During the "Great Depression" the government attempted to create jobs by letting contracts to private industry, the effort did not create enough jobs. The government then created jobs itself to build infrastructure. The organization was known as the WPA. Think Hoover Dam.
Today we are faced with a similar problem. We have spent a trillion dollars to contract out work and created few jobs. Worse yet, much of the money we spent went towards bonuses for executives of bankrupt companies. Other billions we spent in stimulus funds went to places that needed it the least, leaving small cities with no funds. The small cities didn't have the staff, expertise of time to deal with the very complex rules for receiving stimulus funds.
Now we are facing an end to extending unemployment benefits to tens of millions of Americans who want to work in an economy that will not be bringing back millions of jobs in the private sector. There are plenty of jobs that need to be done fixing and improving our infrastructure; however, the current way that these things are done leaves too much opportunity for corruption and little incentive for doing things properly.
I know plenty of people in the construction industry and most really enjoy seeing their work done well; but, in private industry the profit motive often drives people to do shoddy work that is not inspected because of limited resources by the governmental groups responsible for doing the inspections.
Some people are beginning to say that we need to create a new WPA. I want to address this issue. We have four choices for how we deal with the unemployment situation. Firstly, we can lower our wages to the point where we can compete with China and the third world for manufacturing jobs. Secondly, we can create a system of perpetual welfare. Thirdly, we can allow people who want to work to simply starve in the streets. Fourthly, we can create government jobs like they did with the WPA.
I believe most reasonable people understand that we are better off paying people to work than to stay at home. Should this country decide to create a new WPA I believe it would need to be structured slightly different than in the past. Over a decade ago I had proposed on regional infrastructure organizations that would include training, maintenance and employment. The organizations would train and place people in either public or private companies.
My proposal is not either or, public or private; but, is instead flexible. The preference is for private employment; but, the guarantee is of some employment. The combination creates benchmarks for both and allows for experimentation in finding better ways to do things.
Two days ago I was getting some gas and two young men were filling the car next to me. Both were unemployed and taking jobs as they could get them. They were both willing to work. One of the men talked about one of their friends who had driven all the way to Louisiana to apply for a job. Because of my daughter I know plenty of young men in the same situation. They want jobs but there are none. They are happy to work a couple of days a month when they can.
Young men have so much energy that they know they have to do something, it is best if they do something positive. If left idle they tend to get into trouble. I also understand that young ladies need employment; but, if you look at the statistics you will find that ladies are more likely to get an education and employment.
The Job Corp is a great opportunity for many people to learn skills; but, you need someone to hire them. If we do not give these young people jobs and skills they will eventually fall into the haze of welfare. Jobs allow young people to learn to structure their lives and learn from old farts like me while we are still around.
If we do create a new WPA, we need to do it regionally so that young men and women do not have to move 3,000 miles away and be separated from their families and loved ones. We need to create regionally so that people can go home at night rather than living in tents at work sites. We need a WPA that is public-private rather than one or the other. As the economy improves we can move workers from public to private as working together they will have the skills.
Most of my posts are philosophical in nature rather than specific applications; but, I felt like talking specifics today after reading the article about creating a new WPA. As I write this there are conversations going on across the nation about pensions and the need for reform. We will have current employees voting to increase how long future employees will have to work. Many have said they are willing to make new employees work an extra ten years if the current employees can keep their promised benefits, I strongly disagree.
If we condemn our children to pay for our benefits we have done them a great disservice and create a age conflict. If we combine this with not giving them jobs we deserve their wrath and it will come. Technically I can retire in five years, if I thought it would take some of the pressure off the younger generation I would work an ten more, don't think I have much more than that left in me. I would rather do that then ask a young man to do it for me, I would rather share the price.
Sometimes there are no "good" answers only shared pain and it should be shared. We are facing the hardest times this nation has ever seen and this is just the beginning if we do not come up with workable solutions. There is a homeless man in Los Angeles who made the papers. He doesn't beg, he says, "I am not going to ask another grown man for money. I never have and I never will."
