Or... I'm mad as hell, and I'm not sure what to do anymore..
World unrest is at cyclical high. Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak has agreed to have a Presidential election in September of this year. Libya is still unsettled. Moammar Gadhafi is still holding on and claiming that his “people love him”. Unfortunately, there is only a handful of “his people” still left. Little love is lost on Gadhafi. Why is it that it seems like the worlds most powerful people are among the worlds looniest people? Kym Jong-Il is probably the craziest of all dictators. The only sane dictator that comes to mind is Castro, and he isn’t really the dictator anymore. His little brother Raul is now the head dictator, but he is Fidel’s puppet, and is now the titular head of Cuba. But, you’d better believe that he is following big brother Fidel’s suggestions.
Some of the world unrest, that really has me pondering, is this thing in Wisconsin. The demonstrators are going nuts over protecting their unions. It seems that school teachers, and other public service workers are demonstrating for their collective bargaining rights. The big-money boys and girls have figured out that public service workers have the only jobs that can’t be placed offshore. But, they are running out of taxpayers to pay the public service workers wages. I know that we need school teachers, police, firefighters, and all of the other workers that provide us general public types with the things that we need. But, the public service workers don’t grow carrots and other things of real value. I know what you are thinking! I know that many people place a lot of REAL VALUE on education. But, an education is not adding directly to the food supply. It doesn’t make any difference how smart or educated we are, at some point we are going to have to eat.
The state of Wisconsin is trying to make the point that the Unions are breaking the backs of the people that are paying the wages of the public service workers, and have the unions thrown out. If you have looked around lately, you will notice that there are fewer and fewer of us working ilk with money to pay taxes. The fat-cats see this as an opportunity to make the public service workers work for practically nothing, like the rest of American workers do. All they have to do is claim that they are simply trying to balance the budget by taking away collective bargaining rights.
If the point that the state doesn’t have enough money to pay the public service workers, they should sit down at the bargaining table with the unions and tell it like it is, and work out the details. I don’t think that they should simply throw the unions out the window. It might be a lot of work to negotiate fairness, but I guarantee you that it will be a lot more fair than having the state decide what to pay the teachers. Now, with that all behind me, I can open up the subject of why we don’t have any jobs.
We don’t have any good jobs, because we elect the wrong people, we listen to the wrong people, and we don’t know that much about how wealth works. You and I are not responsible for the world economy, we elect our political leaders to do that for us, and to keep trade between different economies fair. It is our job to earn a living, help feed and educate the family, protect their health and so forth. If our politicians fail us, all that money that we once had in our pockets, and traded back and forth for goods and services, bleeds off to an offshore country. Then, we don’t have any money to spend amongst ourselves. It’s all gone, the stock market sags and businesses close, education suffers and roads go without pavement. But, if you’ve looked around you lately, you know what I’m talking about.
The reason that I say that our politicians failed us is, because they were the ones that let our countries wealth slip away. At one time a good percentage of our wealth went to Japan, but China is now the Big Dog in eating up our economy. Japan took away our electronics industry because Regan let them. It was a way to make the stock market move and his fat cats got rich sending our jobs and America’s wealth overseas. Japan was able to out-compete us because the Japanese government subsidized their electronics industry. They paid the Japanese manufactures money for ever television that was sold in America.
Remember that once proud name RCA? Maybe you are old enough to remember the black and white dog listening to “His Masters Voice” over a gramophone speaker. Maybe you also remember that once great Japanese television that stole our hearts and breath away, SONY. Remember that great “Sony Trinitron” television? You must, It’s even a word in my spellcheck program and “spellcheck” is not even a word. Anyway, the Sony Trinitron was highly subsidized by the Japanese government. Of course it was a fine TV, it was really a $600.00 TV that we only paid $350.00 for. How can you beat a deal like that. You can’t. To bad for the American TV worker, he couldn’t beat a deal like that either. Their unions couldn’t do a damn thing for them. They just watched as the jobs rapidly moved to Japan. Our politicians are supposed to protect us from things like that. But, the wealthy made enough money moving our jobs offshore that they could afford some pretty hefty campaign contributions for the politicians that didn’t fight them.
