The Global Musings of an Educated Man......vol.133
On this last evening in August, 2010, our president, Barack Obama gave a speech to the American Public. I wondered, was anybody watching this tonight? Does the American Public even care anymore? Have we noticed that he just announced the end to U.S. Military Combat Operations in Iraq? Did you notice that there will still be 50,000 U.S. troops remaining behind in Iraq as a "transitional force?" After 7 1/2 years, 4,500 dead U.S. soldiers and estimated to be 150,000+ dead Iraqis, the time to "turn the page" is here. Someone, que the Bob Seger song of the same name. As I watched, disappointed in the fact that the U.S. troops will only be moved to nearby Afghanistan to continue fighting a war that will never end, "the war on terror," I was pleasantly surprised that 9/11 was only mentioned once, but I know that we must remain ever vigilant against that shadowy group of evil-doers lurking behind every corner in the middle east, Al-Qaieda. President Obama wishes for "lasting peace and long term prosperity" for Iraqis and so do I, but I find it very ironic, that after 7 1/2 years of the exact opposite, combat operations can be considered to be over. However, there is no government to take the reins in Iraq. What we are going to be left with is another vacuum to be filled with corrupt officials and bureaucracy. President Obama said that all U.S. military will be out of Iraq by the end of next year, but can you really believe it? He hasn't closed Guantanamo, he said that when he immediately took office he would pull the troops out of Iraq and that he would get out of Afghanistan as well. After spending 1 Trillion dollars in fighting endless wars these past 7 1/2 years, he is setting us up for disappointment once again. His slogan of "hope and change" still rings in my ears as empty promises from just another empty suit in Washington. He mentioned that we must help the Iraqis to "secure the dream." I only wish that it doesn't ring true like the deceased genius comedian George Carlin once said, "The American Dream, you have to be asleep to believe it."
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
It's about time
The Global Musings of an Educated Man............vol.132
The clock is ticking. The well has been capped and the bells are tolling for the end of Tony Hayward, soon to be former CEO of British Petroleum who only "wants his life back." Poor poor Tony. After news has come out in the last two weeks that BP may have in fact been behind the release of the only man charged in the Pan Am flight 103 that was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 that killed 270 people, the man was returned to Libya in exchange for better access to oil reserves in that country, there has got be a point where we as citizens will take no more of this lechery. We expect deception like this from spy novels, or elected politicians, not business executives. The free-market has principles that were founded in manners and good will and the competition to do what thou wilt in order to gain ever larger profits for the common shareholder. Slave wages under the netting of Free Trade. Slaves were paid too and they were given Sundays off to rest, we get Saturdays as well. Back in line.
Goldman Sachs, that investment firm of the highest regard was only guilty of selling bundled sub prime mortgages held as securities, where they then would bet against what they had just previously sold, is the fox guarding the hen house. It's like a European banking dynasty in the 1800's, the Rothschilds, funding both sides of the American Civil War. But, they paid their debt, they paid their fines and nothing has changed. Did anyone even notice that last week, the Obama administration was able to pass a Financial Reform Bill that in it simplest form only created another bureaucratic agency to watch over multitudes of firms?? No, really, oh, caught up in the Shirley Sherrod thing, right. You have to love the internet and it's spreading of truth, but given the other options, I would take this over China's or Iran's stranglehold on the internet, any day of the week.
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The clock is ticking. The well has been capped and the bells are tolling for the end of Tony Hayward, soon to be former CEO of British Petroleum who only "wants his life back." Poor poor Tony. After news has come out in the last two weeks that BP may have in fact been behind the release of the only man charged in the Pan Am flight 103 that was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 that killed 270 people, the man was returned to Libya in exchange for better access to oil reserves in that country, there has got be a point where we as citizens will take no more of this lechery. We expect deception like this from spy novels, or elected politicians, not business executives. The free-market has principles that were founded in manners and good will and the competition to do what thou wilt in order to gain ever larger profits for the common shareholder. Slave wages under the netting of Free Trade. Slaves were paid too and they were given Sundays off to rest, we get Saturdays as well. Back in line.
