Main Contents
August 10, 2008
Where the candidates stand. This is rather lengthy but it does have the answers people may be asking about the candidates when watching them on the telly.*
http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm
This entry is in response to a concern brought to my attention the other day about candidates flip-flopping on the issues - specifically about timetables and energy policies.
It’s interesting because only in politics are you not allowed to weigh evidence and adjust your thinking on an issue based on that evidence. Any other job it would be considered an asset to be able to adapt to new situations and conditions on the ground. But in politics if you hold a position on an issue one day and the next day evidence comes out that modifies the reasons you held the original position and you change your mind, you’re a flip-flopper. You can’t lead because you don’t hold to your convictions. What bullshit is that?
I am of course talking about issues that lend themselves to evidence collection. Issues that are made purely for moral convictions are simply based on principles you hold to be truths. (These are usually religious influences or simply how you were brought up.) Even if those principles are contrary to my priniciples and morals at least I understand why you are making that decision however I may disagree or agree. But stances on issues that are based on judgement and a reasoned evaluation of evidence are flexible depending on the evidence.
That’s why I still think this notion of Obama being inexperienced is a red herring. We are all inexperienced in many aspects of life. It’s our ability to respond to the challenges and changes of life that determine whether we are capable or not. I think both candidates are capable. I just think McCain brings more baggage** and favors from corporations than Obama. They both have ties it’s just that McCain’s ties are more like ropes and really don’t set him free to make the right decisions for the People, rather what is OK for people but BETTER for big business. What is good for corporate America is not what is good for Americans. This thinking has gotten all turned around in our society and it can’t stand. Obama is a chance at that change. Even if now his message isn’t as sharp as people may like, the point is it’s a different message. It’s a different leadership.
People are resistant to change in general. Change is hard and always comes across as dangerous and upsetting to the established order of things, but often times, change is necessary and crucial to growth. Sometimes you just have to jump and see where you land. I think with Obama we are all taking a calculated jump. The nation will survive. The people will survive. And who knows, perhaps a fresh perspective from a new location will be good for everyone? Or we can ’stay the course’ as the building burns down around us and taxpayers money gets thrown into un-fillable troughs for special projects and shortsighted futures that benefit only the already rich and established and keep the People running on the treadmill of the American Dream.
*On a side note am I the only one disgusted - literally disgusted and put off - by the hundreds of millions of dollars put into campaign advertising? Why aren’t these corporate donors putting millions of dollars into their local school systems, adult ed classes, drug prevention programs, teenage activities, local parks, etc. etc. etc.? Why aren’t all these ‘private donors’ who give one hundred dollars, or ten dollars, doing the same for their local communities? So basically only the richest among us and only those willing to get covered in the taint of corporate favoritism, can run for office in this country. No wonder we have such poor choices when it comes to leaders.
**Isn’t it amazing how the gas prices are dropping in this country after rising so steadily for so long even as people during that time were cutting back just like they are now. Do people really think there was a sudden influx of people riding bikes to work and the prices adjusted for the lack of demand? Or perhaps to help the candidate on one side of the election get elected this gas issue was taken off the table. I fully expect gas prices to be $3.50, if not lower, by November. And it has nothing to do with speculation and consumer demand. Oh and T.Boone Pickens - the guy stirring up all this trouble by bringing up the whole wind issue - he’s old. You noticed that right? I think he may develop some heart issues that could affect his plans in the near future. Completely natural causes of course. Old people do have health problems. Darn. Guess wind really isn’t a solution after all. Well, back to drilling.
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (0)
August 7, 2008
I was offered the job today. I go in at 11 to be shown around the shop before they want my final decision.
If all goes well, I’ll start on Monday. There’s a new project starting Monday with Active Directory (Dell is setting it up) and they want me in on it from the ground floor.
I leave in fifteen minutes.
Just have to keep calm, don’t say anything stupid, and all should be fine.
Salary will be 2.5 times what I was making before.*blink* *blink* Stay calm. Breath.
Remember you’re good enough. You’re smart enough. And dog gonnit, people like you. 
