Vladimir Putin was giving George Bush a lesson in politics this week. Comrade Putin made it clear there would be no return to the cold war, that there is no ideological differences between America and Russia anymore. This is wonderful.
I am afraid what our President is missing is that Russia wants to become part of NATO. This a natural realignment of world power. There are two huge aggressive forces in the world right now. that is Islamic fundamentalism and China. Neither shares any history or christian values with the west. Russia could be a powerful Friend against these two forces.
Russia has been selling Iran alot of nuclear technology and the right people to go with it. I think Russia is beginning to see that was a foolish thing to do. The Islamics have not forgotten the war in Afghanistan nor the wars of liberation that were fought in the old USSR satellites that were Islamic. Comrade Vladimir is beginning to see that that nuclear sword can cut on both sides of the Ural mountains. Hopefully our next president will see this and welcome our old allies from WWII back into the European family.
Let us not forget our Friends the Chinese. Whose name in America is pronounced Wal-Mart. Whose expanding economy needs oil and arable land more than anything else. China fields a 200 million man army and plenty of hungry people. Mother Russia has both oil and lots of good land for growing all the food bought from the USA. When the price of fuel to transport all that grain from here to there gets to expensive to make a profit. There will be alot more hungry angry people in China. Russia will then find out who the real enemy is.
Northwest airlines raised their prices significantly this week, especially for international flights. All the rest of the airlines are sure to follow. The sky rocketing price of oil is the official cause and It is a problem that is going to get worse not better.
I am somewhat skeptical . Even when was oil was cheap. The airlines were cutting back on maintenance personal and service people. They admitted that the had accidentally spent all the money in the pension funds so there would not be any, and oh by the way their top executives were making salary's and bonuses that made the Bear Sterns people jealous.
The airlines were deregulated in 1979, and they have been going down hill ever since. Flying used to be a pleasant experience Americans looked forward to. Now in 2008 it has become a nightmare that Americans dread.
The problem is two fold. The first is Profits by any means necessary. The second is Americans have come to believe for no logical reason Cheap air travel is a Right. Americans are outraged that they can not fly to Miami for 99.00. Americans are incensed because they have to wait so long in airport terminals. because they have to fly as cheap as humanly possible.
The price of oil going way up is the best thing that could happen to the flying public. Simply because less people will fly. Flights will be on time, it will be much safer and hopefully on schedule. This is the first step into the new reality that expensive oil is bringing to the world.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
oh what fun we have when first we start to campaign
What a campaign! This is the first time since 1968. I have seen this much emotion in a presidential campaign. forget about the dirt everyone is digging up. Look at the attitudes, and the huge story that is being created. That is catching the news miesters by surprise. As hard as CNN and Fox working trying to create story lines. Reality is going in the opposite direction. Much to the chagrin of talking heads who are trying so hard to brain wash their viewers.
The image that the corporate media is trying to create. Is being torn apart every time the candidates speak directly to the people. My question is which candidate will still be talking directly to the people . After being elected and then cloistered , guarded like the Mona Lisa. Now the candidates do not use prepared speech's, or if they do they memorize them. Will it be the same soft shoe? when they are speaking directly from the oval office.
Up until now it has always been two or more old white guys droning on with the same old tired platitudes. Talking much, but saying nothing. This time around there is a entirely different dynamic. Three people with completely different backgrounds and agendas. This time around it is actually interesting. Mostly because of Americas obsession with putting " good feelings " ahead of reality. The candidates have to try and get the real message across in a way that does not offend anyone or "raise questions" .
Mr.Obama seems to have very sensitive feelings about any criticism . If nominated will he be able to handle the full frontal assaults the republicans will pull. If it is Mrs. Clinton the republicans will be replaying the '90s. Does America want to go thru the Monica Lewinsky scandal again. If the republicans pull this trick will it back fire?
This campaign has created such strong emotions among democrats. Some democrats say they will vote for McCain if their favorite is not nominated. Will they still feel the same way When McCain starts talking about the stain on that old blue cocktail dress? It is a good trick, it will get the Conservative blood boiling all over again.
It is fascinating that thru all the mud slinging and public spats. It still comes down to the question. Do we still keeping investing ourselves emotionally and finically in a national mindset that is unsustainable. Do we continue to squander our human capitol. While we fall behind the rest of the world? Do we keep letting corporate America keep running the show.
Do any of these canadidates really have the will of iron to make real change? Look what happened to the Kennedy's and MLK when they tried. Is this the real question. Do the American voters have the courage to stand behind their man or woman, When the going gets tough real tough. Believe me friends this country has a rough road ahead and who we pick in November is going to be the first choice we are going to have to make in a whole new world.
