IT HAD BEEN REPORTED HERE that according to mitt romney, obama won the election because he was given gifts by various minorities. We had it backward. Mitt actually suggested that obama won becuase of the gifts he, obama, is giving to the minorites. Sorry for the confusion.
Trying to sort through the logic and rationale of embittered, shell shocked conservatives can confuse one. But that seems to be the prevailing wisdom now; obama was reelected because he is perceived throughout minority/poor america as "anta claus", as rush limbaugh puts it.
The ironic thing is, these kinds of attitudes by republicans are precisely why obama won; republicans, adn republican candidates are perceived by millions of americans as being disdainful of poor people, and disdainful of all attempts to provide assistance for them.
Once again, a wealthy conservative republican blames the poor entirely for their own predicament, instead of allowing for even the remote possibility that prevailing social conditions play a factor in everyone's situation, and that we all, at least once, need help.
As long as the losers don't understand why they lost, they'll be losers.
Friday, November 30, 2012
U.S.A. = Empire
I WAS ONCE a member of an online discussion group, and one day I used the term "the american empire", and one, and possibly more other members of the group basically said, "what american empire?"
That's when I quietly eased out the back door, and left the group. I hope they didn't miss me. I just felt like i had nothing more to contribute. I aure as hell am not gonna try to explain to a bunch of perfectly intelligent americans what the american empire is, and then argue about it.
no way. if you don't see, accept, and know what the american empire is, you're hopeless. I friend of mine once told me he would never date a qoman who doesn't know who the vice president of the united states is, and i can see his point.
Consider the hundreds, maybe thousands, of american military bases all over the world, on other country's soil. Consider the dominant economy, and the bullying, threatening, and bombing on the world stage.
If you require direct and distant territorial sovereignty to reach empire status, consider alaska and hawaii.
Whatever it takes, git 'er done, 'cause to go around pretending the the united states of america is, say, a "republic" rather than an empire is to hide one's head in the sand, so to speak. The folks in my online discussion group happened to be conservatives; you don't suppose it is widely believed among american conservatives that the united states is not an empire, do ya? nah
Of course, to the extent that they do believe it, they assume that the empire exists only for righteous reasons. American conservatives are nothing if they are not patriotic.
That's when I quietly eased out the back door, and left the group. I hope they didn't miss me. I just felt like i had nothing more to contribute. I aure as hell am not gonna try to explain to a bunch of perfectly intelligent americans what the american empire is, and then argue about it.
no way. if you don't see, accept, and know what the american empire is, you're hopeless. I friend of mine once told me he would never date a qoman who doesn't know who the vice president of the united states is, and i can see his point.
Consider the hundreds, maybe thousands, of american military bases all over the world, on other country's soil. Consider the dominant economy, and the bullying, threatening, and bombing on the world stage.
If you require direct and distant territorial sovereignty to reach empire status, consider alaska and hawaii.
Whatever it takes, git 'er done, 'cause to go around pretending the the united states of america is, say, a "republic" rather than an empire is to hide one's head in the sand, so to speak. The folks in my online discussion group happened to be conservatives; you don't suppose it is widely believed among american conservatives that the united states is not an empire, do ya? nah
Of course, to the extent that they do believe it, they assume that the empire exists only for righteous reasons. American conservatives are nothing if they are not patriotic.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
A New Nation
ACCORDING TO THE united nations, palestine is now a nation. It almost seems as if it should have happend a long time ago, but it happened today. the U.N. voted on it, and it passed, big. And so be it. Now let's all respect it, and respect the new nation, like we should all nations.
the united states and israel opposed this, and had urged the palestinians not to even ask the U.N. for official nation status, because they claim that it cannot happen other than through negotiations between israel and the palestinians....(you think the united states would be involved in that?)
the american government is emphasizing that tomorrow the realities of palestinian life will be no different because of today's proclamation. As if the declaration of july 4 1776 changed anything on july the fifth, or sixth...what rot.....rock on, palestine...next, you'll be a full fledged U.N. member..
Evidently the U.S. and israel do not understand that what matters is the will of the people of planet earth, not the will of the united states and israel. Increased understanding is needed.
The U.S. and isreal will both probably behave as if the U.N. action is illegal, or at least totally meaningless, and will probably resist, stop, or ignore every national thing palestine does. Thus, the U.S. and israel will defy international law, and become criminals....again...
i recall seeing a hasidic jewish rabbi, you ng mane iwth sideburns to his shouldrs and dressed in all black, expressing disapproval with the establishment of the state of israel. because judaism, he reminded us, is a religion, not a political movement, a nation state, or a military power. its a religion
and he had a point....1948 seems a tad late to be a startin' a and country...
...and it may be a little late to be startin' another one right now, but that's exactly what the world has done, and the american people should seriously encourage their government to accept it with dignity and grace.
the united states and israel opposed this, and had urged the palestinians not to even ask the U.N. for official nation status, because they claim that it cannot happen other than through negotiations between israel and the palestinians....(you think the united states would be involved in that?)
the american government is emphasizing that tomorrow the realities of palestinian life will be no different because of today's proclamation. As if the declaration of july 4 1776 changed anything on july the fifth, or sixth...what rot.....rock on, palestine...next, you'll be a full fledged U.N. member..
Evidently the U.S. and israel do not understand that what matters is the will of the people of planet earth, not the will of the united states and israel. Increased understanding is needed.
The U.S. and isreal will both probably behave as if the U.N. action is illegal, or at least totally meaningless, and will probably resist, stop, or ignore every national thing palestine does. Thus, the U.S. and israel will defy international law, and become criminals....again...
i recall seeing a hasidic jewish rabbi, you ng mane iwth sideburns to his shouldrs and dressed in all black, expressing disapproval with the establishment of the state of israel. because judaism, he reminded us, is a religion, not a political movement, a nation state, or a military power. its a religion
and he had a point....1948 seems a tad late to be a startin' a and country...
...and it may be a little late to be startin' another one right now, but that's exactly what the world has done, and the american people should seriously encourage their government to accept it with dignity and grace.
Gift Giving
EVER SINCE THE ELECTION mitt romney has kept a low profile; about the only thing he has said in public is that obama won because he received financial "gifts" from minorities. As usual, der mittster was dead wrong; obama won not because he received financial "gift's" from minorities, but because he received votes from them.
Let's face it, how much gift giving do millions of poor blacks and hispanics do, can they do?
Obama's real gifts came from the same people who gave romney his; big corporations, wealthy old white guys, where the money and power are. Only romney did a bit better raking it in than his opposing alternative corporate employee.
How condescending, how indicative of mitt's rich man's mindset that he not only accuses of obama of buying the election, which really isn't the problem, but that he bought it with money from the "wrong people" from the wrong side of the tracks.
How dare he scrape together billions of dollars from millions of peasants, lump it all together, and use it to defeat the will of the white old male corporate oligarchy! How dare he! Buy your advertising and political pwer from the "right" people, damn it!
not to worry,mitt, wealth and power in american are stillin the hands of your people, and might always be, thanks to people like you and obama. but at least the "little" people make it out to the polling place every now and then.
Let's face it, how much gift giving do millions of poor blacks and hispanics do, can they do?
Obama's real gifts came from the same people who gave romney his; big corporations, wealthy old white guys, where the money and power are. Only romney did a bit better raking it in than his opposing alternative corporate employee.
How condescending, how indicative of mitt's rich man's mindset that he not only accuses of obama of buying the election, which really isn't the problem, but that he bought it with money from the "wrong people" from the wrong side of the tracks.
How dare he scrape together billions of dollars from millions of peasants, lump it all together, and use it to defeat the will of the white old male corporate oligarchy! How dare he! Buy your advertising and political pwer from the "right" people, damn it!
not to worry,mitt, wealth and power in american are stillin the hands of your people, and might always be, thanks to people like you and obama. but at least the "little" people make it out to the polling place every now and then.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Way To Go America
THE SMALL TOWN middle class neighborhood where i live has recently been overrun by kittens, one of whom adopted me, then took over my life, while another is even now attempting to duplicate the feat, so stay tuned.
So I thought it might be a good idea to call the animal control people, after i found out that they have a no kill policy, a find all animals a home policy. Otherwise, I never would have done it. I would rather my 'hood be overrun by cats, like rome, than kill them.
A small town in mid america, with a no kill animal control policy. This is typical of america nowadays. No kill stray cats, or squirrels, or rabbits in town, or pythons in florida. They try to catch 'em, and place 'em.
One can imagine different people having different attitudes about this. The attitude here is "god bless america". What a great country. What a great people. Willing to go to the trouble to treat animals humanely. Killing is easy. Anybody can kill. Americans are choosing a braver, better way.
Think about how we have changed the way we treat people with disabilities. Formerly we hid them away, out of sight, so they wouldn't inconvenience or offend anybody. Now, we have a better way. We give them the supports they need, and throw them right into mainstream society like the rest of us.
And may the dear lord bless and keep the american people for making these changes, for finding better ways of doing things, better ways of treating stray cats and disabled human beings. what a great country. what a great people. Way to go, america!
So I thought it might be a good idea to call the animal control people, after i found out that they have a no kill policy, a find all animals a home policy. Otherwise, I never would have done it. I would rather my 'hood be overrun by cats, like rome, than kill them.
A small town in mid america, with a no kill animal control policy. This is typical of america nowadays. No kill stray cats, or squirrels, or rabbits in town, or pythons in florida. They try to catch 'em, and place 'em.
One can imagine different people having different attitudes about this. The attitude here is "god bless america". What a great country. What a great people. Willing to go to the trouble to treat animals humanely. Killing is easy. Anybody can kill. Americans are choosing a braver, better way.
Think about how we have changed the way we treat people with disabilities. Formerly we hid them away, out of sight, so they wouldn't inconvenience or offend anybody. Now, we have a better way. We give them the supports they need, and throw them right into mainstream society like the rest of us.
And may the dear lord bless and keep the american people for making these changes, for finding better ways of doing things, better ways of treating stray cats and disabled human beings. what a great country. what a great people. Way to go, america!
Somebody Has To (tell the truth)
SENATOR SAXBY CHAMBLISS, (R georgia) talked about the american financial disaster, you know, the one in which the nation is countless trillions of dollars in debt, and getting deeper every year, and like every other politician, he never did really get to the point.
The point is that the united states of america is, and has been for, oh, what, a hundred years or so, a worldwide military empire, and by so doing has bankrupted the country, and can no longer afford to be.
It is absolutely hilarious, and amazing how our elected politicians omit mention of the american global military empire. Like it doesn't exist, or like its a given, taken for granted, absolutely necessary., no need to even mention it. Defense...Defense? More like Offense, with a capital O.
Senator Chambliss mentioned the three pronged necessary approach, cut federal spending, raise revenues by reforming the tax code to eliminate loopholes, and reform, by which he means cut, entitlements such as medicaid.
And trul;y all that must be done. We all have to suffer, for a time, at least until we get the economy going again by manufacturing our own wealth, instead of trying to manufacture it in other countries, and stop throwing our wealth at huge defense contracting corporations. Let's invest in companies which make consumable wealth, rather than excessive weapons.
His basic argument concerning tax increases for the wealthy is the standard conservative line that if you raise taxes on people earning more than a qauarter mil a year, you stifle small businesses. The solution would be to give a tax credit to people who actually own small business and employee people; most people earning over a quarter mil do not in fact own small businesses.
The politicians who run the country are afraid that if they tell the truth, they won't get reelected. And that may be true, but somebody has to do it.
The point is that the united states of america is, and has been for, oh, what, a hundred years or so, a worldwide military empire, and by so doing has bankrupted the country, and can no longer afford to be.
It is absolutely hilarious, and amazing how our elected politicians omit mention of the american global military empire. Like it doesn't exist, or like its a given, taken for granted, absolutely necessary., no need to even mention it. Defense...Defense? More like Offense, with a capital O.
Senator Chambliss mentioned the three pronged necessary approach, cut federal spending, raise revenues by reforming the tax code to eliminate loopholes, and reform, by which he means cut, entitlements such as medicaid.
And trul;y all that must be done. We all have to suffer, for a time, at least until we get the economy going again by manufacturing our own wealth, instead of trying to manufacture it in other countries, and stop throwing our wealth at huge defense contracting corporations. Let's invest in companies which make consumable wealth, rather than excessive weapons.
His basic argument concerning tax increases for the wealthy is the standard conservative line that if you raise taxes on people earning more than a qauarter mil a year, you stifle small businesses. The solution would be to give a tax credit to people who actually own small business and employee people; most people earning over a quarter mil do not in fact own small businesses.
The politicians who run the country are afraid that if they tell the truth, they won't get reelected. And that may be true, but somebody has to do it.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
the mandi saga, continued...
PREVIOUSLY, THE STORY of mandi, the insistent kitten, was articulated. It continues. The saga continues, because that's what it is when dealing with an animal or human for more than a minute; a saga.
the kitten just started showing up on my doorstep, everyday. It was afraid of me, but wanted my attention, and how. It kept staring at me, with panther eyes, devil eyes, eyes that kill. One evening i was at the computer, articulating, and there it was, on the window ledge, staring in, right at me, right through me.
the eyes frighten me. bright yellow green, and full of anger, violence, aggression..wildness....what if she doesn't stop growing? a long time ago i visited a big outdoor zoo, and met a park ranger with a baby black panther on her lap, about the size of a full grown house cat.
the ranger explained to me that the cub had been taken away from its parents, because sometimes the father kills the young, and that the parents were in a foul mood, angry at humans. a few minutes later we drove by the parent's cage, and my idiot friend got out of the car to take a picture -
the male panther, at least 300 pounds, lunged at my friend, snarling. fortunately the iron bars stopped the animal. my friend and i both nearly crapped our britches. he sprinted back to the car, and got in quick.
it was absolutely adorable, this kitten, absolutely gorgeous. And since it was tri color, and had no testicales showing, i figured out it was/is female. what if she doesn't stop growing.....
so i decided to feed it, assuming that's what it wanted. she quickly became spoiled, and, to my mind, very picky, very quickly. I thought it was amazing, to go from homelessness to a loving home, and to be so picky. But I'm human, and she's a cat.
those panther eyes. She wants to hunt, and kill, and eat. she sleeps with me now, and i hope some night she doesn't tear my throat out. she snuggles and purrs, but i don't want to let that fool me. Its amazing how affectionate, and vicious, an animal can be, all at once.