Sits: 7 (daily)
Push: 4 (daily)
Filed under: Thinking out loud, A Whole New You |
Comments (5)
August 3, 2008
I’ve known this for a long time. It’s a great and straight forward music player from way back. And when I say way back I mean early 2000’s and even into the late 90’s. Yeah that far back.
It started getting a little too commercially for my taste a while back but I’ve always loved the features it brought to the table. Something many of the other music players don’t even try to do.
MusicMatch was really good with renaming files and looking up the information based on a file name but MM was a total and utter piece of electronic goo. It was bloat ware at its worse and consumed so many resources it basically prevented other applications from running. (Short story. You can skip this if you want. Incidentally I told them this many many times and eventually they gave up and were bought out then canceled. Coincidence? I think not. I mean really, there’s a check box that says “DO NOT CONNECT TO THE INTERNET” inside the program. You check it expecting that you won’t need the internet to play music right. At the time I was on dial-up, so I knew if I was online or not. Well fired up MM and it tried to go to the internet. What?! I called, and wrote them and they assured me that MM does not connect to the internet. I wrote back with my undeniable proof that when I fire up MM it tries to get online. What is it doing? They wouldn’t say and insisted I was infected with a virus. Oh and while MM was waiting to go online, which I wouldn’t let it do, I couldn’t use my computer. It locked up all other windows and wouldn’t unfocus on the MM screen. I always had to End Task to get out. I go online before hand, fire up MM and all worked fine. Took about 30 seconds. Anywho… I’m way off track with this little tale so back to my recent conversion.)
I recently converted all my .WAV files to .MP3 so I could stream them to a pc in my living room. But I wasn’t sharing my iTunes library with the other computer, and I had previously spent a long time getting all the music ripped into iTunes. iTunes does not convert backward to MP3 once it’s a wav file so I used this program called cdex convertor to convert all the .wav files to MP3. Unfornuately even though all the .wav files are named Album_Track#_TrackTitle_Artist and in a folder with the artist name I couldn’t get that information into the mp3 files.
So I went to Windows Media Player. I was looking for an option to import using the convention above. Nothing. When it imported them they were all unknown artists. Stupid.
So I tried Winamp. Bam! Done! It’s pulling all the music into the library, querying an onlie db based on a logical understanding of the file name and inserting the ID3 tags into the MP3 file. All free. And simple. And easy. And totally what everyone else should be able to do but don’t. How hard is a db look-up for a company like Microsoft, or Apple?
I think I might throw Winamp some money when I get a job again just as a way of thanks. Speaking of which, I have an interview on Wednesday with the Sheriff’s office. Did I already mention that?
Anywhoo…. Winamp is awesome. It has a slew of features and useful functions built into the program and best of all it’s under 10 megs in size. How many gigs is Windows Media Player or iTunes?
At least 12038.3 gigs. Minimum. Seriously. Check out Winamp. Well worth it.
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (2)
August 2, 2008
The international community has been bending over backwards for China so the Olympics wouldn’t be distracted and people can focus on the games and yet in my mind the Olympics is already tarnished for this round.
All this year has done is shine a huge light on all that is wrong with this country’s government: environmental issues (air pollution - although American is no stellar performer on that front), human rights abuses, internet censorship, and now rounding up anyone who may give the country some grief while everyone is watching. Which is what the theory was behind having the Olympics in China, to shine that light and then they will have to change under international pressure. What? International pressure. What pressure? A debt collector has more pressure than the international community.
I’m not entirely sure where this entry is going I’m just disgusted by international politics. Does anyone seem to understand that you don’t get people/governments to chance by rewarding them and giving them a free pass? What’s going on with this world? Appeasement seems to be the dominant political tool in the tool box these days.
Maybe I’m old school but there are some things that are just wrong and killing your own people to maintain power is one of them; whether you’re a communist country or a democratic one. Although the “masses” are often rather dim so perhaps the power shouldn’t be given to them either. But you shouldn’t kill them to maintain it period. If stupid people make a stupid decision and vote in the wrong people, bad things will happen but the country hopefully will survive enough to see the next election and get a better choice. Although you’d expect any person of power (ie president, vice president, Congressmen/women, Senator, Attorney General) in a democractic country that clearly does things outside the rules of law and basically runs amuck over that country’s constitution and people’s rights to be put in check by the congress. But that’s assuming the people in the congress have any backbone to speak of all and aren’t in it just for themselves.
