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The Tipping Point – a continuation…

07/12/2015

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Progressivism (read, Liberalism/Socialism) in a nutshell (although not inclusive)::

Poverty vs welfare: They go hand in hand. What Socialists don’t see is that while welfare doesn’t create poverty, in its current state in our country, it does in fact perpetuate it. This has led to generational dependency and poverty. The way to lift our fellow man out of this perpetual state is to allow the private sector to provide jobs and limit the assistance (at either the State level or via private charity) to a minimal timeframe thereby creating the requirement to accept the work that private sector provides. Considering it is ALWAYS better than the poverty level subsistence provided by the Federal government, why would you NOT take it. Oh yeah, you’d actually have to GET A JOB!
I am not alone in this, the Manhattan Institute, came to this conclusion when it studied the notion of income inequality: “The central problem facing the economy is that income growth over the past few years has been modest to nonexistent, as a result of the financial crisis, the subsequent recession, and an extremely modest recovery. Moreover, policies that aim only to redistribute wealth—rather than generate real economic growth and opportunity—are unlikely to solve, or even meaningfully address, the slow growth trajectory for wages.”

Tax rate vs government income: Proven over and over again, lowering the tax rates creates more income for the government. Makes no sense on the surface (which is as far as the Socialists look because any further would not satisfy their plan of dependency and thereby ensuring its continued power base). However, the reason it works is simple. Less money taken from the private sector by the government allows more money to be spent by individuals and companies. Money spent creates jobs. More jobs equals more income. More income creates more income tax (yes, EVEN at lower tax rates). It is NOT rocket science.
This is not only a solution for our debt, it is a solution for unemployment. It is a solution for pulling anyone and everyone that takes advantage up in social status. As the old saying goes, a rising tide lifts ALL boats. As well, any job created by the government is a cost to all taxpayers, whether you want or need the product/service. Any job created by the private sector is a cost only to those that choose to spend money on that product or service. That said, since profit is the life or death of a company, job creation is required. Without employment, there is no profit. Therefore, the private sector is much better at creating and pricing jobs. Need proof, look at history.

Debt: See comments reference Greece in previous blog (07/05/2015 – The Tipping Point).

Morality: It is a good thing we have a Supreme Court (more on this next week) to dictate morality and create laws to ensure it. I suspect if we keep going down this path (which I see no indication we won’t) we will be able to get rid of Congress (and therefore the will of the people) and just have a dictator as president (later to be renamed monarch since it is more politically correct) and a court to rubber stamp his/her prescriptions. As well, by dictating away Judeo-Christian morals, on which this country was founded and most of our overriding laws (including the Constitution itself) are based, they can ensure their voting base and therefore their power. Keep in mind however that at some point voters will no longer be needed. Subjects on the other hand will be important.

Our national borders: While I fully understand from an individual perspective the desire to improve their standard of living, entering a sovereign nation without permission is not right. From the other side of the border, helping other countries improve the standards of their people is much preferable than taking on their poverty stricken citizens. And undoubtedly less costly in the long run. Not that I am advocating the US as the banker to the world anymore than the police force of the world (although we already supply significant portions of direct and indirect “lending” to nations throughout the world). Nor do I suggest that it is easy to go into a country and presuppose we know better than them how to provide for their people. However, it is without a doubt that we have proven our past philosophies are quite able to ensure a prosperous society. That said, allowing illegal immigration is not the solution to any country’s problems. When we allow the destitute with no means of support (thereby becoming an additional drain on a society already sucked dry), criminals and terrorists to cross into our country unabated, it can only lead to a further decline and eventual destruction of our ability to help ourselves, much less that rest of the world. And it is in direct conflict with the prime raison d’être of government, its reason for existence – to protect (not PROVIDE FOR) its people. Our current policies and level of enforcement is detrimental to our national existence.

Being forced to buy what we may not want (or already have in the form we want): Yes, SCOTUS Care (not interested in using our current POTUS’s name at any time – but aka The Affordable [what a joke] Care Act – as the current major example. The Oligarchy has spoken. The Federal government, or in this case, the Dictator in Chief and his cohorts in Congress, has/have no Constitutional authority to FORCE us to purchase not only something we don’t want, but exactly what and how much it will be. Apparently individual liberty (as in Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness) and the 1st Amendment no longer apply. A solution looking for a problem. Instead of allowing the private sector to solve the problem of the few, the Dictator in Chief has solved the “problem” even for those of us that didn’t have one. As well, we now have pretty much as many or more without coverage than the problem was to address and has shown no lowering in costs for those that are forced to get a new version of something they already had. The numbers for 2012 (prior to “Affordable” Care Act (ACA)) show an uninsured rate of 16.7% with an average family annual premium of $15,745. In 2013 the uninsured rate was 20.8%. Today the uninsured rate is approximately 15.5% with an average family annual premium of $16,800. These numbers are of course from the government that brought you the product you did not need. Honesty? – I don’t think so. In addition, other than forcing people to purchase something they may or may not want, from somewhere they may or may not want purchase it, what has it accomplished? Since, contrary to what was portrayed, there is no indication that the ACA was the cause of the minimal reduction (a theoretical 1.2%) in number of insured. All that said, and contrary to the ruling of the SCOTUS (now a political body vice the intended legal one), there is nothing Constitutionally allowing the Federal government to get involved in health care.