Goldman Sachs, that investment firm of the highest regard was only guilty of selling bundled sub prime mortgages held as securities, where they then would bet against what they had just previously sold, is the fox guarding the hen house. It's like a European banking dynasty in the 1800's, the Rothschilds, funding both sides of the American Civil War. But, they paid their debt, they paid their fines and nothing has changed. Did anyone even notice that last week, the Obama administration was able to pass a Financial Reform Bill that in it simplest form only created another bureaucratic agency to watch over multitudes of firms?? No, really, oh, caught up in the Shirley Sherrod thing, right. You have to love the internet and it's spreading of truth, but given the other options, I would take this over China's or Iran's stranglehold on the internet, any day of the week.
The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Get started.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Ssshhhh.....keep quiet and keep to yourself.
The Global Musings of an Educated Man........vol.131
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Last night I watched a film, via Netflix, Drag Me to Hell and I must say, I was thoroughly entertained. If not for the simple fact that it was a breath of fresh air amidst the stagnant horror films that have graced the cine-plexes in recent years. It was a 'B' horror film type that seemed to have come from the era of the 70's, but was made in present day by Sam Raimi, director of the SpiderMan franchise movies and the cult favorites The Evil Dead. I must say it's title may be very relevant to the times and what is currently happening in present day Greece. When was the last time you can remember, a country going through a fiscal crisis of this magnitude? Argentina in the late 90's early 00's? There is fear spreading like the supposed end all 'flu virus' that is going to awaken and bring the dead back to life and reek havoc on our simple yet privileged existence. Spain may be next they say, and then Portugal, and then Italy and then Ireland. The collapse of the European Union and their currency is at stake the pundits say. Or is it all a way to move us closer towards a one-world currency? Will it result in the United States being able to profit from Europe's mistakes or will it spread to China where fear of inflation is starting to spread like volcanic ash over the U.K?
We saw the NYPD and the FBI come together on Monday night to capture a Pakistani born militant who was intent on turning Times Square into what is normally found in parts of Jerusalem. Are we only steps away from suicide bombers boarding buses in the United States? Is Arizona correct in asking for identification from what are suspected to be illegal immigrants, or is it too eerily like Nazi Germany asking that Jews wear armbands for identification purposes? We seemed to be suffering from the all too dangerous fear of the other. Fear of the unknown. Isolationism is spreading. We want to build a wall and lock the country down from all outsiders, from anyone who thinks or acts differently or looks different. The powers that be are going to be playing on those feelings to make profit and further their agenda, I guarantee you that. Oh, and we have nice oil slick growing down in the Gulf of Mexico.
Drag me to hell? Seems that's where were headed, doesn't it?
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Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Last night I watched a film, via Netflix, Drag Me to Hell and I must say, I was thoroughly entertained. If not for the simple fact that it was a breath of fresh air amidst the stagnant horror films that have graced the cine-plexes in recent years. It was a 'B' horror film type that seemed to have come from the era of the 70's, but was made in present day by Sam Raimi, director of the SpiderMan franchise movies and the cult favorites The Evil Dead. I must say it's title may be very relevant to the times and what is currently happening in present day Greece. When was the last time you can remember, a country going through a fiscal crisis of this magnitude? Argentina in the late 90's early 00's? There is fear spreading like the supposed end all 'flu virus' that is going to awaken and bring the dead back to life and reek havoc on our simple yet privileged existence. Spain may be next they say, and then Portugal, and then Italy and then Ireland. The collapse of the European Union and their currency is at stake the pundits say. Or is it all a way to move us closer towards a one-world currency? Will it result in the United States being able to profit from Europe's mistakes or will it spread to China where fear of inflation is starting to spread like volcanic ash over the U.K?
We saw the NYPD and the FBI come together on Monday night to capture a Pakistani born militant who was intent on turning Times Square into what is normally found in parts of Jerusalem. Are we only steps away from suicide bombers boarding buses in the United States? Is Arizona correct in asking for identification from what are suspected to be illegal immigrants, or is it too eerily like Nazi Germany asking that Jews wear armbands for identification purposes? We seemed to be suffering from the all too dangerous fear of the other. Fear of the unknown. Isolationism is spreading. We want to build a wall and lock the country down from all outsiders, from anyone who thinks or acts differently or looks different. The powers that be are going to be playing on those feelings to make profit and further their agenda, I guarantee you that. Oh, and we have nice oil slick growing down in the Gulf of Mexico.
Drag me to hell? Seems that's where were headed, doesn't it?
