Five Minutes to Twelve?

There seems to be enough of Doomsday Scenarios around; I have added my two bits worth in The American Survival Magazine articles of July 2000 and September 2000, where I pointed out the seriousness of our depleting oil reserves, and one thing is sure peace and prosperity is fast becoming a threatened state.

We are now reaching a nexus where energy scarcity, water scarcity, global warming, China's ascendancy, Iran and North Korea's nuclear threats, illegal immigration, and events not noted at the moment, that are becoming unsolvable problems that threaten our present civilization.

Many people are noting the problems but powerful forces exist that prevent solutions to them. Case in point--China is obviously building up a military that is designed to confront the U.S. military. They have already won the economic war; what with Wal-Mart selling billions of dollars of Chinese goods around the U.S. and the world. It is difficult to buy anything in a hardware, department, or other store without finding yourself holding a Chinese item. And our present administration runs interference for the Chinese.

This new effort by the Chinese to be able to knock out U.S. satellites is an obvious shot across the U.S.'s bow. Our technology is our only hope to be able to confront the Chinese and without it, like in the case of our technology being neutralized, we would be hard pressed to enforce our will or protect our country.

This administration has talked a good walk but falls down and stumbles when they have tried to walk the walk. In other words their talk of protecting the American people is just that--talk. They have used all their expertise in holding power rather than using power wisely. This administration has done little for the average American and has seemed to have done its best to represent people who can look out after themselves.

What can we do about it all? Assume some responsibility ourselves by buying less Chinese at Wal-Mart, don't get scammed by clever commercials to buy Hummers and the like, cut back on energy consumption in all forms, nag your congressman or woman to implement reforms and represent your interests and others, be critical of what you hear and see, learn about Propaganda, be a skeptic about what others are trying to sell, and above all if you hear someone say they have the solution that will solve all problems turn a blind eye and deaf ear because there are few if any full solutions to problems.

Bush's Plan for Iraq

After almost 4 years he has a plan? Or is it more of the same hogwash? 20,000 more troops will not be enough is my prediction, for control, a word which the Bush Administration has hardly an understanding of, is needed for security, and security is needed before any political progress can go "forward". However, since we can't even control our own borders how are we going to control Iraq's borders and cities?

If 20,000 is the proposed number of added troops it shows how timid this administration really is; and how lacking of a real plan they have had all along. You can't win against insurgencies, or guerrilla wars, by using half measures and our inability to cope with the insurgency encourages more to join the insurgency.

The Democrats should be careful in their actions against the Iraq war, for if they cause the U.S. to withdraw prematurely and our situation in the Middle East suffers as a result THEY will be to blame for our "losing" and not the Republicans.

The definition of "win" is still unknown. A "win" in my mind is one in which the insurgency is reduced enough for Iraqi forces to cope with, when Iraqi borders cannot be crossed by hostiles, and a sectarian government can govern the country. It would be a bonus if that government was an ally to the U.S.

Stocks--Who Is Getting Stiffed?

When I see all the billions of dollars going to Stock Brokers and Bankers from "profits" derived from stocks and investments, as well as the Stock Options and "retirement packages to CEOs, I can't help wonder who is getting screwed--pardon the vulgarity.

The money is coming from somewhere and it isn't out of "their" pockets! To me the Stock Market plays out like some big legal Pyramid Scheme--investments follow investments. Rising stocks are like house fires, first there is a little flame, which gets bigger as it finds more fuel, then it grows more intense as the heat causes a a draft, which consumes more fuel, and it eventually burns itself out after consuming all it can. In this case it is investors acting as fuel to the flames, the fire being the companies who gobble up the money, the draft being the brokers and bankers as they hype the stocks.

And where does the money go? Vacations, mansions, cars, Rolex watches, and retirement packages to CEOs and other corp executives, who in many cases have lost their corporation money.

If I had money invested in a Corporation who gave that kind of money to non-deserving CEOs I'd pull my money out of their stocks and find a company who looked after their stock-holders better. In fact I would rethink the whole subject of stocks; there is too much money flowing away from the investment to CEO's, and other officer's pockets, and too much slight of hand going on. There is little oversight by government as well. The government is always way behind when it comes to watching out for the people interests. The government does it's utmost to look after Big Business's interests but does very little, or nothing at all, in looking out for the people's interests. Revolution, if it comes, will have to come individual by individual, each one looking out after their own interests. One way to do this is, to get a Corporation's, and the government's notice, is to pull their money out of stocks. Stocks are where "Fat Cats" get their "cream".