Another long one. The wife hates that. But it needs to be said. And luckily I’m not the only one saying it. If you believe this country needs to get back to prosperity and the moral values upon which it was based, it is time to standup and in whatever way available to you (within the context of those values) do SOMETHING to turn it around.

Again, welcome to the New Dark Ages…

Maybe I’ll try some less depressing topics in the near future.

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

The Tipping Point

07/05/2015

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I’m back.
A lot has happened during my hiatus.
In that time I believe we – our country specifically, but the world in general – reached the Tipping Point. We are now on an inevitable march into the New Dark Ages.
Don’t get me wrong. It is not the ABILITY to get back on track that is lacking. It’s not that nothing CAN be done. It is that, as in the past, the DESIRE of those that have the power and authority is to continue down this path toward darkness. Why you may ask? Easy, it is also the desire of those that put them in power and the fear of losing that power. The “receivers” outnumber the “providers” and refuse to give up their spoils. Those in power must continue to provide those spoils or lose everything. In relation to physical spoils, they will of course be forced to do so. The problem for them, and us, is too many are now dependent on too few and it can not be sustained. The providers, not having an endless supply or being given the time and freedom to obtain more, will soon be sucked dry.
That said, these “spoils” come not only in physical (read: financial) support but psychological and moral as well. As with the Dark Ages of old, people want to do what they want to do regardless of any ethical or moral consequences. Regardless of any detriment to society. Regardless of any ill affect on their (our) progeny. They have convinced themselves, and others of equally weak minds, that there are in fact no such consequences. Everybody, as well as any thought, idea, lifestyle – any choice whatsoever – is as valid as the next. The valid, individual worth of the person has transformed into invalid worth of ideas. “I’m as good as you, therefore my ideas are as valid as yours.” Consequences and history be damned. Yes, you ARE as good as me as relates to our worth as human beings. No, your ideas have been shown throughout the ups and downs of history to be based on erroneous information and unsound reasoning and are unquestionably invalid (which is one reason they are not questioned). The acceptance of these ideas is what has led to the collapse of civilizations time and time again.

As one of many examples, let us consider modern day Greece. More and more borrowing over the last 7 years or so. Understating its deficit and debt. Now shut out from borrowing in the world financial markets.
Socialism at its best. The path of the United States. Since much of the issue with Greece is due to the interconnectedness of the world financial markets and the implosion of Wall Street in 2008, many other countries – including the US with $18+ Trillion in debt & no end in sight – will follow shortly. Much of the money lent to Greece by the way was from the US contributions to the international funds. SO… the US going further into debt to bail out a country going further into debt. Some actually considered this a good deal? And finally, in order to obtain the latest in its borrowing, Greece was required to make deep budget cuts (we’ll see how that plays out) and steep tax increases. While it obviously didn’t help – taking money from those that generate the money never does – does this sound familiar?
[note: the day of this original post the Greeks voted in a referendum to reject their creditors’ austerity terms for aid. They rejected the budget cuts. They will have their spoils!]

Not to get to hung up on the financial issues of our march…

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Anonymous [yes I know, that quote has been attributed to many people. But since there is no hard evidence of the true author, I give credit to Anonymous (he has many great quotes)]

And have no doubt. It IS evil that is on the move. Evil in the form of Socialism (Progressive, Democrat, call it what you want). Making slaves – or at best, indentured servants – of so many. More and more, good men are no longer allowed to do anything. Those that have been lured into and convinced of the benefits of this evil are growing in number by the day. They don’t connect their “gifts” of public assistance to their becoming dependent on it (psychologically if nothing else). They don’t connect their “gifts” of public assistance to the taxes of their neighbor. They don’t connect their “gifts” of public assistance to the absurdly high and still growing National debt. Or they just don’t care. But they DO vote.

Previously a great nation assisting around the world to defend, provide humanitarian relief and fund the necessities of the persecuted of other countries (often times, entire countries), we, the US, no longer have the leadership to do so. In addition, our ability to do so has never been so minimal or so strained.
While our fellow man is being brutally tortured and murdered throughout the Middle East and around the world, our leaders (our dictator) has decided to do nothing.

What is leading us to this state of affairs. Why liberalism of course. Progressivism. Socialism. The Scourge. However you wish to refer to it. It is the epitome of evil. It is Lucifer at work. Subtle. Taking what he can, when he can, where he can, how he can. Bringing us the apple in the garden, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Dark Ages, the Holocaust, (yes, I could go on) and most recently – the new, politically correct, way of Socialism.
We will look at some specific aspects of this next time.

In the mean time, to sum up the current state of our government::

Our POTUS is behaving like a Dictator espousing and forcing socialism on his subjects. The dictator commands his branch from an ivory tower and the cabinet members and their many departments decree more and more how we are allowed to live.