There was a young man who stayed at my house for a bit. He stole from my household, I asked him why he didn't just ask me for the few dollars he stole. He said he was embarrassed to ask; but, instead he stole. A lack of jobs and desperation are dangerous things for society. We can avoid this if we give people opportunities rather than take a "Pull up the ladder mate, I'm aboard" attitude.
The old United States is gone kids. It is not coming back quickly if ever. If we are to be competitive in the future we need to get back to basics. That's what you do when your team has failed. We cannot live off of the past glories of our parents and this nation. The party is over and it is time to begin cleaning up and go back to work. Or at least that is what I think.
Monday, July 5, 2010
The things people think
I sort of took today off. I braised a brisket and made dinner; but, other than that I watched a couple of old movies on Hulu. I recommend "A Comedy of Terrors" with Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff. Very funny and charming.
I finished the film and was looking up weird stories in Wikipedia. I found one. I have talked about how science seems to think the world is real and we are not. How about a society that believes the world would be better off if there were no humans on it. They have a group that believes in Voluntary Human Extinction. Please read the linked article.
We are continually bombarded with propaganda that we are unimportant and the earth is all that matters. Eventually someone had to believe it and decide it was best if we did not exist. If a tree falls in the forest and there are no people, does it matter?
We matter, you matter. We may not always be the best we can; but, we matter. Sentient, self aware beings feel pain and joy, trees do not. For decades "animal rights" groups have stated that people are no more important than are animals, now we are told that we are less important than rocks and trees. The attack is on our self-understanding.
I finished the film and was looking up weird stories in Wikipedia. I found one. I have talked about how science seems to think the world is real and we are not. How about a society that believes the world would be better off if there were no humans on it. They have a group that believes in Voluntary Human Extinction. Please read the linked article.
We are continually bombarded with propaganda that we are unimportant and the earth is all that matters. Eventually someone had to believe it and decide it was best if we did not exist. If a tree falls in the forest and there are no people, does it matter?
We matter, you matter. We may not always be the best we can; but, we matter. Sentient, self aware beings feel pain and joy, trees do not. For decades "animal rights" groups have stated that people are no more important than are animals, now we are told that we are less important than rocks and trees. The attack is on our self-understanding.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The Fourth of July and my father
Tomorrow is the fourth of July, Independence day. I cannot praise war; but, I can praise the many people, on all sides, who gave their lives believing they were protecting their family and loved ones. My father was a war hero, he through out all of his medals.
Tonight I think of my father, he was very brave and very honorable. At 16 he joined the marines, he lied about his age to get away from an abusive stepfather. He joined just in time to go to Korea. He was offered the chance to go to college and become an officer, he turned it down to be with "the guys".
My father was in the first wave in Korea. He was at Inchon and Pusan. Later he attended a little party at a place called the Chosin Reservoir. It was not a good party. My father was one of the Chosin few. A marine would understand.
I detest war; but, I respect greatly those who have been there and did so out of a true love for their fellow citizens. I have known many of them. Few of my family were drafted, just about all of them volunteered. My father was one of the people who helped a brave man get his well deserved congressional medal of honor, it took like 40 years; but, he got it.
My father was in the Chosin Reservoir. He did something very special, he stopped the Chinese tanks from coming in the narrow gap. He was a small arms specialist, he made a once in a lifetime shot, he shot a bazooka shell into the barrel of the first tank coming into the reservoir, it blocked the others. It is not talked about and you don't have to believe it; but, he did it. He risked his life to do it, he had to be up close and personal with the tank.
My father had integrity, my mother had integrity also. People like them were the backbone of America, people willing to give for others and asking nothing back except respect, fairness, the things we were promised in the constitution. They are dead just like their beliefs and the constitution. You cannot have a constitution if you do not have people like them, people who are not thieves and liars. We get the government we deserve.
Too many people want honest institution while they themselves are not honest. They will not get what they want, you cannot get what you do not give for long.
On the fourth of July we should remember someone, his name was Crispus Attucks, he was a black man, he was one of the first five people killed in the Revolutionary War. He was killed in the Boston Massacre.
We sought independence from Britain and fought and died and went without. Remember that illegal aliens are people trying to escape what we tried to escape. Do not hate them for wanting to be free. Escaped slaves died so that we could have freedom, how can we look down on the escaped slaves of today?
