneveniently sliding back into the genie bottle and silently slipping away.
About a year ago I called the cable television company and politely but firmly instructed them to disconnect my cable service. I had had enough. Not only had I grown tired of the sexual seduction, I had became horrified of the constant barrage of violent images. Also, it was a good way to save money, and to nudge towards more productive pursuits; reading, writing, exercising, enjoying friends and social activities.
I made the phone call around christmas, and they got around to respecting my wishes about the time days and nights equalized in length three months later. Give him some time. He'll come around. they all change their minds. We've seen it before. They can't last long without our drug. He'll come back, like they always do.
Little did they know. Let them play their little money grubbing corporate games. I'll be long gone by the time they bother to notice my absence. Can you believe they tried to bill me for the three months of unwanted service? Sardonically, I admired their temerity. Free market capitalism in its most audacious glory.
Hollywood does the saeme thing, because it works. Seduce 'em with sex, shock 'em with violence. Grab their disposable, and not so disposable income. They cannot resist our alluring opiate.
Stoned on violent images, our children, who sat in front of the flat screen five hours a day for eighteen years, and witnessed something like twenty two thousand acts of vicarious violence, grow up angry, and set out to conquer the world in a society whose economic system worships at the sacred alter of me against the world competition. Go get 'em, tiger.
Obama and his assembled gang of experts might eventually be pleasantly surprised at the ease with which they arrive at the source of our horrific problem, our national sickness. Their next step is to find solutions, to correct errors. We can only hope they do it reasonably soon, before the carnage begins in earnest.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
The wages of the Sin of Heresy
CARLTON PEARSON attended oral roberts university, then began his career within the oral roberts church. He attracted the attention of the great man himself (oral roberts) because of his skin color, dark brown, aka "african-american", rather than the standard mainstream american light brown (white).
Note to reader: there is no such thing as "black" people or "white" people. Every human has a unique skin color. Every human is some shade of light brown, or tan, ranging to dark brown, a spectrum, a continuum, but nobody is white, and nobody is black. These terms (black and white) are artificial categorical inventions used to simplify a complicated world of infinite uniquely individual pigmentations. The very concept of "race" is highly dubious.
Now that we got that cleared up, let us continue.
Oral roberts wanted to expand his ministry into the "black" community, and carlton pearson was a good expedient to that end.
Note to reader: one cannot be overweight and attend oral roberts university, but one is allowed to attend if one's skin color is a dark shade of brown.
But, let us continue.
Carlton pearson became so popular that he started his own church, which became extremely successful until he made a decision of paramount importance. He decided that being non christian does not condemn one to eternity in hell.
He called his new theology something like "inclusion conciliation theology". If one is a good person, who happens to live somewhere where being exposed to christianity is impossible, and thus dies without ever being "saved", one goes to heaven.
This fateful decision ruined his career. Most of his church walked out on him, and he was branded a "heretic" by his own former church members. Presumably the great man (oral roberts) was none too pleased with pearson either.
Pearson had come to see the concept of hell as an evil invention of the human mind, not of the good lord. Jesus, whose true name was not jesus, evidently believed in hell, but no longer did carlton pearson. Pearson also made the mistake of pointing out things such as: the christian bible was compiled in the year 325 A.D at the council of Nicea, by a group of human beings, who argued over it interminably before finally agreeing on its contents.
That wasn't a good idea either, at least for the purpose of being successful within the christian church.
One might wonder whether carlton pearson ever regrets sharing his true revised beliefs with the world, or whether he would have been better off not to ever have revealed the details of his spiritual evolution.
One thing is for damned sure: if he had kept his mouth shut, and continued to embrace, at least outwardly, traditional christian dogma, he would be a helluva lot more financially if not spiritually affluent even as we speak. Maybe, just maybe, as financially affluent as all the other big name heavily marketed ministers, as was oral roberts, the great man himself. And that's going some, that's mighty financially affluent. Go thy way.
