And the first question that comes to mind is "Who's Ed Osborne?"
He's my father, and possibly one of the most opinionated people I ever met. During the 60's (about my earliest recollection) and the '70s he was virulently outspoken against communism in all it's forms from Maoist China (he had a copy of Mao' s Little Red Book hid up on his shelf next to his bible because he believed in knowing his enemy) to social reform in this country (like welfare and civil rights).
Mao, as we all know, was the Chinese leader that is responsible for creating modern China out of the ashes of World War II, and making it a 'Workers Paradise' or the last hold out as a 'Communist' country. The reason Mao supported Communism is because the Russians (but not the American's or English) supported his People's Army that drove the Japanese out of China.
Thomas Jefferson, as we all know, articulated a particular view of social political structure where the people have the greatest right to command the government. He also advocated violent revolution against the established authorities.
What do these men have in common? They all advocated violent change as a medium of controlling social policy.
I'm sure I don't have the thorough knowledge of Mao's policies or Jefferson's writings that I need to really pull off this thesis but it seems to me that my father's ideas for social change/control in this country were more in line with the authoritarian actions of the People's Leader (Mao) than the writings of the aristocratic Jefferson.
In many ways this contrast is between the semi anarchy that is the United States with our gun rights and murders, and vigilantes and freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and the mild to strict authoritarian systems in place in other countries where the people either revolt against the government in total anarchy or run from the government in fear for their lives.
Here we can't run from our government because we are the government. Take a look around. You and your neighbors elect the hell hounds in Washington and Albany. Don't like what they're doing? Recall them. Elect someone else. Run yourself. Sure its a tough fight but it needs to be fought. Just don't sell your soul to the company store.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Welcome Tea Party Activists
Dear America.
You F^&*ing Morons.
Oh I should scratch that but I can't find it in my heart to say something soothing and peaceful.
A bunch of rapid dogs have been elected to office. In the grand scheme of things I agree with them. The way we do business has to be changed. But the idea that the republican party (the corporate party) has won after two years of trying to screw up the good things and blaming Obama for the policies they instituted. The propaganda machine has over come the truth and common sense. Now the dogs are going to rip up things they don't understand.
Like health care. None of these illiterate bastards have read the bill. The worst parts are sops to the republicans and maybe should be repealed. But the idea that we the people should insure ourselves is good business. Yeah, let's redo health care right. Let's make sure everyone gets healthcare and the insurance companies are out of that business. They don't need any more unearned money.
Let's use that extra money to fund small business green projects that cuts the knees out of the corporate meglomaniacs. Let small business guide the development of our new economy without the weight of healtinsurance payments. Each Health insurance company collects at least 35% of their premiums as profit. Don't pay them and there is a net savings.
But do you think those tea party morons would see the positives in this? I don't think so because they are paid to support the Corporate Megolith. Big Money and Big Business has bought and paid for this election and their rapid dogs are going to chew at the little progress towards rationality we have made. I say the whole economic crisis was engineered by big business and big money to break the Obama administration and the democratic movement.
Looks like the money won as usual.
You F^&*ing Morons.
Oh I should scratch that but I can't find it in my heart to say something soothing and peaceful.
A bunch of rapid dogs have been elected to office. In the grand scheme of things I agree with them. The way we do business has to be changed. But the idea that the republican party (the corporate party) has won after two years of trying to screw up the good things and blaming Obama for the policies they instituted. The propaganda machine has over come the truth and common sense. Now the dogs are going to rip up things they don't understand.
Like health care. None of these illiterate bastards have read the bill. The worst parts are sops to the republicans and maybe should be repealed. But the idea that we the people should insure ourselves is good business. Yeah, let's redo health care right. Let's make sure everyone gets healthcare and the insurance companies are out of that business. They don't need any more unearned money.
Let's use that extra money to fund small business green projects that cuts the knees out of the corporate meglomaniacs. Let small business guide the development of our new economy without the weight of healtinsurance payments. Each Health insurance company collects at least 35% of their premiums as profit. Don't pay them and there is a net savings.
But do you think those tea party morons would see the positives in this? I don't think so because they are paid to support the Corporate Megolith. Big Money and Big Business has bought and paid for this election and their rapid dogs are going to chew at the little progress towards rationality we have made. I say the whole economic crisis was engineered by big business and big money to break the Obama administration and the democratic movement.
Looks like the money won as usual.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Burn Down Their House
I've got a favorite phrase I use when it comes to the people I feel are responsible for the economic predicament America is in at the moment. Burn their house down. Except I don't mean in the literal sense of mindless ultra violence and anarchy but rather in the political sense. There are some very wealthy people who have used their wealth to manipulate the political system to support their agendas.
This is not a early 21st century conspiracy theory, this was true when Hearst ordered his newspapers to support certain candidates and policies, and it's true today when FOX entertainment pretends to be a 'news' channel when it is really providing propaganda that spreads fear and discontent in the middle class.
