I notice that the UN is going to examine the United States for possible violations of the “worldwide” ban on torture. Is this some kind of joke? No it is not, it does show why many Americans consider the UN irrelevant. What is happening in Darfur that the UN could get involved in? How about Cuba, any chance of torture going on there? Maybe Syria has some inclination to torture, or even that beacon of enlightenment Osama Bin Laden has experience in this area. Is it possible that China, North Korea, Venezuela, or Saudi Arabia have personnel dedicated to the task of inflicting pain in search of information?
The United Nations is a wonderful idea gone horribly wrong. The only thing to its credit, and its not a small thing, is that while there have been many small wars there have been no truly devastating ones since 1939-1945. Lip service and outright dishonesty are the hallmarks of the UN. In the United States the feeling among everyone except the Far Left is that the UN should be disbanded and not replaced. Sell the real estate and divide the proceeds among the members. Send the diplomats home to whatever fate awaits them. The situation in the world will decline only slightly and will probably improve.
The criminals running most nations in Africa and Latin America will of course remain, as they would under a flourishing UN. At the very least the United States should discontinue its payment of dues as the money is invariably wasted. The UN is merely a vehicle for the latest Far Left scare tactic; from Global Warming to Nuclear Proliferation. Cynicism rules the day in conversations about what to do. Send in peacekeepers to rape the women, molest the children, and steal from the already destitute, these are behaviors that are well documented by the UN itself. Of course the charges are being studied, taken under advisement, and swept under the rug. Kofi Anan is and has been one of the worst secretary generals to have disgraced the halls of the UN building.
The United States is one of the few countries on the planet that has very little to be ashamed of with regard to its behavior. This will strike many as an offensive assertion. Their reaction is based on jealousy, hatred, and admiration despite themselves. The “intellectual elite” of European nations disdain the US mainly because they have it made but no one else in their society can advance readily. The US offers upward mobility, freedom, liberty, self-expression and all the other things the human spirit needs. If this assertion is questioned simply look to the current immigration controversy for the answer. People don’t usually move to a country to get in on the chance to be oppressed, tortured, or killed.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Immigration rhetoric
Immigration rhetoric has degenerated into single issue causes which means that very little progress can or will be made. Politicians are not leaders. This means that they must please their constituents in order to get re-elected. Most of the current demagogues are local, vocal, and loud which is frightening the tax fund sponsored officials into reconsidering their chances of retaining their jobs. How can they please their districts and return to Washington?
The situation has gone way past Mexican illegal immigration. Now the blacks have weighed in on Haitian’s being forcibly returned while Hispanics are not, at least not to the extent required by law. This is going to raise issues in states with heavy black voter turnout. Black citizens are easily led and manipulated just take a look at the Duke Lacrosse Team problem. Any disadvantaged group, (see Mexico), is on the defensive and is ultra-sensitive to criticism. Political unity in the United States is in intensive care and not expected to recover any time soon, which leads to the conclusion that not much can get done.
The extent of the problem is reflected in the Mexican demagoguery that merely lashes out at Anglos as responsible for all the world’s difficulties; these people are natural born liberal wacko’s and will be loved by Nancy Pelosi. The immigration crisis will most likely go the way of the gas price ruckus: no where. The political discussion will slip further towards name calling and self-serving accusations but no positive action will be put forward because it is too dangerous politically.
The root cause of the problem is that Mexico and most Latin American countries are corrupt, or governed by dictators, or have economic policies that favor the few. What else can the citizens, hated and disdained by their own, do about their plight? They must come north and here they are. From compassion we must find a way to properly deal with this situation while ignoring the rhetoric that inflames the anxious, irritates the ignorant, and does nothing to advance thinking.
The situation has gone way past Mexican illegal immigration. Now the blacks have weighed in on Haitian’s being forcibly returned while Hispanics are not, at least not to the extent required by law. This is going to raise issues in states with heavy black voter turnout. Black citizens are easily led and manipulated just take a look at the Duke Lacrosse Team problem. Any disadvantaged group, (see Mexico), is on the defensive and is ultra-sensitive to criticism. Political unity in the United States is in intensive care and not expected to recover any time soon, which leads to the conclusion that not much can get done.
The extent of the problem is reflected in the Mexican demagoguery that merely lashes out at Anglos as responsible for all the world’s difficulties; these people are natural born liberal wacko’s and will be loved by Nancy Pelosi. The immigration crisis will most likely go the way of the gas price ruckus: no where. The political discussion will slip further towards name calling and self-serving accusations but no positive action will be put forward because it is too dangerous politically.
The root cause of the problem is that Mexico and most Latin American countries are corrupt, or governed by dictators, or have economic policies that favor the few. What else can the citizens, hated and disdained by their own, do about their plight? They must come north and here they are. From compassion we must find a way to properly deal with this situation while ignoring the rhetoric that inflames the anxious, irritates the ignorant, and does nothing to advance thinking.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Asta la vista amigo
The Mexicans weren’t very invisible yesterday and the country did not grind to a halt. Democracy in the United States is disappearing and the reason is that the wacko left, who includes most Democrats, believes that democracy is for dopes. Their preference is to replace elections with intimidation, responsibility with constituent bribery, love of country and sense of purpose with empty slogans. The media are pathetic and probably always have been, without extensive television coverage there would be no purpose for such things as yesterday’s “rallies.”
The liberals in this country are lost; they miss the 60s, even though many weren’t even born then, because it gives them a reason to misbehave. These are the most childish adults you will ever meet. Many of course are Marxists gone to seed, the rest are simply trying to give meaning to their lives by making the rest of us miserable. They cannot stay focused long enough to even consider the issues that outrage them. They wring their hands over oil company profits, without which they would be scrambling for the “Mexican jobs.” They embrace the likes of Al Gore and his nutty conclusions about climate change. By the way if the climate didn’t change we would still be under a sheet of ice. These are the same people that take a novel, The DaVinci Code, and convert it to history. Want choices? Forget it. With this crowd in charge the only people making choices will be the political elite, the rest of us will be following orders.
Illegal immigration is a crime against the laws of the United States of America. That there is even a question about this proves the point that the liberals hate this country and consider it an illegitimate entity. Try immigrating to Mexico from Guatemala illegally. It is a felonious crime not a misdemeanor. The political culture of Mexico is that of corrupt violence. Why are all these people fleeing their country? It is a large place with fairly large population, immense resources ruled by gangsters. Murder, mayhem, and fiscal corruption is the order of the day. Kidnapping is a big business; respect for authority is non-existent because respect must be earned. This is the culture they are bringing to the United States. That this is true is proven by the increase in crime as these migrants find their way into the cities and towns.
Justification of their behavior is simply we are here and you have to like it. The United States is a country like no other and for that reason is the object of jealousy, derision, hatred, and fear. Other countries politicians or rulers are afraid that what the US possesses, liberty and freedom might spread to their domain which would result in their fall from power. It is no wonder that so many people want to come here, but once here they should be Americans and not hyphenated citizens.
The United States needs immigrants, abortion has already reduced our numbers by 40 million since 1973, but the process should be orderly and the requirements designed to bolster the sense of citizenship. Success through bully tactics is weak and breeds contempt, which is why amnesty is not the solution. Raise the quotas or eliminate them and streamline the process at embassies to welcome new comers. Until something like that happens events like yesterday will continue and will continue to be meaningless.
The liberals in this country are lost; they miss the 60s, even though many weren’t even born then, because it gives them a reason to misbehave. These are the most childish adults you will ever meet. Many of course are Marxists gone to seed, the rest are simply trying to give meaning to their lives by making the rest of us miserable. They cannot stay focused long enough to even consider the issues that outrage them. They wring their hands over oil company profits, without which they would be scrambling for the “Mexican jobs.” They embrace the likes of Al Gore and his nutty conclusions about climate change. By the way if the climate didn’t change we would still be under a sheet of ice. These are the same people that take a novel, The DaVinci Code, and convert it to history. Want choices? Forget it. With this crowd in charge the only people making choices will be the political elite, the rest of us will be following orders.
