Everyone likes to talk about corruption. At one time newspapers made it their main business exposing corruption in politics, labor and business. That was a long time ago most newspapers carry 70% advertising and 30% news taken off of a news service . Investigative reporting is history. Propagandist rush Limbaugh and his cohorts at Fox News like to cry about the liberal media ruining this country, but they are beating a dead horse. The news media is really just entertainment dressed up as the truth .
Literally tons of books have been written by ex-presidents , presidential advisers and cabinet secretaries about what went in their administrations. It is all very revealing and can give you a real insight on how government really works. Ralph Nader has been talking about it for years .
There are plenty of documentaries exposing the injustice and the inequity in our system of government. They are very good and sobering .
I would suggest a different view. We all know big money controls government, but what we fail to realize is that this power is constantly shifting. Real president Dick Cheney and the oil companies are running the show now but there power is slipping. At one time big tobacco money ran the show but that too faded . There are many examples - the railroads , steel and auto industries all had their golden era of buying influence in government .
It is because of the political system we have that the reins of power are always shifting . One industry gets everything it wants and fades, and another takes its place. Our leadership is changes frequently it is this that prevents a dictator from ever taking over . It is the system we have that constantly makes today's champs into tomorrow's chumps quickly . There is no stagnation or inertia in our system of government . The corruption is constant.
Consider this - Richard Nixon was probably just as bad as history makes him out to be. But by abolishing the draft in 1974 he kept us out of a lot of future wars . If this had been done after world war 2 there never would have been the Koren or Vietnam wars. Enlistments for the Iraq war are way down . Because there is no moral justification for us being there. Not having to join the military is a more important right than most people realize.
The next time you feel angry or depressed about government or corporate corruption -remember it is all part of the flow of events that results when the needs and wants of 300 million people are trying to be balanced and served .
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
unexpected peace dividend /thepopulation bomb
60 years with out a major world war . the longest recorded era of peace in history . there has been an unexpected dividend from all this peace and wealth building . the population explosion . oh not here in suburbia . we baby boomers have managed to replace ourselves and that is quite a lot of people , but our Friends around the world have been quite busy .
Africa is interesting, since the collapse of colonialism . the continent has fallen into anarchy . except south Africa , but since the dutch have been thrown out. it is well on it way to the bottom . it seems that the Africans have a lot of children most of their civil wars are really different war lords taking all the farm , grazing lands and water . the government than tries to take them back for its own use . an endless cycle as evidenced by all the infomercials soliciting money for all the starving children in Africa . this is a brutal form of population control .
the middle east . the Arabs have controlled their population for a millennium thru war among each other . the Arabs have alot of children , and life is hard in a desert . especially when the sheik drills for oil instead of water . so Islam is used as a reason for tribal warfare , which is why American democracy will not work for them . it would result in to many people and not enough resources . to bad Mr. Bush can not understand this .
china another interesting scenario . the red menace has defeated America with out firing a shot . thru trade and manufacturing . unfortunately all this peace and prosperity has left them with over a billion people . an odd culture . women can only have one child and female fetuses frequently aborted in favor of males . which has resulted in to many men and not enough women . it is a good strategy if you want a large army . but there is no war to fight . 200,000 people a year die of starvation . china fields a 200 million man army . perhaps this army is to prevent the collapse of the government when the food runs out .
India . i think these nice people will probably starve to death or die of plague . but will be happier in their next reincarnation . maybe they are right .
south and central America and Mexico . these people produce children at a fantastic rate . they are forced to try and get into the USA . because their are no jobs or food and their is not going to be any because of their corrupt governments . it is no surprise Hugo Chavez is so popular .
so back in 1970 Alvin toffler . Mr. future shock was right about the population explosion . war has always been a natural population control mechanism . brutal for sure but effective . so is another global war inevitable ? or can the world make peace share resources and let everyone live a decent life ? if so other countries and cultures are going to have to stop having so many children . if history repeats itself were looking at Armageddon . hopefully we can change history and make a new world .