I deduce from their focus of fear that the people who control FOX are afraid of a unified and thoughtful middle class who would have the power to burn their political house down.
Let's face it. The average entrepreneur and small businessman doesn't run in the same circles as the Forbes 400 wealthiest Billionaires. Your local savings and loan chairman didn't make $4 BILLION on the economic fire sale that happened when the housing market burst.
But the political manipulators would like these people to join the panic over the president's attempts to clamp down on the people and companies that have manipulated our economy into despair. Who sold our manufacturing to the Chinese? Who profits from the Chinese? Walmart and the Walton family as one example.
I say, follow the money. Who is profiting from the economic stagnation and despair? Once we kn ow, burn their F(&*ing house down. Metaphorically speaking.
This is not a early 21st century conspiracy theory, this was true when Hearst ordered his newspapers to support certain candidates and policies, and it's true today when FOX entertainment pretends to be a 'news' channel when it is really providing propaganda that spreads fear and discontent in the middle class.
I deduce from their focus of fear that the people who control FOX are afraid of a unified and thoughtful middle class who would have the power to burn their political house down.
Let's face it. The average entrepreneur and small businessman doesn't run in the same circles as the Forbes 400 wealthiest Billionaires. Your local savings and loan chairman didn't make $4 BILLION on the economic fire sale that happened when the housing market burst.
But the political manipulators would like these people to join the panic over the president's attempts to clamp down on the people and companies that have manipulated our economy into despair. Who sold our manufacturing to the Chinese? Who profits from the Chinese? Walmart and the Walton family as one example.
I say, follow the money. Who is profiting from the economic stagnation and despair? Once we kn ow, burn their F(&*ing house down. Metaphorically speaking.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Vegans, Mylie Cyrus and British Petroleum
The chatter on Facebook this afternoon was about Mylie Cyrus and sex. Specifically using an underage girl as a sex object to market her brand. Of course this is as cynical as it is effective. The human beast is wired to respond to the high hormone level in the young females of the species. They become sexually attractive by virtue of their body chemistry, and in turn enjoy the attention they get by being available to males. In previous generations mothers actively discouraged their daughters from advertising their availability by controlling their clothing choices. Now we find the clothing choices are marketed as 'empowering' even in prepubescent children.
Empowering means flaunting this basic sexual reaction between males and females in females that are not ready emotionally or intellectually to make choices that protect them from the cynically predatory male sexual response.
Who benefits from this empowerment? Not the little girls who are targets for every sexually frustrated male in their vicinity, including adults who should know better. Not the sexually frustrated male, especially at his 18+ yr peak. A three year delta at eighteen is a jail term but at 21 it's getting lucky.
So the majority of marketing is targeted at people with the highest hormone levels, the least maturity and the most sensitive egos. And the corporate marketing executives use sex to increase their sales, and incidentally driving the cultural norms implying that the rules don't apply to the observer.
And the corporations will tell you that they are just reflecting societal norms, not making the norms. Which is a lot like how BP is addressing the Gulf Coast. One lady (a clean up team leader) was fired for telling her team to excavate for sludge buried by the tidal sands. She was told the job was just cosmetic.
I heard in the Crystal Restaurant in downtown Watertown NY that BP is leasing the charter boats that have been losing business due to the oil spill. Are they using these vessels to mitigate the oil problem? Of course. They want to prevent the news media from discovering the true extent of the disaster they (BP) created.
Of course with BP the truth is this is just business. They want to control the perceptions of how bad the problem is. It's all about marketing the brand. They can't be the green energy brand name when they've caused one of the biggest ecological disasters since the Exxon Valdeez. (Exxon has never lived that down and it's no where near as bad as the BP Deepwater fiasco.
So what's this got to do with Mylie Cyrus and Vegans?
Corporate greed uses human nature, whether sex, or security or greed, to meet its objectives. The vegans unfortunately, are trying to do something lofty by not eating animals under the presumption that will prevent the death of the animal. However since the majority of food animals are raised specifically for diner their lives will not be spared if we skip a hamburger. Should we as a race cease eating meat the animals would have to be disposed of just so their waste wouldn't continue to damage the ozone layer.
We shouldn't let corporate greed dictate our morals. In fact we should insist that corporations behave in a moral manner. After centuries of using oppressive control techniques to protect our daughters a free society can't abide lies, chastity belts and the law treating females as property. But we need to be open about human nature and what the unpleasant truths are about human sexuality as well as the more pleasant aspects. A blunt and open discussion with our youth would be more effective than all the platitudes and fear campaigns and jean advertisements.
We can't change human nature but we can understand it, accept it and work with to build a better society.
Empowering means flaunting this basic sexual reaction between males and females in females that are not ready emotionally or intellectually to make choices that protect them from the cynically predatory male sexual response.
Who benefits from this empowerment? Not the little girls who are targets for every sexually frustrated male in their vicinity, including adults who should know better. Not the sexually frustrated male, especially at his 18+ yr peak. A three year delta at eighteen is a jail term but at 21 it's getting lucky.