Our SCOTUS is run as an Oligarchy ignoring the Constitutional limits of its own power and either rubber-stamping progressive views or legislating liberal ideals from the bench. This oligarchy, with no regard for the will of the people or the law of the land, ignores the duly elected representatives (not to mention the Constitution) and legislates from the bench.

Our Congress is overrun by liberals on both sides of the aisle. We now have but one party split in name only. As well, based on the 17th Amendment, we have but one chamber separated in name only (ok, rules too) and we are suffering the consequences of ignoring the wisdom of our Founding Fathers and changing the original system. When it is not furthering the cause of Socialism, this Congress sits back and, well, sits back.

Because each of the branches has decided to act individually – without any regard for the Constitution, historic precedence, or common sense – the ideal, an institution of checks and balances as intended and prescribed by the Constitution, is no longer existent.

Unfortunately for President Lincoln & the rest of us, the “Government of the people, by the people, for the people…” has perished from the Earth.

As well, our perfect Union, Justice, domestic Tranquility, common defence, general Welfare, and the Blessings of Liberty have all been relegated to the ash bins of history.

We had a good run.
Prepare for the New Dark Ages…

-to be continued-

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

Government spending brought to the personal level

10/20/2013

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Ok … Let me boil this down to the simple and bring it home (literally).

The current US Federal government’s annual income in taxes/fees/etc. (i.e., what the IRS takes into the General Fund with which it can pay expenses) is $2 Trillion.
The current US debt is $17 Trillion.
That is a debt to income ratio of approximately 8.5:1.

Let’s compare that to the average family of four.
The average annual income for a family of four in the US is approximately $50,000.
The equivalent debt would be $425,000.

You tell me… would you lend that family any more money? Would you even lend them THAT much?
I’m guessing there’s not a banker in the country that would take that risk.

Keep in mind, this is unsecured debt. This would not include such items as the family’s mortgage (house), car loan, etc. It would be the equivalent of credit card debt. $425,000 in credit card debt on a $50,000 income!
I’m presuming most of you readers are relatively intelligent and answered no to both those questions. So why then was it ok for our representatives in Congress (and approved by the President) to increase the US debt limit and allow the federal government to borrow additional money?! How many more times are we going to allow our elected representatives to do this before we say “ENOUGH”?!

btw:
A) that is YOUR debt if you are a US citizen
B) that is only the federal debt. It does not include state and local debt.

A Day Late… Can he sustain it?

10/14/2013

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Ok… I have decided that it is virtually impossible to do a credible job of copiously detailing the topics of my major posts with a full time (and then some) job and my desire to ensure the expressed opinion is completely supported.

So, while I fully intend to complete major essays when time is available, I will do my best to present each week a less flushed out, but still worthwhile topic.

With luck, this will meet with my readers’ approval.

That said, a few discoveries I’ve made of late:

1)      The current national debt is: $16,962,383,900,000 (keeping in mind that by the time I was done typing that it had already increased at the rate of $1M every three (3) minutes).  Put simply, the U.S. government is spending approximately $20 million more than it takes in each and every hour of the day!  That is just under $500,000,000 each day (that’s ½ BILLION for those that need help reading it).  Not just spending that amount.  Spending that amount OVER and ABOVE what it takes in.  This is NOT a good thing.  Try running your own household on that accounting model.  This isn’t actually a new discovery, just thought I’d mention it.

2)      Regardless of what I said above, the Federal Government is taking in far more than the necessary resources to ensure it does not default on any of our debt even without an increase in the debt limit.  Said another way, regardless of what the liberals are saying, the sky will not fall without an increase in the debt limit.  We currently are taking in 10 times the necessary funding each month to pay the interest on the debt.  It is also a federal law that the president MUST pay this interest regardless of other funding requirements.  Meaning, for the sake of our children (if not ourselves), we should immediately cut spending to 90% of the current tax collected and we will be fine for the time being.  Next, conduct a Constitutional baseline of the allowed activities and cut expenses to match (this would of course leave millions of government dependent leaches out in the cold (literally since winter is on the way)).  Finally, cut taxes to match REQUIRED spending.  Sounds simple doesn’t it.  It is.  Should anyone try to tell you otherwise, think (don’t say) “clueless”.  I was going to go with “moron” or “idiot” but that might sound negative.

3)      The USDA (yes, that is the United States Department of Agriculture) guarantees home loans.  Yes, you heard (read) me right.  The USDA guarantees residential home loans.  Now you may think that would be for maybe a farmer’s dwelling in which he needs to house himself and his family while he grows crops to feed us.  NOPE!  Anyone that lives in a rural area (defined as 20,000 people or fewer) that meets income requirements (<$73,601 per year for a family of four) qualifies (FICO score etc notwithstanding).  The USDA is in the business of guaranteeing home loans!  How screwed up is our government?!

That’s it for today.  I look forward to expanded commentary in the future but for now, commentary of a limited nature will have to do.

The current national debt is: $16,962,388,400,000.  Your homework is to calculate how long it took me to write and post this article…

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

Value of Silence

09/15/2013

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It is very humbling when my concerns are reinforced by Pope Francis.