Kinda reminds you of us, don't it....
the kitten just started showing up on my doorstep, everyday. It was afraid of me, but wanted my attention, and how. It kept staring at me, with panther eyes, devil eyes, eyes that kill. One evening i was at the computer, articulating, and there it was, on the window ledge, staring in, right at me, right through me.
the eyes frighten me. bright yellow green, and full of anger, violence, aggression..wildness....what if she doesn't stop growing? a long time ago i visited a big outdoor zoo, and met a park ranger with a baby black panther on her lap, about the size of a full grown house cat.
the ranger explained to me that the cub had been taken away from its parents, because sometimes the father kills the young, and that the parents were in a foul mood, angry at humans. a few minutes later we drove by the parent's cage, and my idiot friend got out of the car to take a picture -
the male panther, at least 300 pounds, lunged at my friend, snarling. fortunately the iron bars stopped the animal. my friend and i both nearly crapped our britches. he sprinted back to the car, and got in quick.
it was absolutely adorable, this kitten, absolutely gorgeous. And since it was tri color, and had no testicales showing, i figured out it was/is female. what if she doesn't stop growing.....
so i decided to feed it, assuming that's what it wanted. she quickly became spoiled, and, to my mind, very picky, very quickly. I thought it was amazing, to go from homelessness to a loving home, and to be so picky. But I'm human, and she's a cat.
those panther eyes. She wants to hunt, and kill, and eat. she sleeps with me now, and i hope some night she doesn't tear my throat out. she snuggles and purrs, but i don't want to let that fool me. Its amazing how affectionate, and vicious, an animal can be, all at once.
Kinda reminds you of us, don't it....
Something Special
THE SMALL TOWN of prairie grove, arkansas, population 4,000, is on a roll. At least, its high school football team is, having won thirteen games in a row, now only two more wins away from a state championship.
There are towns all over american with about four thousand people or so, thousands of such towns, they all have high school football teams, and every one of them would love to be in the situation prairie grove is currently.
To win fifteen games in a row, in any anything, let alone american high school football, is a lot of very hard work. Colleges don't play that many gaimes. Professionals barely play that many games. But with so many towns in the 4A category, all wanting to have a chance at the trophy, the championship playoffs are enormous, something like a 32 team draw. The whole town is wired.
Even if you've only been following the prairie grove football team this season, you fell as if you've been doing it your whole life, and that its never going to end. When it does end, you will feel either profound pain, or enraputred exualtation.
Either way, it will all seem somehow to have been a dream, but you will remember it forever. Everybody should have something like this at least once in his or her life; a project so important, so incredible, so beautiful that you just want to throw yourself into it, and forget all else for a time.
What a wonderful world it would be if we all saw our own lives, all of them, in this light.
There are towns all over american with about four thousand people or so, thousands of such towns, they all have high school football teams, and every one of them would love to be in the situation prairie grove is currently.
To win fifteen games in a row, in any anything, let alone american high school football, is a lot of very hard work. Colleges don't play that many gaimes. Professionals barely play that many games. But with so many towns in the 4A category, all wanting to have a chance at the trophy, the championship playoffs are enormous, something like a 32 team draw. The whole town is wired.
Even if you've only been following the prairie grove football team this season, you fell as if you've been doing it your whole life, and that its never going to end. When it does end, you will feel either profound pain, or enraputred exualtation.
Either way, it will all seem somehow to have been a dream, but you will remember it forever. Everybody should have something like this at least once in his or her life; a project so important, so incredible, so beautiful that you just want to throw yourself into it, and forget all else for a time.
What a wonderful world it would be if we all saw our own lives, all of them, in this light.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Doomsday Coming
CLOSER AND CLOSER creep the twin doomsday dates of december 21, 2012, and january 1, 2013. If the former materializes as predicted, the latter will no longer exist. But chances are the world will not end on december 21, and that the earth will merely cross the exact galactic equator.
Why on earth we, or many of us, have been making such a big deal out of it for so long is the most interesting part of it. Do we enjoy being afraid? Evidently. The equally important and fascinating question is how did the ancient mayans know that this (earth crossing the galactic equator) was actually going to happen on december 21? Because, sure as hell, it is.
That's exactly what's going to happen, and nothing else. But..how did they know? Very impressive. The ancient maya spent a lot of time paying attention to nature, and figuring it out. So much of what ancient people accomplished is incredible that it truly seems as if they had help from superior sources.
The second doomsday event, the fiscal cliff, we are treating like a disaster which must not be allowed to happen, but i say, bring it on. let it happen, its the best possible medicine for us, even though the january first deadline was established for petty stupid reasons.
Let's reinvent the value of our currency system by respecing it enough to use it intelligently, both individually, and collectively, governmentally. Let the automatic budget cuts kick in. Cut everything. We must. Bring on doomsday.
Why on earth we, or many of us, have been making such a big deal out of it for so long is the most interesting part of it. Do we enjoy being afraid? Evidently. The equally important and fascinating question is how did the ancient mayans know that this (earth crossing the galactic equator) was actually going to happen on december 21? Because, sure as hell, it is.
That's exactly what's going to happen, and nothing else. But..how did they know? Very impressive. The ancient maya spent a lot of time paying attention to nature, and figuring it out. So much of what ancient people accomplished is incredible that it truly seems as if they had help from superior sources.
The second doomsday event, the fiscal cliff, we are treating like a disaster which must not be allowed to happen, but i say, bring it on. let it happen, its the best possible medicine for us, even though the january first deadline was established for petty stupid reasons.
Let's reinvent the value of our currency system by respecing it enough to use it intelligently, both individually, and collectively, governmentally. Let the automatic budget cuts kick in. Cut everything. We must. Bring on doomsday.
Self Deception
HAGIOGRAPHY, history which makes the subject matter seem virtuous, is everywhere, because we humans have a limitless capacity for self deception. We resist the truth, said goethe, only because we would perish if we accepted it.
For years after the fall of saigon in march, 1975, some people, perhaps many people, refused to believe that the a mighty united states of america had actually lost the war in viet nam. Finally, of course, everyone came to accept the reality of it, while the former north vietnamese communists go about the business of governing the entire country, north and south.
It is still widely believed, or at least claimed among american conservatives that ronald reagan "won" the cold war, that strange little dance america did with russia, then called "the soviet union", from nineteen forty seven through nineteen ninety.
Since there was no real war, there were no winners and losers, fortunately, and the profound changes which took place in europe beginning with the fall of the berlin wall had much more to do with internal politic and economic situations insided the soviet union and europe, than with ronald reagan's alleged bravery and brilliance. When bad diplomacy turns good, all are winners.
We americans still can't see fit to teach our children that thomas jefferson's second wife was black, that he loved her very much for forty three years, that abraham lincoln visited prostitutes, or that ronald reagan showed definite signs of senility his second term.
Obviously we all need our self deception. The question is, how far do we carry it?
For years after the fall of saigon in march, 1975, some people, perhaps many people, refused to believe that the a mighty united states of america had actually lost the war in viet nam. Finally, of course, everyone came to accept the reality of it, while the former north vietnamese communists go about the business of governing the entire country, north and south.
It is still widely believed, or at least claimed among american conservatives that ronald reagan "won" the cold war, that strange little dance america did with russia, then called "the soviet union", from nineteen forty seven through nineteen ninety.
Since there was no real war, there were no winners and losers, fortunately, and the profound changes which took place in europe beginning with the fall of the berlin wall had much more to do with internal politic and economic situations insided the soviet union and europe, than with ronald reagan's alleged bravery and brilliance. When bad diplomacy turns good, all are winners.
We americans still can't see fit to teach our children that thomas jefferson's second wife was black, that he loved her very much for forty three years, that abraham lincoln visited prostitutes, or that ronald reagan showed definite signs of senility his second term.
Obviously we all need our self deception. The question is, how far do we carry it?
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Hagiography
HISTORIANS often write about people and events that they are personally interested in, or admire. Therefore a problem arises in which the historian omits mention of anything negative while portraying the subject matter in an unfairly favorable way.
This type of history writing is mockingly called "hagiography" within the profession, the term hagiography originally having meant "holy writing", or the lives of saints. History is inundated in hagiography.
The old testament is a history of the jews, written by jews, which describes the jews in very dramatic, heroic terms, calling them "god's chosen people". This is hagiography.
American history is full of hagiography, and in fact, for generations, up to the present day, american children have been brainwashed with a spoon fed hagiographic version of american history. Recently there has been a movement to start telling the truth, but so far it hasn't gotten anywhere. But, you never know.
In the eighteen fifties waves of white setlers swarmed into what is now minnesota, attracted by the fertile land and plentiful hunting. The native americans resisted their encroachment in vain. Using superior weapons technology, brute force, violence, lies, and deception, forcing treaties on the indians then tearing them up, the united states stole the land from the natives.
It all came to a head in 1862, with a terrible, bloody war, and atrocities on both sides, but mostly committed by the whites. For generatons after this nightmare school children in minnesota were taught that the settlers heroically defeated the bloody violent savages.
Then, the history was ignored completely for a time, then, the story was changed again but still emphasized the inabliity of the natives to solve problems with words and treaties rather than violence.
We still haven't come to terms with the truely monstrous behavior of the european settlers, the "americans", but, at least we're starting to try a little bit. We were raised to think of westward american expansion as the heroic building of a new nation, rather than the savage destruction of an existing civilization. In telling the truth, we still have far to go.
This type of history writing is mockingly called "hagiography" within the profession, the term hagiography originally having meant "holy writing", or the lives of saints. History is inundated in hagiography.
The old testament is a history of the jews, written by jews, which describes the jews in very dramatic, heroic terms, calling them "god's chosen people". This is hagiography.
American history is full of hagiography, and in fact, for generations, up to the present day, american children have been brainwashed with a spoon fed hagiographic version of american history. Recently there has been a movement to start telling the truth, but so far it hasn't gotten anywhere. But, you never know.
In the eighteen fifties waves of white setlers swarmed into what is now minnesota, attracted by the fertile land and plentiful hunting. The native americans resisted their encroachment in vain. Using superior weapons technology, brute force, violence, lies, and deception, forcing treaties on the indians then tearing them up, the united states stole the land from the natives.
It all came to a head in 1862, with a terrible, bloody war, and atrocities on both sides, but mostly committed by the whites. For generatons after this nightmare school children in minnesota were taught that the settlers heroically defeated the bloody violent savages.
Then, the history was ignored completely for a time, then, the story was changed again but still emphasized the inabliity of the natives to solve problems with words and treaties rather than violence.
We still haven't come to terms with the truely monstrous behavior of the european settlers, the "americans", but, at least we're starting to try a little bit. We were raised to think of westward american expansion as the heroic building of a new nation, rather than the savage destruction of an existing civilization. In telling the truth, we still have far to go.
Waiting for Harvard to Report
PREDICTABLY, my mother made her weekly announcement: "I plan to watch 'Dancing With the Stars' tonight." Well of course, mother, what else. Otherwise, I would question her health. At last, after much hesitation, I could no longer resist asking the big question.
Mom, I said, if the name of the show were "dancing with anonymous nobodies", and it featured only great dancing by complete strangers, would you still be interested? She thought about it for a second, indicating she understand the intent of my question, and replied, "yes, probably".
Her answer encouraged me and surprised me. I'm sure she was bieng honest, but I had expected her to say that she watches the show mainly because of the stars, the glamorous, glittering, exciting stars, not the artistic competitive dancing, and that she watches the show to watch the stars get booted, humiliated and angry, with the consequent controversy.
Of course what I'm interested in finding out is whether people watch dancing with the stars because they like high quality competitive athletic dancing, or because celebrities are doing it. Is it the dancing, the competition, or the stars? and in what proportions? Just how deeply is american culture in love with this strange "celebrity" phenomenon of ours?
Surely this is a question for the harvard sociology department to study. Hell, whay not? they study everything else...they found out that taller people get paid more, pretty people get paid more, and so forth. They could find the answer to this, hands down.
Millions of people like dancing, millions of people like competition, and millions of people like celebrities, so, obvioulsy, all three components are an attraction, and part of the formula for success.
my fervent hope is that appreciation of quality artistic dancing is the overwhelming attraction, with competitive fun a distant second, and the celebrity appeal lagging far behind. That would be a much preferrable reflection of american culture, wouldn't it? Somehow, though, I sense that aint the case. But, there's always hope. We'll just have to wait for the harvard crowd to check in...
Mom, I said, if the name of the show were "dancing with anonymous nobodies", and it featured only great dancing by complete strangers, would you still be interested? She thought about it for a second, indicating she understand the intent of my question, and replied, "yes, probably".
Her answer encouraged me and surprised me. I'm sure she was bieng honest, but I had expected her to say that she watches the show mainly because of the stars, the glamorous, glittering, exciting stars, not the artistic competitive dancing, and that she watches the show to watch the stars get booted, humiliated and angry, with the consequent controversy.
Of course what I'm interested in finding out is whether people watch dancing with the stars because they like high quality competitive athletic dancing, or because celebrities are doing it. Is it the dancing, the competition, or the stars? and in what proportions? Just how deeply is american culture in love with this strange "celebrity" phenomenon of ours?
Surely this is a question for the harvard sociology department to study. Hell, whay not? they study everything else...they found out that taller people get paid more, pretty people get paid more, and so forth. They could find the answer to this, hands down.
Millions of people like dancing, millions of people like competition, and millions of people like celebrities, so, obvioulsy, all three components are an attraction, and part of the formula for success.
my fervent hope is that appreciation of quality artistic dancing is the overwhelming attraction, with competitive fun a distant second, and the celebrity appeal lagging far behind. That would be a much preferrable reflection of american culture, wouldn't it? Somehow, though, I sense that aint the case. But, there's always hope. We'll just have to wait for the harvard crowd to check in...
Saturday, November 24, 2012
What Do They Do?
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, there is a business which is called 1800 STOCK LOSS. That's the phone number, not the actual name of the business. What might that be, the name of the business? Well, I guess you gotta call to find out. Maybe its named "Stock Loss".
Anyway, I think what they do is....well, actually I have no idea what they do. I just happened to hear an ad on the radio. I should call. I should have called before trying to write this article. But, somewhow, I didn't want to.