The image that the corporate media is trying to create. Is being torn apart every time the candidates speak directly to the people. My question is which candidate will still be talking directly to the people . After being elected and then cloistered , guarded like the Mona Lisa. Now the candidates do not use prepared speech's, or if they do they memorize them. Will it be the same soft shoe? when they are speaking directly from the oval office.
Up until now it has always been two or more old white guys droning on with the same old tired platitudes. Talking much, but saying nothing. This time around there is a entirely different dynamic. Three people with completely different backgrounds and agendas. This time around it is actually interesting. Mostly because of Americas obsession with putting " good feelings " ahead of reality. The candidates have to try and get the real message across in a way that does not offend anyone or "raise questions" .
Mr.Obama seems to have very sensitive feelings about any criticism . If nominated will he be able to handle the full frontal assaults the republicans will pull. If it is Mrs. Clinton the republicans will be replaying the '90s. Does America want to go thru the Monica Lewinsky scandal again. If the republicans pull this trick will it back fire?
This campaign has created such strong emotions among democrats. Some democrats say they will vote for McCain if their favorite is not nominated. Will they still feel the same way When McCain starts talking about the stain on that old blue cocktail dress? It is a good trick, it will get the Conservative blood boiling all over again.
It is fascinating that thru all the mud slinging and public spats. It still comes down to the question. Do we still keeping investing ourselves emotionally and finically in a national mindset that is unsustainable. Do we continue to squander our human capitol. While we fall behind the rest of the world? Do we keep letting corporate America keep running the show.
Do any of these canadidates really have the will of iron to make real change? Look what happened to the Kennedy's and MLK when they tried. Is this the real question. Do the American voters have the courage to stand behind their man or woman, When the going gets tough real tough. Believe me friends this country has a rough road ahead and who we pick in November is going to be the first choice we are going to have to make in a whole new world.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
the worst word you can say in america
The baby boomer's have been up on a diet of success gurus . People who promised us on TV that there was no limit to our potential for creativity, success, and health. From the " power of positive thinking" to Anthony Robbins " program for success" to Dr. Phil McGraw's many books on how to do everything from lose weight to raising your child's IQ . The satellite and cable channels are filled with paid programing to show you how easy it is to have rock hard Abs or the softest skin in America. How to make a fortune on the financial misery of others or how to show them the path to easy richs .
Even the TV preachers have gotten in on the act . Selling DVD and tape packages of their sermons on how to be healthy and wealthy with Jesus. Of course if you believe in the Good book and you somehow became middle class and have the usual medical problems. Your not right with the lord. how confusing this must be for Christians . I mean Jesus promised us he loved us no matter who we were.
The main theme for both these groups and even the main stream media is that there are No Limits. just ask Donald Trump he will tell you there is no limit to how rich he can be. If your a good American success it virtually guaranteed. no sweat.
Unfortunately now that the baby boomer's have reached middle age. Reality has begun to bite. The body begins to break down, and when you look in the mirror , you can see that father time is still winning the race. The fact is everybody has natural limits. physical, mental and emotional. This may surprise some folks , but that is what makes us all unique, it is what makes all valuable. It is the basis of our worth to ourselves are family's and our communities.
in our lemming like rush to all look, talk, and feel the way the Media tell us we should. We deny who we really are. We deny the very individual talents and creativity. That could be the key to our unlimited happiness. Remember when people worked jobs they liked instead of a job that paid the most.
It is in breaking free of the propaganda we are saturated with everyday. It is realizing our strengths and devoting our time and energy to that.Rather than trying and failing to over come our natural limitations. That we will find the potential for the real happiness everyone is looking for.
Even the TV preachers have gotten in on the act . Selling DVD and tape packages of their sermons on how to be healthy and wealthy with Jesus. Of course if you believe in the Good book and you somehow became middle class and have the usual medical problems. Your not right with the lord. how confusing this must be for Christians . I mean Jesus promised us he loved us no matter who we were.
The main theme for both these groups and even the main stream media is that there are No Limits. just ask Donald Trump he will tell you there is no limit to how rich he can be. If your a good American success it virtually guaranteed. no sweat.
