Once in a Generation...

When the 2008 elections came along, political participation became "trendy", some might say, "cool"....

During a few extrordinary months,  the Democratic primary became the must-watch reality-TV show of the year... The general election tossed-up the very real possibility of an Obama Presidency - literally a new face for the body-politic (a young, liberal, charismatic, African-American man who'd started his career as a community organizer). Incredible!

Suddenly, everyone was talking, living, and breathing electoral politics.

Voter participation sky-rocketed: first the numbers of those "emotionally invested" in the election, mushroomed - then the number of campaign volunteers soared into the stratosphere. And finally (on election day), the numbers of young people and poor people (who stood in line to vote – the very individuals who had "sat it out" in the past), hit levels not seen for generations!

Opinion poll numbers showed large spikes in confidence - indicating that government could "do the right thing by" ordinary Americans.

And yet (now, 15 months after Obama's election), 62% of the US population is convinced that the country is on the wrong track, and most Americans seem to believe that the government isn't looking out for their best interests afterall...

The growing suspicion is perhaps, this: that 2008 wasn't quite the clean break many thought it to be... Would such a notion explain just why so many Obama voters sat-out the recent "special election" (in Massachusetts)? And also - why so many others voted for Scott Brown – and yet bizarrely also, why so many told pollsters that they wanted Brown (a Republican) to "work with" Democrats (to implement some version of healthcare reform)?

The polls of early 2009 indicated that a majority of voters were willing to give Barack Obama "years" (to turn the "broken economy" around). Now, those polls have been updated, and most reveal that increasing numbers of Americans are deeply impatient with, and resentful of, the still-sluggish pace of economic recovery.

Obama's great dilemma is that he used the language of "hope and change" to set the "bar" almost impossibly "high" for his Presidency.

His rhetoric was skillfully used to energize his audience (one that exhibited more enthusiasm than stamina, one that WANTS change to be both: instantaneous and easy). It has proven to be anything but. After all, a President can set the tone, but when it comes to domestic policy reforms - only Congress can pass Bills - not the sitting President!

The compromises made with various Senators (to secure their support on healthcare), has smacked of a political, "business as usual" climate. And the Public reacted accordingly – growing increasingly angry at the "Washington, DC mentality". Some have responded by jumping from Obama's vision of "change" to that indignities of their "Tea Parties". Others reacted by reverting to historical "apathy" and (once more), by removing themselves from the political process altogether.

Now, robbed of a "filibuster-proof" majority in the Senate, healthcare reformers can only watch - as their "moment for change" slips through their fingers....

The combined effect has made the overall political climate all the more unpleasant. Example: the recent Supreme Court ruling eviscerated spending-limits that Corporations can hand-out (to influence elections). That alone means there's going to be a strong likelihood that politics will become even uglier, messier, and more "beholding" to special interests - than it has been in the past.

All of which prompts an observation: commentators told the once-apathetic that they had "no right" to complain (if they weren't going to participate). And so (in 2008), they finally participated. They helped elect a progressive President, and gave the Democratic party the biggest Congressional majority seen, in decades. They put in place a foundation for the sort of across-the-board change - not seen since the "Great Society" years, or perhaps even, since "The New Deal".

And the result?

We're a year into a new administration's rule. We've got political stalemate. Instead, of leadership, we've disoriented Congressional would-be leaders. Moreover, there is no clear leader (especially when it comes to fighting for healthcare reform, some version of which a clear majority of Americans, want). There is a growing sense that the plutocrats -- the bankers, the great corporations, the holders of vast fortunes – will always win, that the political system is fundamentally "fixed", to be stacked-against the "little guy".

That's a dangerous caldron of hot soup...

Too many of the ingredients of the moment in in the mix: anger, rage, frustration, fear of economic calamity (loss of home, loss of job), and in particular ...a sense of hopes betrayed and promises broken, of having been sold a bill of goods! People are bitter, and embittered politics tend to generate two things: apathy and/or authoritarianism.

One can only hope that the Democrats will find their sea-legs soon, and that Congress can follow-through with "genuine promise" (for the transformations that were embodied by Obama's candidacy in 2008). If they don't; if they duck and weave; and hope that small-bore changes will suffice to meet the towering needs of the moment - then politics will likely take some particularly "ugly turns" in the years ahead.

In the election campaign, Obama repeatedly talked of "the urgency of now."

That urgency is still there, as are the transformative ambitions and instincts of President Obama. In 2010, Congressional Democrats need to find a way to harness the "urgency", and to implement "big-picture" reforms akin to those that the Obama election promised to usher-in.