Children of Men

Saw the whateveryoucallit about "Children of Men" a futuristic movie in the time frame of the year 2027 I believe it was. The commercial was so cut up that it was hard to follow but what I did get was that children were no longer being conceived and the hope for mankind was in a black woman's being pregnant. Other scenes were everyone running around trying to keep from being caught and shipped back to their country of origin--an obvious propaganda attempt to legitimize illegal immigration now taking place in the U.S. and elsewhere. What garbage!

Seems like the ultra liberals could come up with better than this movie to further their agenda to save the poor and unfortunates in the world; at the expense of the Middle Class of the world: since the poor don't pay into government coffers and the Super rich get tax deductions and whatever thanks to their lackeys in government and K Street.

The subject should have been about how our fast dwindling supply of oil is going to cause major hurt on the economy, disrupt commerce in the world, cause major famine, create chaos, and a general collapse of our technological civilization. Without oil we don't function--back to hoes and shovels, which in time will be made by hand--if we can still produce coal and iron by hand. Anyone remember how to plow with horses?

Already my predictions about the Chinese gobbling up energy resources are coming true. Iran and Saudi Arabia have the most oil still in the world and our machinations in the region has not endeared us with either, though for the moment the Saudis see us still as benefactors. China and Russia will play both sides against the middle and everyone in the end will lose. The U.S. is fast finding itself between a rock and a hard place because it is too slow in finding solutions to long standing problems. Our government reacts only after a situation is near or in full crisis. Then too there is too much money from corporations influencing our government.

Since our major corporations have gone global they are going in the direction of where the money is and that does not bode well for American workers--who have always been in competition for the profit dollar. Better the dollar be in some CEO's pocket than in a worker's; not so?

The Democrats are In, Now What?

I really don't feel too comfortable now that the Democrats are "in", especially when I hear their gloating and promises about all the wonderful things they are going to accomplish in their first 100 hours of legislating.

Agendas bother me. Like "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". Another screwing of the Middle Class is more like it. They made promises they never intended to keep and they are making the same promises now.

It really worries me when a "Corporate bought" Administration begins to talk "nice" with opposing legislators. I'd prefer to hear more on debating issues and working out real solutions. Pseudo solutions, ones which promise to cure all ills means someone is expecting the Middle Class to bend over for a real reaming. How about a nice Revolution? About time for We, The People, to get truth from our Politicians--and from the Media. All we have been getting is Spin, Propaganda, and outright lies. How about a third party? One dedicated to truth, ethics, and representation?

Wall to Wall Memorials

I was thinking of titling this blog "Where is the Closure?", which would be apropos. Memorials and ceremonials are becoming the fad; actually they have been around since WWII what with the Arizona Memorial being visited every year since I don't know when. But it seems like every day for hours on end some ceremonn is taking place in the most unusual places. Now it is traipsing down to the waters edges and throwing in wreaths and flowers every anniversary of some disaster. Fires, wars, airplane crashes, acts of terrorism; you name it we celebrate it ad naseum. Now it is funerals--24 hour, 48 hour, 72 hour coverage by our obsession driven media outlets. I liked and admired Gerald R. Ford and was sad that he passed on but I wouldn't choose to spend hours memorializing him like the media apparently presumed I would like to. The tube shows nothing else but.

What we are dealing with here is called "communal reinforcement". Everyone does their best to outdo everyone else in expressing grief and the media happily joins in pandering to the public, and in effect reinforcing the action of the public, which in turn encourages more to join in. The media does it all the time during political campaigns and during wars. The question then is where will it all end?

Like the use of the word "hero". I spent five years in the army and not once was I, or anyone else with me, called a "hero". I'm not expressing sour grapes for I would feel really uncomfortable if I were in the militry and I heard what a "hero" I was for doing my patriotic duty. All it is, is a recruitment gimmick, which the media is using in their attempts to pander to the Administration and the public.