Unfortunately now that the baby boomer's have reached middle age. Reality has begun to bite. The body begins to break down, and when you look in the mirror , you can see that father time is still winning the race. The fact is everybody has natural limits. physical, mental and emotional. This may surprise some folks , but that is what makes us all unique, it is what makes all valuable. It is the basis of our worth to ourselves are family's and our communities.
in our lemming like rush to all look, talk, and feel the way the Media tell us we should. We deny who we really are. We deny the very individual talents and creativity. That could be the key to our unlimited happiness. Remember when people worked jobs they liked instead of a job that paid the most.
It is in breaking free of the propaganda we are saturated with everyday. It is realizing our strengths and devoting our time and energy to that.Rather than trying and failing to over come our natural limitations. That we will find the potential for the real happiness everyone is looking for.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
vegas vapor lock or you had it coming
The word out of Vegas is 5% . As in revenues are down 5% . this is causing quite a panic in the golden city. It seems that the moguls who run the dreamland in the desert are deeply concerned that the endless supply of suckers has dried up. mainly because those suckers were gambling with hallucinated wealth, and reality has come to call.
I find it most amusing that the same people who have been tricking people out of their money for decades. Are now being tricked by the Big Banks who bank rolled all the new hotels that only got bigger and more lavish. Now that the big bank boys have got their fees and commissions. the vegas casinos are holding the bag for hotels that look like holy monuments, that will never reach capacity.
The malls. All over America malls are reporting that stores are closing and pulling out. The stores in question are the ones that sold sunglass and purses . That had mark-ups so high you would have thought the mafia owned them. Oh by the way the cost of floor space at the malls is so high. that small stores like electronics boutique have moved into strip malls and Target builds out in the parking lot because it is cheaper.
Build it and they will come. That has been the creedo for decades, but that is proving now to be unsustainable. Reality is hitting the corporate world harder than it is the consumer. The business model since the 1970s has been sell volume, cost savings thru the economies of scale . it is a good theory but in practice it has a limit.
Which brings us to the big problem. Limits. we have reached the limit of how much profit can be made . Small business people, understand that sales go in cycles , you have good months and poor months . The big corporate retailers of anything from tacos to super wal-marts truly believe profit can go up each quarter, and costs can be cut. It looks like the over paid , pampered executives are in for humbling experinces as they find they are going to be the cost that is cut next. Not to worry they will wipe away their tears with silk handkerchiefs, so it will feel better.
Hang-on to your seats . When gas is four dollars a gallon it is going to change everything . When it hits five dollars a gallon we will be in a whole new reality . Perhaps it will be a reality . That is REAL and not an illusion that the advertisers made-up to sell more beer.
I find it most amusing that the same people who have been tricking people out of their money for decades. Are now being tricked by the Big Banks who bank rolled all the new hotels that only got bigger and more lavish. Now that the big bank boys have got their fees and commissions. the vegas casinos are holding the bag for hotels that look like holy monuments, that will never reach capacity.
The malls. All over America malls are reporting that stores are closing and pulling out. The stores in question are the ones that sold sunglass and purses . That had mark-ups so high you would have thought the mafia owned them. Oh by the way the cost of floor space at the malls is so high. that small stores like electronics boutique have moved into strip malls and Target builds out in the parking lot because it is cheaper.
Build it and they will come. That has been the creedo for decades, but that is proving now to be unsustainable. Reality is hitting the corporate world harder than it is the consumer. The business model since the 1970s has been sell volume, cost savings thru the economies of scale . it is a good theory but in practice it has a limit.
Which brings us to the big problem. Limits. we have reached the limit of how much profit can be made . Small business people, understand that sales go in cycles , you have good months and poor months . The big corporate retailers of anything from tacos to super wal-marts truly believe profit can go up each quarter, and costs can be cut. It looks like the over paid , pampered executives are in for humbling experinces as they find they are going to be the cost that is cut next. Not to worry they will wipe away their tears with silk handkerchiefs, so it will feel better.
Hang-on to your seats . When gas is four dollars a gallon it is going to change everything . When it hits five dollars a gallon we will be in a whole new reality . Perhaps it will be a reality . That is REAL and not an illusion that the advertisers made-up to sell more beer.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
there is something in the air. could it be revolution
what a ride, primary fever. huge voter turnouts. Florida and Michigan demanding to be let in to the convention. We have two candidates who 6 months ago were considered non-starters. Throw in a economic crisis and you have the recipe for real change or a dictator. What does all this mean?
John McCain is a maverick republican. Who is not tied to the religious right, nor the Nazi economics of the conservatives. A man who is not afraid to challenge his own parties power structure. The problem with McCain is here is emotionally and mentally invested in a mindset that is now unsustainable. I am afraid Mr. McCain still lives in a world where America can bully the world with its military, use all the resources it wants and make someone else pay the real price. and still believes people without shoes can pull themselves up by the bootstraps. God bless John McCain but that world is rapidly disappearing.