Note to reader: there is no such thing as "black" people or "white" people. Every human has a unique skin color. Every human is some shade of light brown, or tan, ranging to dark brown, a spectrum, a continuum, but nobody is white, and nobody is black. These terms (black and white) are artificial categorical inventions used to simplify a complicated world of infinite uniquely individual pigmentations. The very concept of "race" is highly dubious.
Now that we got that cleared up, let us continue.
Oral roberts wanted to expand his ministry into the "black" community, and carlton pearson was a good expedient to that end.
Note to reader: one cannot be overweight and attend oral roberts university, but one is allowed to attend if one's skin color is a dark shade of brown.
But, let us continue.
Carlton pearson became so popular that he started his own church, which became extremely successful until he made a decision of paramount importance. He decided that being non christian does not condemn one to eternity in hell.
He called his new theology something like "inclusion conciliation theology". If one is a good person, who happens to live somewhere where being exposed to christianity is impossible, and thus dies without ever being "saved", one goes to heaven.
This fateful decision ruined his career. Most of his church walked out on him, and he was branded a "heretic" by his own former church members. Presumably the great man (oral roberts) was none too pleased with pearson either.
Pearson had come to see the concept of hell as an evil invention of the human mind, not of the good lord. Jesus, whose true name was not jesus, evidently believed in hell, but no longer did carlton pearson. Pearson also made the mistake of pointing out things such as: the christian bible was compiled in the year 325 A.D at the council of Nicea, by a group of human beings, who argued over it interminably before finally agreeing on its contents.
That wasn't a good idea either, at least for the purpose of being successful within the christian church.
One might wonder whether carlton pearson ever regrets sharing his true revised beliefs with the world, or whether he would have been better off not to ever have revealed the details of his spiritual evolution.
One thing is for damned sure: if he had kept his mouth shut, and continued to embrace, at least outwardly, traditional christian dogma, he would be a helluva lot more financially if not spiritually affluent even as we speak. Maybe, just maybe, as financially affluent as all the other big name heavily marketed ministers, as was oral roberts, the great man himself. And that's going some, that's mighty financially affluent. Go thy way.
Parallel Universes.
IT WOULD BE SURPRISING if by the year 2050 we do not yet understand precisely how life originated on earth. Currently we have only a vague idea, filled with gaps, loose ends, and insufficient generalities.
By the year 2050 the seventy percent of the earth beneath the oceans will be completely mapped and explored, as the thirty percent of the surfce protruding above the sea has already been. The next exploratory challenge is to find out if there is life beyond earth, its nature and its quantity.
We now have a rather bizarre situation, twin parallel universes of human thought and opinion.There is a car wheeling around on mars, exploring. There is a search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). And there is NASA. There is what is called "mainstream empirical science".
SETI gets less funding annually than a low quality science fiction movie. Thank the heavens for generous private benefactors. For the government, aircraft carriers come first.
Then there are the folks, millions of them, who surely must believe that all this emprical science is a frivolous exercise in blind, meaningless redundancy.These are the people for whom the question of extraterrestrial intelligence has already been answered.They (the beings from other worlds and dimensions) are here, among us, interacting with us.
They have formed a galactic federation of enlightend entities, extraterrestrial and extradimensional, and they send messages to us, beckoning us to join them, preparing us for the moment when we join them, their messages received and channled by a select priesthood of fortunate recipients. The believers.
The cynical skeptical seekers, and the believers. Those who search, and those who already know.Those who demand physical, tangible proof, anf those who assert that the proof is in front of our faces, and who share this with us daily - in words.
Science and the religion of cosmic harmony both have a purpose, and share, ultimately, a common goal. Truth. But better not put them in the same room, or the same universe.
By the year 2050 the seventy percent of the earth beneath the oceans will be completely mapped and explored, as the thirty percent of the surfce protruding above the sea has already been. The next exploratory challenge is to find out if there is life beyond earth, its nature and its quantity.
We now have a rather bizarre situation, twin parallel universes of human thought and opinion.There is a car wheeling around on mars, exploring. There is a search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). And there is NASA. There is what is called "mainstream empirical science".
