The Dali Lama is a nice guy, or so I am told.
A year ago, and in recent years, when he has traveled the world he has been received at the highest levels. Prime Ministers, Presidents and other heads of state have rolled out the red carpet to meet with him. This was fine as long as the 500 pound gorilla that controls his country did not object, that would be China for all of you who do not know who controls Tibet.
Well, it seems that the Dali's peeps got a little out of hand recently and began actually protesting and rioting. Then, some people, reportedly were killed to stop the protests. I say reportedly because few reporters are actually let into Tibet and fewer can actually speak Tibet to ask questions.
Well, the world decided to take notice and by the world I mean ordinary citizens. There have been rallies and protest against the Chinese's handling of the Tibetans. Why there were even protests against the poor Olympic Torch because it is friendly to China.
So, how do the Prime Ministers and Presidents react now when the Dali Lama comes to town? They are busy or oops I had to go out of town. Would you like to meet with the assistant minister in charge of bus transportation? Seems China has spoken and the message is ... choose Dali Lama or cheap goods made from China and don't forget we have your money in our banks.
Yes, it seems that China is using its enormous business clout to fight the Dali Lama.
So what can you do? Do you support the Dali Lama and the poor oppressed people from Tibet? Don't know how to make a difference? Your just one person or one family, so how can you have an impact?
It is simple. Stop shopping Wal-Mart. Yes, my friends ... Wal-Mart is the enemy. Wal-Mart makes its billions by forcing its suppliers to provide cheaper and cheaper goods and the only source for goods that low down is China. So, more of our money goes to China.
Want another option? Vote your Congressman or Senator out of office. Yes, the entire Congress should be replaced with individuals who understand that you can't spend more than you have even if you control the printing press. See, we have an annual cash deficit of around $500 billion a year and we borrow from China to pay for all those goodies that we can not afford or choose not to pay for. So again, China controls our lives.
So, to recap ... stop shopping Wal-Mart, vote Congress out and sell your SUV and buy a car that makes sense with gas at $4.00 a gallon on its way to $5.00. Grow up and look beyond your own short-term make me feel better now, I am bored and need to be entertained, I don't want to think bring on reality TV ... needs.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
No Respect
Rodney Dangerfield said it clearly and often and repeatedly and yet nothing seems to change. It is hard to get respect.
People do many things to get respect because it is a highly desired thing to have. To be respected by your peers or those referred to as "they". You know the "they" we all speak about when we say "they don't understand".
There was Prince who felt that his career was going no where, so he became "X formerly known as Prince" and then when that failed he became Prince formerly known as X.
We had Britney "The Mouseketeer" Spears who changed her name to Britney "The Sleezy Dancer" Spears. When that wasn't enough notoriety she changed it again to Britney "The Slut" Spears which has done wonders for her career.
Of course who could forget Lindsey "The Alcoholic / Drug Addict" Lohan who changed her persona to Lindsey "The Drug Addict / Alcoholic" Lohan and we were so excited for her.
But countries have their issues also, even on the world scale respect is desired but hard to get or maintain.
When you are a third world country with little going for it, in the shadow of truly major powers like China and India, its hard. Its harder still when your not even worthy of a War to call your own like Vietnam and Korea. Its even harder still when your not even worthy of getting the illegal overflow from one of those wars like Laos or Cambodia and harder even more still when you can't get a cute nickname like the Cambodia Killing Fields. What's a country to do?
So what can you do? Well your Burma, and how can you impress the girls with a name like Burma. I mean besides The Burma Road (look it up) what have you got going for yourself. Respect ... none.
So you change your name to something you think might be sexy and appealing ... like to Myanmar. Now its hard to pronounce, sounds kinda exotic ... it might work. And to make yourself more appealing, you put a Military Junta style government in charge to bring out your highlights and make you a hit with the kids.
And then comes the big test. You get hit by a Cyclone. Now what is a Cyclone? There are tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, mudslides, earthquakes and of course the worst ... to be hit by a "Bush/Cheney administration". So, what is a Cyclone? Well, who cares, its not good. So you are Myanmar and you get hit by one and now you're the top news story.