Then the wealthy saw how well that worked, and the Chinese provided a wide open market for American jobs. To say that the Chinese were a willing partner is an understatement! They wanted badly to play the take-American-jobs game. They wanted so badly to play that they thought all they had to do was buy American politicians. They were a little too overt and got caught sending Bill Clinton millions of dollars for his campaign. They got caught, and had to change their strategy a little bit, but it all worked out for them. Hell, they were so eager to play the game that rather than subsidize their industry they just devalued their currency to below the value that we can produce the same product for. The fat cats in the stock market saw how well this was working for them that they took some of the extra money that they were making and bought up the news services, otherwise known as The Mainstream Media, or the “MSM” as the ones in the know call it. They figured out that all they had to do is repeat: “Don’t be stupid, we live in a world economy now” They pumped the philosophy that the whole world would come to a happy balance and everybody would have a good job. But, that was all bullshit, because people that really know how things work, know that there is no way in hell that an American worker can compete against a country with no environmental standards. And there is no way in hell that an American worker can compete against a 12 year old Chinese girl that has to work twelve hour days six days a week. And even if we could, they would just change the value of their currency until their products would be cheaper than ours again.
The sad thing, as I am sure that some of you have already guessed, at some point America is going to run out of money and jobs to ship overseas. OOPS! That already happened didn’t it? What happened with that? Well, we borrowed from our grandchildren so the wealthy stock market people could still make a killing, and buy more politicians. It’s about to spiral in again, and crash. China is now buying our agriculture land.
The thing that I don’t understand at all, is why isn’t everybody on the streets screaming at the top of our lungs to get rid of the crooked, bought-out politicians. Oops, we will have to depend on the MSM’s news service to cover our struggle. I wonder how that will go….
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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23 comments:
I don't usually stay up this late but since I have, I will add my two cents, again.
The reason folks are not out in the street screaming at the top of their lungs is because they don't have a clue what's going on with our government. They are too busy watching all the fad TV shows and and working. Politics is not interesting to most people and the only time they pay attention is when they think their rights are up for grabs, like abortion and gay marriage.
The things going on in Wisconsin right now is mostly stirred up by special interests like the unions and the liberals that back the unions and vise-versa.
I have seen over the years at places I have worked, some folks beg for a job and when they are hired they want more before the month is over. Greedy bastards I call them. When I got a job it was on a handshake and an agreement of what I would be paid and the hours expected of me to work. Of course that changed over the years as I learned about having to have apply with a resume and sign a bunch of papers but I still didn't expect more than was offered at the beginning.
It all boils down to, nobody has a damn clue what is going on. Most of the people I know bitch about the goverment but don't even know who the Vice president is, or the Speaker of the house. So, they don't run down the street screaming and if they do it is because they watch Letterman, Conan or the View on TV and get their political ideas there.
Enough said.
Oregon
When china stops buying our treasury notes. Were done. The US owes 95% of GDP. Or we owe almost as much as our entire country can ever produce. My question to all: Could you and your family live on $10,000 a year. Some do! But could you? Get ready!
*can produce in one year.
Anon 12:17......I left the time line off on purpose. If john doe public thinks the problem is encapsulated in a period of 12 months. Then the half asleep public will think (wait for a better year)! Its always tomorrow,tomorrow!!!!!! I tried to make it simple for those east of 101!
The way that Oregon feels about liberals is the way that I feel about BOTH liberals and conservatives. They are all involved in bringing down America. And, as Charlie Two crows pointed out, we are way beyond the point of no return.
It didn't have to happen folks! Some people got very rich selling us down the river, while harping about "living in a world economy now".
I had a friend that told me that this was going to be the end point, when America allowed Japan to take our electronics industry. He also did very well in the stock market while it was all happening. He was the one that convinced me that we couldn't do anything individually, and that we needed honest politicians to keep America financially healthy.
I agree with Orgeon about people being clueless.
The ones that make an attempt to follow politics end up promoting a brand (Liberal, Conservative, Indepenant,etc.). They listen to the talking heads that serve as "their" parties talking points and think they know what's going on. NOT!
The other reason people are not out in the streets shouting is because they are too busy trying to survive in this economy.
Watch what happens now with the recent gas price surge. Whatever claims the money boys are making about an upswing in the economy will come crashing down around their corrupt heads!
Reality is raw right now. But I'm afraid it's going to get much worse in the months ahead.
The divide between the "Haves" and "Have Nots" is widening. I think we all know enough about history to realize that this social disparity will eventually lead to revolution.