If they can't, or don't - they will have lost a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity.
Me Thinks

That hopey, changey thing...

NPR's "Weekend Edition" (interview aired, Sunday 07-Feb-2010):  a year after the Innauguration of President Obama, Sarah Palin said, "I gotta ask the supporters of all that...", "How's that hopey, changey thing working out for ya?" 

Our (colloquial language) reply, "for ya": FACTUALLY (subsequent to 1-year in office - 25% of his 4-year term thingie): 

• President O has kept, compromised, or has "in the works": 399 (of his 503 announced "promises") - i.e. 79.3% are underway or completed!
• President O broke (might not be the suitable label) his "word", 15 times (2.9%).
• President O has 87 items "stalled" (due primarily to bi-partisan, politically-motivated squables within the House and Senate - "bought" by the lobbyists who represent Big Money).
• President O is a man for The People, by The People?

History will tell the tale...  The political facts? [click on this link]

N.B. It is suitable to mention that the (above) Florida-based website, has [historically speaking] some (very) clear-cut right-wing, Conservative leanings...

And so it is, Ms. Sarah (whacha thinkin'...)?
Me Thinks

TOYOTA "Seppuku" (the historical way?)

TOYOTA Motors chief executive, Akio Toyoda apologized (today) for the company's massive vehicle quality problems, but did not announce another "recall".

Apparently, the days of "falling on one's sword" are in the past...

Dōmo arigatō! (doh-moh ah-ree-GAH-toh)

Me Thinks

Unscrupulous Souls

American business was once riding a euphoric high, but with good times come the bad. Many unscrupulous souls are out there. They prey upon unwitting consumers and are looking for easy "openings" to bilk, swindle, and entrap ...YOU!  Save more, spend less and avoid rip-offs!

Need a source of good advice and great ideas? [link]
 

INCOMPETENCE: In the Workplace?

Do you spend portions of YOUR time, compensating for the INCOMPETENCE of others? 

Ever heard of the "Peter Principle"? It's a theory originated by Dr. Lawrence Peter which states that employees within a hierarchical organization advance to their highest level of competence, are then promoted to a level where they are incompetent (and then stay in that position).  It is now 40 years since Dr. Peter introduced that idea...

When viewed from the inside (of almost any organization), there's ALWAYS a weak link. Inevitably, s-o-m-e-o-n-e who makes life more difficult for everyone else.  That someone has influence that holds-back the rest of the group. It's a simple fact:  not everyone can do the job. 

"Incompetence" is defined by mistakes. Everyone makes the occasional error or bad decision or lapse in judgment. Most go unnoticed. But at some point, FAILURE becomes the norm, and (more often than not), even that person's defining "deficiency".
 
Are workers more incompetent today than in the past?
 
In general, probably yes.  Let us consider the "ruler" (measurement) of education. The USA has "lowered the bar" with respect to international standards for College/University acceptance. A disconcerting reality: there are more Honor Students in China, than the USA has, as students. Still, there is no reason to think that people today are fundamentally less capable than in the past, but more is demanded of workers - less in terms of the sheer amount of work, than of different types of highly-qualified work.  Relatively speaking, the workforce is less qualified.  Even the most essential skills of: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic are painfully in decline.  How many of your colleagues: can't write; can't spell; don't know grammar; utilize a colloquial dialect of the English language; or chronically plagerize from the works of others?  If the politics of your workplace fall within the mainstream, the answer to that question is staunchly (and frankly), appalling.

The working-world is increasingly complex. Many of us are required to take-on more responsibility, and more difficult roles. That's an inevitable result of accrued technological expansion, and of specialization.  For example, the proliferation of powerful types of software on computers, and the inherent organizational de-layering of the modus operandi of traditional bussiness management.  Projects have ever-broader scopes and grander mandates, but fewer "warm bodies" to complete the tasks.   That means ...every time there's a new project or initiative, the prerequisite commitment of time and energy gets added to someone's already-long, "to-do" list. Everyone is expected to do a bit of everything.  Furthermore, there is the issue of "multitasking", which can turn almost anyone into a forgetful fool (or worse).  Failures soon ensue...
 
It's not solely the modern workplace that creates INCOMPETENCE - the "Principle" holds that the hierarchy itself, through promotions - tends to transform capable workers into incompetent bosses.  Alas, INCOMPETENCE begets INCOMPETENCE: Managers with poor judgment hand-out assignments to the wrong people; delegate tasks to those who can't handle them; and force others outside of their realm of competency. 

Companies put the wrong people in charge. At some point, every boss was promoted to a position of responsibility, and too often - straight into INCOMPETENCE - ad infinitum.
 