His Prayer Intention for the month of September 2013 is:

“That people today, often overwhelmed by noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of God and their brothers and sisters.”   [emphasis mine]

I promise we did not coordinate this ahead of time.

The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

Change

08/25/2013

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Some words concerning change.  Few of which are mine…

I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better.   –Georg C. Lichtenberg

On the other hand…

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.   –Ellen Glasgow

And…

Just because everything is different doesn’t mean anything has changed.   –Irene Peter

If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior.   –William Glasser

[Often times, your own would be the first place to look.  Are YOU doing your best to better the world?  Are you doing ANYTHING?!]

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.   –Margaret Mead

[That one I found one of the most enlightening.  Just think about it for a moment…]

For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.   –Steve Jobs

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.   –Leo Tolstoy

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.   –Lao Tzu

[And this is not necessarily a good thing.]

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.   –Dean Acheson

[So it can only be changed at that pace.  However, each day that goes by could very well be a lost opportunity.  Was your yesterday lost?]

If you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change. If you’re in a good situation, don’t worry it’ll change.   –John A. Simone, Sr.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.   –Confucius

[And of those that never change, I’m going to suggest that the majority are the stupidest]

And the best of the best:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  –Reinhold Niebuhr

[No insult intended to the author but keep in mind: that you CAN does not always mean that you SHOULD.  Even if you know the difference.]

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

Noise, Noise Everywhere!

08/18/2013

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It is becoming more and more noticeable to me of late just how noisy society is.  Noise is EVERYWHERE!

Virtually from the moment we wake (to that ever annoying alarm), or head out into society in the morning if we are lucky enough to have a quiet home, until we fall back asleep at night we are bombarded with noise.  Radios, traffic, emergency sirens, other people talking (often, usually, at a volume far higher than is really necessary), bells ringing (I have the “honor” of working at a high school), aircraft, and loud speakers.  Even elevators and call waiting have to have music or annoying advertisements/messages.

Why are we so afraid of quiet?  Not even silence (but that is for later).  Just quiet.  My wife and I were out for a nice dinner a few evenings ago.  The restaurant was quite upscale (it was her anniversary – don’t get the idea we are wealthy and do that all the time) so one might expect a certain level of soft ambience fitting the setting.  One might even expect a piano in the corner playing soft music by which diners could have peaceful conversation (yeah, I get the irony of suggesting a piano making noise in a rant about too much noise – just go with me on this).  However, not so.  While the first hour or so was quiet by comparison, the people around us still didn’t seem to understand the concept of hushed conversation around a table.  Yet another sign of the oh so prevalent apathy about which we (ok, I) have spoken in the past (and about which I am finding a great need to launch into a tirade again!).  However, later in the evening, the “lounge” next to (and part of) the restaurant became excessively loud.  A live band was playing.  There is no barrier between the lounge and the restaurant.  It was not a soft jazz band.  We may as well have been in the front row of a live Rock concert.  And of course those in the lounge had no choice but to “yell” at each other to be heard above the music.  Conversation in the restaurant became virtually impossible.  Luckily we were just a few minutes from leaving.  However, we ate quite early that evening.  For many, the time we were leaving was the normal time to begin an evening out.  My question, where does one find a peaceful evening out?

Although I think I was born old in that I have never been a “let’s go hang out in a bar and yell at each other over the music” kind of guy, I actually have no problem with that kind of club.  But when EVERYWHERE becomes that kind of club I’ve got to wonder about the mind frame of society.  Why, why, why are we so afraid of quiet?!

These are just a few examples.  Bottom line: it is virtually impossible to find a quite spot in society.  I challenge, no I DEFY, anyone to actually find a quiet spot in public.  I, unfortunately, do not have the means to purchase a 1000 acre ranch in Montana.  I think that might be what it takes.  Even in one’s own home (and my wife’s is quite insulated) you will hear the noise of cars driving by, planes over head, lawn mowers, etc.  If not so much inside, having a peaceful drink on one’s patio is impossible.  There, one isn’t even insulated to a limited extent.  When I visit many other neighborhoods (thankfully not ours of yet), I hear all that above as well as neighbor’s loud “discussions”, music blaring, kids riding their motorized mini-cars or small motorbikes, dogs barking (which I understand dogs are want to do, but owners COULD be cognizant of their neighbors and limit the animals) and all sorts of other non-silence about.

I read a letter to the editor the other day (don’t ask me why – it is a rare occurrence since they tend to annoy me – hold that thought (yes, I DO know what you are thinking)).  It matters not the subject or the periodical but this person states emphatically that “Silence is deafening and unfriendly.”  Silence is not deafening.  Silence is not unfriendly.  How absurd!  Where do people come up with such nonsense?  In fact, based on the definition from Webster “himself”, silence is “forbearance from speech or noise” or the “absence of sound or noise”.  So, since it is NOISE that tends to be deafening, silence would be the exact opposite of deafening!  For those that may have been contemplating asking why letters to the editor tend to annoy me, you now know.  I contend that to suggest silence is deafening is to suggest someone afraid of their own thoughts.  Maybe they are afraid of evil demons living inside their head that are only silenced by noise from outside.