The people will only take so much before change is called for...just look at what's happening in the Middle East.
Sorry about the rant Ernie...I kinda got carried away.
i'm sort of like ernie. i think liberals, conservatives, republicans, and democrats are all alike. and they are bought and paid for by the people with the money. the international corporations.
but there is something you guys are missing. there's a movie out about a company called facebook whose original idea was invented by twin boys while they were attending harvard and stolen by a jewish boy who transformed their idea in to facebook which is now worth billions. everybody in the world is on facebook now including the chinese, the lybians, the egyptians. one of the leaders of the so called revolution in egypt is an executive for google. another american company worth billions. the internet has connected everyone in the world and the age of the dictator is over. people want freedom and the days of the fundamentalist islamics, even fundamentalist christians is numbered. the cat is out of the bag. people are tired of religious wars and being played by politcians. as mel gibson so aptly put it in braveheart. they want their freedom.
Dave
I agree with your rant. We are just trying to make our way through life, but the greedy want to take it all away from us. Do we really have time for a revolution?
Spy nailed it. The only hope any of us have to overcome the greedy is the internet. The "news services" are owned by the wealthy. The internet is the only thing that we have left to communicate with each other. Apparently much of the revolt going on in the middle east was because of posting on the internet.
I don't want to sound like a paranoid and delusional person, but all you have to do is look around you. Most everybody is either unemployed or underemployed, otherwise, why don't they have the tax money to pay the public service workers in Wisconsin?
One thing that bothers me is, we are all subject to Internet Service Providers that can be shut down by authorities if they deem it to be in the interest of the security of the nation.
For the amount of readers here, there seems a real lack of participation.
We are locked in the lower floors of the Titanic, the rich have all the rowboats.
WTF to do?
The world needs an attitude readjustment. It's our scientific attitude that has brought us to a point of crisis. We are very sick. There is a lack of meaning in our lives because we think too much, we reflect too much. Science and technology have taken meaning away from life. The scientific objective attitude lacks passion. It depersonalizes. And instead of true subjectivity (unreflective instincts), our society substitutes technological media. Our heroes are media stars.
The acceptance of the idea of an indifferent Universe is absurd. A map of the Universe schematizes and depersonalizes us and makes us feel like a fraction of an inch on a huge billion mile scale --makes us feel very very small and insignificant. And as we dismiss the personal we dismiss our lives, our moment to moment lives.
On the other hand, the hero in your life can be you. Throwing oneself into the moment without reflecting on the big picture, or the long run, gives meaning --real meaning. Resentment gives meaning. Seeing oneself as a victim gives meaning. But resentment is not yet rebellion and rebellion is what's called for. Rebellion is the cure. Rebellion fights against the absurd attitude that life is not meaningful. Life is meaningful --if we don't reflect.
Oh horse shit Suzy.
I got dizzy trying to read that.
Oregon
When I got a job it was on a handshake and an agreement of what I would be paid and the hours expected of me to work. Now days you can have more positive results of this.
Jeez Oregon, That's not nice! We've been missing Suzy here, and now you're trying to piss her off.
I agree with most of what she said. She was only mistaken where she said "Science and technology have taken meaning away from life. The scientific objective attitude lacks passion." She just doesn't see things from a scientific standpoint. Us scientific types seek the real meaning of life. And, as far as "passion" goes, I have "A life life without passion is a life not worth living" enbroidered on my wall sampler. The one thing that I've always wondered about is how can anybody be truly passionate about anything unless they seek reality.
Now wasn't that much nicer than saying "Oh, horse shit Suzy"? Besides, it was probably the Wild Turky talking. However, Suzy claims to be a native South Forkian, so she probably gets that's just the way we talk here, and it's not personal.
No Wild Turkey talk Ernie. I just wish Suzy would talk down at my level where I can understand. She knows I love her.
Oregon
I have "A life life without passion is a life not worth living" enbroidered on my wall sampler.