Well, you would think if your a "news" reporter you could at least get the country's name right or refer to it as 'formerly know as" but no poor Myanmar is referred to as Burma by reporters and government officials alike. We will not add more humiliation to this sad story by listing the long number who do not know it is Myanmar ... Wall Street Journal, New York Times, U.S. State Department among those we will not name, Where are the geography and map majors to publicly call then out for the fools they are? There is no Burma on the map . It is Myanmar.
I guess it is hard to get respect even if your a Military Junta stealing the rescue food and supplies for yourself. And then to show that you get no respect China wanting to put you in your place goes and has an earthquake to end your 15 minutes of fame. It is not easy being the country formerly known as Burma.
People do many things to get respect because it is a highly desired thing to have. To be respected by your peers or those referred to as "they". You know the "they" we all speak about when we say "they don't understand".
There was Prince who felt that his career was going no where, so he became "X formerly known as Prince" and then when that failed he became Prince formerly known as X.
We had Britney "The Mouseketeer" Spears who changed her name to Britney "The Sleezy Dancer" Spears. When that wasn't enough notoriety she changed it again to Britney "The Slut" Spears which has done wonders for her career.
Of course who could forget Lindsey "The Alcoholic / Drug Addict" Lohan who changed her persona to Lindsey "The Drug Addict / Alcoholic" Lohan and we were so excited for her.
But countries have their issues also, even on the world scale respect is desired but hard to get or maintain.
When you are a third world country with little going for it, in the shadow of truly major powers like China and India, its hard. Its harder still when your not even worthy of a War to call your own like Vietnam and Korea. Its even harder still when your not even worthy of getting the illegal overflow from one of those wars like Laos or Cambodia and harder even more still when you can't get a cute nickname like the Cambodia Killing Fields. What's a country to do?
So what can you do? Well your Burma, and how can you impress the girls with a name like Burma. I mean besides The Burma Road (look it up) what have you got going for yourself. Respect ... none.
So you change your name to something you think might be sexy and appealing ... like to Myanmar. Now its hard to pronounce, sounds kinda exotic ... it might work. And to make yourself more appealing, you put a Military Junta style government in charge to bring out your highlights and make you a hit with the kids.
And then comes the big test. You get hit by a Cyclone. Now what is a Cyclone? There are tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, mudslides, earthquakes and of course the worst ... to be hit by a "Bush/Cheney administration". So, what is a Cyclone? Well, who cares, its not good. So you are Myanmar and you get hit by one and now you're the top news story.
Well, you would think if your a "news" reporter you could at least get the country's name right or refer to it as 'formerly know as" but no poor Myanmar is referred to as Burma by reporters and government officials alike. We will not add more humiliation to this sad story by listing the long number who do not know it is Myanmar ... Wall Street Journal, New York Times, U.S. State Department among those we will not name, Where are the geography and map majors to publicly call then out for the fools they are? There is no Burma on the map . It is Myanmar.
I guess it is hard to get respect even if your a Military Junta stealing the rescue food and supplies for yourself. And then to show that you get no respect China wanting to put you in your place goes and has an earthquake to end your 15 minutes of fame. It is not easy being the country formerly known as Burma.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
McCain Are You Trying To Break My Heart?
Senator McCain, I had such great hopes for you.
You have been labeled a "maverick", an independent thinker. A man who can work with Democrats because you see "eye to eye" with them on important issues. You are strong on defense, but you understand that military action when taken should be planned out and properly staffed. For us sometimes single issue voters of the Jewish persuasion we know without a doubt that you understand that Israel must be supported and that their enemies are your enemy and not the Liberal view that we have to be nice to our enemies because they had a bad upbringing and were denied Playstations.
Your may not understand economics but you are clear that wasteful earmarks are just that wasteful.Your sorta for keeping undue excess private money out of politics as long as your opponent agrees. You seemed to recognize that pandering to people that their self created financial crisis should be bailed out by the Federal government.
Now, I understand where you did come from. I know that way back when you were an extremely right minded politician. In fact, I was surprised by your previous run for the presidency when you let W get to your right side. I didn't think there was any room there.