Presumably what they do, perhaps what they do, is listen to horror stories about wicked or incompentant stock brokers who made disastrous purchases for investors, then, they somehow attack said broker, attempting to reclaim some of the initial investment for the investor/StockLoss client. Above and beyond just selling at a loss, presumably, with an appropiate fee for "StockLoss".
This attracted my attention, because I bought facebook, only because my broker strongly recommonded it, and I've been angry about it ever since.
But how do they do this? How does it work? Stay tuned. More research forthcoming. Are they all lawyers at StockLoss, Inc.? do they sue stock brokers for incompetence, "malpractice"? How could they? Surely stock trdes are immune to legal liability.
How in the hell can anyone successfully sue a stock broker for bad advice, when the investor paid for that advice, and gave approval for all stock transactions? Or is this simply another example of our legalistic sue happy society run amok? Doubtless.
One way or another, we're gonna get to the bottom of this...
Anyway, I think what they do is....well, actually I have no idea what they do. I just happened to hear an ad on the radio. I should call. I should have called before trying to write this article. But, somewhow, I didn't want to.
Presumably what they do, perhaps what they do, is listen to horror stories about wicked or incompentant stock brokers who made disastrous purchases for investors, then, they somehow attack said broker, attempting to reclaim some of the initial investment for the investor/StockLoss client. Above and beyond just selling at a loss, presumably, with an appropiate fee for "StockLoss".
This attracted my attention, because I bought facebook, only because my broker strongly recommonded it, and I've been angry about it ever since.
But how do they do this? How does it work? Stay tuned. More research forthcoming. Are they all lawyers at StockLoss, Inc.? do they sue stock brokers for incompetence, "malpractice"? How could they? Surely stock trdes are immune to legal liability.
How in the hell can anyone successfully sue a stock broker for bad advice, when the investor paid for that advice, and gave approval for all stock transactions? Or is this simply another example of our legalistic sue happy society run amok? Doubtless.
One way or another, we're gonna get to the bottom of this...
Universal
THE INTERNET, with its online publishing opportunities, is perhaps the greatest achievement of mankind. More than ever, information is available to anyone and everyone. Anyone can self publish, and have a chance to be read by the entire world, without having to get help, and accept control from some large corporation.
When asked his opinion of man's greatest invention, einstein said "compound interest". Another nomination might be electronic currency, or, the internet. Anyone and everyone can just put their art, music, writing, or whatever online, and anyone in the world can see it.
Russians used to visit this particular site with great frequency, but have recently tended to stay away. During the year and a half of this publication, the russians have in fact come and gone in a rather predictable but mysterious cyclical fashion, so it can be reasonably hoped that they shall return.
Someone suggested that the best way to get more russian readership is to tell them that that have a glorious future, filled with happiness and prosperity thay have never before had; that, in essence, their future is bright. Well, consider it done.
Universal readership is encouraged by universal writing. Everything important, such as climate change, the future of warfare, the future expansion or extinction of the human species, is universal.
Creating a global economic, political, and military system that works constitutes a universal concern. For a fact, there are some americans who are willing to think beyond themselves, and their country. "patriotism corrupts history" said goethe, and he had a point.
When asked his opinion of man's greatest invention, einstein said "compound interest". Another nomination might be electronic currency, or, the internet. Anyone and everyone can just put their art, music, writing, or whatever online, and anyone in the world can see it.
Russians used to visit this particular site with great frequency, but have recently tended to stay away. During the year and a half of this publication, the russians have in fact come and gone in a rather predictable but mysterious cyclical fashion, so it can be reasonably hoped that they shall return.
Someone suggested that the best way to get more russian readership is to tell them that that have a glorious future, filled with happiness and prosperity thay have never before had; that, in essence, their future is bright. Well, consider it done.
Universal readership is encouraged by universal writing. Everything important, such as climate change, the future of warfare, the future expansion or extinction of the human species, is universal.
Creating a global economic, political, and military system that works constitutes a universal concern. For a fact, there are some americans who are willing to think beyond themselves, and their country. "patriotism corrupts history" said goethe, and he had a point.
A Good Place To Begin
ACCORDING TO A SURVEY conducted online by MSN and including about a million people, sixty percent believe that over the counter birth control should be available. Most of the voters were american, but many were from around the world. What percentge of the respondants were women is unclear... Bill gates made a lotta phone calls.
What does this say about the will of the people, to use that age old phrase? Perhaps it says that the way of the future is freedom, freedom of the individual, or rather, individual self control, rather than control by government, corporation, or church.
For women there is no easily available birth control anywhere in the world. Why not? Because women have no power anywhere in the world? Are the traditional power structures, mainly consisting of men, usually small groups of wealthy/powerful men, afraid to give this freedom to women?
So where should the change begin, whence should the revolution proceed? Among the poor nations and peoples of the world? The workers? Gays, ethnic minorities, religious independents? Take your pick. The forms of human suppression are many. But maybe a good place to begin is with women, and their reproductive right, their right to decide for themselves when to give birth.
It is a large, potentially powerful group of oppressed people, struggling for a very basic, fundamental right which has long, too long, been denied them. A good place to begin the fight for an end to oppression, worldwide. A good place to begin the great global crusade for human dignity, human rights, human equality.
What does this say about the will of the people, to use that age old phrase? Perhaps it says that the way of the future is freedom, freedom of the individual, or rather, individual self control, rather than control by government, corporation, or church.
For women there is no easily available birth control anywhere in the world. Why not? Because women have no power anywhere in the world? Are the traditional power structures, mainly consisting of men, usually small groups of wealthy/powerful men, afraid to give this freedom to women?
So where should the change begin, whence should the revolution proceed? Among the poor nations and peoples of the world? The workers? Gays, ethnic minorities, religious independents? Take your pick. The forms of human suppression are many. But maybe a good place to begin is with women, and their reproductive right, their right to decide for themselves when to give birth.
It is a large, potentially powerful group of oppressed people, struggling for a very basic, fundamental right which has long, too long, been denied them. A good place to begin the fight for an end to oppression, worldwide. A good place to begin the great global crusade for human dignity, human rights, human equality.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Power Corrupts
HUMAN NATURE never changes. About a year and a half ago, or so, the people of egypt bravely rose up and overthrew thousands of years of absolute tyranny, in the "arab spring". After the dictator mubarak resigned under great popular pressure, the country was governed by the military until a constitution was set up, and a president put in office.
Democracy had come to egypt, for the first time ever. All was well. Then trouble started in the gaza strip between israel and the palestinian organization hamas. While the world was wringing its hands, placing blame and issuing rhetorical statements, the president of egypt brokered a cease fire between the two countries.
The president of egypt was widely praised for this, in his own country, and throughout the middle esat and the world. All was well. Then, the president started making announcements removing power from the other branches of the eyptian government, particularly the courts, and placing it in his own hands,
The president went on a power grab, posibly with an inflated ego as a result of his recent popularity. But the people of egypt are not about to let this happen, not after already having gone to the great trouble of bringing democracy to egypt in the first place. Again, they are out in large numbers, protesting in the streets.
All they want the president to do is to reverse and eliminate his recent power grabbing proclamations, which he claims are necessary to further democracy, but the people do not seem to agree. The good money is on the people.
Democracy had come to egypt, for the first time ever. All was well. Then trouble started in the gaza strip between israel and the palestinian organization hamas. While the world was wringing its hands, placing blame and issuing rhetorical statements, the president of egypt brokered a cease fire between the two countries.
The president of egypt was widely praised for this, in his own country, and throughout the middle esat and the world. All was well. Then, the president started making announcements removing power from the other branches of the eyptian government, particularly the courts, and placing it in his own hands,
The president went on a power grab, posibly with an inflated ego as a result of his recent popularity. But the people of egypt are not about to let this happen, not after already having gone to the great trouble of bringing democracy to egypt in the first place. Again, they are out in large numbers, protesting in the streets.
All they want the president to do is to reverse and eliminate his recent power grabbing proclamations, which he claims are necessary to further democracy, but the people do not seem to agree. The good money is on the people.
Once Again
THE FIRST TEN MONTHS of twenty twelve were, you guessed it, the ten hottest months on record. Sound familiar? Doesn't it seem as if every six months, or every year, is described as the hottest ever? A new record is set every time the calendar is turned. And they're not making it up. Its real.
For many years now scientists have been making predictions, offering possible scenarios for the progress of global warming, best case, worst case, and so forth. The emerging consensus among those who know what to study and how to study it is that the actual progress of global warming is equalling or exceeding the worst case scenarios.
When the summer ended, we quit talking about the drought, maybe because you tend to notice it much more when the temperature is one hundred degrees everyday. Drought can occur anywhere, anytime, and across of the united states it has not ended , just turned into a cooler temperature type.
Forests can become prairies, and prairies can become deserts. When trees have to suck harder to draw moisture from the ground, they start sucking air, which kills them. And just think, we could all, all seven billion of us, plant, say, one tree per year per person, hardwoods in hardwood areas, conifers where needed, and so on, and start sucking the surplus carbon, which is the main problem, out of the atmosphere. Combine that with cleaner technologies and a little population stabilization or reduction, and you're on your way.
Eight months from now, in july twenty thirteen, there will probably be an announcement here that, yes, the past six months were....the hottest...on record...
For many years now scientists have been making predictions, offering possible scenarios for the progress of global warming, best case, worst case, and so forth. The emerging consensus among those who know what to study and how to study it is that the actual progress of global warming is equalling or exceeding the worst case scenarios.
When the summer ended, we quit talking about the drought, maybe because you tend to notice it much more when the temperature is one hundred degrees everyday. Drought can occur anywhere, anytime, and across of the united states it has not ended , just turned into a cooler temperature type.
Forests can become prairies, and prairies can become deserts. When trees have to suck harder to draw moisture from the ground, they start sucking air, which kills them. And just think, we could all, all seven billion of us, plant, say, one tree per year per person, hardwoods in hardwood areas, conifers where needed, and so on, and start sucking the surplus carbon, which is the main problem, out of the atmosphere. Combine that with cleaner technologies and a little population stabilization or reduction, and you're on your way.
Eight months from now, in july twenty thirteen, there will probably be an announcement here that, yes, the past six months were....the hottest...on record...
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Hope
I CLOSED MY EYES, wiped the sweat out, opened my eyes, and looked around. AS far as I could see, there was nothing but rubble. Hiroschima Nagasaki rubble. Berlin 1945 rubble. Nothing but rubble, to the horizon, in all directions. And not a tree standing, nothing standing, no shade, on a one hundred degree summer day, ninety percent humidity, with the sun blasting down.
There wasn't a soul in sight. Had everyone taken a break for lunch, or quit for the day? Where was I? How did I get there? Where was my car? Many questions, no answers. I was drenched in my own sweat, covered with dirt and scratches from hauling rubble all morning, dehydrated, sunburned.
It was an impossible job anyway. The tornado had destroyed everything, beyond repair, and there was no hope of ever making it right, no hope of ever cleaning up this nightmarish rubble, rebuilding, restoring.
I heard a noise in my pants pocket. My cell phone was ringing. Good, I thought, maybe I can get some help. I answered the thing. A friend in a far away place, just checking in, asking me how I was.
How was I? I explained it all. How I was standing in the middle of an endless field of rubble, dying of thirst and heat, filthy, exhausted, depressed, lost, with no apparent help in sight. How in the hell do you think I am!
A year and a half later, the town looks raw, clean, scrubbed...and buildings are going up everywhere, skeletons, frames, beginnings, the new high school, the new hospital, a new house here, a new business there...
On this Thanksgaiving Day, during this holidays, during the upcoming yuletide, we have much to be thankful for.
There wasn't a soul in sight. Had everyone taken a break for lunch, or quit for the day? Where was I? How did I get there? Where was my car? Many questions, no answers. I was drenched in my own sweat, covered with dirt and scratches from hauling rubble all morning, dehydrated, sunburned.
It was an impossible job anyway. The tornado had destroyed everything, beyond repair, and there was no hope of ever making it right, no hope of ever cleaning up this nightmarish rubble, rebuilding, restoring.
I heard a noise in my pants pocket. My cell phone was ringing. Good, I thought, maybe I can get some help. I answered the thing. A friend in a far away place, just checking in, asking me how I was.
How was I? I explained it all. How I was standing in the middle of an endless field of rubble, dying of thirst and heat, filthy, exhausted, depressed, lost, with no apparent help in sight. How in the hell do you think I am!
A year and a half later, the town looks raw, clean, scrubbed...and buildings are going up everywhere, skeletons, frames, beginnings, the new high school, the new hospital, a new house here, a new business there...
On this Thanksgaiving Day, during this holidays, during the upcoming yuletide, we have much to be thankful for.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Giving Thanks Everyday
IT IS STARK, RAVING unfriggingbelievable how much we in america have to be thankful for, on this, the greatest of american holidays, which combines patriotism and religion in exactly the right mixture. Not too much of either, but enough of both.
The people who started Thanksgiving must've felt like they had awakened from a nightmare. Friends and family members were no longer dying like house flies, there was finally enough food and shelter to survive, and the local natives had finally decided to be friendly, which they would have done in this first place if the strangers hadn't stolen from them and pointed fire sticks at them.
Thanksgiving is a celebration of survival, cooperation, peace, and gratitude for all the above.
The people who call the united states the greatest country in the world generally have no idea how great other countries are, or how great their own country is. But that's OK. They mean well.
If you happen to have a relative or friend who wants to celebrate Thanksgiving by going to a cassino, having a fancy buffett, doing a little gambling and drinking, try to dissuade her. Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks, to God, for all the great blessings with which we americans are blessed.
Thanksgiving is a day for family, love, togetherness, prayer, and giving thanks not for gambling and
drinking. It could even be argued that having a huge meal to celebrate is not so much an act of giving thanks, but rather of accepting yet more blessings. Thanksgiving is everyday.
The people who started Thanksgiving must've felt like they had awakened from a nightmare. Friends and family members were no longer dying like house flies, there was finally enough food and shelter to survive, and the local natives had finally decided to be friendly, which they would have done in this first place if the strangers hadn't stolen from them and pointed fire sticks at them.
Thanksgiving is a celebration of survival, cooperation, peace, and gratitude for all the above.
The people who call the united states the greatest country in the world generally have no idea how great other countries are, or how great their own country is. But that's OK. They mean well.
If you happen to have a relative or friend who wants to celebrate Thanksgiving by going to a cassino, having a fancy buffett, doing a little gambling and drinking, try to dissuade her. Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks, to God, for all the great blessings with which we americans are blessed.