Africa is interesting, since the collapse of colonialism . the continent has fallen into anarchy . except south Africa , but since the dutch have been thrown out. it is well on it way to the bottom . it seems that the Africans have a lot of children most of their civil wars are really different war lords taking all the farm , grazing lands and water . the government than tries to take them back for its own use . an endless cycle as evidenced by all the infomercials soliciting money for all the starving children in Africa . this is a brutal form of population control .
the middle east . the Arabs have controlled their population for a millennium thru war among each other . the Arabs have alot of children , and life is hard in a desert . especially when the sheik drills for oil instead of water . so Islam is used as a reason for tribal warfare , which is why American democracy will not work for them . it would result in to many people and not enough resources . to bad Mr. Bush can not understand this .
china another interesting scenario . the red menace has defeated America with out firing a shot . thru trade and manufacturing . unfortunately all this peace and prosperity has left them with over a billion people . an odd culture . women can only have one child and female fetuses frequently aborted in favor of males . which has resulted in to many men and not enough women . it is a good strategy if you want a large army . but there is no war to fight . 200,000 people a year die of starvation . china fields a 200 million man army . perhaps this army is to prevent the collapse of the government when the food runs out .
India . i think these nice people will probably starve to death or die of plague . but will be happier in their next reincarnation . maybe they are right .
south and central America and Mexico . these people produce children at a fantastic rate . they are forced to try and get into the USA . because their are no jobs or food and their is not going to be any because of their corrupt governments . it is no surprise Hugo Chavez is so popular .
so back in 1970 Alvin toffler . Mr. future shock was right about the population explosion . war has always been a natural population control mechanism . brutal for sure but effective . so is another global war inevitable ? or can the world make peace share resources and let everyone live a decent life ? if so other countries and cultures are going to have to stop having so many children . if history repeats itself were looking at Armageddon . hopefully we can change history and make a new world .
Monday, July 30, 2007
perhaps we can not handle the truth
there is a language of lies used in our culture . that we all commonly accept with out questioning to much . my pet peeve is the word " several " . it looks and sounds like the number " 7 " , but it is meaningless because it could be any amount . people us the word " several " when they do not want to tell the truth . like when the garage tells you it will be several hundred dollars to get your car fixed and it will be done in several hours . can't you just feel the rage building up .
this is why people did not like the phone at first . it was the greatest tool for liars ever invented . now, as then you can not see who are you are talking to . you can not read their body language . it is always easier to lie to someone when you do not have to look them in the eye .
this is small potatoes compared to big business . the HMO that tells you they are cutting some services and raising your co-pay to better serve their customers . like simple and compound interest on loans and credit cards .
warranties are another huge lie . have you ever tried to get a company to honor their warranties . root canals are less painful . how about the rebates that never come . these are just a few examples of the lies we have to suffer every day from our corporate Friends .
let us not forget the U.S. government . lying is a rich and long tradition with these guys . the list is so long i will only cite one example . " no child left behind " this would be funny if it was not so sad . children are left behind everyday .
there is a big drug problem in the public schools , but no drug rehab programs in the schools . teachers are just now getting smart boards , class rooms are packed with 32 students . it is sufficient to say the kids have been left far behind .
so we live with the lies everyday . until we are so apathetic and cynical we do not believe much of anything, or anyone . i think that is the real damage . to get a society to the point where you can tell them anything and they just do not care . perhaps we can not handle the truth .
perhaps the contradictions are so great we could not function in society if we did not just ignore all the lies . and try and believe in something better . perhaps this is why we are alienated from one another . we have to build our own personal world , our own personal truth . perhaps we should just go back to burying our heads in the nice warm sand in own personal universe . now isn't that better.
this is why people did not like the phone at first . it was the greatest tool for liars ever invented . now, as then you can not see who are you are talking to . you can not read their body language . it is always easier to lie to someone when you do not have to look them in the eye .
this is small potatoes compared to big business . the HMO that tells you they are cutting some services and raising your co-pay to better serve their customers . like simple and compound interest on loans and credit cards .