We were reassured that the "real Republican conservatives" didn't believe you were conservative enough and the press agreed with them. Your ancient history voting record had been long forgotten. You could really be a man of the center. The kind of man who could become a great President.
Now, your making sounds to pander to that conservative base. Your recent statements that your judicial nominations would not be "Activist judges".Meaning you will not appoint a liberal. You have gone so far so say that a judge that does not believe in Roe v Wade is ok with you. Maybe you are going to try a nomination like Eisenhower who nominated Earl Warren who despite his Republican background brought us Brown v Board of Education of Topeka and Miranda v. State of Arizona. So maybe your just trying to trick them. Maybe?
Now, we know that you have one of, if not the strongest, voting records against any form of abortion, that is a woman's right to choose but couldn't you remember the middle America or rather the 75% that believe a woman has the right to choose?
Do you really think those "conservatives will stay home on election day when faced with a possible Obama / Clinton ticket or something similar that would be so far to the left on every issue? Do you realize that the center would be left open to you?
Please Senator we are counting on you to be a bigger man. The man we have been hoping you could be as you near the possibility of being the President. Forget the W Bush conservatives. All they brought us was an unnecessary war costing $2 Billion per week, tax cuts and policies that resulted in $6.5 Trillion of national debt since being in office. A view of the world that has made us hated by the rest of the world. Eight year of non-caring and insensitive to any number of issues.
Please Senator be the man we know you could be.
You have been labeled a "maverick", an independent thinker. A man who can work with Democrats because you see "eye to eye" with them on important issues. You are strong on defense, but you understand that military action when taken should be planned out and properly staffed. For us sometimes single issue voters of the Jewish persuasion we know without a doubt that you understand that Israel must be supported and that their enemies are your enemy and not the Liberal view that we have to be nice to our enemies because they had a bad upbringing and were denied Playstations.
Your may not understand economics but you are clear that wasteful earmarks are just that wasteful.Your sorta for keeping undue excess private money out of politics as long as your opponent agrees. You seemed to recognize that pandering to people that their self created financial crisis should be bailed out by the Federal government.
Now, I understand where you did come from. I know that way back when you were an extremely right minded politician. In fact, I was surprised by your previous run for the presidency when you let W get to your right side. I didn't think there was any room there.
We were reassured that the "real Republican conservatives" didn't believe you were conservative enough and the press agreed with them. Your ancient history voting record had been long forgotten. You could really be a man of the center. The kind of man who could become a great President.
Now, your making sounds to pander to that conservative base. Your recent statements that your judicial nominations would not be "Activist judges".Meaning you will not appoint a liberal. You have gone so far so say that a judge that does not believe in Roe v Wade is ok with you. Maybe you are going to try a nomination like Eisenhower who nominated Earl Warren who despite his Republican background brought us Brown v Board of Education of Topeka and Miranda v. State of Arizona. So maybe your just trying to trick them. Maybe?
Now, we know that you have one of, if not the strongest, voting records against any form of abortion, that is a woman's right to choose but couldn't you remember the middle America or rather the 75% that believe a woman has the right to choose?
Do you really think those "conservatives will stay home on election day when faced with a possible Obama / Clinton ticket or something similar that would be so far to the left on every issue? Do you realize that the center would be left open to you?
Please Senator we are counting on you to be a bigger man. The man we have been hoping you could be as you near the possibility of being the President. Forget the W Bush conservatives. All they brought us was an unnecessary war costing $2 Billion per week, tax cuts and policies that resulted in $6.5 Trillion of national debt since being in office. A view of the world that has made us hated by the rest of the world. Eight year of non-caring and insensitive to any number of issues.
Please Senator be the man we know you could be.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Simple Question
I recently ... and by I mean this morning ... and by this morning I mean a half hour ago, I had the need to stop a a gasoline station. One of those places that you have to either stop at the bank prior to attempt to utilize or you have to go online to check available funds / credit with your bank or credit card company. Well, I did, fortunately since I was on the yellow warning light stage of fuel availability, have enough funds to fill up my car with deluxe gasoline. The gasoline was flown in on a private jet or at least that was the price value of the purchase.
But, that almost has nothing to do with my question.