Back on topic - China is doing nothing worthy of holding the Olympics and this generous opportunity to shine the light of the world on them in hopes that they will change their ways out of embrassment doesn’t seem to be working. It seems that China has simply swept dirt under the rug, pushed everything else into the closet, straightened the bed and proudly proclaimed, “See our room is clean.”
I’m not looking for war with China or boycotting its products (although I have to say it’s getting harder and harder to find products not made in China. I’ve been looking.) but does no one else see the status the Olympics has given this country and its government? The legitimacy and by extension approval of its policies and human rights stance shown to this country by allowing it to maintain the Olympics has basicaly given the government a free pass. All in the name of putting on a good show. (For the Olympics that is, not of the country. China could care less what people think of its government. Just keep buying its products, there’s nothing harmful in our manufacturing policies.)
I think the Olympic Committee allowed the internet censorship because they were now too far into it. (I imagine the day after the announcement that China would host the Olympic games, a few members of that board had an “Oh shit.” moment.) What are they gonna say “No Olympics this year. China is blocking the internet for journalist.”? Hardly. They already sold their rights and everything is in motion. No turning back. It’s for the athletes is a common mantra. Reminds me of when politicians use the phrase, “For the children.” When actually they mean, “It’s politically correct for me to push this position and my lobbist say it’ll make their companies a lot of money and by extension that means more money for my campaign to keep me in office.”
As a political tool the Olympics are a disaster. Here’s why:
When you read about all the abuses and practices China is engaging in to keep its people “nice” for the visitors and not to stir any pots what do you do? What do your elected officials do? Go ahead I’ll give you a moment to write them all down. What? You’re done already. Oh yeah. Me too.
That’s what I’m saying. Pressure.
UPDATE( Someone sent me this. I read this entire article. This was very well done. I didn’t know they did this. I’ve never been a “fan” of the olympics and less so every year. It’s become a money making scheme and corrupt from the inside. It has clearly lost its way. At least to my mind it has.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/opinion/03boylan.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=45b81b31f8cd5704&ex=1218427200&emc=eta1 )
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (1)
July 28, 2008
So I’ve been on a classic kick lately regarding movies.
So many people I know talk about these older movies like they are the stuff that dreams are made of so I figure now that I have netflix why not give them a try.
I rented Matise Falcon, El Cid, Rambo (2008 version), and The Graduate and watched them over the last couple days.
First Maltise Falcon:
“When you get slapped, you’re gonna take it and you’re gonna like it!” Wow! Bogat was the man. I laughed so hard I had to stop the movie and pick it up a few moments later. The romance was rather forced and didn’t make any sense but Sam is no sap that’s for sure. I liked this movie much better than Casa Blanca which I didn’t like all that much.
Rambo (2008 version):
This movie wasn’t as bad as the critics made it out to be. I liked this movie even though the goody goody church goers were total idiots. And listen, I’m all for women’s rights and equal treatment but women seem to forget one very, very crucial fact about themselves and behave as if it doesn’t matter in the world. That fact is - woman have vaginas. And I have to tell ya, ravishous pirates and war fighting rebels love vaginas. Now they will take any vagina they can but foreign white women vaginas are like crack to a crack addict. They see one they have to take it. If I was a woman there is no way in hell I would be going to war torn Burma on a peace mission with my church group. Fuck that! And that goes for third world countries as well. Ladies please stop ignoring your vagina and perhaps Rambo can live in peace for a change.