Tonight I think of my father, he was very brave and very honorable. At 16 he joined the marines, he lied about his age to get away from an abusive stepfather. He joined just in time to go to Korea. He was offered the chance to go to college and become an officer, he turned it down to be with "the guys".
My father was in the first wave in Korea. He was at Inchon and Pusan. Later he attended a little party at a place called the Chosin Reservoir. It was not a good party. My father was one of the Chosin few. A marine would understand.
I detest war; but, I respect greatly those who have been there and did so out of a true love for their fellow citizens. I have known many of them. Few of my family were drafted, just about all of them volunteered. My father was one of the people who helped a brave man get his well deserved congressional medal of honor, it took like 40 years; but, he got it.
My father was in the Chosin Reservoir. He did something very special, he stopped the Chinese tanks from coming in the narrow gap. He was a small arms specialist, he made a once in a lifetime shot, he shot a bazooka shell into the barrel of the first tank coming into the reservoir, it blocked the others. It is not talked about and you don't have to believe it; but, he did it. He risked his life to do it, he had to be up close and personal with the tank.
My father had integrity, my mother had integrity also. People like them were the backbone of America, people willing to give for others and asking nothing back except respect, fairness, the things we were promised in the constitution. They are dead just like their beliefs and the constitution. You cannot have a constitution if you do not have people like them, people who are not thieves and liars. We get the government we deserve.
Too many people want honest institution while they themselves are not honest. They will not get what they want, you cannot get what you do not give for long.
On the fourth of July we should remember someone, his name was Crispus Attucks, he was a black man, he was one of the first five people killed in the Revolutionary War. He was killed in the Boston Massacre.
We sought independence from Britain and fought and died and went without. Remember that illegal aliens are people trying to escape what we tried to escape. Do not hate them for wanting to be free. Escaped slaves died so that we could have freedom, how can we look down on the escaped slaves of today?
Friday, July 2, 2010
What is the fascination with Vampires
I know practically nothing about the "Twilight" movies, books, records or anything else. I also don't watch television so I don't know much about it's rip offs. What I do know is rather disturbing. Women in their teens through 40's finding vampires sexy. That really creeps me out.
I don't think much of the mafia or gang members or thieves or murderers or rapists or child molesters or most scum bags. I don't find those who prey on others to be very impressive and usually find that in their heart of hearts they are nothing other than cookie chasing bullies. Yet, society finds a way to make all of these things appear sexy, why and how?
Why would a 40 year old married woman with a 15 year old daughter be enamored with a 20 year old vampire in a movie, what does he represent? All of the types of people I mentioned represent the same thing. The ability to take what you want without being in powerful positions. Greed and the ability to feed the animal that it comes from.
The stories are all the same. A powerful being that is not a part of the system can take from them what it wants; but, because of their female beauty chooses not to take but to be given and in exchange offers his strength. Vampires are a blue collar girls dream if she doesn't think she can get things for herself.
What is Harry Potter, an orphan with power. If we have taken the shortcuts and feel we have no influence over the world in the "normal" way, we tend to turn to fantasy and the fantasy is always one where we overcome the world rather than work through it. Shortcuts.
They say that power is the greatest aphrodisiac in the world; but, I want to talk about sex. Might as well, have had any in quite awhile. LOL.
How do you view sex? I mean, is it a sensation, is it giving or receiving? Is it what determines who you are with? Is it the meaning of life? Is it just like any other bodily function? Is it just a thing? Is it private or public, does it matter?
Sex is in the mind kids, the sensation is merely an association. What do you find more thrilling, love or sex? On one level sex is just rubbing body parts, Bill Clinton was wrong he did have sex with that girl. Love-sex is different, it is where you enjoy the pleasure you bring your partner more than you enjoy the experience. That is love-sex.
This part is now going to be a little mature, I will try and be delicate. Ladies, if you can enjoy a vibrator, don't tell the men that you need romance, it is a lie on a physical level. Also, don't think you can fake it to someone who actually pays attention, your bodies change too, problem is most guys don't pay attention and wait for you to tell them.