warranties are another huge lie . have you ever tried to get a company to honor their warranties . root canals are less painful . how about the rebates that never come . these are just a few examples of the lies we have to suffer every day from our corporate Friends .
let us not forget the U.S. government . lying is a rich and long tradition with these guys . the list is so long i will only cite one example . " no child left behind " this would be funny if it was not so sad . children are left behind everyday .
there is a big drug problem in the public schools , but no drug rehab programs in the schools . teachers are just now getting smart boards , class rooms are packed with 32 students . it is sufficient to say the kids have been left far behind .
so we live with the lies everyday . until we are so apathetic and cynical we do not believe much of anything, or anyone . i think that is the real damage . to get a society to the point where you can tell them anything and they just do not care . perhaps we can not handle the truth .
perhaps the contradictions are so great we could not function in society if we did not just ignore all the lies . and try and believe in something better . perhaps this is why we are alienated from one another . we have to build our own personal world , our own personal truth . perhaps we should just go back to burying our heads in the nice warm sand in own personal universe . now isn't that better.
Monday, July 23, 2007
scion of the suberbs or middle class hustler
Let's turn on the way-back machine . Back to 1975, when I believe that the single best benefit to the working man was passed by congress . The IRA . For the first time in the history of man , the common man or woman, by putting $2000.00 hard earned dollars into a IRA every year, could theoretically have a million dollars by the time they were 62 .
This has worked pretty well for most people . Unfortunately, it gave birth to the 401k in which employers have shifted the total responsibility for a pension to the employee and his 401k . This has had mixed results, but one result is most people cannot retire when they want to because their 401k goes up and down like a roller coaster, usually with the same physical sensations .
What was happening at the personal level? Well, when our parents bought a suburban split level in the suburbs in 1963 for $35,000, they watched over the next 20 years as their mortgage paid off the value of their home, soar to 4x times it's original value . Their wildest dreams come true. It was bitter sweet though. The home they raised their children in and had so many wonderful memories now became a golden goose for medicare if they went into a nursing home, or a ticket to a Florida retirement community . Such is life .
What about the baby boomers who were starting out in the 1970's? They were working like Hebrew slaves trying to keep up with inflation and high interest rates . All the young dudes with a pick-up truck and a smile were doing side jobs to supplement their income, picking up the last of the gravy train factory jobs , which unfortunately ran out of track rather abruptly in the 1990's causing a lot wreckage .
But we boomers still had our homes and our 401ks which in the gay 90's blossomed like a money tree . While our homes did not soar in value there was still some healthy equity there, which by the next decade had been borrowed out to pay off the credit cards that we had a pitiful addiction to. Which we used to purchase the life we thought we should have. Well all good things come to and end .
So where is the suburban person now? Since women have been so involved in the work force since the advent of the Pill and abortions - he and she have evolved up to am economic unit of one, where each has their investments and careers and their own lives as well as their married lives. The suburban persons life has now become a complex web of money and emotions as we pass into middle age, oh well it is lonely at the top .
Perhaps we should try and let go of the fantasy of who we think we are and start being who we really are. Perhaps we should try and reconnect with people on a personal level instead of a professional level, forget about padding our resumes, and look into each others eyes instead of looking into each others wallets.
This has worked pretty well for most people . Unfortunately, it gave birth to the 401k in which employers have shifted the total responsibility for a pension to the employee and his 401k . This has had mixed results, but one result is most people cannot retire when they want to because their 401k goes up and down like a roller coaster, usually with the same physical sensations .
What was happening at the personal level? Well, when our parents bought a suburban split level in the suburbs in 1963 for $35,000, they watched over the next 20 years as their mortgage paid off the value of their home, soar to 4x times it's original value . Their wildest dreams come true. It was bitter sweet though. The home they raised their children in and had so many wonderful memories now became a golden goose for medicare if they went into a nursing home, or a ticket to a Florida retirement community . Such is life .