What was also interesting was watching the deleted scenes and seeing how Sly took parts of those terrible scenes, re-edited them into another scene and put that into the movie. It was a straight forward storyline if a bit unreal in some parts (sex in this movie was all forced. The poor asian girls got gang raped by a couple hundred soldiers but the white woman who they captured and had tired up for 10 days wasn’t so much as touched. And it wasn’t because the rebel leader was saving her for himself (he liked little boys) it was because… well actually I can’t think of a reason why she wasn’t treated poorly like all the other people/woman/men in the movie. Her fellow church companions(men) were fed to pigs - alive. And yet the rebels just left her alone and took a half dozen asian women instead. They were so polite. I’m not calling for her raping, I’m just saying that when you establish rebels as sex crazed men who rape and murder for sport (they bet on who would die first), having one glaring contradiction for no good reason doesn’t make any sense for your movie. In the writing world it’s called, being true to your universe. Or something like that.) Regardless of that minor clearly editoriral (and probably actress mandated) plot line (I don’t blame her either. I don’t want to act out a rape scene.), Sly is clearly getting better with his directing. Acting is still the same. And no it wasn’t a mini-nuke that went off in the forest it was a tallboy bomb (video of the explosion from the movie). Found this very interesting site on the kill count statistics of the Rambo movies. Notice the body count keeps going up and the sex “scenes” are still at zero. Sexual assaults aren’t included in this stat but still no joy for Rambo. He loves his knife. That’s all he has now.
El Cid:
I can see where Charleton Heston got his props from. This movie, although long (it took two days with a day intermission to finish), was good. The white knight rides out against an army and they scatter. That last scene was worth the price of admission. We should do that with our dead warriors. Strap them into a horse and send them out in front of the army. And since we’re now fighting the same enemy as Spain fought one thousand years ago - Moors (ie radical Muslims driven by religious fervor and power) - it just might work. I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the Al Qaeda speech delivered at the beginning of this movie explaining why the Muslims should be rulers of the world. What the?! What was worse was how the Muslim Kings in Spain and surrounding territory, who were peaceful, just went along with this radical crazy Moor. Even the good Muslim King was attacking and burning villages until captured and set free by Heston. Only then did he go for peace.
But seriously, watching El Cid strapped to his horse and seeing the horse listing to one side and being “guided” by nearby knights on horse back as it ran out was so messed up. I can’t believe it worked. That was surely another time ago. Spain. And yet some things are still the same.
I now realize why monarchies can never last. The power is too concentrated and politics way too toxic for such a small group to overcome. But it also explains why monarches whether in government or religion are so dangerous. Everyone simply falls in line with the one at the top and any rational decent or questioning by those below is met with violent opposition/exile and most likely death.
This was a surprisingly good movie. And there is this huge scene where they are on a mountain side coming up against a castle and there are thousands of soldiers on horses and catapults, and siege towers and knights with polearms marching in formation. They are all dressed in armour and flags and moving in step. The background is a massive castle with walls stretching entire coastline for at least half a mile protecting itself from the sea and then out into the country side to encompass the city. It’s a very impressive scene. Then you remember. This was made before CGI. That was an actual castle with an actual wall. Those were really thousands of knights, and horses and catapults in that scene. They were real. The scale takes on even more weight then. Hollywood spared no expense back then. I wonder what the cost of El Cid was back then($6 million dollars) (*adjusted for inflation. grr!!!) and what it would cost to make it today? (I couldn’t let this go. Here is the answer: $41,573,557.19*
And finally The Graduate:
Why was this movie so popular? Was it the “affair” between the younger man and the older woman? The acting was very good but nothing I haven’t seen before. Hoffman’s character, Ben, was almost an idiot savant in his behaviors. He was a younger version of RainMan. Does he act this way in all his movies? Perhaps it was made during a time of rebellion when most young people were fighting against lockstepping into their parent’s careers. This movie surely spoke to that. Again it was another movie where love was based on so little. Maltise Falcon is the worse offender. At least El Cid had a pairing that was true and they appeared to know each other for a while, but in The Graduate, they went on one date and Ben wants to marry her.
Mrs. Robinson was so bitter. The women, Elain, was a sheep, to even go along with the arranged marriage. Especially after nearly saying “yes” to Ben not a couple hours before. And we don’t get the moral of the story until the very very end, “It’s too late!” shouts Mrs. Robinson. And Elain (her daughter) shouts back, “Not for me!” and she runs out of the church with Ben, after just getting married. The ring is still warm from being in Chester’s pocket. Chester was the poor sap picked by Elain’s father.
But the most confusing thing about this movie, is that Ben and Elain throw everything away to be together. Ben traveled all across the country to stop the wedding, and failing that, he steals Elain away from the church and when they catch the bus just down the street and are finally sitting in the back seat they look excited and happy for about 10 seconds, then sit quietly. They don’t touch. They don’t look at each other. They aren’t smiling. They are just sitting there. And the credits roll. Why?