Incompetence in the workplace has always existed.  Make certain that hires are apt to be competent to perform their assigned duties.  Failure to apply a suitable ruler (to cull-out the "losers" beforehand), is always the first mistake!  Which is (in and of itself), a form of INCOMPETENCE!
 
Me Thinks!

Another day older, and deeper in Debt?

If you need a nice break from reality - don't look at yourself in the mirror.

Me Thinks!

Washington Politics (as usual)...

The White House proposes.
The Congress disposes.

Don't be where you're not!

Welcome, but not wanted.
Here, a Good person is both.
I won't be where I'm not.

Blue Moon (tonight)!

Tonight will be, the first "Blue Moon" (occurring on a 'New Year's Eve') since 1990, but don't hope to see the moon in shades of "navy", or any other color for that matter. A 'blue moon' is a creation of folklore," because it's simply a chronological, second full moon within a calendar month.

The 'blue moon' myth adds to a host of misconceptions about our lunar neighbor. Among the more interesting things to ponder as you gaze skyward (weather permitting), at the not-blue, 'blue moon'...

There is no "dark side" of the moon. There is, however, a "far side" that we can't see, because as the moon goes around the Earth once, and spins on its axis once (all in the same amount of time), it thus reveals but one surface of (always) the same face - when viewed from the surface of the Earth.

There is no scientific evidence that the full moon affects human behavior. Reliable studies comparing the lunar phases to births, heart attacks, deaths, suicides, violence, psychiatric hospital admissions and epileptic seizures have found little or no connection.

The moon is moving away from Earth. It's drifting out into space by about 1.6 inches (4 centimeters), per year - about 10 feet during an average lifetime!

The moon is never really full. It is illuminated by reflected sunlight. So for the face of the moon to be 100 percent lit from our point of view, Earth would have to be exactly between the sun and the moon. But when that happens, an eclipse occurs as the moon falls behind the shadow of the Earth.

Speaking of eclipses - skywatchers in Europe, Africa, and Asia will have a chance to see a partial lunar eclipse tonight. A distinct but modest scallop of darkness will be visually carved from the moon. A bite of 'blue cheese', perhaps?

And so it is.

INCOMPETENCE: State Government?

Contact the WI DWD (Wisconsin Workforce Development Department) to present a legitimate complaint related to: Discrimination, Wages, or ANY form of ABUSE by an employer. The DWD staff will invest more energy - to do NOTHING - than to take the claim presented seriously.

Try calling the WI OCI (Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance) to present a case related to abuse of Federal Privacy Law. Once your proof has been provided, the administrator will effectivel take NO ACTION and let the perp run free (to commit the same crimes). Their excuse will be carfully explained, no Wisconsin laws were violated.

Care to hear about more such State level examples of INCOMPETENCE?

Just ask.

INCOMPETENCE: Federal Government?

Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano conceded today that airline security failed - when it allowed a Nigerian (on a terror watch list, and allegedly armed with explosives) onto a Detroit-bound flight from Europe.

The concession was a turnaround from her declaration a day day earlier - that "the system worked."

The secretary's comment (on Sunday) was widely criticized, given that suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was foiled because his explosive mixture did not properly detonate and he was stopped in his tracks by vigilant passengers (who were forced to take the law into their own hands)...

My opinion? Janet is incompetent and she should resignm Me Thinks.

Who loves you dearly?

With respect to "betrayals of trust"...

Something I've learned through my many hard knocks (when dealing with the people I have loved, or love):

Trust is rather misunderstood, Me Thinks. We like to believe that we can "trust" others. But trust doesn't necessarily mean that people aren't also human; nor that they don't have their own ongoing "issues" - sometimes they do "things", and they do hurt us.

Trust instead, needs to be focused on ourselves - so that we may trust (remain assured) that we can always be resilient - whenever others reveal their humanity in unexpected (perhaps unwelcome, and sometimes hurtful) ways...

Look in the mirror, my friend - that is where TRUST is the most deserved.

People will always do and say whatever they will.

Isn't life just full of surprises?
(Thoughts shared by cousin, Annie!)

A widdle bit o' Genealogy?

Following much laborious research, an undiclosed collateral lineage has been uncovered. Some may be at a loss for a response whenever others (impolitely) say, "You don't know Jack Schitt."

Some do know. Some don't. Not a relative? Well, maybe.

But now, anyone can handle the situation intellectually. It suffices to be informed. Allow me to explain...