Don’t think this is just a problem in the U.S. either.  I have traveled the world.  Noise is everywhere!  In fact, noise has gotten so bad around the globe that the World Health Organization in Geneva has even published a document entitled Guidelines for Community Noise.  It begins by stating, “Noise has always been an important environmental problem for man. In ancient Rome, rules existed as to the noise emitted from the ironed wheels of wagons which battered the stones on the pavement, causing disruption of sleep and annoyance to the Romans. In Medieval Europe, horse carriages and horse back [sic] riding were not allowed during night time in certain cities to ensure a peaceful sleep for the inhabitants. However, the noise problems of the past are incomparable with those of modern society.”  It goes on to provide disturbing data on just how bad the noise problem in society is.  As well, according to the Health Promotion International group, “Noise pollution is an ever-increasing problem in modern technological society. It is well documented that repeated exposure to even moderate levels of noise can be injurious to health, but often unappreciated are the more pervasive physiological and psychological effects.”   The group further discusses the relationship of noise “to chronic sleep disorders and to cardiovascular problems”.  Even according to National Wind Watch, “there is overwhelming evidence that [the noise from] wind turbines cause serious health problems in nearby residents, usually stress-disorder-type diseases, at a nontrivial rate.”  Wind turbines!  They are not only dangerous to birds (yeah, I really don’t care) but cause stress disorders in humans that live nearby.  Is it any wonder that this society is going postal?

It is therefore not our parent’s fault that we have issues. Nor is it our own.  I contend EVERY human ailment is due to noise.  Until we can get it under control we should forgive those poor people in prison and release them all.  How can we hold them responsible for what is clearly the cause of noise created by society as a whole?!  Oh quit having a heart attack.  That was hyperbole (look it up).

I could go on and on.  I think you get the picture.  The REAL question is:  who is willing to buy me a ranch in Montana?!

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

The Wonder of Not Knowing and How it Applies to the Acceptance of Not Understanding

06/23/2013

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I was listening to the comedian Pete Holmes the other day and he was talking about how people have lost the wonder of discovery (my words – but basically the gist).  His bit was essentially about how people no longer have to not know something for any length of time.  And because of that, when they learn something (a minute or two after they begin to wonder due to easy access to the internet and all the information of the world at our fingertips) the awe of discovery, of learning something new is lost.  Now, of course, he made it pretty funny.  However, as usual, I began to think about the non-funny aspects of WHY this is the case…

Basically, back in the day, if you were curious about something it often took considerable time to get an answer to your question.  You asked your friends (who of course did not know), you asked your parents (who quite often didn’t know), you asked teachers, other adults and time after time you would be sent away knowing no more than you did before.  Sometimes you even had to go to great lengths to find an expert on a given subject to get your answer.  For those of you that remember libraries (the kind with books, not computers connected to the internet as we have now), you could eventually get there and look into encyclopedias, dictionaries or other such books.  But what of questions that could not easily be found in such books.  Mr. Holmes’ example was of the hometown of a particular NASCAR driver.  You would ask and ask and eventually, after days or weeks of searching you might find a buddy’s second cousin-once-removed’s boyfriend’s uncle that remembered that the guy was born somewhere in Florida.  Wow!  But the length of time it took to find the answer would only increase the level of appreciation for it.  Now days it would take 30 seconds to pull out your smart phone, connect to the internet as you drive across the country at 70 mph (or sit in class ignoring the teacher, …) and Google the answer.  You’d get it.  Maybe even more exact.  All the way to the street address of the hospital should you choose.  But where is the expectation?  Where is the great satisfaction?   Most importantly, where is the great sense of accomplishment you feel in all the effort put in?  And the feeling you get in FINALLY finding the answer after all the build up and anticipation?  It no longer exists in today’s society.

What’s more, people are losing the ability to analyze the problem and determine the best way of finding the answer.

I am sitting in a local cigar bar at the counter (that is where the electrical outlet is) typing this blog.  The guy sitting a few stools away wonders to the barkeep what the percentage of all beer sales are Bud Light.  Nobody knows.  It is a simple question.  I consider logging on the internet and Googling the answer (I don’t, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind).  Bottom line: nobody in the entire establishment knows.  Life goes on.  Do kids these days get the same feeling?  Are the day-to-day “pressures” they feel as teenagers of the 21st Century tied to their own expectations of “needing”, or being expected, to know whatever it is the moment the question is asked?

Let’s take it a step further.  Since all this “power of information” exists at the click of a mouse or a couple of cell phone button pushes with your thumb, could this be the reason for the dumbing down of society?  Back in my day (not really all that long ago but it sounds good), the watchword of education was as much about learning to find the answer as it was learning information in the first place.  Kids aren’t even being taught anymore how to find information – how to come up with answers.  The why of the how?  Or is it the how of the why?