Shouldn’t they be estatic? Shouldn’t they be at least kissing, or one kiss of triump, or perhaps she should rest her head on his shoulder, or him on hers, something! I was left at the end of this movie thinking they both realized they had made a terrible mistake in rejecting their parents’ wishes but are now committed and can’t go back so they might as well stay together.
It was a huge uplift and then an immediate crash of “be careful what you wish for”. Is that why this movie is so popular? Is this why the movie is showered with awards?
I liked the movie but that final scene didn’t make any sense. Their behavior was so strange and out of place. What happened?! I suppose the moral of my story is I don’t understand love at all, especially if it’s suppose to look like what happened on that bus. 
***
I like classic movies. But at times I think these classics are mentioned more on nostalgia than actual merit. They are mentioned because they break new ground at a new time, just as Star Wars did in its day. Star Wars was a decent movie but if you go back there are problems with it and the main character is such a baby and whiner. It’s not really as good as I remember it when I first saw it. I think it’s similar to when people recommend ‘the classics’.
So I have a few more classics in the queue but I’m going to intersperse them with more modern movies I want to see. Seeing all classics in one netflix delivery was a little too much.
Speaking of classic - Jobs are down. Banks are down. Economies are down. War company profits are up! At least the important people are being taken care of.
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (2)
July 21, 2008
…. and he purchased the information to prove it.
Today while I was out I got a message in my voice mail which I checked when I got home.
On the message it said “Hello this is Kristy from the Barrack Obama campaign wishing you a happy birthday and we hope we can count on your support in November. Again happy birthday and thank you.”
So that got me to thinking. I’m not the only person with a b-day on this day. Did they call all those people as well? Are they spending how many man hours and how many dollars per day to call all the people in America on their b-days just to wish them a happy one and “hope to count on your support.” messages? That’s a lot of calls.
Had stir fry for lunch. Grouper for dinner. Saw The Forbidden Kingdom at the dollar theater.
Getting hooked on this really great show from the USA network called Burn Notice. If you haven’t seen it check it out. It’s very fun and entertaining and what is most amazing is the main actor is 40 years old. He looks amazing for 40. And the main actress who plays the female love interest (so far in season one at least) is 38. She’s thin as a rail (the camera adds ten pounds so imagine what she really looks like) and so she really needs to eat a burger.
AM 7sits, 4push
PM 7sits, 4push
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (4)
July 18, 2008
http://www.drhorrible.com/
Do it now. Stop what you’re doing (except breathing) and click on the link above and watch these episodes.
They are only available til the end of this weekend. Don’t delay. Why are you still reading this? Watch the episodes. Sunday midnight it’ll all be over.
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (0)
July 18, 2008
Think before you speak…
Here are six reasons why you should think before you speak - the last one is great!
Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the words back… or that you could crawl into a hole?
Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did….
FIRST TESTIMONY:
I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly, “How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?”
I turned around and walked back out and never went back. My husband didn’t say a word… he knew better.
SECOND TESTIMONY:
I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls.
I was unhappy with the women’s type I had been using.
After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store.
He asked if he could help me.
Without thinking, I looked at him and said, “I think I like playing with mens balls”
THIRD TESTIMONY:
My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts.
As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.
I replied, “No, I’m just looking at your nuts.”
My sister started to laugh hysterically.
The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away.
To this day, my sister has never let me forget.
FOURTH TESTIMONY :
While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok.
I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons.
I told her that if she did not start behaving “right now” she would be punished.
To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, “If you don’t let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy’s pee-pee last night!”
The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange.
Even the tellers stopped what they were doing.
I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow.
The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.
FIFTH TESTIMONY:
Have you ever asked your child a question too many times?
My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly.
One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch, in between errands.
It was very busy, with a full dining room.
While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven-month- old daughter, she was clean.
Then I realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while.
I asked him if he needed to go, and he said “No” .. I kept thinking “Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don’t have any clothes with me.”
Then I said, “Danny, are you SURE you didn’t have an accident?”
“No,” he replied.