Illegal immigration is a crime against the laws of the United States of America. That there is even a question about this proves the point that the liberals hate this country and consider it an illegitimate entity. Try immigrating to Mexico from Guatemala illegally. It is a felonious crime not a misdemeanor. The political culture of Mexico is that of corrupt violence. Why are all these people fleeing their country? It is a large place with fairly large population, immense resources ruled by gangsters. Murder, mayhem, and fiscal corruption is the order of the day. Kidnapping is a big business; respect for authority is non-existent because respect must be earned. This is the culture they are bringing to the United States. That this is true is proven by the increase in crime as these migrants find their way into the cities and towns.
Justification of their behavior is simply we are here and you have to like it. The United States is a country like no other and for that reason is the object of jealousy, derision, hatred, and fear. Other countries politicians or rulers are afraid that what the US possesses, liberty and freedom might spread to their domain which would result in their fall from power. It is no wonder that so many people want to come here, but once here they should be Americans and not hyphenated citizens.
The United States needs immigrants, abortion has already reduced our numbers by 40 million since 1973, but the process should be orderly and the requirements designed to bolster the sense of citizenship. Success through bully tactics is weak and breeds contempt, which is why amnesty is not the solution. Raise the quotas or eliminate them and streamline the process at embassies to welcome new comers. Until something like that happens events like yesterday will continue and will continue to be meaningless.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Do People really think
Gas prices will probably continue to rise for several years. Of course this is due to the situations in China and India but there is something else to consider. The politics of gasoline are disgraceful. It is easy to belabor the democrats (oops no pun intended) but the complexities of their coalition make coherence a difficult thing to attain. By definition they are opposed to energy independence, by inclination they harp on the social problems caused by high fuel costs because they can’t help themselves. The Republicans are cowards, like abused dogs, around the Democrat demagogues and are too frightened to take a stand.
The public has to suffer, so what, the public is partly responsible for the high price of gasoline by having abdicated their responsibilities. Why is this true? Most US citizens have been trained to not think critically when the exact opposite is what is needed most. Most people take what is presented in the various media forms as true without questioning if the story makes sense. Is it true that drilling in ANWAR will be a bad thing? Is it true that all Republicans are corrupt and no Democrat is culpable? Is it true that 400,000 people a year die from lung cancer, obesity, etc? Is it true that someone else should make choices for the majority?
Until the public stops waiting for the elected government to act before polls come out or stop taking bribes from lobbyists the situation will change very little. There was a very interesting perspective on this issue. Senator Reid was quoted as saying that lobbyists had blocked a certain bill, the commentator pointed out something that most people let slip by: lobbyists can’t vote only senators and representatives can.
As long as the public takes the wacko left seriously single issue politics will continue to cripple our society.
The public has to suffer, so what, the public is partly responsible for the high price of gasoline by having abdicated their responsibilities. Why is this true? Most US citizens have been trained to not think critically when the exact opposite is what is needed most. Most people take what is presented in the various media forms as true without questioning if the story makes sense. Is it true that drilling in ANWAR will be a bad thing? Is it true that all Republicans are corrupt and no Democrat is culpable? Is it true that 400,000 people a year die from lung cancer, obesity, etc? Is it true that someone else should make choices for the majority?
Until the public stops waiting for the elected government to act before polls come out or stop taking bribes from lobbyists the situation will change very little. There was a very interesting perspective on this issue. Senator Reid was quoted as saying that lobbyists had blocked a certain bill, the commentator pointed out something that most people let slip by: lobbyists can’t vote only senators and representatives can.
As long as the public takes the wacko left seriously single issue politics will continue to cripple our society.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Is there happiness?
Why do certain people succeed in professional selling and others fail? The answer is fairly simple: to be successful at anything it must be something you would do for the fun of it. Without oversimplifying the question personal satisfaction must be at the heart of any human activity. A person considering the field of professional sales must make quite a few decisions first among which are : is problem solution something pleasurable, is meeting the needs of others enjoyable, is educating customers in the chosen field stimulating, integrity , a sense of humor, and a certain joie de vive are essential to success.
Anyone who answers positively to the above questions can not fail. Professional selling is one of the highest paid professions for a reason; it is difficult. The same can be said for any profession because success requires constant learning, and commitment to excellence. That may sound trite but think about how much excellence is found in everyday life. There isn’t as much as one might think especially under close examination. Many people work for the money instead of for the fun and life enhancing experiences work can bring. Financial success is relatively easy to achieve, personal happiness is another thing altogether.
Anyone who answers positively to the above questions can not fail. Professional selling is one of the highest paid professions for a reason; it is difficult. The same can be said for any profession because success requires constant learning, and commitment to excellence. That may sound trite but think about how much excellence is found in everyday life. There isn’t as much as one might think especially under close examination. Many people work for the money instead of for the fun and life enhancing experiences work can bring. Financial success is relatively easy to achieve, personal happiness is another thing altogether.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Failure is not a given
I was recently involved in a magazine project that had great promise but egos took precedence over business and artistic sense. The number of times people defeat themselves is amazing. After thinking about this tendency I’ve come to the conclusion that while everyone wants success on some level, many people are simply afraid to achieve. This sound preposterous but based on my experience, which is considerable, it is true.
Why would this be so? The root of the problem probably lies in childhood and to some extent in genetic evolution. The former I am fairly certain of the latter is purely a speculative thought. Many, if not all, young parents are completely unprepared to raise their children. Most seem to think that food, shelter, and discipline are all that is needed to fulfill their parental obligations. Of course those are the basics but much more is required for the children to become successful adults; that is decent human beings. Unfortunately the young parents are themselves at sea with what to do once the result of sexual intercourse comes to live with them for the next 20 odd years.
The extent of discipline is loud “NO” and sometimes striking the child. Both of these actions result in the child becoming insecure and doubtful of their worth. I’m not one who thinks self-esteem is the responsibility of the schools; it belongs to the parents. After all what should one think when the provider of life, love, and all the rest also assaults one? There is another aspect of growing up that is ignored or falsely addressed; what is life about and how should one cope with it? Most parents don’t discuss with their children how to deal with every day problems. Perhaps this is because they are having difficulty themselves. Parents today have children’s lives so organized that they don’t have time to be children and so lose the opportunity to play on their on terms. There are legitimate reasons for this state of affairs but they can be coped with in other ways.
The world is a dangerous place for children today, not that it hasn’t always been so, but it seems to be reverting in recent times. Children should be protected but not overly so; they should be treated with respect and encouraged at whatever interests they show. This is particularly true of reading. Without the ability to read, understand, and question life becomes very difficult indeed. To be able to comprehend the world and one’s place in it is a gift that is rarely given.
People go out in to society expected to have the skills to succeed; most do not. The lack of such skills is evident in binge drinking, drug abuse, and malingering. Confident people don’t need crutches. It might be said that this is false on its face because look at all the “successful” people. That is a question for another time, simply earning money is not success.
People fail because they expect to, not because they want to. Try it sometime, pick something that is not too difficult but is a bit of a stretch. Go after it with confidence and determination, they result will be surprisingly pleasant.
Why would this be so? The root of the problem probably lies in childhood and to some extent in genetic evolution. The former I am fairly certain of the latter is purely a speculative thought. Many, if not all, young parents are completely unprepared to raise their children. Most seem to think that food, shelter, and discipline are all that is needed to fulfill their parental obligations. Of course those are the basics but much more is required for the children to become successful adults; that is decent human beings. Unfortunately the young parents are themselves at sea with what to do once the result of sexual intercourse comes to live with them for the next 20 odd years.