What about the baby boomers who were starting out in the 1970's? They were working like Hebrew slaves trying to keep up with inflation and high interest rates . All the young dudes with a pick-up truck and a smile were doing side jobs to supplement their income, picking up the last of the gravy train factory jobs , which unfortunately ran out of track rather abruptly in the 1990's causing a lot wreckage .
But we boomers still had our homes and our 401ks which in the gay 90's blossomed like a money tree . While our homes did not soar in value there was still some healthy equity there, which by the next decade had been borrowed out to pay off the credit cards that we had a pitiful addiction to. Which we used to purchase the life we thought we should have. Well all good things come to and end .
So where is the suburban person now? Since women have been so involved in the work force since the advent of the Pill and abortions - he and she have evolved up to am economic unit of one, where each has their investments and careers and their own lives as well as their married lives. The suburban persons life has now become a complex web of money and emotions as we pass into middle age, oh well it is lonely at the top .
Perhaps we should try and let go of the fantasy of who we think we are and start being who we really are. Perhaps we should try and reconnect with people on a personal level instead of a professional level, forget about padding our resumes, and look into each others eyes instead of looking into each others wallets.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
raising the bar of decline
there was a time in America when people advanced themselves and their families thru hard work , risk taking and luck . this is the standared republican / conservative line . there is alot of truth in that belief , but it avoids a significant trend .
up until 1973 America had been in growth mode for 75 years . after that the industrial revolution ran out of steam . for the next 30 years we created a growth industry in building and finance . housing tracts , office parks and retirement communities . not factory's or warehouses . all that was sent over seas . that was fine because no one wanted a mind deading assembly line job that robbed one of their humanity . everyone was going to go to college and get an education . then they could have a professional career and make a positive contribution to America . it was a good idea that has worked in a lot of different fields . particulary medicine .
there are no clean deals though . when higher education became an industry on to itself . it became packaged and sold like any other industry . university's should be proud of the jargon and system that has developed for getting as many dollars as possible out of the pockets of students their parents and the government . for creating meaningless sport scholarships . that hold out a empty promise to minority youth . On the promise that at the end of the road their son or daughter would have a career that would make them much more money than the had spent . in some cases it is true , but sadly many people can not find a job in their field .
unfortunately most college and university students are forced to take many courses that have nothing to do with what they are majoring in. just to shake them down for more tuition , books and lab fees . taking a course means sitting in a large room or lecture hall with hundreds of other students . while a professor lectures from a text book he or she has written . no questions please . the professor is very busy .
taking courses on line has become a big industry too . reselling professors lectures . students buying course work and tests off the Internet . it is a capitalist dream come true . now for the bad news . America has an over abundance of over educated people . who make their living by going from one job to the next, padding their resumes with meaningless awards an achievements while climbing their career ladder .
education , corporations and health care are full of people who waste huge amounts of time having seminars , workshops and strategy meetings that find ways to shift responsibilities for problems , instead of finding solutions . no one wants to take responsibility . this is not surprising in our " i have issues culture ."
it is a race with no end . we have people in professions they have no passion for . we have hospital patients calling 911 from the emergency ward because no one will treat them , we have whole industries that do nothing but do studies an analysis on anything but real growth . maybe it is time we got out of the race and did something as an individual that is meaningful and profitable . maybe it is time we got our humanity back .
up until 1973 America had been in growth mode for 75 years . after that the industrial revolution ran out of steam . for the next 30 years we created a growth industry in building and finance . housing tracts , office parks and retirement communities . not factory's or warehouses . all that was sent over seas . that was fine because no one wanted a mind deading assembly line job that robbed one of their humanity . everyone was going to go to college and get an education . then they could have a professional career and make a positive contribution to America . it was a good idea that has worked in a lot of different fields . particulary medicine .
there are no clean deals though . when higher education became an industry on to itself . it became packaged and sold like any other industry . university's should be proud of the jargon and system that has developed for getting as many dollars as possible out of the pockets of students their parents and the government . for creating meaningless sport scholarships . that hold out a empty promise to minority youth . On the promise that at the end of the road their son or daughter would have a career that would make them much more money than the had spent . in some cases it is true , but sadly many people can not find a job in their field .