The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. Get busy.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Do Yourself a Favor....
The Global Musings of an Educated Man...........vol.130
Four words.
Mumford and Sons.
Brilliant.
The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail. Get busy.
Four words.
Mumford and Sons.
Brilliant.
The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail. Get busy.
Monday, April 26, 2010
That felt good......
The Global Musings of an Educated Man.....vol.129
According to the US Geological Survey, there have been 22 earthquakes this year so far, of a magnitude of 6.0 or higher. 22!!!Today a 6.9-6.5 earthquake has struck off of the coast of Taiwan. Are you freaking kidding me?
A volcano has recently erupted and caused billions of dollars in economic turmoil due to it's troublesome ash floating over Europe causing delays in air travel that is now backlogged 5 days. But we shouldn't be worried, right?
This has nothing to do with the correlation of December 21st, 2012? Or does it? Maybe it is time to start hunkering down and building up some rations. I know I need to get glasses before it hits the fan. Cause when it does, I'm not going to be able to find saline solution or disinfectant around anywhere. No joke.
6 Banks in the United States control 60% of the nations GDP. 60%!!!! Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase. All that the financial crisis of the last two years has done, is create a monopoly of wealth concentrated into fewer and fewer hands.
We are in the midst of a ever expanding Oligarchy which is quite simply put, political power derived from economic influence.
Banks are spending a million dollars a day to lobby against any kind of reform against Wall Street, and the only thing the tea-partiers seem to care about is that the government is getting too big, letting in too many foreigners illegally and that they are reaching into my health care??? Are we serious?
Pay attention people. Health care is great so that we are going to cover those that can't cover themselves, but seriously, the real crooks are the ones that seem to still be writing the rules around Washington. The person they are most afraid of is an informed and active citizen. So get up and get educated.
If corporations want to be able to contribute limitless amounts to campaigns and be considered citizens by the Supreme Court, then they too should be held responsible like citizens to the 3 strike rule. How many corporations would be still around if they had to serve the time for the crimes they have committed against innocent citizens??? They shouldn't be able to hoard season tickets to sporting and entertainment events and then write them off as a business expense, and then be allowed to contribute any amount they wish to make sure the Congressmen or women vote the way they want. They can't have it both ways. Joe the Plumber and Susie Six Pack don't get it that way.
And another thing....the internet should also remain neutral. Verizon, Comcast and AT&T shouldn't be allowed to term it "information service" and thus have it not fall under the regulations of the FCC. If they do get their way, the speed of your internet access will be based on how much money you spend. Life in the fast lane. Not equal for all.
Justice sometimes means, Just-Us.
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According to the US Geological Survey, there have been 22 earthquakes this year so far, of a magnitude of 6.0 or higher. 22!!!Today a 6.9-6.5 earthquake has struck off of the coast of Taiwan. Are you freaking kidding me?
A volcano has recently erupted and caused billions of dollars in economic turmoil due to it's troublesome ash floating over Europe causing delays in air travel that is now backlogged 5 days. But we shouldn't be worried, right?
This has nothing to do with the correlation of December 21st, 2012? Or does it? Maybe it is time to start hunkering down and building up some rations. I know I need to get glasses before it hits the fan. Cause when it does, I'm not going to be able to find saline solution or disinfectant around anywhere. No joke.
6 Banks in the United States control 60% of the nations GDP. 60%!!!! Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase. All that the financial crisis of the last two years has done, is create a monopoly of wealth concentrated into fewer and fewer hands.
We are in the midst of a ever expanding Oligarchy which is quite simply put, political power derived from economic influence.
Banks are spending a million dollars a day to lobby against any kind of reform against Wall Street, and the only thing the tea-partiers seem to care about is that the government is getting too big, letting in too many foreigners illegally and that they are reaching into my health care??? Are we serious?
Pay attention people. Health care is great so that we are going to cover those that can't cover themselves, but seriously, the real crooks are the ones that seem to still be writing the rules around Washington. The person they are most afraid of is an informed and active citizen. So get up and get educated.
If corporations want to be able to contribute limitless amounts to campaigns and be considered citizens by the Supreme Court, then they too should be held responsible like citizens to the 3 strike rule. How many corporations would be still around if they had to serve the time for the crimes they have committed against innocent citizens??? They shouldn't be able to hoard season tickets to sporting and entertainment events and then write them off as a business expense, and then be allowed to contribute any amount they wish to make sure the Congressmen or women vote the way they want. They can't have it both ways. Joe the Plumber and Susie Six Pack don't get it that way.