With the technology we have available to us, especially the kids, we no longer have to learn to think, to analyze a situation, to consider the possibilities and ramifications.  We just look it up on-line and everything is there for us.  Someone else has done the work (possibly even correctly).  But we are left with no understanding of how that work was done.  How was the final answer achieved?  The example of a birthplace is a relative no-brainer.  However, it is a fact.  It is not an opinion.  Much of what we need to do in our lives is forming an opinion.  Should I do this or should I do that?  What is the better investment for me?  Should I lease or buy?  These types of answers can actually be Googled.  But you will be getting the “opinion” of someone that has no clue of your particular circumstances.  Many people, not knowing the how and why of the outcome, will just take the answer at face value and proceed from there. Then we have such questions as: Should I take this job or that one?  Should I live in this town or somewhere else?  Google might not be so helpful here.  Nor would much of what are kids are being taught in school.

My contention (and not only mine) is that too much of education in the U.S. today is focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).  We are giving them algebraic formulas for algebraic equations.  The most they have to figure out is what type of equation it is and then match it to the formula.  We give them rubrics for virtually any assignment.  Follow the rubric and you get a good grade.  They even use the rubric to determine where they can cut corners and still end up with a good enough grade (notice “good enough”, not an “A” – sometimes I wonder).  However, is this really preparing them for the real world?  When they get out of school their boss isn’t going to hand them a rubric for every (or any) task they are given.  During my first assignment in the military my targeteers had checklists they would go by to build strike lines.  Heaven forbid they didn’t have their checklist next to them and actually had to know how to do their job.  Problem was, during minimum time tasking exercises they didn’t have time to look at the checklist.  They actually had to know what they were doing.  This caused MANY major problems.  So the first time I saw this I took away ALL checklists from the builders.  The checklists were used only by the quality control NCO too confirm everything was correct before it went out the door.  A few times through the exercise and it was amazing how more accurate the products were and how much more quickly they were complete.  They learned their jobs.  More importantly, they had to THINK about what they were doing and why they were doing a specific thing in order to accomplish the result that would get past the quality control step.

What am I getting at?

Not only aren’t our kids getting the sense of accomplishment when they actually come up with an answer on their own, we are essentially “teaching” kids HOW to build a bomb.  What we are not teaching them is how to decide whether or not we should use it.  Yes, there are exceptions out there (my class for one) where we ask “why”.  I expect my students to analyze given case studies and provide a considered, supported opinion.  However, that goes against most of what the “experts” in education today are trying to accomplish.  We are trying to keep up with the Jones’.  The theory is that many other countries are far ahead of us in science, engineering, technology and mathematics.  This is based on the outcome of international standardized tests.  Of course, the thought is never given to the actual real world results of our education.  What country is the world leader in the space race (a significant indication of a country’s citizens understanding of STEM)?  What country has the preponderance of new science and technology discoveries?  The preponderance of original discovery?  The answer to each of these questions is the United States.  In the past two centuries, the US growth has produced per capita incomes about six times greater than the world average.  Currently the US holds 4.5% of the world’s population and produces 22% of the world’s output.  A disproportionate number of the world’s great accomplishments in medicine, electronics, and other technology have come from America.  But somehow there is something wrong with our education system and we must change it to meet the expectations of these standardized tests.

Nor is consideration given to how our kids (with their obviously poor education) are getting into some of the top ranked schools in the world.  Eight of the top ten, and 17 of the top 20, universities in overall education worldwide are in the United States.  Seven of the top ten in science, ten of the top ten in engineering, nine of the top ten in computers, and six of the top ten in mathematics.  The majority of the students in those universities are graduates of US secondary schools.  How are the top schools being filled with US students yet our secondary schools are not up to par?  What sense does this make?  And why are so many foreign students working so hard to get into our schools?

Based on the foregoing, I contend our schools are actually doing just fine.  Not all of course.  But why change the ones that are just for the sake of change.  We obviously have schools that know what they are doing.  How about, instead of coming up with, and spending millions (billions?) of dollars to implement, the newest theory in education every few years we just look at the schools that are doing well and copy that method in schools that aren’t.  Hmmmmm…

Bottom line:  let us get back to the liberal (renaissance) education where our future citizens are taught more HOW to think rather than just to apply formulas or solve equations.  Don’t get me wrong, the basics such as mathematics, language, sciences, etc are all important in education.   It would be hard to teach analysis and application of the thought process without the basics.  But too many experts are pushing schools to limit their education to STEM.  Even to the extent of having English classes teach using technical manuals vice the classics.  This is just wrong and the trend needs to be reversed.

To circle around to the beginning – The Wonder of Not Knowing and How it Applies to the Acceptance of Not Understanding…

We need to re-instill not only the wonder of not knowing, but the desire of discovery in our children.  As it stands, not knowing is not a concern, but the acceptance of not understanding should be.  The acceptance of not knowing (at least for a time) and the wonder of discovery is achieved by slowing down and understanding the analysis that is knowledge.   The process that leads to wisdom.  Unless we do, they will never understand the decision making process and “dropping the bomb” (a metaphor for any decision if you didn’t get the drift) will be via a checklist and not a considered evaluation of the circumstances.  Let us get back to a renaissance education.  Let us teach our children what they need to know to make decisions in the real world and forget about keeping up with the Jones’.