SETI gets less funding annually than a low quality science fiction movie. Thank the heavens for generous private benefactors. For the government, aircraft carriers come first.
Then there are the folks, millions of them, who surely must believe that all this emprical science is a frivolous exercise in blind, meaningless redundancy.These are the people for whom the question of extraterrestrial intelligence has already been answered.They (the beings from other worlds and dimensions) are here, among us, interacting with us.
They have formed a galactic federation of enlightend entities, extraterrestrial and extradimensional, and they send messages to us, beckoning us to join them, preparing us for the moment when we join them, their messages received and channled by a select priesthood of fortunate recipients. The believers.
The cynical skeptical seekers, and the believers. Those who search, and those who already know.Those who demand physical, tangible proof, anf those who assert that the proof is in front of our faces, and who share this with us daily - in words.
Science and the religion of cosmic harmony both have a purpose, and share, ultimately, a common goal. Truth. But better not put them in the same room, or the same universe.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Fear, In a Handful of Dust
I DON'T GET MAD VERY OFTEN, but when I do, watch out! Have you ever heard anybody say that? Have you by chance said it to anyone? Have you ever known anyone who did NOT say it?
Everyone says it, certainly every american, and probably everyone else in the world. I don't get mad very often, but when I do, the gods themselves tremble and cower. I am a very powerful person. My potential for anger is enormous, because of my power.
Therefore, you should never do anything to elicit my anger, because if you do, you will have hell to pay. Fortunately, however, my self control, restraint, magnaninity and generosity are such that few have ever known my wrath, or ever will , owing to the extreme nobility of my character. Fortunate are those who cross my potentially lethal path.
People like to think this about themselves, just as they like to think themselves generous, willing to render help to anyone who needs it, any time of day or night. We prefer to think of ourselves as powerful, but fully under our own control.
We like to believe this, and undoubtedly in many if not most cases people really do believe it. There is no limit to self deception, particularly when estimating our own abilities. Everyone's children are brilliant, everyone's dog is a genius. "We are never deceived,we only deceive ourselves", said goethe.
The truth is somewhat different, as affirmed by psychologists. People become mildly annoyed so often that they dwell in a nearly perpetual state of annoyance. The slightest departure on the part of others from our expectations annoys us, but only mildly. Serious anger is far more rare, and usually hidden, because people are afraid of its consequences for their own safety and well being.
We are very hesitant to show our anger, because we fear that so doing will have lasting repercussions which will endanger us. Anger is a response to fear, anger is fear itself, and though we dwell in perpetual fear, we are afraid to show it to others.
Oh, what fearful little creaturew we humans are! Ridden with primal fear, we react to our fear with our anger, and our pretense. "I will show you fear in a handful of dust" (T.S. Eliot)
We thrust out our chests, plant stern expreesions on our faces, swell to our maximum height, stare straight ahead, and politely nod, then go on our merry way. Never show all your cards. We shake hands to show that we have no hidden weapons. Words are avoided. Our smiles are an attempt to elicit a favorable response from those with whom we come in contact, hoping they have no concealed weapons, and will not bring us harm. Outwardly, everyone is a tower of strength.
The brain stem, the reptile brain within, is always lurking, can never be put aside. It resides too deeply within. But just fear me, and I will condescend to let you live.
Everyone says it, certainly every american, and probably everyone else in the world. I don't get mad very often, but when I do, the gods themselves tremble and cower. I am a very powerful person. My potential for anger is enormous, because of my power.
Therefore, you should never do anything to elicit my anger, because if you do, you will have hell to pay. Fortunately, however, my self control, restraint, magnaninity and generosity are such that few have ever known my wrath, or ever will , owing to the extreme nobility of my character. Fortunate are those who cross my potentially lethal path.
People like to think this about themselves, just as they like to think themselves generous, willing to render help to anyone who needs it, any time of day or night. We prefer to think of ourselves as powerful, but fully under our own control.
We like to believe this, and undoubtedly in many if not most cases people really do believe it. There is no limit to self deception, particularly when estimating our own abilities. Everyone's children are brilliant, everyone's dog is a genius. "We are never deceived,we only deceive ourselves", said goethe.