unfortunately most college and university students are forced to take many courses that have nothing to do with what they are majoring in. just to shake them down for more tuition , books and lab fees . taking a course means sitting in a large room or lecture hall with hundreds of other students . while a professor lectures from a text book he or she has written . no questions please . the professor is very busy .
taking courses on line has become a big industry too . reselling professors lectures . students buying course work and tests off the Internet . it is a capitalist dream come true . now for the bad news . America has an over abundance of over educated people . who make their living by going from one job to the next, padding their resumes with meaningless awards an achievements while climbing their career ladder .
education , corporations and health care are full of people who waste huge amounts of time having seminars , workshops and strategy meetings that find ways to shift responsibilities for problems , instead of finding solutions . no one wants to take responsibility . this is not surprising in our " i have issues culture ."
it is a race with no end . we have people in professions they have no passion for . we have hospital patients calling 911 from the emergency ward because no one will treat them , we have whole industries that do nothing but do studies an analysis on anything but real growth . maybe it is time we got out of the race and did something as an individual that is meaningful and profitable . maybe it is time we got our humanity back .
Monday, July 9, 2007
mirror mirror on the wall .
being a baby boomer is unique experience . the advertisers have told us so . the media is constantly showing us images of our selves . in doing so they shape our perception of our success or failure .
how much of our self esteem has been given to us by the advertising media . at one time they showed all of us walking around with cigarettes hanging out of mouths . did alot of boomers quit smoking for health reasons or because we were given a image of our selves as non-smokers .
we have been a generation constantly in search of ourselves . who we really are . have we accepted from the advertisers the belief that it is our career , the clothes we wear , the cars we drive the houses we live in , the golf vacations we have taken . that define us . we know longer try to keep up with the Jones , we are trying to keep up with the image we have been given of ourselves .this image is every where . in the sitcoms , the movies , and the newspapers and magazines .
i would suggest that we as a generation should step back and take a hard look at who we have become and why . maybe it is time to start living some of the ideals we talked about in the 1960s . it we easy in 1969 to talk about about phony materialism when we were young and had nothing . lets start talking about that now that we have all made it and have all we want . lets look in the mirror and see the truth .
how much of our self esteem has been given to us by the advertising media . at one time they showed all of us walking around with cigarettes hanging out of mouths . did alot of boomers quit smoking for health reasons or because we were given a image of our selves as non-smokers .
we have been a generation constantly in search of ourselves . who we really are . have we accepted from the advertisers the belief that it is our career , the clothes we wear , the cars we drive the houses we live in , the golf vacations we have taken . that define us . we know longer try to keep up with the Jones , we are trying to keep up with the image we have been given of ourselves .this image is every where . in the sitcoms , the movies , and the newspapers and magazines .
i would suggest that we as a generation should step back and take a hard look at who we have become and why . maybe it is time to start living some of the ideals we talked about in the 1960s . it we easy in 1969 to talk about about phony materialism when we were young and had nothing . lets start talking about that now that we have all made it and have all we want . lets look in the mirror and see the truth .
Sunday, July 1, 2007
walmart vs the mall
wal-mart vs the mall Where did it all begin ? Walmart vs the mall . Let's turn on the 'way back' machine . It is 1976 and cable TV has just gone nation wide. Now courtesy of Ted Turner, we can watch 24-hour TV , 24/7 news and sports and reruns of Bewitched at 4:00 am in the morning. America - what a country !