The extent of discipline is loud “NO” and sometimes striking the child. Both of these actions result in the child becoming insecure and doubtful of their worth. I’m not one who thinks self-esteem is the responsibility of the schools; it belongs to the parents. After all what should one think when the provider of life, love, and all the rest also assaults one? There is another aspect of growing up that is ignored or falsely addressed; what is life about and how should one cope with it? Most parents don’t discuss with their children how to deal with every day problems. Perhaps this is because they are having difficulty themselves. Parents today have children’s lives so organized that they don’t have time to be children and so lose the opportunity to play on their on terms. There are legitimate reasons for this state of affairs but they can be coped with in other ways.
The world is a dangerous place for children today, not that it hasn’t always been so, but it seems to be reverting in recent times. Children should be protected but not overly so; they should be treated with respect and encouraged at whatever interests they show. This is particularly true of reading. Without the ability to read, understand, and question life becomes very difficult indeed. To be able to comprehend the world and one’s place in it is a gift that is rarely given.
People go out in to society expected to have the skills to succeed; most do not. The lack of such skills is evident in binge drinking, drug abuse, and malingering. Confident people don’t need crutches. It might be said that this is false on its face because look at all the “successful” people. That is a question for another time, simply earning money is not success.
People fail because they expect to, not because they want to. Try it sometime, pick something that is not too difficult but is a bit of a stretch. Go after it with confidence and determination, they result will be surprisingly pleasant.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
When religion is a bad thing
Religion can be a bad thing. I have just been reading an article about how a centuries old culture is disappearing in the wake of the new fundamentalism being embraced by Muslims. It seems that for at least 800 years Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions co-existed peacefully with Islam in Malaya. Malaya, a Southeast Asian nation, is home to a majority Muslim population. Now a situation has arisen where the democratically elected Muslim party has decreed that certain Hindu rituals are illegal and offensive to Islam. When questioned about rationale for this decree the reply is that previously Muslims did not know it was offensive. Does this sound familiar?
This problem goes deeper than just one religion dominating all others, a dream of all sects, but signals the erosion of a culture that will most likely disappear completely. This is a trend that is more serious than the mirage of global warming. This is only the first shot in the newest version of culture wars for which most societies are completely unprepared. The result will be similar to the Islamic conquest of nations by the sword during medieval times. More than likely there will bloodshed this time too.
In the United States the only thing preventing this behavior by fundamentalist or evangelical Christians is the constitution and the dislike of Christianity by the majority of the “thinking” population. This will change as more Muslims find their way here. In Europe the danger is the greatest because the numbers are already large and because the sophisticated Europeans cannot imagine such a disaster befalling them. After all they are not any like the Asians who are superstitious and susceptible to such ideas.
Religions are proving to be capable of reverting to the political systems in which they originated. Mankind’s fear of the unknown and the comfort of an afterlife will always prove irresistible to most; of course the beneficiaries of theocratic life are, as in any system, the leaders. Mullahs, priest, popes, preachers, deacons, shamans, you name it their vocation is based on their desire to dominate and lead others.
Behavior is the surest guide to motives. Be observant and careful.
This problem goes deeper than just one religion dominating all others, a dream of all sects, but signals the erosion of a culture that will most likely disappear completely. This is a trend that is more serious than the mirage of global warming. This is only the first shot in the newest version of culture wars for which most societies are completely unprepared. The result will be similar to the Islamic conquest of nations by the sword during medieval times. More than likely there will bloodshed this time too.
In the United States the only thing preventing this behavior by fundamentalist or evangelical Christians is the constitution and the dislike of Christianity by the majority of the “thinking” population. This will change as more Muslims find their way here. In Europe the danger is the greatest because the numbers are already large and because the sophisticated Europeans cannot imagine such a disaster befalling them. After all they are not any like the Asians who are superstitious and susceptible to such ideas.
Religions are proving to be capable of reverting to the political systems in which they originated. Mankind’s fear of the unknown and the comfort of an afterlife will always prove irresistible to most; of course the beneficiaries of theocratic life are, as in any system, the leaders. Mullahs, priest, popes, preachers, deacons, shamans, you name it their vocation is based on their desire to dominate and lead others.
Behavior is the surest guide to motives. Be observant and careful.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Christian Evolution
The Easter Holiday is fading. It’s ironic that Evangelical Christians, as they like to call themselves, feel that evolution is only a theory and one that can not be proven. Yet their behavior is in itself evolutionary. There is a strong push to rename Easter Sunday to Resurrection Sunday the idea being that too many non-Christians or lapsed Christians are enjoying Easter as a holiday and not a Holy Day.
This strategy goes back two millennia when the newly established Christian sect of Judaism began to gain strength in the Roman Empire. In order to avoid or minimize persecution the early Christians celebrated the pagan holy days by re-naming them as their own. This made it possible to have Christ’s resurrection coincide with the fertility celebrations of spring. By co-opting the pagan events the Christians began a long history of taking what the existing religious base had to offer and incorporate it into the Trinity based promise of salvation.
Islam has done the same thing, on a much smaller scale, by claiming that Muhammad ascended to heaven after his death. This is the same action ascribed to Christ which is known as The Ascension and is memorialized by holy days and by names of cities and people.
Back to the Christians. I was raised, as I have said, a Roman Catholic. I stopped practicing once I had mastered the drill. I find that the church today has evolved and though I am conversant with the ceremonies and beliefs there are certain liturgical changes of which I was unaware. Of course Roman Catholics are regarded by mainstream Protestants and Evangelicals as one step above Muslims. All this Christian Love can be a bit tedious.
The very term Evangelical is a revision of historical Christianity and is an evolutionary path blazed by successful Protestants. Remember that there were always heretics” even from the earliest days. They were exterminated in the name of God’s love just as Muslims treat apostates today. So now we find another step along the road of injustice for God’s sake. Not only do we have a pagan Christianity with the Trinity, we have one that wants to further separate itself from the rest of the citizenry and then complain about the isolation.
I am generally a fan of the Fox News Network but find John Gibson and Bill O’Reilly presumptuous, bombastic, and disingenuous; particularly in their purported fear about the “attacks” on Christian Holy Days.
This strategy goes back two millennia when the newly established Christian sect of Judaism began to gain strength in the Roman Empire. In order to avoid or minimize persecution the early Christians celebrated the pagan holy days by re-naming them as their own. This made it possible to have Christ’s resurrection coincide with the fertility celebrations of spring. By co-opting the pagan events the Christians began a long history of taking what the existing religious base had to offer and incorporate it into the Trinity based promise of salvation.
Islam has done the same thing, on a much smaller scale, by claiming that Muhammad ascended to heaven after his death. This is the same action ascribed to Christ which is known as The Ascension and is memorialized by holy days and by names of cities and people.
Back to the Christians. I was raised, as I have said, a Roman Catholic. I stopped practicing once I had mastered the drill. I find that the church today has evolved and though I am conversant with the ceremonies and beliefs there are certain liturgical changes of which I was unaware. Of course Roman Catholics are regarded by mainstream Protestants and Evangelicals as one step above Muslims. All this Christian Love can be a bit tedious.
The very term Evangelical is a revision of historical Christianity and is an evolutionary path blazed by successful Protestants. Remember that there were always heretics” even from the earliest days. They were exterminated in the name of God’s love just as Muslims treat apostates today. So now we find another step along the road of injustice for God’s sake. Not only do we have a pagan Christianity with the Trinity, we have one that wants to further separate itself from the rest of the citizenry and then complain about the isolation.
I am generally a fan of the Fox News Network but find John Gibson and Bill O’Reilly presumptuous, bombastic, and disingenuous; particularly in their purported fear about the “attacks” on Christian Holy Days.