Here is my love advice. Ladies, men don't talk about sex with each other in a meaningful way. Tell your man what he should be looking for to know if you are excited, their dad probably did not. Men, pay attention and remember "Ladies first". Be a gentleman, you'll get there. What the heck does this have to do with vampires?
Oh yeah. The women like vampires and romance novels because they want to feel loved, to know you care. Women are insecure and crave attention, they like men and want to know that we like them. We are insecure too, we want their attention and fear they will pick the more powerful guy, the guy with money. They won't, they like compliments. It is our responsibility to be truthful and not flatter just for sex, flattery is deceit. Oh, and ladies, if you accept flattery rather than the truth from someone who still loves you, you get the liar and jerk.
Lest the men think I am giving them a free pass, if you flatter a woman and get her, guess what, it isn't you she is in love with, she is in love with the illusion of you and you will always be second. Sex and love, so often confused with one another. Love is so much more. I can love a woman who cannot have sex, I cannot have sex with a woman I do not love, I am out of step, the rest of the world thinks the opposite.
When I was dating I was not looking for sex, I was looking for love. I turned down sex even though it would have been really nice. I had not found the right love and right situation. Every woman I dated was worthy of love, not just of any love, of true love of complete love, of all encompassing love, of a love that will last an eternity. Perhaps that is what vampires offer; but, at the wrong price, at the price of your soul. Be well.
I don't think much of the mafia or gang members or thieves or murderers or rapists or child molesters or most scum bags. I don't find those who prey on others to be very impressive and usually find that in their heart of hearts they are nothing other than cookie chasing bullies. Yet, society finds a way to make all of these things appear sexy, why and how?
Why would a 40 year old married woman with a 15 year old daughter be enamored with a 20 year old vampire in a movie, what does he represent? All of the types of people I mentioned represent the same thing. The ability to take what you want without being in powerful positions. Greed and the ability to feed the animal that it comes from.
The stories are all the same. A powerful being that is not a part of the system can take from them what it wants; but, because of their female beauty chooses not to take but to be given and in exchange offers his strength. Vampires are a blue collar girls dream if she doesn't think she can get things for herself.
What is Harry Potter, an orphan with power. If we have taken the shortcuts and feel we have no influence over the world in the "normal" way, we tend to turn to fantasy and the fantasy is always one where we overcome the world rather than work through it. Shortcuts.
They say that power is the greatest aphrodisiac in the world; but, I want to talk about sex. Might as well, have had any in quite awhile. LOL.
How do you view sex? I mean, is it a sensation, is it giving or receiving? Is it what determines who you are with? Is it the meaning of life? Is it just like any other bodily function? Is it just a thing? Is it private or public, does it matter?
Sex is in the mind kids, the sensation is merely an association. What do you find more thrilling, love or sex? On one level sex is just rubbing body parts, Bill Clinton was wrong he did have sex with that girl. Love-sex is different, it is where you enjoy the pleasure you bring your partner more than you enjoy the experience. That is love-sex.
This part is now going to be a little mature, I will try and be delicate. Ladies, if you can enjoy a vibrator, don't tell the men that you need romance, it is a lie on a physical level. Also, don't think you can fake it to someone who actually pays attention, your bodies change too, problem is most guys don't pay attention and wait for you to tell them.
Here is my love advice. Ladies, men don't talk about sex with each other in a meaningful way. Tell your man what he should be looking for to know if you are excited, their dad probably did not. Men, pay attention and remember "Ladies first". Be a gentleman, you'll get there. What the heck does this have to do with vampires?
Oh yeah. The women like vampires and romance novels because they want to feel loved, to know you care. Women are insecure and crave attention, they like men and want to know that we like them. We are insecure too, we want their attention and fear they will pick the more powerful guy, the guy with money. They won't, they like compliments. It is our responsibility to be truthful and not flatter just for sex, flattery is deceit. Oh, and ladies, if you accept flattery rather than the truth from someone who still loves you, you get the liar and jerk.