Jack is the son of, Awe Schitt and, O. Schitt. Awe Schitt, was a fertilizer magnate, married to O. Schitt, the owner of Niedeepin Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.

In turn Jack Schitt married Noeh Schitt, the deeply religious couple produced 6 children: Hollie Schitt, Fullagh Schitt, Givah Schitt, Boole Schitt, and the twins: Deepp Schitt and Dipp Schitt. Against her parents' objections, Deepp Schitt married Dumbe Schitt (high school drop-out).

However, after being married 15 years, Jack and Noeh Schitt divorced. Noeh Schitt later remarried Theodore Sherlock and, because her kids were living with them, she wanted to keep her previous name...

She was then known as, Noeh Schitt-Sherlock.

Meanwhile, Dipp Schitt married Loda Schitt and they produced a son of nervous disposition whose name was, Chicanne Schitt. Two other of the 6 children, Fullagh Schitt and Givah Schitt, were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers, at a double-wedding.

The nuptual announcement in the newspaper outlined the Schitt-Happens wedding. Soon there were three Schitt-Happens children: Dawg, Byrd, and Hoarce.

Boole Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.

So now ...when someone says, "you don't know Jack Schitt," you will be postured to make suitable corrections.

"God, help me to be wiser, with respect to what I accept as truth."

A collateral relative? Unlikely. No Schitt.

Healthcare for Everyone (equal risk = equal cost)

No self-focused entity should (ever again) be allowed to "wish away" this GREAT EMERGENCY!

Not by pretending that it does not exist, nor by placing profits over an equal shot at wellness - for every man, woman, and child.

Everyone (also) needs to take care of themselves by living and eating healthy.

Me Thinks

ONE PAGE - Credit Card Contracts

To all CREDIT CARD companies, a WARNING:

Produce fair, common sense, ONE PAGE Credit Card Contracts ... else, we your life-blood, the consumers and citizens of this great land (and the world) ...

We PROMISE to double-up every rule and law (imposed to keep you honest) through expanded REGULATION, by adding peeks, pokes, and (over-your-shoulder) monitoring of your EVERY MOVE (and profit). That will be done so that all financial businesses will be REQUIRED to be "up front" - forced to eliminate ALL deceptive, in-fine-print, gobblty-gook (even the scams that you concoct, in your dreams).

Companies who don't comply will pay HUGE fines ...or be "nationalized" !

We PROMISE.

Infinitely LARGE.

A googolplex is a VERY large number... but (tiny) when compared to INFINITY.

It has been estimated that ALL of the "fundamenal particles" that are the makeup of the "known" Universe equate to about 2.5 to the power 10 ...followed by 89 zeros! Much SMALLER than a googolplex.

Me Thinks it, an interesting fact never-the-less, that (Mathematically) a "googolplex" is PRECISELY as far (or conversely, as close) from (to) INFINITY, as is the number 1.

i.e.
1 Googolplex + or - Infinity = Infinity
1 One (1) + or - Infinity = Infinity

Think about it ...THAT concept is assuredly the KEY to understanding something very, very, very IMPORTANT.

Me Thinks

P.S. A "Googolplex" is not to be confused with, "GOOGLEplex", which is a neurotic disorder which evolves subsequent to the overuse of GOOGLE (whenever one doesn't know the details related to things as important as the topic of this BLOG entry). Are you now, Giggle plexed...?

Infinitely SMALL.

While mankind has acquired a grand understanding of the Universe, there are still mysteries regarding its expansion ...and related to huge mass, and enormous energy. At the same time, there are underlying shortfalls with respect to the tiniest things in our world, such as: quarks and photons...

Mathematically, the INFINITELY SMALL occupies no space. It has no mass nor motion and thus, no inertia. No energy. No emission and no absorption. It exists everywhere, without time, and perhaps ...without even, creation?

We humans see ourselves as much closer to the smaller end of things, rather than the larger. At the smallest end, the spectrum becomes finite, and our grasp of the concept makes SMALL seem somewhat closer - while the notion of INFINITY and small, takes an extra stretch of the imagination. Is it possible that matter can continually be broken-down into smaller and smaller bits? Might it be possible that finite particles could in fact ...exist INFINITELY within themselves... and be capable of being subdivided, forever?

The idea of a "Babushka" doll-styled, "embedded universe" creates the basis of fairy-tales. I suppose that most people have philosophized about the idea (at one time or another)... However, as we know (what we, at least today consider) fundamental particles behave completely "different" (i.e. "quantum-mechanically" speaking) when compared to "macroscopic" objects such as: galaxies. Hence, the model is not realistic.

Me Thinks

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars." -Walt Whitman

What the F'what?