Friday, April 14, 2006
How to take money from Babies Part 1
I just found out about a new way to separate the rich from their money. It is apparently based on a novel, The Ultimate Gift, which I haven’t yet read and which is being released as a motion picture sometime next year. The premise is the search by a depressed billionaire for a suitable heir. Just that is enough for a great comedy. It turns out, from what I have been told that this billionaire’s children and relatives are basically no account and merely engaged in spending their allowances and waiting for his death to collect on their shares. This realization strikes him to the core with unhappiness. Wait! There is hope which comes in the form of a nephew who is a little idealistic and who can probably be manipulated in to adopting the appearance of decency. The billionaire uncle spends time getting to know this person, something he probably done with the rest of his family all along, and decides he is worthy of his billions. That is he is worthy of passing a test of his worth.
The nephew must fulfill twelve tasks, what is it with 12 step programs in America anyway, and upon successfully demonstrating his value as a human being he can get his billions and degenerate into one of the family.
Undoubtedly some will think I have oversimplified the story but personally I don’t think so. This said even without reading the book. What could be more banal than the complete story I have just outlined? Well, guess what? A whole cottage industry within the “wealth management” community has or is emerging. It is known by various terms but it is essentially “legacy projection” Is this some kind of derivation of the media’s idea of Presidential legacies?
Anyway, I was in a meeting where this topic was raised. A person said, with a completely straight face, that the wealthy need and are looking for legacy planners. Stupefied, I listened in amazement as this person described the wealth that could be extracted by a legacy planner from rich people too stupid to figure out their own lives. AS the discussion went on it turns out that while becoming wealthy many rich people ignore their families and pay them to stay out of the way of wealth accumulation. No surprise there, it’s an age old story. Here’s the great thing about it, many of modern humans are so shallow themselves that they think they are in deep water just because they have a few bucks.
I don’t have room to go much further with this today and I’m sure how accurate an assessment of wealthy people is being made, but as I listened it all seemed to boil down to the fact that education and values are so weak in today’s world that the rich don’t know they’re adrift until they are rich enough to hit the shoals.
The nephew must fulfill twelve tasks, what is it with 12 step programs in America anyway, and upon successfully demonstrating his value as a human being he can get his billions and degenerate into one of the family.
Undoubtedly some will think I have oversimplified the story but personally I don’t think so. This said even without reading the book. What could be more banal than the complete story I have just outlined? Well, guess what? A whole cottage industry within the “wealth management” community has or is emerging. It is known by various terms but it is essentially “legacy projection” Is this some kind of derivation of the media’s idea of Presidential legacies?
Anyway, I was in a meeting where this topic was raised. A person said, with a completely straight face, that the wealthy need and are looking for legacy planners. Stupefied, I listened in amazement as this person described the wealth that could be extracted by a legacy planner from rich people too stupid to figure out their own lives. AS the discussion went on it turns out that while becoming wealthy many rich people ignore their families and pay them to stay out of the way of wealth accumulation. No surprise there, it’s an age old story. Here’s the great thing about it, many of modern humans are so shallow themselves that they think they are in deep water just because they have a few bucks.
I don’t have room to go much further with this today and I’m sure how accurate an assessment of wealthy people is being made, but as I listened it all seemed to boil down to the fact that education and values are so weak in today’s world that the rich don’t know they’re adrift until they are rich enough to hit the shoals.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
How many must die?
I love do-gooders. They are so inconsistent that they appear to have their acts together when in fact the opposite is true. I believe these tendencies are rooted in the natural desire of human beings to be liked. This impulse coupled with the usual herd mentality gives us the fun of watching them behave like lemmings going over a cliff. If you find this assertion offensive perhaps you’d better look and see how close you’re getting to the cliff’s edge.
Let’s take a look at some of the campaigns mounted in recent years, say the last 40 years. Anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-fat, anti-driving (without seatbelts), these are just a few of the main objects of the people who want to run our lives and feel good because they are helping. Are they? Anti-war, anti-conservatism, anti-religion, all these things are cast in the negative; ever wonder why? I am not grinding an axe here simply making an observation.
With all the ways of prolonging life and supposedly improving its quality why is there no objection from the left on the one thing that has taken more lives in the past 40 years than any number of deaths from fat, smoking, or drinking? Since 1973 approximately 40 million babies have been killed by abortionists and their supporters. This number dwarfs the deaths from any other source; single or combined. These murders are based on a woman’s right to choose, a weak specious argument at best; transparently stupid at worst.
Why don’t I have the right to choose to smoke, drink, be promiscuous, get fat, drive fast, or anything else these people object to? Why are they right about the do’s and don’ts of life? The latest thing is the “civil rights” of illegal immigration. What about the “civil rights” of children conceived and then murdered?
I am asking these questions because we are bombarded every day about things that should be banned from our lives. Is there an irony here? The do-gooders, right and left, have embraced a new Puritanism, unique in its American slant. Unfortunately the rest of the world tends to ape American behavior which is resulting in a dumbing down of societies all around the globe. We Americans know what is best for everyone, especially those we can control.
It is outrageous that a woman’s right to choose does not seem to include choosing not to have sexual intercourse without birth control methods and techniques in place. Sexual acts are fun and should be indulged in frequently but sensibly. The so-called unwanted pregnancy is totally unnecessary today so why do we have so many abortions? People are selfish, lazy, and thoughtless. Abortion is nothing more than birth control for the stupid and self-indulgent mindless individuals that populate our nation.
The next time you are warned about the number of deaths from smoking, drinking, and obesity remember the deaths resulting laziness: 40 million so far.
Let’s take a look at some of the campaigns mounted in recent years, say the last 40 years. Anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-fat, anti-driving (without seatbelts), these are just a few of the main objects of the people who want to run our lives and feel good because they are helping. Are they? Anti-war, anti-conservatism, anti-religion, all these things are cast in the negative; ever wonder why? I am not grinding an axe here simply making an observation.
With all the ways of prolonging life and supposedly improving its quality why is there no objection from the left on the one thing that has taken more lives in the past 40 years than any number of deaths from fat, smoking, or drinking? Since 1973 approximately 40 million babies have been killed by abortionists and their supporters. This number dwarfs the deaths from any other source; single or combined. These murders are based on a woman’s right to choose, a weak specious argument at best; transparently stupid at worst.
Why don’t I have the right to choose to smoke, drink, be promiscuous, get fat, drive fast, or anything else these people object to? Why are they right about the do’s and don’ts of life? The latest thing is the “civil rights” of illegal immigration. What about the “civil rights” of children conceived and then murdered?
I am asking these questions because we are bombarded every day about things that should be banned from our lives. Is there an irony here? The do-gooders, right and left, have embraced a new Puritanism, unique in its American slant. Unfortunately the rest of the world tends to ape American behavior which is resulting in a dumbing down of societies all around the globe. We Americans know what is best for everyone, especially those we can control.
It is outrageous that a woman’s right to choose does not seem to include choosing not to have sexual intercourse without birth control methods and techniques in place. Sexual acts are fun and should be indulged in frequently but sensibly. The so-called unwanted pregnancy is totally unnecessary today so why do we have so many abortions? People are selfish, lazy, and thoughtless. Abortion is nothing more than birth control for the stupid and self-indulgent mindless individuals that populate our nation.
The next time you are warned about the number of deaths from smoking, drinking, and obesity remember the deaths resulting laziness: 40 million so far.
How many must die?
I love do-gooders. They are so inconsistent that they appear to have their acts together when in fact the opposite is true. I believe these tendencies are rooted in the natural desire of human beings to be liked. This impulse coupled with the usual herd mentality gives us the fun of watching them behave like lemmings going over a cliff. If you find this assertion offensive perhaps you’d better look and see how close you’re getting to the cliff’s edge.
Let’s take a look at some of the campaigns mounted in recent years, say the last 40 years. Anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-fat, anti-driving (without seatbelts), these are just a few of the main objects of the people who want to run our lives and feel good because they are helping. Are they? Anti-war, anti-conservatism, anti-religion, all these things are cast in the negative; ever wonder why? I am not grinding an axe here simply making an observation.