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

***The New Dark Ages Cometh

06/16/2013

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Watched Robin Hood yesterday. The 2010 film starring Russell Crowe.  I was getting ideas for the days that come.

At the beginning of the movie the declaration read: “In times of tyranny and injustice when law oppresses the people, the outlaw takes his place in history.  England at the turn of the 12th Century was such a time.”  The United States at the beginning of the 21st is as well.  Much of the rest of the world is already there.

King John was at the end of the old Dark Ages… we are at the beginning of the new.

King John was an incompetent, lying, coward in well above his head. Ring any bells?  The United States currently has an Executive Branch that reminds me a lot of King John.  Like King John, blaming everything on its predecessor and declaring everything it does is owed them and necessary to fix the problems left by others.  The IRS, NSA, Justice Department, … – are they fixing the problems or causing them.

It is not just the current Executive Branch at the Federal level that gives me pause.  The Legislature as well is taking us down the path of tyranny.  Also cowards, but more are leading than following.  The administration as a whole is a puppet…  a puppet of the forces of the party.  Some of these forces operate within the government and sit in positions of power in the Legislature.  Others run things from the background preferring anonymity and deniability.  But culpable none-the-less – even more so since they are pulling the strings.

As well, let us not leave out the State and local governments.  Not to be outdone, many are jumping on the bandwagon of tyranny and oppression.  Even further restricting the rights of their people and/or stealing their means of support through taxation.

That said, I heard over the past week that the U.S. is becoming a single party system (don’t remember who said it).  Not one in name, but in philosophy.  In action.  The Progressive Party.  Not official.  Doesn’t need to be.  Based on “official” party ideologies alone many of these actions could not be taken.  The House and the Senate should be at odds.  But they are not.  The official parties are separate.  The House “led” by one, the Senate by the other.  The, theoretically, underlying ideologies are separate. The actions of the members are not.  Regardless of the party, they are justifying oppression in the name of progression and diversity.  Each and every action taken of late, regardless of party affiliation is socialist.  From firearms to religious freedom to taxation to illegal immigration and border security to…  I could go on and on.  A few will be discussed below.  Others at a later date.  Regardless, we are a Socialist nation.  Becoming, as they all do, more and more oppressive in the name of “protecting” the people (not to mention ensuring their feelings aren’t hurt).

Of course the protection of the people, as is necessary for tyranny to reign, comes in the form of denying them the means to protect themselves (outlawing firearms), denying them a belief in a higher being – in anything other than the secular ruler – (i.e., religious freedom), and taxing them past the limit of capacity to “provide” for the “needs” of the whole.  To name just of few of the tyrannical acts being perpetrated on the American people of late.

The old saying goes, “If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns” is getting closer and closer to reality.  Every new crime committed with a firearm is being used to outlaw more and more of our right and ability to protect ourselves.  On this subject, I defy anyone to provide concrete, empirical data that supports the idea that taking guns from law abiding people reduces the amount of crime perpetrated by those that use them for evil purposes.  One would think that if such proof existed it would be used to back up the actions taken to deny us guns.  However, the “arguments” used are all based on emotion and sensationalism.  Legitimate study after legitimate study, in this country and around the world, proves just the opposite.  As well, every study conducted on the subject demonstrates that when confronted with a firearm in the hands of their potential victim, the perpetrator flees.  Legitimate studies (I keep using that term to differentiate from those “studies” conducted or charted by anti-gun individuals and organizations – the typical study skewed by the questions and illegitimate statistical “analysis” of the results) have shown far more lives are saved each year in the U.S. by the use of a firearm in defense than taken by those committing crimes.  Every one!  I’m sick and tired of having to hear it.  I’m sick and tired of having to say it.  I’m sick and tired of it being ignored!

The new health care laws are pushing further and further into the area of religious belief and forcing both religious “organizations” and privately owned companies to go against their beliefs to comply with the law.  Our government is placing more and more restrictions on individuals and organizations in the name of socialism.  Not only are they severely restricting what is defined as a “religious” organization in order to force this health care plan (something, by the way, we don’t even need and does not in any way fulfill the illegitimate promises made), but are denying privately owned companies from making their own decisions based on their own moral convictions.  We cannot have individual moral convictions.  We may only believe those things that comply with the socialist ideals of Progression and Diversity.  Anything else in their minds is anarchy!  Heaven forbid we have our own beliefs.  Beliefs that have stood the test of time and more often than not have been of benefit to all.  Oh, sorry… am I allowed to say “Heaven forbid” or might I offend someone?  I’m sure in the times to come, regardless of the fact that people have a choice as to whether or not to read my prose, I will be forbidden from uttering such words.