Of course with this orgy of TV came 24/7 commercials and with all that advertising came the huge expansion of retail space. Hence the mall, which began the era of "build it and they will come ". Suburban sprawl exploded. More TVs , more commercials , more malls and more suburban housing tracts. This was America by 1980 and the growth never stopped . Now the housing and land development has replaced the lost manufacturing as Americas number one industry. Build it and pray that they buy.I
am sure we all know there are no clean deals . There has been one problem with all this wonderful expansion. In 2007 there is 20.5 square feet of retail space for every American as compared to 2.5 for Europeans. The jargon of retailers is precise. The mall is impulse shopping. Walmart is destination shopping. The problem with the malls (with the exception of Sears) is the malls do not sell useful items. The malls sell clothes , purses , shoes and oh yes atmosphere . We should all be impressed by the amount of money that is spent in an effort to create an atmosphere that encourages impulse shopping. Another surprising fact is that advertisers and developers use marketing firms that use psychologists to help them create advertisements and environments that pull all of our emotional triggers. We have been brain washed into shopping. Clean minds and cleaned out pockets.
The whole advertising culture has morphed into creating messages that make you feel good about a product or service whether you need it or not. Ever notice all the advertisements seldom show anyone using the product or service. Just people talking about how good the product or service makes them feel, while sitting in settings that are decorated in early rich with plenty of diffused sunlight creating a glow. Ahh, I feel better already.
This is where Walmart comes in among all this bliss and gratitude for the American way of life. Americans began to feel the pinch of higher gasoline prices and utilities . Hello Walmart! So many useful items and so cheap. It has become America's dirty little secret. Buy your clothes at the mall and everything else at Walmart.
Unfortunately, again there are no clean deals in the land of plenty. To do this Wal-mart has to run a warehouse on wheels and those little fellers in China have to eat our inflation by working for 50 cents an hour . It's OK the Mexicans ate our inflation for less. So what happens when diesel fuel is $7.00 a gallon and the Chinese are making $1.00 an hour? What happens when the emotional triggers of heat and eat are being pulled daily? The fantasy land of mall shopping may become history and memories. What will happen to the malls when the price of designer clothes triples and the Bon-Ton says bye-bye?
I think the malls will then be turned into useful places. They really have such a marvelous atmosphere .
Of course with this orgy of TV came 24/7 commercials and with all that advertising came the huge expansion of retail space. Hence the mall, which began the era of "build it and they will come ". Suburban sprawl exploded. More TVs , more commercials , more malls and more suburban housing tracts. This was America by 1980 and the growth never stopped . Now the housing and land development has replaced the lost manufacturing as Americas number one industry. Build it and pray that they buy.I
am sure we all know there are no clean deals . There has been one problem with all this wonderful expansion. In 2007 there is 20.5 square feet of retail space for every American as compared to 2.5 for Europeans. The jargon of retailers is precise. The mall is impulse shopping. Walmart is destination shopping. The problem with the malls (with the exception of Sears) is the malls do not sell useful items. The malls sell clothes , purses , shoes and oh yes atmosphere . We should all be impressed by the amount of money that is spent in an effort to create an atmosphere that encourages impulse shopping. Another surprising fact is that advertisers and developers use marketing firms that use psychologists to help them create advertisements and environments that pull all of our emotional triggers. We have been brain washed into shopping. Clean minds and cleaned out pockets.
The whole advertising culture has morphed into creating messages that make you feel good about a product or service whether you need it or not. Ever notice all the advertisements seldom show anyone using the product or service. Just people talking about how good the product or service makes them feel, while sitting in settings that are decorated in early rich with plenty of diffused sunlight creating a glow. Ahh, I feel better already.
This is where Walmart comes in among all this bliss and gratitude for the American way of life. Americans began to feel the pinch of higher gasoline prices and utilities . Hello Walmart! So many useful items and so cheap. It has become America's dirty little secret. Buy your clothes at the mall and everything else at Walmart.
Unfortunately, again there are no clean deals in the land of plenty. To do this Wal-mart has to run a warehouse on wheels and those little fellers in China have to eat our inflation by working for 50 cents an hour . It's OK the Mexicans ate our inflation for less. So what happens when diesel fuel is $7.00 a gallon and the Chinese are making $1.00 an hour? What happens when the emotional triggers of heat and eat are being pulled daily? The fantasy land of mall shopping may become history and memories. What will happen to the malls when the price of designer clothes triples and the Bon-Ton says bye-bye?
I think the malls will then be turned into useful places. They really have such a marvelous atmosphere .
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