With all the ways of prolonging life and supposedly improving its quality why is there no objection from the left on the one thing that has taken more lives in the past 40 years than any number of deaths from fat, smoking, or drinking? Since 1973 approximately 40 million babies have been killed by abortionists and their supporters. This number dwarfs the deaths from any other source; single or combined. These murders are based on a woman’s right to choose, a weak specious argument at best; transparently stupid at worst.
Why don’t I have the right to choose to smoke, drink, be promiscuous, get fat, drive fast, or anything else these people object to? Why are they right about the do’s and don’ts of life? The latest thing is the “civil rights” of illegal immigration. What about the “civil rights” of children conceived and then murdered?
I am asking these questions because we are bombarded every day about things that should be banned from our lives. Is there an irony here? The do-gooders, right and left, have embraced a new Puritanism, unique in its American slant. Unfortunately the rest of the world tends to ape American behavior which is resulting in a dumbing down of societies all around the globe. We Americans know what is best for everyone, especially those we can control.
It is outrageous that a woman’s right to choose does not seem to include choosing not to have sexual intercourse without birth control methods and techniques in place. Sexual acts are fun and should be indulged in frequently but sensibly. The so-called unwanted pregnancy is totally unnecessary today so why do we have so many abortions? People are selfish, lazy, and thoughtless. Abortion is nothing more than birth control for the stupid and self-indulgent mindless individuals that populate our nation.
The next time you are warned about the number of deaths from smoking, drinking, and obesity remember the deaths resulting laziness: 40 million so far.
Let’s take a look at some of the campaigns mounted in recent years, say the last 40 years. Anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-fat, anti-driving (without seatbelts), these are just a few of the main objects of the people who want to run our lives and feel good because they are helping. Are they? Anti-war, anti-conservatism, anti-religion, all these things are cast in the negative; ever wonder why? I am not grinding an axe here simply making an observation.
With all the ways of prolonging life and supposedly improving its quality why is there no objection from the left on the one thing that has taken more lives in the past 40 years than any number of deaths from fat, smoking, or drinking? Since 1973 approximately 40 million babies have been killed by abortionists and their supporters. This number dwarfs the deaths from any other source; single or combined. These murders are based on a woman’s right to choose, a weak specious argument at best; transparently stupid at worst.
Why don’t I have the right to choose to smoke, drink, be promiscuous, get fat, drive fast, or anything else these people object to? Why are they right about the do’s and don’ts of life? The latest thing is the “civil rights” of illegal immigration. What about the “civil rights” of children conceived and then murdered?
I am asking these questions because we are bombarded every day about things that should be banned from our lives. Is there an irony here? The do-gooders, right and left, have embraced a new Puritanism, unique in its American slant. Unfortunately the rest of the world tends to ape American behavior which is resulting in a dumbing down of societies all around the globe. We Americans know what is best for everyone, especially those we can control.
It is outrageous that a woman’s right to choose does not seem to include choosing not to have sexual intercourse without birth control methods and techniques in place. Sexual acts are fun and should be indulged in frequently but sensibly. The so-called unwanted pregnancy is totally unnecessary today so why do we have so many abortions? People are selfish, lazy, and thoughtless. Abortion is nothing more than birth control for the stupid and self-indulgent mindless individuals that populate our nation.
The next time you are warned about the number of deaths from smoking, drinking, and obesity remember the deaths resulting laziness: 40 million so far.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Iran Explodes
Explosions in Iran should come as no surprise. It is clear that the United States is considering military action against known Iranian nuclear facilities. This will most likely come in the form of attacks by the USAF using its stealth bombers and massive bunker-busting bombs. These attacks will be as surgical as possible but that might not be very surgical in the sense of little or no collateral damage. This damage will be more than just destroyed buildings and dead people.
That some action should be taken is inarguable, the Iranian regime is unstable politically, morally, historically, and most likely mentally. Iran will destroy, or a least attempt to destroy Israel using its nuclear weapons. The reason there is such a willingness to do so is based on their fundamental belief that the end of the world is near so what have they to lose. One might be surprised to find that fundamentalist Christians share this belief and both sides are looking forward eagerly to this event. The Iranians will also use this power to intimidate other Muslim nations, who actually despise them for embracing Shia, and bending them to their will under threat of destruction. This will not be a religious conundrum as Sunnis are regarded as heretics by Shia.
For those of us who aren’t looking for a tremendous upheaval and nuclear degradation of the environment something preventative is called for. A military action should be the absolute last resort, but it must be considered. The Iranians are naïve if they think a military strike would be unsuccessful. The immediate results will be a great success; the lingering ones are much more problematic. Detractors of the United States will have a knee-jerk totally predictable response to this suggestion and action, but a least they can have a reaction. In Iran any dissent is usually punished by death or lengthy imprisonment; similar to Cuban and Venezuelan behavior.
The set of circumstances is almost irretrievable at this point, Iran is going to press forward, the US is going to find away to stop them. The rest of us will be along for the ride which will be very unpleasant and last a long time.
That some action should be taken is inarguable, the Iranian regime is unstable politically, morally, historically, and most likely mentally. Iran will destroy, or a least attempt to destroy Israel using its nuclear weapons. The reason there is such a willingness to do so is based on their fundamental belief that the end of the world is near so what have they to lose. One might be surprised to find that fundamentalist Christians share this belief and both sides are looking forward eagerly to this event. The Iranians will also use this power to intimidate other Muslim nations, who actually despise them for embracing Shia, and bending them to their will under threat of destruction. This will not be a religious conundrum as Sunnis are regarded as heretics by Shia.
For those of us who aren’t looking for a tremendous upheaval and nuclear degradation of the environment something preventative is called for. A military action should be the absolute last resort, but it must be considered. The Iranians are naïve if they think a military strike would be unsuccessful. The immediate results will be a great success; the lingering ones are much more problematic. Detractors of the United States will have a knee-jerk totally predictable response to this suggestion and action, but a least they can have a reaction. In Iran any dissent is usually punished by death or lengthy imprisonment; similar to Cuban and Venezuelan behavior.
The set of circumstances is almost irretrievable at this point, Iran is going to press forward, the US is going to find away to stop them. The rest of us will be along for the ride which will be very unpleasant and last a long time.
Bombs in the Iranian Hinterlands
Explosions in Iran should come as no surprise. It is clear that the United States is considering military action against known Iranian nuclear facilities. This will most likely come in the form of attacks by the USAF using its stealth bombers and massive bunker-busting bombs. These attacks will be as surgical as possible but that might not be very surgical in the sense of little or no collateral damage. This damage will be more than just destroyed buildings and dead people.
That some action should be taken is inarguable, the Iranian regime is unstable politically, morally, historically, and most likely mentally. Iran will destroy, or a least attempt to destroy Israel using its nuclear weapons. The reason there is such a willingness to do so is based on their fundamental belief that the end of the world is near so what have they to lose. One might be surprised to find that fundamentalist Christians share this belief and both sides are looking forward eagerly to this event. The Iranians will also use this power to intimidate other Muslim nations, who actually despise them for embracing Shia, and bending them to their will under threat of destruction. This will not be a religious conundrum as Sunnis are regarded as heretics by Shia.
For those of us who aren’t looking for a tremendous upheaval and nuclear degradation of the environment something preventative is called for. A military action should be the absolute last resort, but it must be considered. The Iranians are naïve if they think a military strike would be unsuccessful. The immediate results will be a great success; the lingering ones are much more problematic. Detractors of the United States will have a knee-jerk totally predictable response to this suggestion and action, but a least they can have a reaction. In Iran any dissent is usually punished by death or lengthy imprisonment; similar to Cuban and Venezuelan behavior.