Then, we have Barack Oboma . A man who is talking about hope and change. A man whose destiny can not be denied, by the existing power structure. Who if elected, will be telling the country what it needs to hear and the people will not be liking it. Perhaps we will need in the coming Depression a leader we can believe in. When there is no real reason to believe. Barrack is in the same place Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in when he was elected president.
To the baby boomer's the Depression and FDR are stories their parents told them. To our grandparents he was a true hero that kept this country from falling into anarchy. Great leaders appear in great times.
Do not forget Hilary Clinton. Who could be the first woman president in our history. A woman who is a lightening rod, for either mad enthusiasm or red hot rage. nothing in between. Compared to her two oppents she is virtually a moderate. What kind of change would she bring?
Hilary and Bill Clinton could finish what they started in 1990s, They had an exciting vision for America, perhaps the people are finally ready for it.
Hilary and Barrack can fight all they want but in august at the convention . They will become the Democratic ticket . In this reality show, media driven campaign. That has more statistics than NFL football and is playing in stadiums and auditoriums all over America. These two are fighting hard for every vote, but I can not help but think .
be careful , what you ask for . You just might get it.
John McCain is a maverick republican. Who is not tied to the religious right, nor the Nazi economics of the conservatives. A man who is not afraid to challenge his own parties power structure. The problem with McCain is here is emotionally and mentally invested in a mindset that is now unsustainable. I am afraid Mr. McCain still lives in a world where America can bully the world with its military, use all the resources it wants and make someone else pay the real price. and still believes people without shoes can pull themselves up by the bootstraps. God bless John McCain but that world is rapidly disappearing.
Then, we have Barack Oboma . A man who is talking about hope and change. A man whose destiny can not be denied, by the existing power structure. Who if elected, will be telling the country what it needs to hear and the people will not be liking it. Perhaps we will need in the coming Depression a leader we can believe in. When there is no real reason to believe. Barrack is in the same place Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in when he was elected president.
To the baby boomer's the Depression and FDR are stories their parents told them. To our grandparents he was a true hero that kept this country from falling into anarchy. Great leaders appear in great times.
Do not forget Hilary Clinton. Who could be the first woman president in our history. A woman who is a lightening rod, for either mad enthusiasm or red hot rage. nothing in between. Compared to her two oppents she is virtually a moderate. What kind of change would she bring?
Hilary and Bill Clinton could finish what they started in 1990s, They had an exciting vision for America, perhaps the people are finally ready for it.
Hilary and Barrack can fight all they want but in august at the convention . They will become the Democratic ticket . In this reality show, media driven campaign. That has more statistics than NFL football and is playing in stadiums and auditoriums all over America. These two are fighting hard for every vote, but I can not help but think .
be careful , what you ask for . You just might get it.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
pumped for the primaries
Well it looks like we have a real race. The last time a democatic primary was so hotly contested was 1968. There was a war going on then too. I for one am glad to see it. Hillary is right, the republicans will give us more of same. Which means lining their pockets with public money. While pimping family values and pro-life. A wolf in sheep's clothing.
Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton. We will get some real change with either one and we need it badly. I like Hillary, I would like to see her and Bill finish what they started and it would make good history for later generations.
Barak offers change. He has not described his vision of change yet and I think that is what makes it so exciting. It could be a historic culture changing presidency. That is dramatic and meaningful.
Most people in this country know there is something wrong , but they cannot put their finger on it. So they are voting in large numbers for a man they feel is the next JFK . Someone who can do on a national scale what people can not do on local level. Restore a sense of pride and purpose.
The goverment, along with the corporations, have made us into economic units and have kept us on treadmill of consumption until we have no other life or identity.
Can Barak or Hilary really change anything? Barak Obama has come out of nowhere and has an unstoppable destiny. Perhaps that is why people feel he can really make a significant change. It will be interesting to see what kind of compromise will be worked out at the convention in August. Is there revolution in the air?
John McCain will easily be defeated in November. Then the drama will really start. Hillary or Barak both mean to take on the corporate power structure. This will be exciting to say the least. Americans will be asked to chuck the illusion we have been living in: that we can continue to have everything we want, and never hear the word no.
If we are really going to change the culture in this country, we are going to have to make real sacrifices. We are going to have to adjust our expections to the reality that the rest of the world faces everyday.
It could be very exciting. It could make baby boomers feel young again. As we baby boomers start to retire, perhaps we could finish what we started in 1970.. change the world with the power of peace and love.
Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton. We will get some real change with either one and we need it badly. I like Hillary, I would like to see her and Bill finish what they started and it would make good history for later generations.
Barak offers change. He has not described his vision of change yet and I think that is what makes it so exciting. It could be a historic culture changing presidency. That is dramatic and meaningful.
Most people in this country know there is something wrong , but they cannot put their finger on it. So they are voting in large numbers for a man they feel is the next JFK . Someone who can do on a national scale what people can not do on local level. Restore a sense of pride and purpose.
The goverment, along with the corporations, have made us into economic units and have kept us on treadmill of consumption until we have no other life or identity.
Can Barak or Hilary really change anything? Barak Obama has come out of nowhere and has an unstoppable destiny. Perhaps that is why people feel he can really make a significant change. It will be interesting to see what kind of compromise will be worked out at the convention in August. Is there revolution in the air?
John McCain will easily be defeated in November. Then the drama will really start. Hillary or Barak both mean to take on the corporate power structure. This will be exciting to say the least. Americans will be asked to chuck the illusion we have been living in: that we can continue to have everything we want, and never hear the word no.
If we are really going to change the culture in this country, we are going to have to make real sacrifices. We are going to have to adjust our expections to the reality that the rest of the world faces everyday.
It could be very exciting. It could make baby boomers feel young again. As we baby boomers start to retire, perhaps we could finish what we started in 1970.. change the world with the power of peace and love.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
welcome my son to the machine
Maybe it was the LSD, but I think pink floyd caught a glimpse of the future. Consider this is the earth really over populated or are there to many people and not enough jobs. The government and the corporations consider each individual an economic unit. Children are future economic units. What would happen if machines did all the work? What would the people do?
This may sound like the plot to a sci-fi movie , but consider the following facts. Since 1970 the government has permitted the pill and legal abortion at the same time jobs started moving over seas. Richard Nixon opened china to trade , but what kind of trade? Our jobs?
The Japanese have and will be the world leader in robotic R&D. They are building robots to help care for the elderly.This is ironic since more and more of their industrial production is being done by Taiwan and Korea. In addition they have automated most of their remaining factories. What jobs will be available for the next generation of people in japan?
What about he good old USA. The life blood of our economy OIL is only going keep getting more expensive as it runs out. That means the economy starts to slow, which means we stop building new office parks and shopping malls. What jobs will be available for the next generation of Americans.
What happens when each of us stops being an economic unit. Whose sole purpose in life is to work and consume to keep the machine running. How can we continue to grow our economy when we have consumed all we can. Where will we work. When due to outsourcing or automation we have no jobs? Remember all the gains in productivity the past ten years have come thru having computers do the jobs people used to do.
This will not happen in our life times , but we will see the trend. When people cease to be a economic unit , they cease to be. When we have no money than the machines will have nothing to do either. Then we could stop being economic units and be individuals again. Each with our own attributes which will give us our sense value to our communities. It maybe a slower pace of life? We may all have to work harder, But we maybe alot happier.
Sound like sci-fi. Maybe, but take a good look at the big picture. It may surprise you.
This may sound like the plot to a sci-fi movie , but consider the following facts. Since 1970 the government has permitted the pill and legal abortion at the same time jobs started moving over seas. Richard Nixon opened china to trade , but what kind of trade? Our jobs?
The Japanese have and will be the world leader in robotic R&D. They are building robots to help care for the elderly.This is ironic since more and more of their industrial production is being done by Taiwan and Korea. In addition they have automated most of their remaining factories. What jobs will be available for the next generation of people in japan?
What about he good old USA. The life blood of our economy OIL is only going keep getting more expensive as it runs out. That means the economy starts to slow, which means we stop building new office parks and shopping malls. What jobs will be available for the next generation of Americans.
What happens when each of us stops being an economic unit. Whose sole purpose in life is to work and consume to keep the machine running. How can we continue to grow our economy when we have consumed all we can. Where will we work. When due to outsourcing or automation we have no jobs? Remember all the gains in productivity the past ten years have come thru having computers do the jobs people used to do.
This will not happen in our life times , but we will see the trend. When people cease to be a economic unit , they cease to be. When we have no money than the machines will have nothing to do either. Then we could stop being economic units and be individuals again. Each with our own attributes which will give us our sense value to our communities. It maybe a slower pace of life? We may all have to work harder, But we maybe alot happier.
Sound like sci-fi. Maybe, but take a good look at the big picture. It may surprise you.
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