Thanksgiving is a day for family, love, togetherness, prayer, and giving thanks not for gambling and
drinking. It could even be argued that having a huge meal to celebrate is not so much an act of giving thanks, but rather of accepting yet more blessings. Thanksgiving is everyday.
Desperation
THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR! American greed! These are common descriptions, often used to describe one of the primary cultural characteristics of america; the constant, all consuming, relentless pursuit of material wealth. Nobody ever did it better.
The itch to get rich landed in virginia and massachusetts at the outset of the seventeenth century, brought from europe. The value of gold, and teh urge to trade its value for fine animals, garments, and food probably originated among the nomadic peoples of the middle east six thousand years ago, at least. Corporate capitalism began unleashing its fury in mid eighteenth century england/
But the people who showed up on america's shores from england, and then from europe and eventually all points worldwide, had in common their possession of unfulfilled desires, desires almost always rooted in poverty and hunger. Their desire was to eat, and survive. It hadn't always been so easy to do that back where they came from.
And then, exhausted, bedraggled, afraid in the new wild continent, they noticed that they were surrounded by by opportunity, by plenty of food, clothing, shelter, and wealth. Ah, to be hungry , hardworking, and free. To be desperate, but sourrounded by potential wealth, awating only value added exploitation.
Such a combination doth free market capitalism make. The essential character of america was formed by poor, hungry peasants. Coming to america, at great peril, hardship, and sacrifce, in desperation, fighting for survival and a chance to succeed, and searching ever westward; immigration, and westward migration, the twin towers of american culture.
Understanding the money and materialism, the crass hedonistic pleasure seeking arrogance and greed of the united states as the product of starving desperation is the key to understanding american history, and current american culture.
The itch to get rich landed in virginia and massachusetts at the outset of the seventeenth century, brought from europe. The value of gold, and teh urge to trade its value for fine animals, garments, and food probably originated among the nomadic peoples of the middle east six thousand years ago, at least. Corporate capitalism began unleashing its fury in mid eighteenth century england/
But the people who showed up on america's shores from england, and then from europe and eventually all points worldwide, had in common their possession of unfulfilled desires, desires almost always rooted in poverty and hunger. Their desire was to eat, and survive. It hadn't always been so easy to do that back where they came from.
And then, exhausted, bedraggled, afraid in the new wild continent, they noticed that they were surrounded by by opportunity, by plenty of food, clothing, shelter, and wealth. Ah, to be hungry , hardworking, and free. To be desperate, but sourrounded by potential wealth, awating only value added exploitation.
Such a combination doth free market capitalism make. The essential character of america was formed by poor, hungry peasants. Coming to america, at great peril, hardship, and sacrifce, in desperation, fighting for survival and a chance to succeed, and searching ever westward; immigration, and westward migration, the twin towers of american culture.
Understanding the money and materialism, the crass hedonistic pleasure seeking arrogance and greed of the united states as the product of starving desperation is the key to understanding american history, and current american culture.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Martian Communication Frustration
BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING on mars, evidently. The compact car- sized rover, which has been roving on the martain surface for several glorious months now, has come up with something, only NASA isn't at liberty to say just exactly what it is, because they themselves aren't sure what it is.
The best guess is that something remarkable has been discovered in the martian atmosphere, but NASA scientists want to make sure it is really in the martian atmosphere, and not part of the earth atmosphere residue on board rover, which is highly unlikely.
They must wait, confirm, verify, then , finally, announce thehe discovery, officially, to the world. Al;l this because they don't want to suffer the embarassment of making a grand announcement, only to have it become a joke later. Its happened before.
And all this has the NASA scientists vedry frustrated. One of them explained: "can you imagine being a composer, and knowing that nobody will ever hear your misic? Or a writer, with no readers? A bird has to sing. What makes science worthwhile is sharing it with others.
Well, OK. Fair enough. But frankly we must have faith in the scientists to endure this agony, in order to take the time to make sure that they got it right. Music and literature are not right or wrong, science is.
The exploration of mars is the most positive exciting event ongoing in human affairs, yet, the media ignores it.
The NASA scientists were almost making it seems as if the scientific method imposes an unfair burden on the basic necessity of scientists to communicate with other people, to express themselves, to share.
Well, not really. Hang in there, planetary scientists. You'll have your day in the sun. It isn't all about the need to share is it? Isn't it just a little bit about the desire for attention and social status? Hang in there. You'll get your fair share.
The best guess is that something remarkable has been discovered in the martian atmosphere, but NASA scientists want to make sure it is really in the martian atmosphere, and not part of the earth atmosphere residue on board rover, which is highly unlikely.
They must wait, confirm, verify, then , finally, announce thehe discovery, officially, to the world. Al;l this because they don't want to suffer the embarassment of making a grand announcement, only to have it become a joke later. Its happened before.
And all this has the NASA scientists vedry frustrated. One of them explained: "can you imagine being a composer, and knowing that nobody will ever hear your misic? Or a writer, with no readers? A bird has to sing. What makes science worthwhile is sharing it with others.
Well, OK. Fair enough. But frankly we must have faith in the scientists to endure this agony, in order to take the time to make sure that they got it right. Music and literature are not right or wrong, science is.
The exploration of mars is the most positive exciting event ongoing in human affairs, yet, the media ignores it.
The NASA scientists were almost making it seems as if the scientific method imposes an unfair burden on the basic necessity of scientists to communicate with other people, to express themselves, to share.
Well, not really. Hang in there, planetary scientists. You'll have your day in the sun. It isn't all about the need to share is it? Isn't it just a little bit about the desire for attention and social status? Hang in there. You'll get your fair share.
American Freedom
COLORADO LEADS THE WAY into an american future of personal freedom, legalizes marijuana. In direct violation of current federal law, the good citizens of the great state o colorado have decided that law enforcement expenses must be reduced, and our society made more sane.
In L.A., until quite recently, the number of medicinal marijuana stores was greater than the number of starbuck's coffee shops, and that's goin' some. You can almost start to see how this country got involved in a civil war, a war between the states within the nation, a war between half the american people, and the other half.
You almost start to think that it could happen again, at any time, over anything. Federal troops occupy newly legalized marijuana states, which threaten secession. Rich against poor riots intensify as Occupy Wall Street Movement gains momentum. Romney and Obama trade punches as demo and GOP gangs brawl on mall.
But wev'e gotten to the point whereat it is now illegal in new york city to buy or sell a fountain drink aka soda pop larger than sixteen ounces, and every conversation on any telephone in the country is subject to wire tapping.
Not to mention that tens of thousands of people are languishing in jail at tax payer expense, convicted of crimes that should not be considered crime, instead of freely and productively contributing to the nation's economic prosperity. Flat out don't make sense.
That government governs best which governs least. Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason, in that it attempts to control a man's appetites by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. Prohibition strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our nation was founded.
Proclaim the sacred ideal of american liberty from every rooftop and steeple, the human impulse to control others is a mighty strong forece to overcome. Let's keep rooting for america.
In L.A., until quite recently, the number of medicinal marijuana stores was greater than the number of starbuck's coffee shops, and that's goin' some. You can almost start to see how this country got involved in a civil war, a war between the states within the nation, a war between half the american people, and the other half.
You almost start to think that it could happen again, at any time, over anything. Federal troops occupy newly legalized marijuana states, which threaten secession. Rich against poor riots intensify as Occupy Wall Street Movement gains momentum. Romney and Obama trade punches as demo and GOP gangs brawl on mall.
But wev'e gotten to the point whereat it is now illegal in new york city to buy or sell a fountain drink aka soda pop larger than sixteen ounces, and every conversation on any telephone in the country is subject to wire tapping.
Not to mention that tens of thousands of people are languishing in jail at tax payer expense, convicted of crimes that should not be considered crime, instead of freely and productively contributing to the nation's economic prosperity. Flat out don't make sense.
That government governs best which governs least. Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason, in that it attempts to control a man's appetites by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. Prohibition strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our nation was founded.
Proclaim the sacred ideal of american liberty from every rooftop and steeple, the human impulse to control others is a mighty strong forece to overcome. Let's keep rooting for america.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Channeling Jesus
SOMEBODY IS CHANNELING JESUS, it turns out. Just discovered it t'other day, while web surfing. (is that term used anymore?) Can't recall the man's name, but, by golly, he is channeling jesus of nazareth, sure as i'm sittin' here.
Channeling is of course the process by which a living human being receives messages, often very explicit, clear, and lengthy messages, from people who are dead, or from alien beings in other dimensions and regions or from other regions of space.
"Channling" is of course extremely popular now, with all sortsa people channeling all kindsa other people, beings, and entities. Its been popular for quite a long time, maybe forever. But until now, I had never heard of anyone channeling jesus, and never imagined that anybody ever would....have enough audacity..to do that.
Didn't the late great edgar cayce channel folks? didn't hillary clinton communicate with eleanor roosevelt? Like I said, its popular, with lotsa websites. You can probably just type in "channeling jesus" to google, and see what you get.
If I were channeling jesus, or even thought I was, I would never admit it to anyone. No way, no how. I don't need all the scrutiny, the ridicule, the doubt, disbelief and rejection. No siree. If I'm channeling jesus, I sure as hell don't want to share it with other people, claim credit for it, and deal with their reactions.
I would probably just print out whatever jesus told me, put it online, and make sure my name isn't anywhere near. Anonymity, baby. Its the only way to go, when channeling jesus.
All these folks allegedly channeling other folks? I hope like hell that its true, that they're really doing it, and not just making it up to get attention, because I wouldn't know the difference. And maybe, just maybe, its not so important to know the difference. Maybe, just maybe, there is no difference.
Channeling is of course the process by which a living human being receives messages, often very explicit, clear, and lengthy messages, from people who are dead, or from alien beings in other dimensions and regions or from other regions of space.
"Channling" is of course extremely popular now, with all sortsa people channeling all kindsa other people, beings, and entities. Its been popular for quite a long time, maybe forever. But until now, I had never heard of anyone channeling jesus, and never imagined that anybody ever would....have enough audacity..to do that.
Didn't the late great edgar cayce channel folks? didn't hillary clinton communicate with eleanor roosevelt? Like I said, its popular, with lotsa websites. You can probably just type in "channeling jesus" to google, and see what you get.
If I were channeling jesus, or even thought I was, I would never admit it to anyone. No way, no how. I don't need all the scrutiny, the ridicule, the doubt, disbelief and rejection. No siree. If I'm channeling jesus, I sure as hell don't want to share it with other people, claim credit for it, and deal with their reactions.
I would probably just print out whatever jesus told me, put it online, and make sure my name isn't anywhere near. Anonymity, baby. Its the only way to go, when channeling jesus.
All these folks allegedly channeling other folks? I hope like hell that its true, that they're really doing it, and not just making it up to get attention, because I wouldn't know the difference. And maybe, just maybe, its not so important to know the difference. Maybe, just maybe, there is no difference.
Denial, pt II
SELF DECEPTION runs rampant among humans, as if you didn't already know. We homo sapienses do more self deception before nine A.M. than other species get done in a long week.
Long before the recent election, month after month, poll after poll indicated a close but definite victory for obama, with close but obama-istic results in just about all of the swing states. Oh, there was an occasional, short lived push for mitt in some polls, most notably gallup, but nothing serious. It was obama all the way.
And yet, throughout the campaign conservative republican america confidently, stridently predicted a mitt victory. Conservative republican america denounced the polls as false, as pro obama, as dishonest trash. They tried to implicate the democratic party in manipulating the poll results, public opinion, anything and everything.
It become ludicrous, and was a clear demonstration of outright denial. The actual election results, a perfect reflection of poll predictions, proves this. It proves that polling is a highly competitve industry, an industry in which the participants have an urgent need to be as accurate as possible, a perfect display of capitalism.
It proves that modern scientific polling works. But then, conservative republican america never has been too big on science or reality. They also deny global warming, evolution, and the limitations of all human thought and religion, including the christian religion. In each of theese examples, denial is at work.
Now they are denying that it is their conservative dieas which need to be updated, in order to more closely match those of the american people. Some people never learn.
Long before the recent election, month after month, poll after poll indicated a close but definite victory for obama, with close but obama-istic results in just about all of the swing states. Oh, there was an occasional, short lived push for mitt in some polls, most notably gallup, but nothing serious. It was obama all the way.
And yet, throughout the campaign conservative republican america confidently, stridently predicted a mitt victory. Conservative republican america denounced the polls as false, as pro obama, as dishonest trash. They tried to implicate the democratic party in manipulating the poll results, public opinion, anything and everything.
It become ludicrous, and was a clear demonstration of outright denial. The actual election results, a perfect reflection of poll predictions, proves this. It proves that polling is a highly competitve industry, an industry in which the participants have an urgent need to be as accurate as possible, a perfect display of capitalism.
It proves that modern scientific polling works. But then, conservative republican america never has been too big on science or reality. They also deny global warming, evolution, and the limitations of all human thought and religion, including the christian religion. In each of theese examples, denial is at work.
Now they are denying that it is their conservative dieas which need to be updated, in order to more closely match those of the american people. Some people never learn.
The Abyss
SO HERE WE GO, over the fiscal cliff, T minus six weeks and counting. What nonsense. What shameful, game playing theatre. Its all about a big game of chicken, I dare you, and these people oughta be ashamed of themselves.
The psychology of it is rather murky, yet vaguely familiar, and indeed, almost recognizable. We won't bend, you won't bend, so, let's see now, let's see just how far we're willing to push it, how close to the edge we can get, before one of us blinks, says uncle, caves in, and so forth.
Certainly something that should be beneath the dignity of the government of the united states of america. So now our noble leaders have set this deadly little trap for us, and we are supposed to fret and fume, rant and rave, wail and gnash, while they courageously save us at the last minute, and get brownie points. But screw them.
Just who do these gutless politicians think they are, anyway, playing games with our national economic destiny? Its beyond reprehensible, its cowardly, their blatant refusal to take responsibility for the mess they themselves made.
The terms of the previous agreement, under which on january first a new budget will automatically go into effect unless a superceding agreement is reached between now and then, are rather harsh. They are, ironically, probably exactly what the country needss to dig itself out of its fiscal hole.
Upon landing at the bottom of the fiscal cliff we the people would find our military with considerably less funding, along with numerous other federal expenditures, including all the familiar entitlements. And, for us all, income taxes would become considerably higher. Rather extreme, really. When our guys in D.C. play chicken, they play hard.