The set of circumstances is almost irretrievable at this point, Iran is going to press forward, the US is going to find away to stop them. The rest of us will be along for the ride which will be very unpleasant and last a long time.
That some action should be taken is inarguable, the Iranian regime is unstable politically, morally, historically, and most likely mentally. Iran will destroy, or a least attempt to destroy Israel using its nuclear weapons. The reason there is such a willingness to do so is based on their fundamental belief that the end of the world is near so what have they to lose. One might be surprised to find that fundamentalist Christians share this belief and both sides are looking forward eagerly to this event. The Iranians will also use this power to intimidate other Muslim nations, who actually despise them for embracing Shia, and bending them to their will under threat of destruction. This will not be a religious conundrum as Sunnis are regarded as heretics by Shia.
For those of us who aren’t looking for a tremendous upheaval and nuclear degradation of the environment something preventative is called for. A military action should be the absolute last resort, but it must be considered. The Iranians are naïve if they think a military strike would be unsuccessful. The immediate results will be a great success; the lingering ones are much more problematic. Detractors of the United States will have a knee-jerk totally predictable response to this suggestion and action, but a least they can have a reaction. In Iran any dissent is usually punished by death or lengthy imprisonment; similar to Cuban and Venezuelan behavior.
The set of circumstances is almost irretrievable at this point, Iran is going to press forward, the US is going to find away to stop them. The rest of us will be along for the ride which will be very unpleasant and last a long time.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Tiger Misses
Phil Mickelson is going to cause Tiger problems on his way to breaking the major championship victory record set by Jack Nicklaus. Mickelson might run out of time, he is 36 to Tiger’s 30, but he has regained the confidence that was shattered by Tiger’s arrival on the golf scene. Over the years Mickelson has four putted his way out of victory. His wild risk-taking style cost him many opportunities to win. Apparently he has now matured and is now a championship golfer.
This means that when Phil starts a tournament he is trying to win. In the past he merely wanted to win and felt he could because of his skills which are of course excellent. Arrogance will not win golf tournaments especially at the championship level. The great Bobby Jones had the same problem when he started, there is no other comparison between the two golfers, but until Jones learned to control himself and his golfing urges he remained winless when it counted. Tiger Woods has raised the standard of performance required to win major golf tournaments. The field is responding by rising to the level and sometimes beyond.
I doubt that there is any real danger of Woods failing to break Jack Nicklaus’ record. The only thing that can prevent it is Tiger Woods either losing interest or suffering injury. Other players will win majors and Phil Mickelson is well on his way to a record similar to that of Nick Faldo, none will surpass Woods.
Tiger has been tinkering with his swing and he is taking risks that he wouldn’t take in the past. He has been accused of being to machine like, too boring, but that is what wins tournaments and sets records. Golf is a game of patience and humility. One must prepare, commit, and play the shot; if it doesn’t work out perfectly one must move on from there. Ben Hogan realized this and pointed out that tournaments are won by those who manage their bad shots as very few good shots are ever made under the pressure of a tournament.
Congratulations to Phil Mickelson for winning the Master’s he held up when others faltered.
This means that when Phil starts a tournament he is trying to win. In the past he merely wanted to win and felt he could because of his skills which are of course excellent. Arrogance will not win golf tournaments especially at the championship level. The great Bobby Jones had the same problem when he started, there is no other comparison between the two golfers, but until Jones learned to control himself and his golfing urges he remained winless when it counted. Tiger Woods has raised the standard of performance required to win major golf tournaments. The field is responding by rising to the level and sometimes beyond.
I doubt that there is any real danger of Woods failing to break Jack Nicklaus’ record. The only thing that can prevent it is Tiger Woods either losing interest or suffering injury. Other players will win majors and Phil Mickelson is well on his way to a record similar to that of Nick Faldo, none will surpass Woods.
Tiger has been tinkering with his swing and he is taking risks that he wouldn’t take in the past. He has been accused of being to machine like, too boring, but that is what wins tournaments and sets records. Golf is a game of patience and humility. One must prepare, commit, and play the shot; if it doesn’t work out perfectly one must move on from there. Ben Hogan realized this and pointed out that tournaments are won by those who manage their bad shots as very few good shots are ever made under the pressure of a tournament.
Congratulations to Phil Mickelson for winning the Master’s he held up when others faltered.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
The Root of all Evil
I had a visitor to the blog who got here by searching the words “democracy the root of all evils. A check of site meter revealed that this person resides in India, the world’s largest “functioning” democracy. So there are two interesting facts. Is this person from the Brahmin caste and angry that others from lower castes are allowed to vote? Democracy, when it is truly permitted to function is probably the best form of government for human beings.
No matter what feel-good liberals like to think and hold dear in the face of all evidence to the contrary human nature is not inherently good. Democracy gives the weakest members of society a chance, only a chance, of affecting the outcome of events. It is certainly not a perfect method, though it is the most adequate. The liberal idea that all people are created equal ends in the delivery room or wherever birth is completed. Equality is an undesirable condition and will never exist. Equal chances may exist but genetics has demonstrated that some are better equipped than others to deal with their existence. Socialism doesn’t work, and certainly communism is an absolute failure. To check my assertions examine the history of the Soviet Union, France, and China.
In every group a dominant personality will emerge as the leader people are similar to all other mammals in this respect. The leader will surround himself ( generically speaking) with others who meet his needs for adoration, manipulative control of others, financial management of the dominated group or area, and in general those loyal enough to ensure his safety from other dominant or as we say today Alpha personalities.
Democracies have all these characteristics with the exception of the dominant leader’s role as he must please those he leads, thus making changes a bit more possible if not likely. Human nature is geared towards survival of a particular being, if preserving the group is in that beings best interest then that interest will be served. If the impulse is for other behavior it will be satisfied in some way that can be either beneficial or detrimental to the group.
So it is fruitless to examine democracy as the root of all evils, we must look to ourselves to satisfy that search.
No matter what feel-good liberals like to think and hold dear in the face of all evidence to the contrary human nature is not inherently good. Democracy gives the weakest members of society a chance, only a chance, of affecting the outcome of events. It is certainly not a perfect method, though it is the most adequate. The liberal idea that all people are created equal ends in the delivery room or wherever birth is completed. Equality is an undesirable condition and will never exist. Equal chances may exist but genetics has demonstrated that some are better equipped than others to deal with their existence. Socialism doesn’t work, and certainly communism is an absolute failure. To check my assertions examine the history of the Soviet Union, France, and China.
In every group a dominant personality will emerge as the leader people are similar to all other mammals in this respect. The leader will surround himself ( generically speaking) with others who meet his needs for adoration, manipulative control of others, financial management of the dominated group or area, and in general those loyal enough to ensure his safety from other dominant or as we say today Alpha personalities.
Democracies have all these characteristics with the exception of the dominant leader’s role as he must please those he leads, thus making changes a bit more possible if not likely. Human nature is geared towards survival of a particular being, if preserving the group is in that beings best interest then that interest will be served. If the impulse is for other behavior it will be satisfied in some way that can be either beneficial or detrimental to the group.
So it is fruitless to examine democracy as the root of all evils, we must look to ourselves to satisfy that search.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Invisible Mexican Day
I can’t wait for the invisible Mexican day. Personally I think we need more immigrants and so should raise the quotas so illegal immigration will be less of an issue. I take issue with those who use the tactics of intimidation to press their agenda. Of course that is the “Liberal” way; if the majority doesn’t agree with you try pressure. This is known as terrorism when guns, bombs, and mayhem are used. It is the same thing on a lower level with regard to the immigration controversy.
The cynical use of illegal immigrants by Democrats is disgusting if not new. The moral cowardice of Republicans is typical of hypocrites who simply want a job paid for by the citizens they “represent.” In New York a law is being passed to allow anyone to vote the questions of residency, interest, citizenship, do not arise. I guess it is simply a codification of a situation that already exists there.