Lest the men think I am giving them a free pass, if you flatter a woman and get her, guess what, it isn't you she is in love with, she is in love with the illusion of you and you will always be second. Sex and love, so often confused with one another. Love is so much more. I can love a woman who cannot have sex, I cannot have sex with a woman I do not love, I am out of step, the rest of the world thinks the opposite.
When I was dating I was not looking for sex, I was looking for love. I turned down sex even though it would have been really nice. I had not found the right love and right situation. Every woman I dated was worthy of love, not just of any love, of true love of complete love, of all encompassing love, of a love that will last an eternity. Perhaps that is what vampires offer; but, at the wrong price, at the price of your soul. Be well.
Slightly inconsistent
A couple of days ago I read an article that listed the ten worst conspiracy theories. One of the theories it claimed was completely false was the use of subliminals in advertising. Subliminal messaging is the use of images or words hidden in a normal picture, it can also be done with sound.
A book called "The Hidden Persuaders" was the first to discuss them. The author recounts a documented intentional use of such techniques. Movies at theaters run at 24 frames per second. That means each second is 24 separate pictures. Because our mind anticipates consistency, it will attempt to ignore anomalies. Anyway, a machine called (as best as I can remember the spelling) a tachistascope flashed a picture of an ice cold coke and some words at 1/200th of a second and sales of coke increased. This is not a guess, it was an experiment.
This technology is not magic and it is not hypnosis. Our minds want to create associations, to find meaning. In addition, we seek to fit in. If you hated coke, you would not buy a coke; but, if you liked it, it would trigger a thought in the back of your mind.
Each year millions of dollars are spent studying how we react to colors, there are companies dedicated to it. Scientists have lately been spending a lot of time discussing how we react to things unconsciously. The linked article discusses how we are unconsciously effected by things. The problem is when they want you to think you are nothing but reactive they will talk about how you are effected by things subconsciously; but, if someone says this is sometimes done intentionally they are called a conspiracy theorist. Hmmmmm, sounds like it smells.
Modern advertising was led by a psychologist who was related to Freud, that is just a fact. Prior he had worked for the United States making propaganda. I guess the "authorities" and "experts" want you to know that you are easily influenced and also believe that nobody would do so intentionally.
How much television do you watch in a day? How much time do you spend listening to the radio or reading mass media or playing video games? How much time do you spend not analyzing what is in front of you; but, merely going along with the "entertainment". Most people merely accept the truth they think they are viewing, consider it as not relevant to their direct lives, file it away as a fact and never question it. That is how you allow yourselves to accept things unquestioningly. Zombies, brain dead, susceptible.
I read a lot of news sources. I read them intentionally looking for the lies and subtle spins. I do not accept everything I read nor do I ignore it, I actually question it and sometimes I write about it. We spend too much time listening and not enough time quietly contemplating without input. Just thinking about things.
I would to challenge you to a little experiment. It is very simple and will cost nothing. For one full week do not watch television, do not go to a movie, do not listen to music, do not read anything from the mass media, do not use a computer, do not play one video game, do not read any book, just live. Get up, go to work, come home and think, then go to bed. People did it for hundreds of thousands of years, you can to, it is only a week.
Instead of taking in, create. Draw, write, think, cook, write or play music, exercise, anything. See what happens. Most people go through a withdrawal worse than drugs, they have lost the ability to create, they are sponges on the creativity of others. As a consequence, they give up their ability to truly choose as they do not know the options or what they can create.
To many people this sounds horrifying. We want to be entertained and do not wish to be challenged. We want to be cared for and not work. We want this to be Club Med. It can be; but, in exchange you must give up your free will. The problem is not television, books, video games or the radio. The problem is how little time we actually think about and analyze what we are being bombarded with. The problem is our willingness to be bombarded, it is laziness and it has a price.
A book called "The Hidden Persuaders" was the first to discuss them. The author recounts a documented intentional use of such techniques. Movies at theaters run at 24 frames per second. That means each second is 24 separate pictures. Because our mind anticipates consistency, it will attempt to ignore anomalies. Anyway, a machine called (as best as I can remember the spelling) a tachistascope flashed a picture of an ice cold coke and some words at 1/200th of a second and sales of coke increased. This is not a guess, it was an experiment.