The sad part is there is no way in hell that anyone in congress would even come close to having the moral and political courage to do all this budget cutting and tax raising straight up, uf front, honestly, even though it is precisely what probably needs to be done.
So bring on the fiscal cliff! Let us plunge headlong into the abyss. Obama will veto any bill which does not included tax hikies for the wealthy only. Good for him. Like Friedrich Nietzsche said "If thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into thee".We've been looking long and hard. Let's just go ahead and jump.
The psychology of it is rather murky, yet vaguely familiar, and indeed, almost recognizable. We won't bend, you won't bend, so, let's see now, let's see just how far we're willing to push it, how close to the edge we can get, before one of us blinks, says uncle, caves in, and so forth.
Certainly something that should be beneath the dignity of the government of the united states of america. So now our noble leaders have set this deadly little trap for us, and we are supposed to fret and fume, rant and rave, wail and gnash, while they courageously save us at the last minute, and get brownie points. But screw them.
Just who do these gutless politicians think they are, anyway, playing games with our national economic destiny? Its beyond reprehensible, its cowardly, their blatant refusal to take responsibility for the mess they themselves made.
The terms of the previous agreement, under which on january first a new budget will automatically go into effect unless a superceding agreement is reached between now and then, are rather harsh. They are, ironically, probably exactly what the country needss to dig itself out of its fiscal hole.
Upon landing at the bottom of the fiscal cliff we the people would find our military with considerably less funding, along with numerous other federal expenditures, including all the familiar entitlements. And, for us all, income taxes would become considerably higher. Rather extreme, really. When our guys in D.C. play chicken, they play hard.
The sad part is there is no way in hell that anyone in congress would even come close to having the moral and political courage to do all this budget cutting and tax raising straight up, uf front, honestly, even though it is precisely what probably needs to be done.
So bring on the fiscal cliff! Let us plunge headlong into the abyss. Obama will veto any bill which does not included tax hikies for the wealthy only. Good for him. Like Friedrich Nietzsche said "If thou gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into thee".We've been looking long and hard. Let's just go ahead and jump.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Denial
EVIDENTLY, there are still republican/conservatives out there who still don't get it. All you can do is try to help. Lead the horse to water, so to speak.
The question is, why did obama win, and the republicans lose, in general? The theories put forth by republican pundits and politicians border of the ludicrous, or pathetic, depending on how you look at it. Its as if they simply refuse to accept reality, maybe because reality is too unpleasant to accept.
Obama won because he had an unstoppable ground game, a grass roots machine. Millions of unemployed welfare recipients overwhelming the nation with an avalanche of anti capitalistic propaganda.
Obama won because the democrat machine defined romney before mitt had a chance to define himself. There are more americans who see themsleves as victims, deserving of any and all government handouts, than there are americans who work for a living, and that's why obama won.
Pretty crazy stuff. And all of it is a denial of the truth, and the truth is that obama won because there are more poor people than wealthy people in america, more lower middle class than upper middle class, more workers than managers and owners, more sheep than wolves, so to speak.
Both candidates and both parties had plenty of money, plenty of advertising, plenty of grass roots organization, plenty of everything.
Obama's message is more popular on the issues, and that's the last thing repcons (republican/conservatives) want to or are willing to accept.
Painfully, they'll move slowly towards the middle. They (the repcons) will have to, to survive.
The question is, why did obama win, and the republicans lose, in general? The theories put forth by republican pundits and politicians border of the ludicrous, or pathetic, depending on how you look at it. Its as if they simply refuse to accept reality, maybe because reality is too unpleasant to accept.
Obama won because he had an unstoppable ground game, a grass roots machine. Millions of unemployed welfare recipients overwhelming the nation with an avalanche of anti capitalistic propaganda.
Obama won because the democrat machine defined romney before mitt had a chance to define himself. There are more americans who see themsleves as victims, deserving of any and all government handouts, than there are americans who work for a living, and that's why obama won.
Pretty crazy stuff. And all of it is a denial of the truth, and the truth is that obama won because there are more poor people than wealthy people in america, more lower middle class than upper middle class, more workers than managers and owners, more sheep than wolves, so to speak.
Both candidates and both parties had plenty of money, plenty of advertising, plenty of grass roots organization, plenty of everything.
Obama's message is more popular on the issues, and that's the last thing repcons (republican/conservatives) want to or are willing to accept.
Painfully, they'll move slowly towards the middle. They (the repcons) will have to, to survive.
Gambling
WHEN YOU THINK about it, its a wonder we're still here, alive, on this particular planet, doing all the things we do. Life is a great blessing, it seems. A blessing that as of yet no asteroid has come plunging through the atmosphere, vaporizing us.
Lucky that no star near us has gone nova with enough power to fry us. Actually, it doesn't even have to be close us us, frighteningly. Any star in "our" galaxy can at any time explode with sufficient output of deadly radiation to kill all life on earth.
We're just lucky that it hasn't happened, yet. If it does, its been nice knowin' y'all.
Then the things we do here on earth only add to the excitement. Every so often a big explosion rocks some busy section of some american city, and investigation reveals it to have been a natural gas explosion, and we act surprised.
We suck this highly flammable, highly volatile and explosive gas out of the ground, fill millions of miles of pipeline with it, put it back in the ground, then build houses and other buildings on top of it. What do we expect? We should expect a lot of heat for our homes, and a little excitement, now and then.
Racing along two lane highways lickitysplit bumper to bumper adds to the excitement, as does digging super heavy metals deep out of the earth, and converting their huge mass into huge energy slowly, or sometimes quite suddenly.
We fly all over the place, explore every mountain and ocean, and dream of traveling freely throughout space, as we will probably soon do.
So the next time you awaken some morning thinking your life is boring, think again. It aint. In fact, its terribly exciting. Dangerous, risky, exciting, because of the huge payoffs associated with said danger and excitement.
Forty years ago a good friend of mine wrote a book in which he made the remark "a gambler is anyone who gets out of bed in the morning." How very true.
Lucky that no star near us has gone nova with enough power to fry us. Actually, it doesn't even have to be close us us, frighteningly. Any star in "our" galaxy can at any time explode with sufficient output of deadly radiation to kill all life on earth.
We're just lucky that it hasn't happened, yet. If it does, its been nice knowin' y'all.
Then the things we do here on earth only add to the excitement. Every so often a big explosion rocks some busy section of some american city, and investigation reveals it to have been a natural gas explosion, and we act surprised.
We suck this highly flammable, highly volatile and explosive gas out of the ground, fill millions of miles of pipeline with it, put it back in the ground, then build houses and other buildings on top of it. What do we expect? We should expect a lot of heat for our homes, and a little excitement, now and then.
Racing along two lane highways lickitysplit bumper to bumper adds to the excitement, as does digging super heavy metals deep out of the earth, and converting their huge mass into huge energy slowly, or sometimes quite suddenly.
We fly all over the place, explore every mountain and ocean, and dream of traveling freely throughout space, as we will probably soon do.
So the next time you awaken some morning thinking your life is boring, think again. It aint. In fact, its terribly exciting. Dangerous, risky, exciting, because of the huge payoffs associated with said danger and excitement.
Forty years ago a good friend of mine wrote a book in which he made the remark "a gambler is anyone who gets out of bed in the morning." How very true.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Obamacare
THE DUST HAS SETTLED from the election, and we stand ready for four years of incessant complaining by conservatives and whining by conesrvative talk show hosts. The object of this complaining and whining will, to a certain extent, be foreign policy, but it will primarily be obamacare.
Conservatives seem to feel as if the united states should already have attacked iran, and that the U.S. should pledge unconditional and undying devotion to israel. Neither is gonna happen.
Obamacare, say conservatives, is a socialistic and bureaucratic nightmare which is far too complicated, expensive, and will fail to accomplish its primary purpose; making health insurance available and affordable for all americans.
And this may indeed be true; we'll have to wait and see, while we watch obamacare being implemented and taking effect. It may be that free market health care is far better, but how will we ever know?
What we have in america is not at all free market health care. What we have is a corporate oligarchy in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, in which the few giant players simply work together to maintain price supports.
Insurance and pharmaceutical companies should be competing like taco bell and wendy's. But they don't do anything of the sort, because they don't have to. Why should they? Better to work together to foster industry profits.
Let's double the number of doctors, and get some real, honest competitive capitalistic health care in america, and see whether it is, after all, preferable to socialism. For the time being, we seem to be trying socialism.
Conservatives seem to feel as if the united states should already have attacked iran, and that the U.S. should pledge unconditional and undying devotion to israel. Neither is gonna happen.
Obamacare, say conservatives, is a socialistic and bureaucratic nightmare which is far too complicated, expensive, and will fail to accomplish its primary purpose; making health insurance available and affordable for all americans.
And this may indeed be true; we'll have to wait and see, while we watch obamacare being implemented and taking effect. It may be that free market health care is far better, but how will we ever know?
What we have in america is not at all free market health care. What we have is a corporate oligarchy in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, in which the few giant players simply work together to maintain price supports.
Insurance and pharmaceutical companies should be competing like taco bell and wendy's. But they don't do anything of the sort, because they don't have to. Why should they? Better to work together to foster industry profits.
Let's double the number of doctors, and get some real, honest competitive capitalistic health care in america, and see whether it is, after all, preferable to socialism. For the time being, we seem to be trying socialism.
Mandi
THE KITTEN who recently adopted me is already spoiled, and I have no idea how it happened. It seems like she was spoiled from the git go, but how could that be, when she's lived outside, homeless, her entire short four month life?
Aggresively affectionate, already, immediately spoiled, but how, having lived in "the wild" of my quiet small town neighborhood her entire life? Its almost as if she inherently knew that human beings are the way to go, the ticket to a happy life. (good luck with that).
She just started coming to me. Showed up on my front porch everyday. Looked through my window, straight into my eyes, straight into my heart. Now she lives with me, and I adore her.She's wilder, 'n hell. She forces me to think about how i treat her, and to treat her right. She's gorgeous, adorable, soft, fuzzy, panther - like.
Are we humans so mudh different from our dogs and cats? A good friend of mine who came to america from shanghai spent several months here, learned a lot about americans, and made the cogent comment "you americans are the loneliest people in the world. You care more for your dogs and cats than you do each other."
You got that right, charlie. We really do care more for them. On surveys, ten per cent of the americna people indicate they prefer dogs and cats to other people. Perhaps its surprising the number isn't higher. Dogs and cats ar made for humans, and vice versa.
Mandi is a great snuggle kitten. One thing for certain: we americans are most definitely not lonely.
Aggresively affectionate, already, immediately spoiled, but how, having lived in "the wild" of my quiet small town neighborhood her entire life? Its almost as if she inherently knew that human beings are the way to go, the ticket to a happy life. (good luck with that).
She just started coming to me. Showed up on my front porch everyday. Looked through my window, straight into my eyes, straight into my heart. Now she lives with me, and I adore her.She's wilder, 'n hell. She forces me to think about how i treat her, and to treat her right. She's gorgeous, adorable, soft, fuzzy, panther - like.
Are we humans so mudh different from our dogs and cats? A good friend of mine who came to america from shanghai spent several months here, learned a lot about americans, and made the cogent comment "you americans are the loneliest people in the world. You care more for your dogs and cats than you do each other."
You got that right, charlie. We really do care more for them. On surveys, ten per cent of the americna people indicate they prefer dogs and cats to other people. Perhaps its surprising the number isn't higher. Dogs and cats ar made for humans, and vice versa.
Mandi is a great snuggle kitten. One thing for certain: we americans are most definitely not lonely.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Entitlements
"ENTITLEMENTS". That's the majic word that has us all up in arms nowadays, particularly if you happen to be politically oriented, and even more particularly if you happen to be a conservative. Precisely what, other than life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are we entitled to?
Not much, probably, if even that. And, truth be told, we are entiteled to nothing other than what we say we are, and what we are willing to fight for.
The three big entitlements of the day are of course social security, medicare, and medicaid, initially intnded only as a supplement to our existing private resources, whatever they might be. Private entitlements depend on the employer. When an employer refuses to entitle anything to anyone, government sometimes steps in and takes up the slack.
But we modern arrogant americans act as if we feel entitled to much more than all that. We seem to think, or at least we act as if we think we are entitled to drive our cars as much as we want, as closely to the car in front of us as we wish.
We seem to think we are entitled to earn as much money as we can, keep it, and reward ourselves with lavish quantities of material wealth, particularl;y cars and machines, regardless of the impact these things, and their manufacture, has on the environment.
Perhaps most alarmingly, the united states has entitled itself to police the world in whatever way it deems best, regardless of the opinion's of mankind. A decent respect to the opinions of mankind might alter or adjust our sense of entitlements.
Again, we are entitled to precisely whatever we say we are, and can successfully fight for. Nature owes us nothing, except death.
Not much, probably, if even that. And, truth be told, we are entiteled to nothing other than what we say we are, and what we are willing to fight for.
The three big entitlements of the day are of course social security, medicare, and medicaid, initially intnded only as a supplement to our existing private resources, whatever they might be. Private entitlements depend on the employer. When an employer refuses to entitle anything to anyone, government sometimes steps in and takes up the slack.
But we modern arrogant americans act as if we feel entitled to much more than all that. We seem to think, or at least we act as if we think we are entitled to drive our cars as much as we want, as closely to the car in front of us as we wish.
We seem to think we are entitled to earn as much money as we can, keep it, and reward ourselves with lavish quantities of material wealth, particularl;y cars and machines, regardless of the impact these things, and their manufacture, has on the environment.
Perhaps most alarmingly, the united states has entitled itself to police the world in whatever way it deems best, regardless of the opinion's of mankind. A decent respect to the opinions of mankind might alter or adjust our sense of entitlements.
Again, we are entitled to precisely whatever we say we are, and can successfully fight for. Nature owes us nothing, except death.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Reason Why
THE REPUBLICANS (america's ultra conservative political party) are now fully engaged in an argument about what went wrong in the recent election, why they lost so badly. Actually, they dikdn't lose all that badly. just a couple of percentage points in the presidential election, but still, badly enough.
There seem to be three schools of thought among republicans concerning the explanation. That the G.O.P. (for our friends in russia, a nickname for the american republican party is the "grand ole party", or GOP) needs to change and update its message to appeal to more people, that it needs to keep the same message and deliver it better, and that obama stole the election by using billions of dollars worth of unfair advertising attacking romney.