I don’t think the Day Without a Mexican will amount to much, oh the media will exaggerate its impact, but especially where I live they will remain invisible. The battle in the southern states will be between blacks and Hispanics; the blacks will lose. This is unfortunate as they are the longest resident minority. They have been duped by the Democrat Party into thinking that they will be taken care of by the government if it is controlled by the Democrats. Now that the latino population is growing into a potentially large voting bloc the blacks can and will be ignored.
Another interesting aspect of this situation is the position taken by the unions. Talk about ambivalence, unions need members, unions want higher pay and more benefits, they should be opposed to illegal immigrants but because they are in thrall to the Democrat Party they are caught and left hanging. When the illegals become legal and union members they attractiveness will disappear. The wage hike spiral that will follow will result in further illegal immigration that will drive these new found gains down. Then today’s protestors will be bashing the government in an attempt to keep the new illegals out. Round and round we go where we stop no one knows.
The cynical use of illegal immigrants by Democrats is disgusting if not new. The moral cowardice of Republicans is typical of hypocrites who simply want a job paid for by the citizens they “represent.” In New York a law is being passed to allow anyone to vote the questions of residency, interest, citizenship, do not arise. I guess it is simply a codification of a situation that already exists there.
I don’t think the Day Without a Mexican will amount to much, oh the media will exaggerate its impact, but especially where I live they will remain invisible. The battle in the southern states will be between blacks and Hispanics; the blacks will lose. This is unfortunate as they are the longest resident minority. They have been duped by the Democrat Party into thinking that they will be taken care of by the government if it is controlled by the Democrats. Now that the latino population is growing into a potentially large voting bloc the blacks can and will be ignored.
Another interesting aspect of this situation is the position taken by the unions. Talk about ambivalence, unions need members, unions want higher pay and more benefits, they should be opposed to illegal immigrants but because they are in thrall to the Democrat Party they are caught and left hanging. When the illegals become legal and union members they attractiveness will disappear. The wage hike spiral that will follow will result in further illegal immigration that will drive these new found gains down. Then today’s protestors will be bashing the government in an attempt to keep the new illegals out. Round and round we go where we stop no one knows.
Invisble Mexican Day
I can’t wait for the invisible Mexican day. Personally I think we need more immigrants and so should raise the quotas so illegal immigration will be less of an issue. I take issue with those who use the tactics of intimidation to press their agenda. Of course that is the “Liberal” way; if the majority doesn’t agree with you try pressure. This is known as terrorism when guns, bombs, and mayhem are used. It is the same thing on a lower level with regard to the immigration controversy.
The cynical use of illegal immigrants by Democrats is disgusting if not new. The moral cowardice of Republicans is typical of hypocrites who simply want a job paid for by the citizens they “represent.” In New York a law is being passed to allow anyone to vote the questions of residency, interest, citizenship, do not arise. I guess it is simply a codification of a situation that already exists there.
I don’t think the Day Without a Mexican will amount to much, oh the media will exaggerate its impact, but especially where I live they will remain invisible. The battle in the southern states will be between blacks and Hispanics; the blacks will lose. This is unfortunate as they are the longest resident minority. They have been duped by the Democrat Party into thinking that they will be taken care of by the government if it is controlled by the Democrats. Now that the latino population is growing into a potentially large voting bloc the blacks can and will be ignored.
Another interesting aspect of this situation is the position taken by the unions. Talk about ambivalence, unions need members, unions want higher pay and more benefits, they should be opposed to illegal immigrants but because they are in thrall to the Democrat Party they are caught and left hanging. When the illegals become legal and union members they attractiveness will disappear. The wage hike spiral that will follow will result in further illegal immigration that will drive these new found gains down. Then today’s protestors will be bashing the government in an attempt to keep the new illegals out. Round and round we go where we stop no one knows.
The cynical use of illegal immigrants by Democrats is disgusting if not new. The moral cowardice of Republicans is typical of hypocrites who simply want a job paid for by the citizens they “represent.” In New York a law is being passed to allow anyone to vote the questions of residency, interest, citizenship, do not arise. I guess it is simply a codification of a situation that already exists there.
I don’t think the Day Without a Mexican will amount to much, oh the media will exaggerate its impact, but especially where I live they will remain invisible. The battle in the southern states will be between blacks and Hispanics; the blacks will lose. This is unfortunate as they are the longest resident minority. They have been duped by the Democrat Party into thinking that they will be taken care of by the government if it is controlled by the Democrats. Now that the latino population is growing into a potentially large voting bloc the blacks can and will be ignored.
Another interesting aspect of this situation is the position taken by the unions. Talk about ambivalence, unions need members, unions want higher pay and more benefits, they should be opposed to illegal immigrants but because they are in thrall to the Democrat Party they are caught and left hanging. When the illegals become legal and union members they attractiveness will disappear. The wage hike spiral that will follow will result in further illegal immigration that will drive these new found gains down. Then today’s protestors will be bashing the government in an attempt to keep the new illegals out. Round and round we go where we stop no one knows.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Do Gooders - Be Quiet Please
I get really tired of all the do-gooders who want to make themselves feel justified for living. From the anti-smoking, anti-fat, anti-car, and anti-fun forces to the so-called experts on global warming the act of looking beyond one’s little place in the world quite tedious. Of course you can see just about anything on television and the other night there was a program about hurricanes. It began by discussing the possibility of a devastating storm hitting Manhattan Island. It has happened before and according to scientific thought such a thing will most likely happen again. The cycle appears to be every 75 years or so (something like Halley’s Comet) which means another one is due within the next few years. As the program went on the discussion swung round to global warming and the effects of climate change.
It was glossed over and no definitive claims were made other than hurricanes are more frequent and more damaging now, at least since records have been kept; then came an interesting change of pace. It turns out that record keeping in China has been going on a bit longer than in the West; about 1000 years longer. It also seems that modern Typhoons are not as frequent or as damaging as those in millennia past. Well, that’s in China and what do they know. A Chinese scientist has come to the United States and taken core samples from coastal areas to determine the number and extent of Atlantic hurricanes. The results are amazing.
Apparently in the murky past the same pattern of hurricane incidents can be traced on the Atlantic side and they were more numerous and apparently more damaging. So, is global warming helping or hurting? Extremists love to frighten the weak minded, who apparently make up most of the earth’s population, and also seek to impose their paranoiac views on the rest of us.
I personally don’t smoke and I take care of my health. I do this for ego’s sake, I like to look as well as I can. For that reason I exercise regularly but I don’t necessarily conform to the diet strictures of the fat police. I don’t eat fast food because it has no taste and is very expensive considering what it is.
I guess I’m a geezer because I want all these nut cases to keep quiet or at the very least stop publicizing their particular brand of mental illness.
It was glossed over and no definitive claims were made other than hurricanes are more frequent and more damaging now, at least since records have been kept; then came an interesting change of pace. It turns out that record keeping in China has been going on a bit longer than in the West; about 1000 years longer. It also seems that modern Typhoons are not as frequent or as damaging as those in millennia past. Well, that’s in China and what do they know. A Chinese scientist has come to the United States and taken core samples from coastal areas to determine the number and extent of Atlantic hurricanes. The results are amazing.
Apparently in the murky past the same pattern of hurricane incidents can be traced on the Atlantic side and they were more numerous and apparently more damaging. So, is global warming helping or hurting? Extremists love to frighten the weak minded, who apparently make up most of the earth’s population, and also seek to impose their paranoiac views on the rest of us.
I personally don’t smoke and I take care of my health. I do this for ego’s sake, I like to look as well as I can. For that reason I exercise regularly but I don’t necessarily conform to the diet strictures of the fat police. I don’t eat fast food because it has no taste and is very expensive considering what it is.
I guess I’m a geezer because I want all these nut cases to keep quiet or at the very least stop publicizing their particular brand of mental illness.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Immigration: A Problem?