I also was in need of utilizing the rest room facilities at this particular establishment. In the rest room facilities was a familiar sign. No, you pervert it was not the one stating that for the small amount of $1.00 you could purchase a nicely lubricated item to help insure that you would not either transmit or be infected by a sexual disease and in addition provide extra special pleasure to your partner while experiencing an additional wonderful sensation.
No, the sign said "employees must wash their hands after making use of the rest room facilities. Why only employees? Are they in some way special? Is there cleanliness more important than mine? Or, why must they wash but I can opt out of this task? Why couldn't the sign say something like "it is important for each individual to wash after touching themselves and for employees it would be also nice particularly if you want to receive your next paycheck".
And one other thought on this important issue, who checks that they, the employees did in fact wash? Is there a "wash monitor"? Is there a camera recording the actions in the rest room? There did not seem to be anyone attempting to shake my hand when I came out to see if it was still damp. Does someone run over to check for damp hands when an employee uses the room?
Is big brother / sister watching? That is my question.
But, that almost has nothing to do with my question.
I also was in need of utilizing the rest room facilities at this particular establishment. In the rest room facilities was a familiar sign. No, you pervert it was not the one stating that for the small amount of $1.00 you could purchase a nicely lubricated item to help insure that you would not either transmit or be infected by a sexual disease and in addition provide extra special pleasure to your partner while experiencing an additional wonderful sensation.
No, the sign said "employees must wash their hands after making use of the rest room facilities. Why only employees? Are they in some way special? Is there cleanliness more important than mine? Or, why must they wash but I can opt out of this task? Why couldn't the sign say something like "it is important for each individual to wash after touching themselves and for employees it would be also nice particularly if you want to receive your next paycheck".
And one other thought on this important issue, who checks that they, the employees did in fact wash? Is there a "wash monitor"? Is there a camera recording the actions in the rest room? There did not seem to be anyone attempting to shake my hand when I came out to see if it was still damp. Does someone run over to check for damp hands when an employee uses the room?
Is big brother / sister watching? That is my question.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Annoyed
I am extremely annoyed and it is really getting my goat, if I had a goat.
Now I am only moderately annoyed at the three cars that get on the highway each day and deliberately slow down causing traffic to back up for new good reason. I am put off by the by the older woman who parks her grocery cart blocking the aisle while she hobbles down the row to look for just the right bargain on canned fruit.
As annoying as it may seem, it is not the issue ... yes, walking into the post office and seeing that people pulling off the backing on stamps purchased from the machine can not find a garbage container but fall to the floor like peanut shells in a low class bar.
Oh my it can be annoying ... having the garbage men show up early and by early I mean while I am still catching those last five minutes and by five minutes I mean fifteen minutes of shut-eye ... so I am forced to run out in my pajamas. But again, this is not the king annoyance.
It is not even that annoying person who asks you how things are with you and just as your about to respond ... tells you ... it is okay with you but his/her life is in shambles and goes on for twenty minutes about some such boring nonsense and then when finished ... so have a nice day and walks away. But my problem ... well good luck with that.
No it is not as annoying as always getting in the wrong line. How come the line you get turns out to be the one with the trainee cashier combined with the "how am I going to pay for this ... and why isn't this coupon valid" customer.
You might think it was the repair shop that can not seem to get your car repair within the time they said or for the quote they gave you ... because there were unforeseen complications ... so the price will be $1,500 and we need your car for an extra day because we had to order the parts ... and that is not king.
Boy, there are a lot of annoying things ... I will have to let you know later what is king.
Now I am only moderately annoyed at the three cars that get on the highway each day and deliberately slow down causing traffic to back up for new good reason. I am put off by the by the older woman who parks her grocery cart blocking the aisle while she hobbles down the row to look for just the right bargain on canned fruit.
As annoying as it may seem, it is not the issue ... yes, walking into the post office and seeing that people pulling off the backing on stamps purchased from the machine can not find a garbage container but fall to the floor like peanut shells in a low class bar.
Oh my it can be annoying ... having the garbage men show up early and by early I mean while I am still catching those last five minutes and by five minutes I mean fifteen minutes of shut-eye ... so I am forced to run out in my pajamas. But again, this is not the king annoyance.