“More taxes” is the battle cry of the weak.  The battle cry of those that have no clue of the way economics and monetary policy works.  Every time taxes are lowered to a reasonable level (yes, the government DOES need funding for legitimate purposes), the coffers of the government increase.  One would think the liberals would want lower taxes.  It would give them more money to waste.  The problem with that is they don’t want more money to waste.  In reality they are not after our money.  It is just the tool used for control.  They want to control us.  For no other reason are our bank accounts being emptied.  And when they can’t empty them anymore, they borrow from our children and our children’s children.  Those yet to be born are already being controlled.  More and more of our fellow citizens are becoming unemployed.  You would think this a bad thing.  However, to the current tyrannical regime, it is what they want.  If you are unemployed you must seek assistance from somewhere.  Since more and more of your family, friends and neighbors are unemployed or under-employed as well, where does one turn?  More and more are on welfare.  More and more are on in the food stamp program.  More and more are being dragged, sadly even willingly, under the yoke of government programs.

These are of course just a few of the issues being perpetrated upon us.  Add them to those of our own making (or at least the making of our fellow citizens). Those such as the large number of men that are too cowardly to stand up and be fathers – those that think being a man is having the ability to get a girl pregnant.  It is not.  Boys can do that.  Men are those that ensure the legitimacy of their relationship with their women and stick around to take care of her and her child.  How about – two years after the birth of an unplanned child, about one third of mothers living with the father [i.e., unmarried] have ended the relationship, compared to only 7% of married mothers.  Does this matter…  Considering the majority of those end up on welfare and in poverty I would say it does.  The median annual income for female-headed households with children under six years old is roughly one-fourth that of two-parent families.  Enough stats…  MAN UP!  btw:  Congratulations on this Father’s Day to those of you man enough to be heads of your households and provide for and lead your family.

This leads to, but is not the only contributing factor, unwed (especially teen) mothers.  Nearly 40% of all births in the United States were to unmarried women in 2007 (I’m sure there are newer statistics but that makes the point – it is getting consistently worse each year though).  Almost half (48%) of all non-marital first births are to teen parents.

There is much more contributing to our fall into darkness.  I’ve discussed apathy…  We will leave it at those for now.

Robin Hood said, “In tyranny lies only failure. Empower every man and you will gain strength.”  This line fell on the deaf ears of King John.  It would fall on the deaf ears of the powers-that-be of today as well.  They, as he, don’t understand.  They, as he, are too cowardly to share power.

Bottom line of all this:  We still have a chance but I do not see us taking it.  Soon the opportunity will have slipped away.  Nay, be given away by our inaction.  We are heading for the New Dark Ages.  You heard it here first.  I will not accept surprise when it happens.  Be prepared!

I’m not sure yet what form this New Dark Age will take.  I will contemplate this and consider enlightening you in the future (knowledge is after all, power! – well, that and good quality firearms!).  With technology in the picture and more and more being controlled by the government it will be difficult for anyone to combat.  We will not exactly be able to jump on horses, draw our swords and battle the king’s forces (although learn to ride and use a sword so far has been my advice).  In the old Dark Ages little real difference existed between the king and a pauper.  As stated by Robin in the movie, “There is no difference between a knight and any other man aside from what he wears.”  Not so much now.

Have we yet hit the last straw?  No, but we are close.  What can we do?  As stated on the hilt of the sword, “Rise and Rise Again until Lambs Become Lions”.  It will become more difficult but, for those of you that don’t mind a little blood, maybe exciting.  The question for now is, what will you do?

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

Parable of the Broken Window

04/14/2013

Brian Sunday Posts , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Bastiat’s original parable of the broken window from Ce qu’on voit et ce qu’on ne voit pas [That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen] (1850) – translated by Patrick James Stirling

Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James Goodfellow, when his careless son has happened to break a pane of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation – “It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?”

Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.

Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier’s trade – that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs – I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.

But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, “Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen.”

It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.

The key here is that each of us only has so much money.  Relative to my post on 31 March 2013 – giving my wife’s money to the Federal Government so they may distribute it at will to whomever they please may sound good on the surface.  All those “poor” people so in “need” of our help. However, this creates problems on two fronts.  One, we have less money to give to charities of OUR choice.  Individuals that would benefit from our contributions must now look elsewhere – the consequence therefrom means there are even MORE people that look to the government for assistance.  This is not to mention the expensive bureaucracy created to redistribute all this wealth.  Bureaucracies without which most charities seem to be able to operate just fine.  Second, we have less to spend on those things WE may need or want.  Lacking things we need creates problems for others (grocers, power company employees, etc.), but even more of a problem for us (food, water, lights, heat, etc. are important to us… go figure).  Lacking those things we want creates problems for others as well.  Just as in the parable above, the six francs that went to the glazier are six francs we cannot give to the carpenter for a new chair or table, or the shopkeeper for a new lamp or television or whatnot.  I don’t care if it is of the yacht builder we speak.  Billionaires that own yachts contribute significantly to the economy.  Yachts are expensive to buy (not to mention to operate).  Consider all those men and women that build and operate yachts and support systems therefore, they have families too!

I could go on and on about this concern.  Suffice it to say, from a total economic picture, money is NOT limited (as some would have you believe).  Yet, on an individual level it is.  The more government takes from its people the less they have to support their fellow citizens.  Allowing us to spend according to our individual need/want creates an economy that will support all.  Taking and creating a dependent underclass only depresses the economy and our country that much further.  It is your choice.  Consider it next time you have a decision to make regarding who will run your country.

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…

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