Ah rural, farm life...

The fresh smell of manure wafted from the inside of our barn... It was milking time. The heffers were waiting to be hooked-up to the milking machines - having been out in the pastures grazing all-day. Naturally, some of the cows needed to relieve themselves. Soon enough, a huge pile had plopped out onto the floor, right behind one of the cows. That aromatic poo caught the nose of a very hungry horse-fly. Within a few moments, the fly had flown through the barn’s open door and seated himself atop the steamy pie. He began eating.

The cow-pie was especially tasty. The fly kept eating and eating until he was just about to burst. Now FULL, the fly decided that it was time to leave.

But, the fly was SO full, that when he flapped his wings [loud buzzing], he went nowhere. Frustrated, he tried again [louder buzzing]. Even MORE frustrated, the fly looked around the barn, trying to figure out how he’d be able to get to a sunny place to sleep-off his full belly. The fly spotted a pitchfork standing up against a wall, right by a sunlit window. He mused, "I'll just amble over there, then climb to the top of that pitchfork." ...thinking, "I'll use the handle as my launch-pad, and then -- I'll surely be able to fly-off, to sun myself."

Overburdened, it was an arduous walk, but the fly managed to remove himself from the dung-pile. The fly got across the floor to the pitchfork, then slowly made his way to the top. He flapped his wings [more loud buzzing], then he pushed-off and into the air! But alas, he was still too heavy ...and FELL straight-down, to the floor...

All of the heffers flinched, upon hearing the [loud] SPLAT !!!

The horse-fly was dead (squashed, his fly-body spread across the floor, in poo)...

The Moral of the Story? (click-on & read "comments")...

Hillbilly (farm) "PlayStation"
(Grab the fly-swatter!)

Sinning Obliges...

Wall Street and the Big Banks will NEVER "self-regulate".

They're in it for the "G-R-E-E-D". Are we being taken for fools? Let's impose rigid rules (LAWS); mandatory (public) AUDITS; huge FINES to "compensate" misbehavior; JAIL-TIME for CEO's whose "wages" violate the rudiments of "common sense". How about adding the DEATH PENALTY for those who've "made off" with BILLION$ that had been "entrusted" to them?

While we're at it, let's cut the CRAP (much of which is muddling-up the topic of Healthcare) and let's FORCE the "pharma" companies to speak the TRUTH. Come now, does anyone really need to, "Ask/talk to your doctor..." every time a blue pill gets popped? Let's get real - it's about "legaleeze" and "money". Your family physician would be the one sued (while those Pharma companies avoid stepping-up to the plate - whenever their "better living through Chemistry" goes haywire)!

Cute, but seriously, this is serious B.S.

Next, just ask yourself ...how many "subscriptions" have been shoved "up yours" (e.g. Internet, Cable, Satellite, Cellphone, Telephone, Home Security, etc.)? How many of those companies are now "plugged-in" to your bank account (usually, for a period of YEARS without a fair-play "opt-out")?

Has your Credit Card provider RAISED their interest rate to something EXHORBITANT of late? Or were they asleep at the wheel (while exploiting tax-payer dollars and "sense" to benefit themselves)?

Have YOU been CHASE'd yet?

Care to "switch" to a different auto insurance company? EVERY offer "claims" to save money for anyone dumb enough to have "switched" (on average) ...meaningless statistics.

What about "in-store rebates"? Three foot-long receipts and fine print that will cause your eyes to ache ... i.e. your money into their pockets 'now', your money back in your pocket 'later' (if ever). Like it, or lump it?

Scams, scams, and more scams!

When a "service" isn't; when a so-called "savings" isn't; when a great "offer" isn't; when a "product" isn't - then what is it?

Demand TRUTH in ADVERTISING!

The people who impose all of this nonsense are cheaters and liars. Worse, the legal profession helped to make it so. Can anyone (honestly) disagree? Take note of just how many of the law-makers, are lawyers? Honest, straight-talkers - trustworthy folks?

This feeding-frenzy began a long time ago - "pork" anyone?

Has EVERY facet of "money-making" been transformed into a scam? Is it not "high-time" to roll-out the guillotines (see next entry)?
Me Thinks

Don't lose your head (take the 5th)!

Ever notice? How certain people (you know the ones)... "go silent" because they're well-aware of their GUILT! Moreover, those same individuals (usually) don't give a rat's ass about anything (nor anyone), but themselves.

Me thinks that France had it RIGHT all those years ago. Let's roll-out a "guillotine" for use at public executions...

" Vive le pays de Napoléon Bonaparte !!! "