My gramma in Illinois has a lot of wall samplers. She has the golden rule on the wall in the bathroom and the 23rd psalm in the basement. I learned a lot about life reading them and it just goes to show that all things work for the best for those who ... I forgot the rest of it, but it's on a sampler above the couch with the doilies on it, in the living room. And there are others, gramma's passionate about wall samplers. They're all over her house. Maybe that's where Suzy inherited her gift of homespun lingo, you think maybe? LOL! I wish she and gramps woulda been more passionate about making money though, then maybe I could inherit something that's made of a stronger thread. Something you can hit with a hammer without damaging the fabric. Gramps has a hammer in the garage, on the workbench under the sampler that reads, "it could be worse". And he was in the machinists union, he told me so many many times, but ...
Oh well, at least I have Oregon to temper the highfalutten pretty wisdom with some down to earth reality.
huggles
s
Ernie, Suzy's basically a musician, or you might say a poet, a being of words and music, I chew gum a lot, and I whistle, and ... but, I was wondering, are wall samplers down on Oregon's level? Maybe I could write Suzy's words in embroidery thread. I have a lot of brown thread that nobody else wanted. I was thinking of making a wall sampler to sell in The Hemp Connection, or some venue around that neighborhood where the corner always gets Suzy turned around, down where all the hipp people hang. I'd like to do a pile of horse shit in brown satin stitch with some green cross stitch marijuana leaves in the corners and it would say, in purple back-stitch -- I don't know, maybe something about organic horseshit is better than hydoshananaganic chemicals, but I am not that good at writing clever catchy things like that for sale, any suggestions? I might also do one that says, "Us scientific types seek the real meaning of life" with a satin stitched hammer in black, silver and tan. I don't know if Ernie has that copyrighted or not. Maybe we could be partners and get a consignment from Emerald Technology, or Radio Shack, or Southern Humboldt, it would look great on the wall in southern Humboldt Building Supplies. Maybe with a redwood frame, hmmm, hmm. Or maybe a big seller would say, "Don't Look Robin", I think that was a oldtimer's saying that came from the Batman radio shows in the fifties. It was on the advertising billboards all over the place, and back in '84 there was, I've heard, even a banner that said, "Don't look Robin" hanging above the road in Whitethorn. But The Green Hornet was looked at and identified from the sky, and the rest is bullshistory.
xxxxxxxx=======xxxxxx
xxx xxx
verification term -- hypsitt
Suzy
Samplers are right at Oregon's level, but don't sell him short, there isn't hardly anything that he can't figure out. Some of the smartest people that I know are the people that have made their living working with their hands and the strength of their backs. You can use big words all day long and you might snow him for a little bit but he'll catch up to you. You say that you are a musician, so I'll tell you a story about Oregon and my younger years that might give you some insight. We used to party most weekends, and we were all out at the Shelter Cove Grotto drinkin' and partyin'. We were all singing along to “Joy to the World”, dancing and raising general hell. Oregon was setting at our table not saying a word, finally one of the girls very pointedly asked him why he wasn't singing, and she implied that he didn't know how. He replied: “I would sing, but it would have to be a damn good song first, and there just aren't any good enough”. He made more “points” than the singers did.
A nice horseshit brown sampler would please the heck out of him.
Suzie, that is a load of hypsitt if I ever mis-heard one, or I should say hyp set. Indeed, Oregon is the man. His setting and non-singing is music to my ears.
I'd say what Suzy thinks of settin' but I know Ernie doesn't like to talk about the true science and historical fact of what came first, and Oregon probably doesn't like to sing about it either.
Cluck cluck cluck ... that's the intro to Joy to the World or it might be bark bark bark ... then Ernie and his girlfriends break out in soulful song ... ah the good ol daze of the psycodelic 60's -- the gratefull dedd aint got nuthin on Oregon's settin'. That's how Suzy dislocated her pinky, shaking it to the greatful dead's don't you need somebody love, and then later, settin and contemplating it, bandaged and sticking up vertically ... she realized what Paul McCartney meant about John Lennon and fate by writing what became a BIG HIPPY HIT SONG for Three Dog Knight, the ultimate 60s psycodelaholic hippy rock band which Ernie and Oregon's gang were partying to. If you listen closely you can hear the theory of Twoness expounded upon, McCartney never did convince them against threeness though, or threesomes, or whatever it was you all were into back inna daze. And then when the media got hold of the dynamic and started a campaign it became "oneness". Which is the start of the media's push to congeal the conspiracy for a one world government. Lennon was killed on three different levels. Yoko became known as the fourth dog ... And the rest is, well you know what the rest is, it's a napping dog, LOL.
"Can two be as bad as one"?
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