The first school of thought is the correct one. I'll tell you that right now, my republican friends, of which there are many. You should be grateful to me for being willing to help you out with good advice. Y'all need to change your postion on the issues, because most americans don't like your positions.
The effectivenss with which the republicans delivered their message was not the problem. There was no shortage of money, or impressive camera work. But you can't have a candidate for president who says that forty seven per cent of the american people are slackers. That'll lose an election by itself.
For the republicans to blame the loss on obama is absolutely hilarious, and absolutely true. Of course its obama's fault. He was the opponent. He was the one who beat you, using the same methods you used. Only he had a message more people liked, and voted for.
Both candidates were corporate puppets, and both spent billions attacking the other. But most people want to tax the wealthy, most people think a woman should have reproductive choice, and most people think gay people should have the same rights as straight people. Its that simple. And the list goes on. If the democrats are lucky, the republicans won't figure that out.
There seem to be three schools of thought among republicans concerning the explanation. That the G.O.P. (for our friends in russia, a nickname for the american republican party is the "grand ole party", or GOP) needs to change and update its message to appeal to more people, that it needs to keep the same message and deliver it better, and that obama stole the election by using billions of dollars worth of unfair advertising attacking romney.
The first school of thought is the correct one. I'll tell you that right now, my republican friends, of which there are many. You should be grateful to me for being willing to help you out with good advice. Y'all need to change your postion on the issues, because most americans don't like your positions.
The effectivenss with which the republicans delivered their message was not the problem. There was no shortage of money, or impressive camera work. But you can't have a candidate for president who says that forty seven per cent of the american people are slackers. That'll lose an election by itself.
For the republicans to blame the loss on obama is absolutely hilarious, and absolutely true. Of course its obama's fault. He was the opponent. He was the one who beat you, using the same methods you used. Only he had a message more people liked, and voted for.
Both candidates were corporate puppets, and both spent billions attacking the other. But most people want to tax the wealthy, most people think a woman should have reproductive choice, and most people think gay people should have the same rights as straight people. Its that simple. And the list goes on. If the democrats are lucky, the republicans won't figure that out.
Involving Everyone
ON MONDAY morning, veteran's day, everyone on the street where i live set out their garbage, evidently forgetting that although our small town has trash pick up twice a week, which is almost unheard of these days, it does not have service on holidays, any holidays.
So, by monday evening everyone had replaced their trash in their garages, to await thursday's regular pick up. Everyone, that is, except the people who live across the street on the corner, who, i reflected, are the only people on the block who rent.
So the renter's trash sat on the street for four days, and by the time thursday morning rolled around, neighborhood cats had ripped open their garbage bags, and had spilled their garbage all over their yard and out into the street.
I, or anyone else living around here, could have told them this would happen, but my guess is, they wouldn't have listened. After all, they're americans.
Plato was a utopian socialist, but his prize pupil, aristotle, was very definitely an advocate of provate property, making his well known comment "that which is owned by everyone is cared for by no one".
Aristotle had a point, What he said rings true today, if you loook around most american communities. Public and rental properties are always the least maintained. And that's a blow to us socialists. Of course, socialism need not include the abolition of private property.
So maybe home ownership should be universal, or, perhaps we should invent something called "renter's equity", in which renting comes to be more of an investment, less of a temporary arrangement. Something similar to a lease to buy arrangement, with the added feature that a renter obtains the right to participate in the future sale of the property, and to benefit, to some extent, from it.
Of course, as soon as you compromise an owner's right to rent his property outright, the free marketeers will be out in force. That is, until they have to drive across town , over to the other side of the tracks, and clean up garbage.
So, by monday evening everyone had replaced their trash in their garages, to await thursday's regular pick up. Everyone, that is, except the people who live across the street on the corner, who, i reflected, are the only people on the block who rent.
So the renter's trash sat on the street for four days, and by the time thursday morning rolled around, neighborhood cats had ripped open their garbage bags, and had spilled their garbage all over their yard and out into the street.
I, or anyone else living around here, could have told them this would happen, but my guess is, they wouldn't have listened. After all, they're americans.
Plato was a utopian socialist, but his prize pupil, aristotle, was very definitely an advocate of provate property, making his well known comment "that which is owned by everyone is cared for by no one".
Aristotle had a point, What he said rings true today, if you loook around most american communities. Public and rental properties are always the least maintained. And that's a blow to us socialists. Of course, socialism need not include the abolition of private property.
So maybe home ownership should be universal, or, perhaps we should invent something called "renter's equity", in which renting comes to be more of an investment, less of a temporary arrangement. Something similar to a lease to buy arrangement, with the added feature that a renter obtains the right to participate in the future sale of the property, and to benefit, to some extent, from it.
Of course, as soon as you compromise an owner's right to rent his property outright, the free marketeers will be out in force. That is, until they have to drive across town , over to the other side of the tracks, and clean up garbage.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Pleasant Propaganda
SEX REIGNS SUPREME in america, does it not? How could anyone argue otherwise? Every television show, every character, oozing sexual content, like our entire culture. And I think we might also all agree that it isn't because of christianity or socialism.
In a nutshell, its because of capitalism. Corporate capitalism, Marketing and advertising. In spite of christianity, and christian morality, not because of it. Maybe a little christian morality directed towards corporate decision makers about the morality of using sex to seduce people and increase profits might be in order.
But, so be it. Long live the free market, long live freedom, yes my fellow americans? But it does sometimes seem strange that so often conservative christians expouse the virtues of capitalism, when jesus seems to've been more socialistic.
Its a bit insulting, knowing that my corporate masters think I'm so shallow that I can be bought with sex. Its equally insulting that they are quite correct, that I can be.
I cut off my cable TV about a year ago and haven't looked back (for the most part). Best decision I ever made. No more corporate brainwashing! Or at least, not quite as much. Yes, I sometimes jones. I sometimes miss TV. I miss my Yankees on TV.
And someday I surely shall return (to TV watching). But, for now, I'm still happy, and more productive, without it. I dunno, tho...I miss my football too...
In a nutshell, its because of capitalism. Corporate capitalism, Marketing and advertising. In spite of christianity, and christian morality, not because of it. Maybe a little christian morality directed towards corporate decision makers about the morality of using sex to seduce people and increase profits might be in order.
But, so be it. Long live the free market, long live freedom, yes my fellow americans? But it does sometimes seem strange that so often conservative christians expouse the virtues of capitalism, when jesus seems to've been more socialistic.
Its a bit insulting, knowing that my corporate masters think I'm so shallow that I can be bought with sex. Its equally insulting that they are quite correct, that I can be.
I cut off my cable TV about a year ago and haven't looked back (for the most part). Best decision I ever made. No more corporate brainwashing! Or at least, not quite as much. Yes, I sometimes jones. I sometimes miss TV. I miss my Yankees on TV.
And someday I surely shall return (to TV watching). But, for now, I'm still happy, and more productive, without it. I dunno, tho...I miss my football too...
Sex For Profit
THESE SEXUAL encounters and affairs involving rich powerful older men and hot young babes are, if nothing else, endlessly amusing, and highly indicative of fundamental human nature. Was it h.l. mencken, or somebody, who said "the fools would be humorous, were they not in such deadly earnest". It was most definitely the ancient greek philosopher Agathon who said "against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain."
A good friend of mine, a professor of electrical engineering from Argentina, and a helluve tennis player to boot, cracked me up on the court one day during the bill clinton monica lewinsky hubbab, when, in the middle of a conversation, and right after hitting a backhand lasar down the line, exclaimed: "I do not understand you amellicans and your attitude about clinton. In argentian, we EXPECT our president to have many women!" I doubled over in laughter, and never even tried to run the ball down. He wouldn't even concede the point, damned cheater.
Whymust we puritanical self righteous hypocritical americans make such a huge display out of everything? If I didn't know better, I'd say corporate profits. If you don't like it, ignor it, and it'll go away.
Throughout the animal kingdom the female seems to be looking for a mate with resources, and the male seems to be looking for a fertile mate. REsources can include youth, age, physical size, wealth, fame, power, social status, job title.....fertility means youth, health, and symmetrical beauty. When two male antelope fight, the female goes off into the bushes with the winner, usually the larger of the two. Antelopes and humans keep getting bigger.
Bill and monica, patraeus and what's her name? Just being human, that's all. Or, more accurately, just being human animals. A chile once wrote a letter to einstein asking whether human beings are animals. Einstein, as he always did, wrote back, and said: Animals eat, drink, sleep, reproduce, love, fight, and die. What do human beings do?
We, dear reader, are the laughable ones, we who lap up the trash our corporate masters feed us like kittens bent over a dish of cream.
The next time, which will be today, that a major american television network starts its evening news by talking about patraeus and what's her name, and is still talking about them halfway through the news, perhaps we might all consider the possibility of changing stations, and watching a bit of the kardashians, or Desperate Housewives. Anything to get away from all the sensational sex for profit.
A good friend of mine, a professor of electrical engineering from Argentina, and a helluve tennis player to boot, cracked me up on the court one day during the bill clinton monica lewinsky hubbab, when, in the middle of a conversation, and right after hitting a backhand lasar down the line, exclaimed: "I do not understand you amellicans and your attitude about clinton. In argentian, we EXPECT our president to have many women!" I doubled over in laughter, and never even tried to run the ball down. He wouldn't even concede the point, damned cheater.
Whymust we puritanical self righteous hypocritical americans make such a huge display out of everything? If I didn't know better, I'd say corporate profits. If you don't like it, ignor it, and it'll go away.
Throughout the animal kingdom the female seems to be looking for a mate with resources, and the male seems to be looking for a fertile mate. REsources can include youth, age, physical size, wealth, fame, power, social status, job title.....fertility means youth, health, and symmetrical beauty. When two male antelope fight, the female goes off into the bushes with the winner, usually the larger of the two. Antelopes and humans keep getting bigger.
Bill and monica, patraeus and what's her name? Just being human, that's all. Or, more accurately, just being human animals. A chile once wrote a letter to einstein asking whether human beings are animals. Einstein, as he always did, wrote back, and said: Animals eat, drink, sleep, reproduce, love, fight, and die. What do human beings do?
We, dear reader, are the laughable ones, we who lap up the trash our corporate masters feed us like kittens bent over a dish of cream.
The next time, which will be today, that a major american television network starts its evening news by talking about patraeus and what's her name, and is still talking about them halfway through the news, perhaps we might all consider the possibility of changing stations, and watching a bit of the kardashians, or Desperate Housewives. Anything to get away from all the sensational sex for profit.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Sooner the Better
I PROPOSE a new brand of liberalism, a new style. The old one just won't do anymore. Its too contentious, too disdainful of conservatism. I spent eight years complaining about ronald reagan, another four years complaining about goeorge herbert walker bush the forty first, and eight years listening to conreps* complaining about bill clinton.
*conrep = conservative republican
I finally got tired of it all, and especially, tired of msyelf, tired of listening to myself complain. So, I don't complain anymore, or, at least, I try not to. Instead, I accept and respect conservatism as the basis of liberalism.
I got tired of listening to my liberal friends demonize conservatives, and conservatism. And so I eventually came to tealize that conservatism is the basis of all political thought, including liberalsim.
One can be a basic liberal, and accept conservatism at the same ttime. But one cannot be a basic conservative, and accept liberalism at the same time. That's the advantage that the liberals have, or can have, if only they choose to exploit it.
Liberals enjoy the advantage of not being forced to fundamentally reject the opposing point of view, but rather being able to accept the opposing point of view, then, expand on it. Liberalism and conservatism actually compliment each other, but to admit that liberalism has value is to admit that conservatism is not complete, and for staunch conservatives, that will never do.
Liberals can easily embrace christianity and capitalisxm, for instance, the two fundamental pillars of conservatism, while simultaneously embracing every other religion and political philosophy, and declaring them all equal. But conservatives can never accept atheism or islam, or socialism.
Liberalism can despise abortion, and love life, and still believe that a woman's reproductive choices are decided by, or should be decided by, her and God, not her and government. A conservative cannot simultaneously oppose abortion and support choice.
Thus, conservatism, in a sense, is quite limited, whereas liberalism is inclusive and expansive.The sooner liberals understand this, the better off they'll be.
*conrep = conservative republican
I finally got tired of it all, and especially, tired of msyelf, tired of listening to myself complain. So, I don't complain anymore, or, at least, I try not to. Instead, I accept and respect conservatism as the basis of liberalism.
I got tired of listening to my liberal friends demonize conservatives, and conservatism. And so I eventually came to tealize that conservatism is the basis of all political thought, including liberalsim.
One can be a basic liberal, and accept conservatism at the same ttime. But one cannot be a basic conservative, and accept liberalism at the same time. That's the advantage that the liberals have, or can have, if only they choose to exploit it.
Liberals enjoy the advantage of not being forced to fundamentally reject the opposing point of view, but rather being able to accept the opposing point of view, then, expand on it. Liberalism and conservatism actually compliment each other, but to admit that liberalism has value is to admit that conservatism is not complete, and for staunch conservatives, that will never do.
Liberals can easily embrace christianity and capitalisxm, for instance, the two fundamental pillars of conservatism, while simultaneously embracing every other religion and political philosophy, and declaring them all equal. But conservatives can never accept atheism or islam, or socialism.
Liberalism can despise abortion, and love life, and still believe that a woman's reproductive choices are decided by, or should be decided by, her and God, not her and government. A conservative cannot simultaneously oppose abortion and support choice.
Thus, conservatism, in a sense, is quite limited, whereas liberalism is inclusive and expansive.The sooner liberals understand this, the better off they'll be.
Losing Good
ITS EVEN WORSE than we thought. The anger, the bitterness, the arrogance. America's conservatives/republicans are on a rampage,, but so far, fortunately, said rampage is largely verbal...and written.
In about fifteen states conreps (conservative republicans) are circulating petitions demanding that their respective states secede from the union, which is exactly what "they", southern conservatives, did in 1861, in reaction to the election of abraham lincoln. You may recall that at that time all hell broke loose.
Back then the conservatives were the democrats, the president who inspired the rebellion was a republican. In both cases, the newly elected president was a visionary who believed in fundamental necessary change, and the conservatives were/are reactionaries who were just too damned arrogant to understand that sometimes your own beliefs are not the beliefs of the majority of americans, and that the majority, in nearly all cases, should rule.