Immigration is a big issue here, and it is a big issue in Mexico. Let’s face it Mexican immigration is the only one that bothers the people of the United States of America. The population of the United States of Mexico is coming to a place where they can be free, find work, raise families, and escape a corrupt, elitist, murderous, despicable society. Mexico, a beautiful, rugged, charming landscape is ruled by criminals. It is really amusing to hear the criticism of the USA, especially by its own citizens, who exhibit no appreciation for their situation which is unique in the world. The USA is the only place on earth where a person may come with nothing and have a good chance of advancing economically to heights undreamed of in their native land. This goes for any other country including those of Europe, Asia, South America, Central America, and the Middle East. In all of these other places there are barriers to success from arcane caste systems, brutal political systems, and religious obstacles, landed oligarchies, to simply repressive societies.
This is not a jingoistic apology for the United States it is a statement of fact. Those whose reaction will be a typical knee-jerk hatred of America should take some time to really examine my position. We are a free, capitalist society. I admit we are often on the verge of socialist suicide and will perhaps not always be the mecca of opportunity but so far so good.
Today’s Americans want immigrants, those who can make an immediate positive impact on society. The first immigration act was passed in 1882 to ban Chinese immigration which was known as the “Yellow Peril”. These industrious people were typical in that they kept to themselves, spoke their native language, and were exploited by their native criminals. Their uniqueness was frightening to English speaking citizens. The situation today is analogous.
To combat the problems we are facing we must encourage immigration, or least accept it but take some steps to ameliorate its effects. The must be no multilingual conversation in schools (with exception of training), work, government, etc. Let the children be assimilated, let them be citizens. Let their parents be welcomed and become citizens. If they can’t speak English it’s just too bad. The sooner they learn the language the better off everyone will be. If they don’t want to speak English then the second part of that choice is to return to their native land. The USA needs more people, there are plenty of jobs, places to live, freedoms to enjoy, and lives to build here. There is plenty of prejudice and fear as well; for the most part it is overcome easily.
The Mexican elites want their people to leave, bring them on.
This is not a jingoistic apology for the United States it is a statement of fact. Those whose reaction will be a typical knee-jerk hatred of America should take some time to really examine my position. We are a free, capitalist society. I admit we are often on the verge of socialist suicide and will perhaps not always be the mecca of opportunity but so far so good.
Today’s Americans want immigrants, those who can make an immediate positive impact on society. The first immigration act was passed in 1882 to ban Chinese immigration which was known as the “Yellow Peril”. These industrious people were typical in that they kept to themselves, spoke their native language, and were exploited by their native criminals. Their uniqueness was frightening to English speaking citizens. The situation today is analogous.
To combat the problems we are facing we must encourage immigration, or least accept it but take some steps to ameliorate its effects. The must be no multilingual conversation in schools (with exception of training), work, government, etc. Let the children be assimilated, let them be citizens. Let their parents be welcomed and become citizens. If they can’t speak English it’s just too bad. The sooner they learn the language the better off everyone will be. If they don’t want to speak English then the second part of that choice is to return to their native land. The USA needs more people, there are plenty of jobs, places to live, freedoms to enjoy, and lives to build here. There is plenty of prejudice and fear as well; for the most part it is overcome easily.
The Mexican elites want their people to leave, bring them on.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Another Experience in America
Our African-American fellow citizens are confused. I have recently had the pleasure of editing a magazine. As you might imagine it has allowed me to come in contact with a variety of personalities and talents. As a free-lance writer it has also made it clear why many editors probably toss material sent to them without reading it or only giving it a cursory glance. Those comments are for another column, I digress.
Several of the writers and colleagues at the magazine are African-American or Latino. The divergence of cultures is obvious, but perhaps the similarities might surprise some of those whose experience in America has been rather sheltered by comparison. I won’t name names as it will serve no purpose. One of my writers is a young man who is extremely skeptical of white society and whose writing is mostly a disorganized reaction to and defense against perceived slaps against blacks. His one saving grace is his passion and his ideas. I have tightened up his work and published it; I can’t wait to see the letters.
Another one of the team is simply writing because he loves it; this comes through very clearly. His computer skills are limited but cut and paste is simple compared to the task of getting writing that can be published. His approach to his subjects is fresh, and interesting, always with a black cultural slant but not obviously angry. The difference between the two: the former is part of the entitlement culture while the latter wants his work to stand on its own. Both are very interesting people.
The other colleague is a well known NBA and Collegiate star. He is quite artistic, and intelligent. His formal education appears to have been just that: a formality. Yet he is amazingly considerate, diplomatic, and as might be expected goal-driven. He too keeps the undercurrent of black resentment under control as he views it as unproductive.
Finally my Latino friend. He is laid back and goes with the flow. The picture of his feelings he presents the world is false. As he relates his experience “We Mexicans learn to do the work and keep quiet.” This appears to the way, from this limited sample, that many if not most minority group citizens respond to the Anglo environment. Of course this is not healthy in the long run. Our country was made great by arguments regarding what is best for all, even though the few often won out.
I said that African-Americans are confused and the reason is that they are no longer in a life or death struggle for equality, prosperity, and respect. Their leaders take the opposite view to maintain their own power, not an unusual position for demagogues to adopt, but because the Civil Rights wound is still relatively new, the pain has not fully dulled. The collective memory will never fade as they get a reminder every time they look in the mirror.
Latinos are a different case, particularly those who have come from professional families or who are 2nd or 3rd generation. These citizens still have something of an abashed mindset. It will surprise many in Anglo land that Latinos consider them, albeit quietly, as foolish and untrustworthy.
These are just some thoughts you might consider during your next encounter with friend or acquaintance of a minority background. They don’t like you as much as you think they do.
Several of the writers and colleagues at the magazine are African-American or Latino. The divergence of cultures is obvious, but perhaps the similarities might surprise some of those whose experience in America has been rather sheltered by comparison. I won’t name names as it will serve no purpose. One of my writers is a young man who is extremely skeptical of white society and whose writing is mostly a disorganized reaction to and defense against perceived slaps against blacks. His one saving grace is his passion and his ideas. I have tightened up his work and published it; I can’t wait to see the letters.
Another one of the team is simply writing because he loves it; this comes through very clearly. His computer skills are limited but cut and paste is simple compared to the task of getting writing that can be published. His approach to his subjects is fresh, and interesting, always with a black cultural slant but not obviously angry. The difference between the two: the former is part of the entitlement culture while the latter wants his work to stand on its own. Both are very interesting people.
The other colleague is a well known NBA and Collegiate star. He is quite artistic, and intelligent. His formal education appears to have been just that: a formality. Yet he is amazingly considerate, diplomatic, and as might be expected goal-driven. He too keeps the undercurrent of black resentment under control as he views it as unproductive.
Finally my Latino friend. He is laid back and goes with the flow. The picture of his feelings he presents the world is false. As he relates his experience “We Mexicans learn to do the work and keep quiet.” This appears to the way, from this limited sample, that many if not most minority group citizens respond to the Anglo environment. Of course this is not healthy in the long run. Our country was made great by arguments regarding what is best for all, even though the few often won out.
I said that African-Americans are confused and the reason is that they are no longer in a life or death struggle for equality, prosperity, and respect. Their leaders take the opposite view to maintain their own power, not an unusual position for demagogues to adopt, but because the Civil Rights wound is still relatively new, the pain has not fully dulled. The collective memory will never fade as they get a reminder every time they look in the mirror.
Latinos are a different case, particularly those who have come from professional families or who are 2nd or 3rd generation. These citizens still have something of an abashed mindset. It will surprise many in Anglo land that Latinos consider them, albeit quietly, as foolish and untrustworthy.
These are just some thoughts you might consider during your next encounter with friend or acquaintance of a minority background. They don’t like you as much as you think they do.
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