I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse.
Soooooo, I asked one more time, “Danny did you have an accident ? This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks and yelled “SEE MOM, IT’S JUST FARTS!!”
While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down.
An old couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh they’d ever had!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:
This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks.
What happens when you predict snow but don’t get any!
We had a female news anchor that, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn’t, turned to the weatherman and asked:
“So Bob, where’s that 8 inches you promised me last night?”
Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!
Now, didn’t that feel good?
Pass it on to someone you know who needs a laugh and remember we all say things we don’t really mean, so think before you speak!!!!!
(Needed all of those. Wanted to share.)
((PM Situps 7, PM Pushup 3, AM Situps 7, AM Pushups 3)
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (1)
July 17, 2008
AM Situps - 7
AM Pushups - 3
So I’m getting really pissed off right now. Why even have a resume if every single job you go for as their own applications in their own format that must be filled in fully with every minute detail of your life.
I filled out an application today (still working on it - 11 pages) that wanted to know EVERY address I’ve lived in for the last 10 years. Apartment numbers and everything. How the fuck does that qualify (or disqualify) me for the position? If I lived in Idaho for a few years does that count against me?
But you have to fill it out because in LARGE CAPITAL shouts it says “THIS APPLICATION WILL NOT BE PROCESSED UNLESS ALL INFORMATION IS FILLED IN.” So now I’m thinking, do I really need to dig up all my old addresses? I don’t even remember them or have any records that far back. But if I don’t give them something will I be disqualified? What if I call the HR person and ask them? I know the answer they will give is a CTA so they won’t get in trouble.
I’m thinking should I even bother with this job? The ineffeciency in some of these application processes is very poor. How much money is lost coming up with these forms?
This sort of paperwork should be used for when you are in the final four or have the job. But to put every applicant through this process is a huge waste of time for everyone. (IMHO)
Well now I have a headache. I’m gonna go watch the last dvd of Elfen Lied.
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (1)
July 11, 2008
I got this email from a relative who generally speaking is a decent person. But they are rather right of center on a lot of issues and so basically swallow most of the verbage that comes from the Republican base without question. The email was basically a petition to start drilling here, start drilling now and the tag line - Pay Less! (http://www.americansolutions.com/) This is my reply.
— Start of Email Reply —
“What about renewable solutions like solar and wind? What about spending billions on advancing unknown technologies that haven’t been invented yet on a consumer scale?
We’re spending 12 billion dollars per month* in that country for a resource that will be burned away and in the meantime it’s killing our planet because of the way we use it.
12 billion. Per Month. (How much is a billion? If it was a billion minutes ago Jesus Christ would still be alive.) We’re talking 12 billion. How many indoor ski resorts need to be built in the desert?*
What if we turned that money around to this country - not for oil companies - but for the innovative part of our nation, the inventor, the entrepreneur, the research? What if we didn’t allow automotive companies to purchase battery companies and kill the technology so they could continue making gas cars and then later sell that battery company to an oil company who effectively buried the technology. (See “Who Killed the Electric Car.”)
What about stop going for the quick fix and look at the long term consequences of our decisions? What about seeing a bigger picture beyond the immediate and realize that drilling for oil here still doesn’t resolve the larger issue - Energy is still needed 200 years from now.
How is it that we’ll go 9 trillion dollars in debt for war (defense contractors) and yet won’t spend a dime at home to implement universal health care for all citizens? Why is a person’s health/life subject to the mechanics of profit in this country? Hey, let’s start small. How about a national voting standard? Paper ballot. Scan machine. Exact same design and layout. Across the entire nation. No matter where you go the ballot looks exactly the same. They do it with Wal-Marts, Targets, Publix, Starbucks all over the place. Our government can’t fix this simple problem? Perhaps they don’t want it fixed. Perhaps it’s easier to manipulate when there are so many varieties. (See Hacking Democracy)
I will not support any effort that advances the status quo and puts even more money into the pockets of corporations that already have most of the money anyway. There is a drain of money in this country and it’s heading upward. The recession we are experiencing has everything to do with our National Debt, but also in the practices of corporations who milk the system for as much money as possible regardless of the consequences. They basically pulled an Enron (See “The Smartest Men in the Room.”) on the nation. And the money they made isn’t going anywhere to help people. It’s being hoarded. It’s not going back into the system. Why is it that congress gets a raise pratically every year* and yet minimum wage has barely moved? If minimum wage had risen equally with the pay of CEOs it would be 23 dollars an hour*.