Meanwhile, about half the states, (for the benefit of our russian readers, there are fifty states) have indicated in no uncertain terms that there is absolutely no way, shape, or form, no way in hell, that they will voluntarily set up "health care exchanges", in accordance with obamacare. The feds'll have to do it.
In the case of the secession movement, the cause is illegal, unpatriotic, and doomed to fail because only a small minority of people actually support it. In the case of obamacare, the non participating states are merely choosing a perfectly legal option, and their action reflects a fair share of public opinion.
But both situations are indicative of the same alarming tendency; the tendency in america for people to increasingly refuse to cooperate with the will of the majority, and with the law, simply because they happen to strongly disagree with it.
These malcontents have evidently forgottone one of the first lessons of early childhood: you can't always have your way, and when you don't, you must be a good good loser.
In about fifteen states conreps (conservative republicans) are circulating petitions demanding that their respective states secede from the union, which is exactly what "they", southern conservatives, did in 1861, in reaction to the election of abraham lincoln. You may recall that at that time all hell broke loose.
Back then the conservatives were the democrats, the president who inspired the rebellion was a republican. In both cases, the newly elected president was a visionary who believed in fundamental necessary change, and the conservatives were/are reactionaries who were just too damned arrogant to understand that sometimes your own beliefs are not the beliefs of the majority of americans, and that the majority, in nearly all cases, should rule.
Meanwhile, about half the states, (for the benefit of our russian readers, there are fifty states) have indicated in no uncertain terms that there is absolutely no way, shape, or form, no way in hell, that they will voluntarily set up "health care exchanges", in accordance with obamacare. The feds'll have to do it.
In the case of the secession movement, the cause is illegal, unpatriotic, and doomed to fail because only a small minority of people actually support it. In the case of obamacare, the non participating states are merely choosing a perfectly legal option, and their action reflects a fair share of public opinion.
But both situations are indicative of the same alarming tendency; the tendency in america for people to increasingly refuse to cooperate with the will of the majority, and with the law, simply because they happen to strongly disagree with it.
These malcontents have evidently forgottone one of the first lessons of early childhood: you can't always have your way, and when you don't, you must be a good good loser.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Stay Tuned
PREVIOUSLY IT WAS SUGGESTED here that general patraeus, by resiging his job as director of the CIA, (which, for the edification of our russian readers, is the approximate equivalent of the russian KGB, anybody who's anybody has one), effectively deprived us, the american people, of a dramatic spectacle of considerable entertainment, if not intellectual value. Considerable, but still somewhat less than the monica and cill clinton scandal of a decade and a half ago.
But not so fast! It seems that we shall , after all, be lavishly entertained once again in high dramatic style, thanks largely to the manganimous thoughtfulness of the american media, with the major television networks leading the way, as usual.
All the sordid, lurid details, right in our living rooms on our big high def screens, in our easy chairs, in between sexy ads for hooters, victoria's secret, the bank of america, and macdonald's, those citadels of american capitalistic virtue and pride. How can you lose?
The lady is gorgeous, seductive, catlike athletic, brilliant. He, the consumate man of great power. And handsome to boot. Welcome to the fun house! Welcome to america, the land of enchantment, where nothing is as it seems, but better.
More exciting, more sexy, more violent, more adrenalin drenching. Ready your credit cards, you are about to be urged to part with your money at our all powerful corporate alter. Let the consumption orgy begin anew, with renewed vigor! Stay tuned. It only gets better.
But not so fast! It seems that we shall , after all, be lavishly entertained once again in high dramatic style, thanks largely to the manganimous thoughtfulness of the american media, with the major television networks leading the way, as usual.
All the sordid, lurid details, right in our living rooms on our big high def screens, in our easy chairs, in between sexy ads for hooters, victoria's secret, the bank of america, and macdonald's, those citadels of american capitalistic virtue and pride. How can you lose?
The lady is gorgeous, seductive, catlike athletic, brilliant. He, the consumate man of great power. And handsome to boot. Welcome to the fun house! Welcome to america, the land of enchantment, where nothing is as it seems, but better.
More exciting, more sexy, more violent, more adrenalin drenching. Ready your credit cards, you are about to be urged to part with your money at our all powerful corporate alter. Let the consumption orgy begin anew, with renewed vigor! Stay tuned. It only gets better.
Violence, Straight Up
YESTERDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2012, armistice day, three quarterbacks in the national football league suffered concussions. The one good thing about this is that all three were reported, and dealt with medically. There was a time in the NFL, quite recently in fact, when the reporting and medical treatment never would have occured. Instead, the player would spend a few minutes on the bench, clearing his head, while his teammates would joke with him about having had his "bell rung", and jokingly asking him if he could remember his own name.
For those of you in countries other than the united states, american football, you may know, is a version of english rugby, with greatly enhanced violence and "protective" body armor. Worldwide, rugy is a much more popular sport, and probably a superior one, but here in amerca our special brand is all consumingly popular.
As american cultre becomes ever more violent, so does the popularity of american football. We all love it here, or at least a large majority of us, including yours truly. Anyone with discernment might well ask why. The answer is probably that american culture was founded on violence, evolved in violence, and we americans take our violence anyway we can, the best way we know how; vicariously.
Anyone who has watched football for, say, the past fifty years can easily see that the game has become more violent. There was a time when the essential skills were "blocking" and "tackling". Now, the essential skill is "hitting". It simply is no longer enough to block and tackle effectively; one must do it with excessive brute force.
WE are becoming more aware and responsive to injuries only because we are forced to by their frequency and severity. Also because retired professional football players almost to a man have debilitating physical conditions brought about by having spent a partial lifetime on the gridiron, (football field), and because many of them have filed lawsuits, still unresolved, against the national football league. .
All over our great nation men in their forties and fifties are experiencing dementia, quite likely the result of brain damage from playing, and from the cultural feature of using the football helmet not as a protective measure, but as a weapon. Football helmets used to be made of leather. Now they are made of harder than hell plastic, which seems to the touch like steel.
To suggest that football return to blocking and tackling, leather helmets, gentlemanly play and that it start penalizing anyone using excessive and unnecessary force while making physical contact with another player would be tantamount to sacrilege.
In america, we take our violence straight up.
For those of you in countries other than the united states, american football, you may know, is a version of english rugby, with greatly enhanced violence and "protective" body armor. Worldwide, rugy is a much more popular sport, and probably a superior one, but here in amerca our special brand is all consumingly popular.
As american cultre becomes ever more violent, so does the popularity of american football. We all love it here, or at least a large majority of us, including yours truly. Anyone with discernment might well ask why. The answer is probably that american culture was founded on violence, evolved in violence, and we americans take our violence anyway we can, the best way we know how; vicariously.
Anyone who has watched football for, say, the past fifty years can easily see that the game has become more violent. There was a time when the essential skills were "blocking" and "tackling". Now, the essential skill is "hitting". It simply is no longer enough to block and tackle effectively; one must do it with excessive brute force.
WE are becoming more aware and responsive to injuries only because we are forced to by their frequency and severity. Also because retired professional football players almost to a man have debilitating physical conditions brought about by having spent a partial lifetime on the gridiron, (football field), and because many of them have filed lawsuits, still unresolved, against the national football league. .
All over our great nation men in their forties and fifties are experiencing dementia, quite likely the result of brain damage from playing, and from the cultural feature of using the football helmet not as a protective measure, but as a weapon. Football helmets used to be made of leather. Now they are made of harder than hell plastic, which seems to the touch like steel.
To suggest that football return to blocking and tackling, leather helmets, gentlemanly play and that it start penalizing anyone using excessive and unnecessary force while making physical contact with another player would be tantamount to sacrilege.
In america, we take our violence straight up.
Utter Futility
ALL THAT MONEY, and, for what? They say that you get what you pay for, and if that is true, the republican party must be feeling pretty ripped off about now. How many billions of dollars, including Political Action Committee money, was spent on advertising for republican candidates?
The cardinal rule of advertising is that it always works. To one extent or another, advertising is always successful. When in doubt, advertise. No matter what you're trying to sell, particularly if its yourself, advertise. This has been proven time and again. That's the way humans beings work. When we are told something, our first impulse is to believe it, no matter what it is, no matter how unbelievable.
Hence, the united states is a country in which we eat food that is bad for us, drink drinks that are bad for us, and fill our homes with material objects for which we have absolutely no need nor use.
And that's what politics is: advertising, advertising, advertising. But right about now, you'd have a hard time selling that notion to american republican/conservatives.
Heaven only knows how much P.A.C.s like the one organized by former bush advisor carl rove raised and pitched in. His group, which avoided legal difficulties by formally organizing itself under the laughable category "public welfare organization", or some such inanity, calling itself something laughable like "Concerned Americans for American Prosperity (C.R.A.P.) purchased tens of millions dollars worth of ads for romney and other republican/conservative candidates.
Then there were the infamous coke brothers, billionaires who got the ball rolling by giving five million dollars to doomed candidate newt gingrich back in january, only to see it go down the toilet. newt gingrich. Remember him? At one point he proclaimed himself to be the inevitable republican nominee for president. Hatch 'em before you count 'em, newt.
These billionaires are supposedly the smart ones, the ones who worked hard and made good decisions, invested wisely. Now, they're licking their wounds, looking for ways to shift the loss to the rest of us. Look who's talking. I invested in facebook.
The cardinal rule of advertising is that it always works. To one extent or another, advertising is always successful. When in doubt, advertise. No matter what you're trying to sell, particularly if its yourself, advertise. This has been proven time and again. That's the way humans beings work. When we are told something, our first impulse is to believe it, no matter what it is, no matter how unbelievable.
Hence, the united states is a country in which we eat food that is bad for us, drink drinks that are bad for us, and fill our homes with material objects for which we have absolutely no need nor use.
And that's what politics is: advertising, advertising, advertising. But right about now, you'd have a hard time selling that notion to american republican/conservatives.
Heaven only knows how much P.A.C.s like the one organized by former bush advisor carl rove raised and pitched in. His group, which avoided legal difficulties by formally organizing itself under the laughable category "public welfare organization", or some such inanity, calling itself something laughable like "Concerned Americans for American Prosperity (C.R.A.P.) purchased tens of millions dollars worth of ads for romney and other republican/conservative candidates.
Then there were the infamous coke brothers, billionaires who got the ball rolling by giving five million dollars to doomed candidate newt gingrich back in january, only to see it go down the toilet. newt gingrich. Remember him? At one point he proclaimed himself to be the inevitable republican nominee for president. Hatch 'em before you count 'em, newt.
These billionaires are supposedly the smart ones, the ones who worked hard and made good decisions, invested wisely. Now, they're licking their wounds, looking for ways to shift the loss to the rest of us. Look who's talking. I invested in facebook.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Denial
MY FATHER started smoking when he was fourteen, and by the time he was sixty eight, the damage had been done. He lay in the intensive care unit of the V.A. hospital, his lung cancer had spread to his brain, and he had only hours to live.
I walked into the small ICU room, and had to walk right back out. I feel fairly certain he would not have known I was even there. Out in the waiting area, I was unable to sit down, and was hyper ventilating. My mind was racing, and I felt a sense of panic, knowing that soon my father would be gone forever.
A nurws asked me if was was alright, and I indicated that I was. She offered me a chair, and I declined. Then, the room started spinning around in circles, my legs buckled, and the next thing I knew, I awakened, laying on my back on a marble floor and staring into the face of a doctor.
The docotre gazed into my eyes, and asked me how I felt. "I'm fine" I lied. Never admit weakness.
The doctor responded, "your present physiucal position would seem to belie that statement, young man".
My first thought was "are you calling me a liar?" then, the thought slowely came to me, "shit, I've been busted. He can see through my act, he can tell I fainted." Damn, busted.
That was twenty seven years ago, and ever since, I have been amazed at my own behavior back then, amazed that I was so determined to not only be strong, but to not show any trace of weakness. But really, in a sense, we are all like that, as a group, as a species.
Everywhere are clear signs that we humans are rapdily destroying our own world by living the way we do, by indiscriminately pouring our filth, mostly carbon, into the atmosphere, trapping heat, changing the ecosystem catstrophically.
Plant and animal species are going extinct at an unprecedented rate, a rate which has happened only two or three times in billions of years. And yet, we keep telling ourselves, pretending to ourselves, that we are doing just fine.
We talk about the truth, we pay lip service to it, but we really don't seem to consider the situation critical. We refuse to believe the truth enough to act on it. Maybe our attitude of denial is based on the psychology that a problem ignored is a problem that goes away, or maybe we all understand that by the time the earth becomes really sick, we'll all be dead.
My mother is ninety two years old. When she dies, I hope I don't faint.
I walked into the small ICU room, and had to walk right back out. I feel fairly certain he would not have known I was even there. Out in the waiting area, I was unable to sit down, and was hyper ventilating. My mind was racing, and I felt a sense of panic, knowing that soon my father would be gone forever.
A nurws asked me if was was alright, and I indicated that I was. She offered me a chair, and I declined. Then, the room started spinning around in circles, my legs buckled, and the next thing I knew, I awakened, laying on my back on a marble floor and staring into the face of a doctor.
The docotre gazed into my eyes, and asked me how I felt. "I'm fine" I lied. Never admit weakness.
The doctor responded, "your present physiucal position would seem to belie that statement, young man".
My first thought was "are you calling me a liar?" then, the thought slowely came to me, "shit, I've been busted. He can see through my act, he can tell I fainted." Damn, busted.
That was twenty seven years ago, and ever since, I have been amazed at my own behavior back then, amazed that I was so determined to not only be strong, but to not show any trace of weakness. But really, in a sense, we are all like that, as a group, as a species.
Everywhere are clear signs that we humans are rapdily destroying our own world by living the way we do, by indiscriminately pouring our filth, mostly carbon, into the atmosphere, trapping heat, changing the ecosystem catstrophically.
Plant and animal species are going extinct at an unprecedented rate, a rate which has happened only two or three times in billions of years. And yet, we keep telling ourselves, pretending to ourselves, that we are doing just fine.
We talk about the truth, we pay lip service to it, but we really don't seem to consider the situation critical. We refuse to believe the truth enough to act on it. Maybe our attitude of denial is based on the psychology that a problem ignored is a problem that goes away, or maybe we all understand that by the time the earth becomes really sick, we'll all be dead.