And another thing....the internet should also remain neutral. Verizon, Comcast and AT&T shouldn't be allowed to term it "information service" and thus have it not fall under the regulations of the FCC. If they do get their way, the speed of your internet access will be based on how much money you spend. Life in the fast lane. Not equal for all.
Justice sometimes means, Just-Us.
Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Learn more.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Happy Anniversary
The Global Musings of an Educated Man..............vol.128
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I just wanted to extend a happy anniversary commemorating the 7th Anniversary of the Iraq war and the fact that we have spent 787 billion dollars over the past seven years to help out the Iraqi, Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni peoples find their way to democracy and freedom. Not to mention the extra 100 billion we spend every year in Afghanistan to allow the opium warlords to extend their reach with the help of the Taliban to further drive the price of heroin up on a global scale, and also the access that our participation provides for us to the oil pipeline in the Caspian sea, because as former ambassador to Afghanistan for UnoCal, we can be safe in knowing that President Karzai has our back. I truly want to extend my deepest hearfelt thanks and understanding to all of the military service men and women who have volunteered and faithfully executed their beliefs in serving our country and the families of those service men and women as well, and I hope that they will never have to pay a dime for excellent health care coverage, ever, and will always be treated with the utmost respect they so readily deserve. But I am always left wondering, if we were never to have abandoned Afghanistan in 2003 to invade Iraq, where could we use those dollars now?
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Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I just wanted to extend a happy anniversary commemorating the 7th Anniversary of the Iraq war and the fact that we have spent 787 billion dollars over the past seven years to help out the Iraqi, Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni peoples find their way to democracy and freedom. Not to mention the extra 100 billion we spend every year in Afghanistan to allow the opium warlords to extend their reach with the help of the Taliban to further drive the price of heroin up on a global scale, and also the access that our participation provides for us to the oil pipeline in the Caspian sea, because as former ambassador to Afghanistan for UnoCal, we can be safe in knowing that President Karzai has our back. I truly want to extend my deepest hearfelt thanks and understanding to all of the military service men and women who have volunteered and faithfully executed their beliefs in serving our country and the families of those service men and women as well, and I hope that they will never have to pay a dime for excellent health care coverage, ever, and will always be treated with the utmost respect they so readily deserve. But I am always left wondering, if we were never to have abandoned Afghanistan in 2003 to invade Iraq, where could we use those dollars now?
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Saturday, March 13, 2010
"Is there anybody out there? Nod if you can hear me, is there anyone home?" Pink Floyd, The Wall
The Global Musings of an Educated Man.............vol. 127
Is there anything in your life that is transcendent? Is there something that gives your life meaning? Can science and religion exist at the same time and space? Sure they can. They are both flip sides of the same coin, the search for truth.
I was lucky enough to catch Bill Moyer's Journal last night on PBS, where his guest was NYU President John Sexton, and they were discussing the class that Dr. Sexton teaches, "Baseball as a Path to GOD." The title immediately grabbed my attention, and I began to wish where do I sign up? It is the vehicle for finding something, anything, in our daily lives that gives us meaning as a people, a person, a wife, a husband, a mother or father, son or daughter, friend or neighbor. It is asking us to "think strange." Some of us may be more advanced than others at that. I'm just saying. Sorry, had to get that in there. Other than the obvious answer of children giving your life meaning, what else is there? What do we as a general public, or myself as a person, give myself and ourselves meaning in this attention deficit disordered, immediate gratification world of today? In the past for America, there was Baseball, and for some there still is, that each spring rewards us with glimpses of what might be, but as Bill Moyers asked, "How do you respond to Mark Mcgwire, admitting that he took steroids to break the home run record?" Dr. Sexton's response was perfect...."There have always been bad Popes."
Dr. Sexton posed questions to ask of ourselves such as "Am I living a useful life?"