Here’s something every AMERICAN (and person on the planet) should see. It explains a lot of why things are the way they are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dmPchuXIXQ - Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBZne09Gf5A - Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjUrib_Gh0Y - Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BVNN1wqw3k - Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPPFgHF9VR4 - Part 5
(I recommend the entire movie but it may be too much for some. So if you see nothing else check out the videos above.)
There are a lot of great things about this country. Our enslavement to corporate interests disguised as national solutions is not one of them.
What’s sad about this is that none of this is new. It’s been known about for a very long time now the direction things were going (See 1976 movie Network) and yet it wasn’t stopped. People were protesting and up in arms it seemed almost daily during the 60s and 70s because of the wars, civil injustices, and eventually high gas prices in late 70s. I remember waiting in line for gas on US 1 at the gas station across from the bowling alley in Stuart, FL. I remember people complaining and being mad. What I don’t remember is a peanut president who had an idea about renewable energy being driven out of office with laughter and slick media images of hostages being freed, and the bold initiatives and leadership he started washed away in the short term memory of public apathy. Just think if twenty years ago we had changed the course of our energy policy instead of snuggling back up to the teet of oil where this country would be? Where the world would be?
-Me
References and resources
12 billion per month - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/10/studies-iraq-costs-us-1_n_90694.html
Million, Billion, Trillion - http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Taxes/million.htm
Ski Resort in the desert - http://www.snopes.com/photos/architecture/indoorski.asp
Who Kill the Electric Car - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_the_Electric_Car%3F
Hacking Democracy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacking_Democracy
Minimum Wage - http://www.drummajorinstitute.com/congress/billdescrips/?billid=9 (Check out the column to the right.)
Congress pay raise - http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/agencies/a/raise4congress.htm (BTW - our elected representatives get life long health insurance just for serving, even one term. That’s why there is no health care crisis. The important people are already taken care of.)
The Smartest Men in the Room - http://www.reelviews.net/movies/e/enron.html
Network (1976) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_(film)
Jimmy Carter address to the nation (July 15, 1979) - http://inspirationalspeakers.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/jimmy-carter-energy-and-the-national-goals-a-crisis-of-confidence/
I pulled a select quote from his speech in case you didn’t want to read the entire address he gave.
“In little more than two decades we’ve gone from a position of energy independence to one in which almost half the oil we use comes from foreign countries, at prices that are going through the roof. Our excessive dependence on OPEC has already taken a tremendous toll on our economy and our people. This is the direct cause of the long lines which have made millions of you spend aggravating hours waiting for gasoline. It’s a cause of the increased inflation and unemployment that we now face. This intolerable dependence on foreign oil threatens our economic independence and the very security of our nation.
The energy crisis is real. It is worldwide. It is a clear and present danger to our nation. These are facts and we simply must face them.
What I have to say to you now about energy is simple and vitally important.
Point one: I am tonight setting a clear goal for the energy policy of the United States. Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977– never. From now on, every new addition to our demand for energy will be met from our own production and our own conservation. The generation-long growth in our dependence on foreign oil will be stopped dead in its tracks right now and then reversed as we move through the 1980s, for I am tonight setting the further goal of cutting our dependence on foreign oil by one-half by the end of the next decade — a saving of over four and a half million barrels of imported oil per day.
Point two: To ensure that we meet these targets, I will use my presidential authority to set import quotas. I’m announcing tonight that for 1979 and 1980, I will forbid the entry into this country of one drop of foreign oil more than these goals allow. These quotas will ensure a reduction in imports even below the ambitious levels we set at the recent Tokyo summit.
Point three: To give us energy security, I am asking for the most massive peacetime commitment of funds and resources in our nation’s history to develop America’s own alternative sources of fuel — from coal, from oil shale, from plant products for gasohol, from unconventional gas, from the sun.”
—– End of Email —-
Filed under: Thinking out loud |
Comments (3)