The truth is somewhat different, as affirmed by psychologists. People become mildly annoyed so often that they dwell in a nearly perpetual state of annoyance. The slightest departure on the part of others from our expectations annoys us, but only mildly. Serious anger is far more rare, and usually hidden, because people are afraid of its consequences for their own safety and well being.
We are very hesitant to show our anger, because we fear that so doing will have lasting repercussions which will endanger us. Anger is a response to fear, anger is fear itself, and though we dwell in perpetual fear, we are afraid to show it to others.
Oh, what fearful little creaturew we humans are! Ridden with primal fear, we react to our fear with our anger, and our pretense. "I will show you fear in a handful of dust" (T.S. Eliot)
We thrust out our chests, plant stern expreesions on our faces, swell to our maximum height, stare straight ahead, and politely nod, then go on our merry way. Never show all your cards. We shake hands to show that we have no hidden weapons. Words are avoided. Our smiles are an attempt to elicit a favorable response from those with whom we come in contact, hoping they have no concealed weapons, and will not bring us harm. Outwardly, everyone is a tower of strength.
The brain stem, the reptile brain within, is always lurking, can never be put aside. It resides too deeply within. But just fear me, and I will condescend to let you live.
Jake, Mandi, and the Way We are
I HAVE TWO KITTENS, mandi the female, and jake the male. (ladies first). Only problem is, mandi aint no lady. Both came to me as strays, and they adopted me. I took both of them in, mandi first. Both demonstrated their true desire to be with me by hanging out incessantly on my front porch. Its too late for anyone else to join the family; one must have limits.
Both kittens were wilder than jackrabbits when they came to me. Would't let me get close, let alone touch them. They had never had any human contact. Just born to a stray female somewhere, who weened them, then went about her business.They were several weeks old. But they came to me for some reason, and kept coming back.
I don't know why they chose me, but they kept coming back, hanging around, so I decided to feed them, even though I had no intention of being adpoted by a cat. Hadn't had a pet in ten years. Gradually, very gradually, they began to trust me.
Jake eats anything you give him, glad to get it. Mandi turns her fuzzy nose up at whatever I put on her food dish, picky and ungrateful, even though a few short weeks ago she had no home, no steady source of food, other then human trash.
Over and over again jake approaches mandi, wanting to be friends. Every time, mandi hisses and growls at him, and even from time to time throws a few right hooks. jake just sits there, not sensing any danger , ignoring her aggression, no worries, even though she is considerably larger than he.
If I pick up mandi and put her on my lap, she usually hops right back down - unless she happens to be "in the mood", which means hungry. Pick up jake, he stays, and purrs. Mandi sleeps with me sometimes, and sometimes not. Jake climbes into bed, snuggles, purrs, and is content.
There's only one way to treat cats and dogs, as everyone knows: love the stuffin' outta 'em. If I love on mandi, jake sits contendly nearby, waiting his turn, knowing it will come. Sometimes he acts like he wants to join in. If I love on jake, mandi indignantly turns her back on both of us, disdainfully, and pouts.
Sounds kinda like human beings, don't it? Females, by nature, must be very selective. After all, one can only get pregnant at the hands (genitals) of one male. The male, on the other hand, must be willing to take whatever comes. If rejected by one female, find another. Find as many as possible.
Males are programmed by nature to spread their seed far and wide, thus increasing their chances of sending themselves into the future through their progeny. The female, if she is smart, picks and chooses, sits and looks pretty, selecting the best possible mal;, in other words, the one with the most resources.
Resources include material wealth, power, strength, physical attractiveness, power, and social status (fame). Females are looking for males with resources, males are looking for females with fertility: youth and physical beauty
WE humans can no more help or change what are are than can my kittens. The only solution is to accept things the way they are, and either play the game or stay on the sidelines.
jake keeps trying, and sometimes i wonder why he bothers. Sometimes I wonder why any of us bother. The sidelines can be a very warm and fuzzy comfort zone.
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