He educated me to the fact that our political discussions have "fallen into a discourse by slogan" or sound bites if you will. There is no substance, no nuances that people can wrap their heads around. Instead, we as a people "listen in feedback loops" only listening to what we want to hear, simply reinforcing our own beliefs, and not forcing us to "think strange." For 8 years we had a president that would not change his mind on anything, and did we then adapt that quality of his for our own, or have we been sliding down the slippery slope for so long, that it just seems natural to never hear another side of a discussion. To never admit that we might be wrong or be headed in the wrong direction. That there might be a different path to take to get to the final destination we are all headed.
Are we too far on either the right or the political left to reach any common ground? How long will we go on getting nothing done of any substance because of it? Instead we are left with the fact that "there is no marketplace of respect" in today's political discourse. We've given birth to a "society of distrust and cynicism" and unfortunately a lot of our elected officials have done nothing to deserve any respect, and I admit I can be rather distrustful and cynical when it comes to the government, but I still believe that there are more than two answers to a problem. There are more than two viewpoints held so firmly by the two major political parties in this great country of ours. So as a solution, we need to set up ourselves for "making new memories." We need to more often than never at all, take ourselves out of our comfort zones. We need to stretch our minds more and begin to "think strange."
On a personal note of accomplishment, a monologue-rant of mine has been selected to be performed by the Metro State University theater group at the end of the month in their "Theater Du-Jour" performances, and if interested in attending please contact me and I can try to get you RSVP'd for seats, there is no charge, just donations if so moved. My monologue will not be longer than 4minutes, to not demand too much of anyone's attention, but, it's another step on this beautiful path.
Much peace and happiness.
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Is there anything in your life that is transcendent? Is there something that gives your life meaning? Can science and religion exist at the same time and space? Sure they can. They are both flip sides of the same coin, the search for truth.
I was lucky enough to catch Bill Moyer's Journal last night on PBS, where his guest was NYU President John Sexton, and they were discussing the class that Dr. Sexton teaches, "Baseball as a Path to GOD." The title immediately grabbed my attention, and I began to wish where do I sign up? It is the vehicle for finding something, anything, in our daily lives that gives us meaning as a people, a person, a wife, a husband, a mother or father, son or daughter, friend or neighbor. It is asking us to "think strange." Some of us may be more advanced than others at that. I'm just saying. Sorry, had to get that in there. Other than the obvious answer of children giving your life meaning, what else is there? What do we as a general public, or myself as a person, give myself and ourselves meaning in this attention deficit disordered, immediate gratification world of today? In the past for America, there was Baseball, and for some there still is, that each spring rewards us with glimpses of what might be, but as Bill Moyers asked, "How do you respond to Mark Mcgwire, admitting that he took steroids to break the home run record?" Dr. Sexton's response was perfect...."There have always been bad Popes."
Dr. Sexton posed questions to ask of ourselves such as "Am I living a useful life?"
He educated me to the fact that our political discussions have "fallen into a discourse by slogan" or sound bites if you will. There is no substance, no nuances that people can wrap their heads around. Instead, we as a people "listen in feedback loops" only listening to what we want to hear, simply reinforcing our own beliefs, and not forcing us to "think strange." For 8 years we had a president that would not change his mind on anything, and did we then adapt that quality of his for our own, or have we been sliding down the slippery slope for so long, that it just seems natural to never hear another side of a discussion. To never admit that we might be wrong or be headed in the wrong direction. That there might be a different path to take to get to the final destination we are all headed.
Are we too far on either the right or the political left to reach any common ground? How long will we go on getting nothing done of any substance because of it? Instead we are left with the fact that "there is no marketplace of respect" in today's political discourse. We've given birth to a "society of distrust and cynicism" and unfortunately a lot of our elected officials have done nothing to deserve any respect, and I admit I can be rather distrustful and cynical when it comes to the government, but I still believe that there are more than two answers to a problem. There are more than two viewpoints held so firmly by the two major political parties in this great country of ours. So as a solution, we need to set up ourselves for "making new memories." We need to more often than never at all, take ourselves out of our comfort zones. We need to stretch our minds more and begin to "think strange."
On a personal note of accomplishment, a monologue-rant of mine has been selected to be performed by the Metro State University theater group at the end of the month in their "Theater Du-Jour" performances, and if interested in attending please contact me and I can try to get you RSVP'd for seats, there is no charge, just donations if so moved. My monologue will not be longer than 4minutes, to not demand too much of anyone's attention, but, it's another step on this beautiful path.
Much peace and happiness.
Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. Sign up now.
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