So the majority of marketing is targeted at people with the highest hormone levels, the least maturity and the most sensitive egos. And the corporate marketing executives use sex to increase their sales, and incidentally driving the cultural norms implying that the rules don't apply to the observer.
And the corporations will tell you that they are just reflecting societal norms, not making the norms. Which is a lot like how BP is addressing the Gulf Coast. One lady (a clean up team leader) was fired for telling her team to excavate for sludge buried by the tidal sands. She was told the job was just cosmetic.
I heard in the Crystal Restaurant in downtown Watertown NY that BP is leasing the charter boats that have been losing business due to the oil spill. Are they using these vessels to mitigate the oil problem? Of course. They want to prevent the news media from discovering the true extent of the disaster they (BP) created.
Of course with BP the truth is this is just business. They want to control the perceptions of how bad the problem is. It's all about marketing the brand. They can't be the green energy brand name when they've caused one of the biggest ecological disasters since the Exxon Valdeez. (Exxon has never lived that down and it's no where near as bad as the BP Deepwater fiasco.
So what's this got to do with Mylie Cyrus and Vegans?
Corporate greed uses human nature, whether sex, or security or greed, to meet its objectives. The vegans unfortunately, are trying to do something lofty by not eating animals under the presumption that will prevent the death of the animal. However since the majority of food animals are raised specifically for diner their lives will not be spared if we skip a hamburger. Should we as a race cease eating meat the animals would have to be disposed of just so their waste wouldn't continue to damage the ozone layer.
We shouldn't let corporate greed dictate our morals. In fact we should insist that corporations behave in a moral manner. After centuries of using oppressive control techniques to protect our daughters a free society can't abide lies, chastity belts and the law treating females as property. But we need to be open about human nature and what the unpleasant truths are about human sexuality as well as the more pleasant aspects. A blunt and open discussion with our youth would be more effective than all the platitudes and fear campaigns and jean advertisements.
We can't change human nature but we can understand it, accept it and work with to build a better society.
Friday, June 11, 2010
No Fear
The catch phrase titling this post is a fallacy. Fear is the cornerstone of our ability to learn, whether used by our parents as in fear of physical or emotional punishment, or by the law (remember breaking any law has a punishment, and punishment is to be feared) or political activity.
Control comes from directing fear.
Power comes from Control.
If you want to know who's in power look at who's directing your fear.
I spoke with a friend yesterday who strongly believes that the Constitution has been usurped in Washington. He believes that the real power in this country lies with the Haliburton's and the Merril Lynch's.
I think he might be right to a certain degree. Corporate media and corporate sponsored sponsored media is responsible for dumbing down the discourse in America to fear bites. What should we fear today? They tell us, and then tell us we have to act on this fear.... Everything from the complexity of our cable bills (a corporate deception used to raise profits) to our president (take any sound bite from Fox News).
Fear leads to panic and panic thinking is usually reactive and predictable. Any soldier will tell you that to panic the enemy is to win the battle. Lesson here? The fear and panic mongers think of the people as the enemy.
I want us, the people of this country to exercise control. I'm afraid of the corporate power because it is insidious and above the reach of the law. At least it appears that way. I don't want to be afraid of these non persons. I would like to tear down the facade that hides the men and women behind the curtain. Managers of corporations should be personally liable. Corporations should not be protected. They are not people. They have no rights. Especially not the right to make a profit.
I think that we can change the climate of fear by stripping Corporate America of its unnatural rights. And if the multinational corporations don't want to play here then I think we need to go back to self sufficiency.
Control comes from directing fear.
Power comes from Control.
If you want to know who's in power look at who's directing your fear.
I spoke with a friend yesterday who strongly believes that the Constitution has been usurped in Washington. He believes that the real power in this country lies with the Haliburton's and the Merril Lynch's.
I think he might be right to a certain degree. Corporate media and corporate sponsored sponsored media is responsible for dumbing down the discourse in America to fear bites. What should we fear today? They tell us, and then tell us we have to act on this fear.... Everything from the complexity of our cable bills (a corporate deception used to raise profits) to our president (take any sound bite from Fox News).
Fear leads to panic and panic thinking is usually reactive and predictable. Any soldier will tell you that to panic the enemy is to win the battle. Lesson here? The fear and panic mongers think of the people as the enemy.
I want us, the people of this country to exercise control. I'm afraid of the corporate power because it is insidious and above the reach of the law. At least it appears that way. I don't want to be afraid of these non persons. I would like to tear down the facade that hides the men and women behind the curtain. Managers of corporations should be personally liable. Corporations should not be protected. They are not people. They have no rights. Especially not the right to make a profit.
I think that we can change the climate of fear by stripping Corporate America of its unnatural rights. And if the multinational corporations don't want to play here then I think we need to go back to self sufficiency.
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