This technology is not magic and it is not hypnosis. Our minds want to create associations, to find meaning. In addition, we seek to fit in. If you hated coke, you would not buy a coke; but, if you liked it, it would trigger a thought in the back of your mind.
Each year millions of dollars are spent studying how we react to colors, there are companies dedicated to it. Scientists have lately been spending a lot of time discussing how we react to things unconsciously. The linked article discusses how we are unconsciously effected by things. The problem is when they want you to think you are nothing but reactive they will talk about how you are effected by things subconsciously; but, if someone says this is sometimes done intentionally they are called a conspiracy theorist. Hmmmmm, sounds like it smells.
Modern advertising was led by a psychologist who was related to Freud, that is just a fact. Prior he had worked for the United States making propaganda. I guess the "authorities" and "experts" want you to know that you are easily influenced and also believe that nobody would do so intentionally.
How much television do you watch in a day? How much time do you spend listening to the radio or reading mass media or playing video games? How much time do you spend not analyzing what is in front of you; but, merely going along with the "entertainment". Most people merely accept the truth they think they are viewing, consider it as not relevant to their direct lives, file it away as a fact and never question it. That is how you allow yourselves to accept things unquestioningly. Zombies, brain dead, susceptible.
I read a lot of news sources. I read them intentionally looking for the lies and subtle spins. I do not accept everything I read nor do I ignore it, I actually question it and sometimes I write about it. We spend too much time listening and not enough time quietly contemplating without input. Just thinking about things.
I would to challenge you to a little experiment. It is very simple and will cost nothing. For one full week do not watch television, do not go to a movie, do not listen to music, do not read anything from the mass media, do not use a computer, do not play one video game, do not read any book, just live. Get up, go to work, come home and think, then go to bed. People did it for hundreds of thousands of years, you can to, it is only a week.
Instead of taking in, create. Draw, write, think, cook, write or play music, exercise, anything. See what happens. Most people go through a withdrawal worse than drugs, they have lost the ability to create, they are sponges on the creativity of others. As a consequence, they give up their ability to truly choose as they do not know the options or what they can create.
To many people this sounds horrifying. We want to be entertained and do not wish to be challenged. We want to be cared for and not work. We want this to be Club Med. It can be; but, in exchange you must give up your free will. The problem is not television, books, video games or the radio. The problem is how little time we actually think about and analyze what we are being bombarded with. The problem is our willingness to be bombarded, it is laziness and it has a price.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The President said what?
President Obama stated that "Being American is not a matter of blood or birth". I cannot begin to fathom that statement. If it isn't a matter of blood or birth then what is it a matter of? Does this include the American Indians also?
I tell you again and again, this is not about illegal aliens, it is about all of us. It is about redefining citizenship in order to create two classes of people. Citizenship IS about birth and blood, it is about where you are born, that determines what country you are a citizen of and all citizens deserve certain rights. That is the constitution, that is the only chance one has at freedom.
On a separate note, coyote attacks are on the increase. They say that the coyotes have lost their fear of humans. I think we talked about this once before. Last year, for the first time in history, a human adult was killed by a coyote. Odd.
By the way, an article came out today about quantum and non-quantum physics. Something I was just discussing. I think the article highlights the problem I had discussed. On a subatomic level classical physics fails and things follow different rules. Science has yet to find an answer and any answer they find will destroy the classical physics model.
I tell you again and again, this is not about illegal aliens, it is about all of us. It is about redefining citizenship in order to create two classes of people. Citizenship IS about birth and blood, it is about where you are born, that determines what country you are a citizen of and all citizens deserve certain rights. That is the constitution, that is the only chance one has at freedom.
On a separate note, coyote attacks are on the increase. They say that the coyotes have lost their fear of humans. I think we talked about this once before. Last year, for the first time in history, a human adult was killed by a coyote. Odd.
By the way, an article came out today about quantum and non-quantum physics. Something I was just discussing. I think the article highlights the problem I had discussed. On a subatomic level classical physics fails and things follow different rules. Science has yet to find an answer and any answer they find will destroy the classical physics model.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)