My mother is ninety two years old. When she dies, I hope I don't faint.
Wherefore Patraeus?
GENERAL PATRAEUS resigned his job as CIA director not because he had too many vowels in his last name, but because he had too many women in his (or her) bed, or at least, one too many. And he did this voluntarily. He initiated the resignation. Apparently, nobody forced him to, or even put pressure on him, yet. Who knows what would have happened had he not done this. We maight have been treated to a full blown scandal, ala monica and bill, though with a bit less flair.
And who knows what's really going on? Maybe he had come to the conclusion that he hated the job, hated the endless plots and scams and secrecy, and longed for good old fashioned straightforward military life, and used the affair as a sexy excuse to get off the hook.
The FBI was/is "investigating" emails exchanged between the Director's consort, and, whomever. So what? The FBI investigates anything that moves. WE all need something to keep us busy. Why would a little FBI involvement drive anyone out of a perfectly good job?
In america we have two great traditions. Well, actually, we have many, including Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, but two which come to mind presently, seemingly appropo. We have a tradition of signing contracts promising to be sexually and emotionally exclusive with our spouse, and we have another great tradition of breaking this promise as many times as possible without getting caught.
When we get caught, the great emotional dramatic "mia culpa", in which a display of remourse preceeds a great resolution to never again stray. And then we have divorce, and the great legalistic struggle for financial and material assets, children, and lawyers.
Must we always make such a big deal out of all this. Apparently so. Tabloid journalists must make a living too. Was the general compromising national security by leaving himself open to blackmail? Perhaps so, but presumably not after confessing. Confession tends to immolate blackmailers, does it not?
Patraeus did a grat job of donducting military operations in afghanistan, or wherever else the U.S. was fighting a war (one loses count after so many), and was probably a great CIA director, whatever that entails. You just hate to lose good people over a little sex.
Perhaps there will come a time when people are hired and fired because of how well they do the job, rather than because of race, gender,mode of dress, age, drug habits, or sexual bahavior. Perhaps, but probably not.
And who knows what's really going on? Maybe he had come to the conclusion that he hated the job, hated the endless plots and scams and secrecy, and longed for good old fashioned straightforward military life, and used the affair as a sexy excuse to get off the hook.
The FBI was/is "investigating" emails exchanged between the Director's consort, and, whomever. So what? The FBI investigates anything that moves. WE all need something to keep us busy. Why would a little FBI involvement drive anyone out of a perfectly good job?
In america we have two great traditions. Well, actually, we have many, including Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, but two which come to mind presently, seemingly appropo. We have a tradition of signing contracts promising to be sexually and emotionally exclusive with our spouse, and we have another great tradition of breaking this promise as many times as possible without getting caught.
When we get caught, the great emotional dramatic "mia culpa", in which a display of remourse preceeds a great resolution to never again stray. And then we have divorce, and the great legalistic struggle for financial and material assets, children, and lawyers.
Must we always make such a big deal out of all this. Apparently so. Tabloid journalists must make a living too. Was the general compromising national security by leaving himself open to blackmail? Perhaps so, but presumably not after confessing. Confession tends to immolate blackmailers, does it not?
Patraeus did a grat job of donducting military operations in afghanistan, or wherever else the U.S. was fighting a war (one loses count after so many), and was probably a great CIA director, whatever that entails. You just hate to lose good people over a little sex.
Perhaps there will come a time when people are hired and fired because of how well they do the job, rather than because of race, gender,mode of dress, age, drug habits, or sexual bahavior. Perhaps, but probably not.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
If the Poor People Gave a Damn
SEEMINGLY FORTIFIED by his reelection, president obama insists he will veto any budget bill which does not include a small federal income tax increase for people making over a quarter million a year. His republican foes are saying that such a tax increase is unfair, and would not raise revenues enough to make it worthwhile.
This sounds a bit contradictory. Obama's proposed tax increase on the wealthy would be large enough to be unfair, to hurt the wealthy, but not large enough to help anyone. How can it be both at the same time?
The republicans want to raise revenue by closing tax loopholes, which sounds great, but is it really possible to do this? Would closing one loophole merely open another? To the extent that closing tax loopholes is possible, by all means, let's close 'em.
Mainly, in order to reduce the deficit, the conservatives aka republicans want to "shore up" entitlements, so sayeth speaker of the house john boehner, which is code for reducing entitlements, such as social security, medicare, and medicaid.
And the conservatives aka republicans wonder why they lost the election. They lost because there are far more poor people than wealthy people in america. They lost because they blame the poor for being poor, and the democrats blame the wealthy .
Say whatever you want, which point of view is gonna attract more votes in a country where even the poor people, in most cases, have plenty of opportunity to vote? If the poor people in america gave a damn, the occupy wall street movement would be a flaming success.
maybe the wealthy folks are lucky the poor people don't give a damn...
This sounds a bit contradictory. Obama's proposed tax increase on the wealthy would be large enough to be unfair, to hurt the wealthy, but not large enough to help anyone. How can it be both at the same time?
The republicans want to raise revenue by closing tax loopholes, which sounds great, but is it really possible to do this? Would closing one loophole merely open another? To the extent that closing tax loopholes is possible, by all means, let's close 'em.
Mainly, in order to reduce the deficit, the conservatives aka republicans want to "shore up" entitlements, so sayeth speaker of the house john boehner, which is code for reducing entitlements, such as social security, medicare, and medicaid.
And the conservatives aka republicans wonder why they lost the election. They lost because there are far more poor people than wealthy people in america. They lost because they blame the poor for being poor, and the democrats blame the wealthy .
Say whatever you want, which point of view is gonna attract more votes in a country where even the poor people, in most cases, have plenty of opportunity to vote? If the poor people in america gave a damn, the occupy wall street movement would be a flaming success.
maybe the wealthy folks are lucky the poor people don't give a damn...
Purchasing Love
THE KITTEN, about two or three months old, started hanging out on my front porch. At first I left it alone, thinking it might want to go home, if it had a home, and also because it was reluctant to let me get close to it.
I was beautiful. Gray, with tan splotches all over its body and adorbable face. It kept coming back, but would not let me get close or touch it. Then I set out some food, which it ate enthusiastically, although it was not underweight and seemed quite healthy.
After several days of food and water, but still no kitten - in - lap, i decided to roll the dice. The kitten had just eaten, but I was still hungry. So I marched into the kitchen, made a tuna sandwich on whole wheat, and returned to the porch.
Ulfactory thus ignited, the kitten started making noise, and rubbing against my legs. One small bite of tuna, and the fuzzy soft little thing was in my lap, and the affection began. All it took was one small chunk of a dead animal.
The purina nutritionally balanced grain based cat chow didn't do it, the tuna did. My what carnivores we are. For a little while kitten lost interest in purina, and i found myself amazed at how quickly an animal, even homeless and hungry, can get "spoiled".
"spoiled" is real. spoiled happens to humans, and yes, to animals. Spoiled is when a three yeard old won't play with the expensive new toy, because its the wrong color.
A professor of economics once told me that the love which a parent feels for a child is usually automatic, unconditional, but that the parent must purchase the love of a child. A businessman with three kids, two dogs, and a cat once told me that he in effect was the father of six children. At least, that's the way he felt.
Kitten likes to rub its little head against my face. I feel that I am owned and controlled by a one pound bundle of fuzziness that insists upon my absolute and unqualified love.
I was beautiful. Gray, with tan splotches all over its body and adorbable face. It kept coming back, but would not let me get close or touch it. Then I set out some food, which it ate enthusiastically, although it was not underweight and seemed quite healthy.
After several days of food and water, but still no kitten - in - lap, i decided to roll the dice. The kitten had just eaten, but I was still hungry. So I marched into the kitchen, made a tuna sandwich on whole wheat, and returned to the porch.
Ulfactory thus ignited, the kitten started making noise, and rubbing against my legs. One small bite of tuna, and the fuzzy soft little thing was in my lap, and the affection began. All it took was one small chunk of a dead animal.
The purina nutritionally balanced grain based cat chow didn't do it, the tuna did. My what carnivores we are. For a little while kitten lost interest in purina, and i found myself amazed at how quickly an animal, even homeless and hungry, can get "spoiled".
"spoiled" is real. spoiled happens to humans, and yes, to animals. Spoiled is when a three yeard old won't play with the expensive new toy, because its the wrong color.
A professor of economics once told me that the love which a parent feels for a child is usually automatic, unconditional, but that the parent must purchase the love of a child. A businessman with three kids, two dogs, and a cat once told me that he in effect was the father of six children. At least, that's the way he felt.
Kitten likes to rub its little head against my face. I feel that I am owned and controlled by a one pound bundle of fuzziness that insists upon my absolute and unqualified love.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Going Over the Cliff
DON'T LOOK NOW, but here comes the "fiscal cliff", as we are cleverly calling it. On january first, 2013, unless something is done, federal income taxes will increase for everyone, and spending will be drastically reduced, according to current law.
Spending cuts will be in every area from social security, other entitlements, the military, AmTrak, national public radio, the national endowment for the arts, etc., etc. Mostly things we can well afford to cut, and should cut, truth be told. We as a nation spend too much on too many unnecessary things, and, for a nation this size, our taxes are low. Hence, our enormous national debt.
This is happening because in the last session of congress, the congress, especially the republican controlled house of reps, and president obama were unable to reach agreement on a budget. So, once again, we don't have one (budget).
The situation become so acrimonious that finally an agreement was reached that if no agreement was reached by january first of next year, the taxes and spending cuts would kick in automatically, which was thought would prompt both sides to reach a gudget agreement to avoid the disaster. IN a stupid prideful game of chicken, the parties dared each other to the edge of a cliff.
But maybe it shouldn't be considered a looming disaster. In fact, maybe this fiscal cliff is the best idea that we've had in a long time, and we should merely let it happen. The horrible fear everyone seems to have of the cliff is that it might slow down or wreck the economy, driving it back into recession.
but how will we ever know if we don't try it? We do know one thing for certain: the fiscal cliff, raising taxes on everyody, and cutting everything, will most assuredly reduce the federal deficit and the national debt.
Of course, we may never have to worry about the fiscal cliff. We may never get there. December twenty first, twenty twelve, is coming first, and the world may end, and spare us the fiscal cliff.
Spending cuts will be in every area from social security, other entitlements, the military, AmTrak, national public radio, the national endowment for the arts, etc., etc. Mostly things we can well afford to cut, and should cut, truth be told. We as a nation spend too much on too many unnecessary things, and, for a nation this size, our taxes are low. Hence, our enormous national debt.
This is happening because in the last session of congress, the congress, especially the republican controlled house of reps, and president obama were unable to reach agreement on a budget. So, once again, we don't have one (budget).
The situation become so acrimonious that finally an agreement was reached that if no agreement was reached by january first of next year, the taxes and spending cuts would kick in automatically, which was thought would prompt both sides to reach a gudget agreement to avoid the disaster. IN a stupid prideful game of chicken, the parties dared each other to the edge of a cliff.
But maybe it shouldn't be considered a looming disaster. In fact, maybe this fiscal cliff is the best idea that we've had in a long time, and we should merely let it happen. The horrible fear everyone seems to have of the cliff is that it might slow down or wreck the economy, driving it back into recession.
but how will we ever know if we don't try it? We do know one thing for certain: the fiscal cliff, raising taxes on everyody, and cutting everything, will most assuredly reduce the federal deficit and the national debt.
Of course, we may never have to worry about the fiscal cliff. We may never get there. December twenty first, twenty twelve, is coming first, and the world may end, and spare us the fiscal cliff.
One Can Hope
IT HARD TO BELIEVE that the end of the mayan calendar, and thus the end of the world, is only six weeks away. Now that the presidential election is over in america, and december approaches, excitement and talk will presumably increase all the way to the actual crossing of the galactic equator by "our" planet on december 21.
Will the world, even if it doesn't "end", bu subjected to violent shaking, earthquakes, storms, electromagnetic disasters of all shapes and sizes? It says here that what will actually happen is nothing, but, what do we know?
All the forecasts are not gloomy. There is in fact a rather large number of people who insist that this grand astronomical event will be followed by drastic changes here on earth; all for the better.
Something similar happened back in nineteen eighty seven, when the so called "harmonic convergence" occured in the western sky at sunset. Its equally hard to believe that anyone under the age of early thirties doesn't remember the harmonic convergence. tempest fugit.
It was, if memory serves, in the late summer or autumn of that year when most of the planets, venus,mars, jupiter, saturn, and maybe even quick little mercury all clustered up close together in the sky for a few weeks, getting especially close on one certain day, which is a rather rare occurance.
The people who predicted vast and wonderful changes on earth at that time now remind us that those changes inceed came to pass shortly thereafter, and included such historical milestones as the fall of the berlin wall, the break up of the soviet union, and the end of the "cold war". Exact causal connections between planetary configurations and human activity are yet to be precisely determined and described.
This time the world's tyrannical economic arrangements are supposed to be replaced by world wide prosperity, and political tyranny, atrocities, and war shall end. Or something like that.
So the holidays should be, or might be, very special this year. One can hope.
Will the world, even if it doesn't "end", bu subjected to violent shaking, earthquakes, storms, electromagnetic disasters of all shapes and sizes? It says here that what will actually happen is nothing, but, what do we know?
All the forecasts are not gloomy. There is in fact a rather large number of people who insist that this grand astronomical event will be followed by drastic changes here on earth; all for the better.
Something similar happened back in nineteen eighty seven, when the so called "harmonic convergence" occured in the western sky at sunset. Its equally hard to believe that anyone under the age of early thirties doesn't remember the harmonic convergence. tempest fugit.
It was, if memory serves, in the late summer or autumn of that year when most of the planets, venus,mars, jupiter, saturn, and maybe even quick little mercury all clustered up close together in the sky for a few weeks, getting especially close on one certain day, which is a rather rare occurance.
The people who predicted vast and wonderful changes on earth at that time now remind us that those changes inceed came to pass shortly thereafter, and included such historical milestones as the fall of the berlin wall, the break up of the soviet union, and the end of the "cold war". Exact causal connections between planetary configurations and human activity are yet to be precisely determined and described.
This time the world's tyrannical economic arrangements are supposed to be replaced by world wide prosperity, and political tyranny, atrocities, and war shall end. Or something like that.
So the holidays should be, or might be, very special this year. One can hope.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)