It is not even that annoying person who asks you how things are with you and just as your about to respond ... tells you ... it is okay with you but his/her life is in shambles and goes on for twenty minutes about some such boring nonsense and then when finished ... so have a nice day and walks away. But my problem ... well good luck with that.
No it is not as annoying as always getting in the wrong line. How come the line you get turns out to be the one with the trainee cashier combined with the "how am I going to pay for this ... and why isn't this coupon valid" customer.
You might think it was the repair shop that can not seem to get your car repair within the time they said or for the quote they gave you ... because there were unforeseen complications ... so the price will be $1,500 and we need your car for an extra day because we had to order the parts ... and that is not king.
Boy, there are a lot of annoying things ... I will have to let you know later what is king.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Statistics - Part II
On Thursday as some of you may know ... well at least three of my four readers because that is often when I attempt to call you on my forty five minute drive home ... I get to listen to an extended section of talk / news radio.
Now why talk / news radio and not music which would certainly be more relaxing ... I guess I like to either (a) laugh at the callers, (b) be mystified by the idiocy of the people allowed to spill forth their conspiracy theories both right and left and how either the right or the left is so wrong, and finally (c) to learn some useless facts to impress my dinner table companions. At least I have a reason, why do you listen to than nonsense music by people you would not share a beer with in the real world not your fantasy imagination.
Well, tonight I listened to two more wonderful statistics.
First up, how much did the economy grow or shrink last quarter? For those of you not so knowledgeable ... that would be the months January to March 2008. Well, the announcer was sorry to say that it grew at an anemic .6% ... that is six tenths of one percent. Now, since you might not be so all knowing of what context that is in, the U.S. economy grows, in good times, at between 2.5 - 3.5%. China is currently growing at 12 - 15%. Now, here is where the statistics are so much fun. Which number is better and which is worse?
Of course, .6% is bad and 12% is good ... right? Sorry only if that is what you want the answer to be. See if you say that the U.S. is in a recession or almost in a recession or teetering on a recession then the growth rate would be a negative number. So for the non recession boosters, a positive number no matter how small is a good thing. And the other number? Well, China is trying to slow its growth because 12 - 15% is dangerously too fast. So, its a number and its what you what it to be. But alas, the reporter only gave us "anemic" and "robust".
Gas prices are souring ... by summer time the average price should be over $4.00 per gallon. Republicans and Democrats alike are clamoring for political points advocating a tax holiday from the onerous Federal and state taxes on gasoline. At the same time a major oil company reported a 17% increase in profits over last year. These two numbers were not something the reporter tried to bring together and ask the big question. Oil is a cost of goods sold for the Oil Companies, that is purchasing oil is what it costs the Oil Companies to sell to the thirsty public. Well, last year oil cost around $80 per barrel and now a year later its $115 per barrel. So, the cost to sell went up $35 dollars. Now normally when a companies cost of goods sold go up almost 50% you would think that logically a company's profit would go down but no that is not what happened. Profit went up 17%. Anyone curious how that works and no one asks why?
Numbers, so many numbers and no real questions.
Now why talk / news radio and not music which would certainly be more relaxing ... I guess I like to either (a) laugh at the callers, (b) be mystified by the idiocy of the people allowed to spill forth their conspiracy theories both right and left and how either the right or the left is so wrong, and finally (c) to learn some useless facts to impress my dinner table companions. At least I have a reason, why do you listen to than nonsense music by people you would not share a beer with in the real world not your fantasy imagination.
Well, tonight I listened to two more wonderful statistics.
First up, how much did the economy grow or shrink last quarter? For those of you not so knowledgeable ... that would be the months January to March 2008. Well, the announcer was sorry to say that it grew at an anemic .6% ... that is six tenths of one percent. Now, since you might not be so all knowing of what context that is in, the U.S. economy grows, in good times, at between 2.5 - 3.5%. China is currently growing at 12 - 15%. Now, here is where the statistics are so much fun. Which number is better and which is worse?
Of course, .6% is bad and 12% is good ... right? Sorry only if that is what you want the answer to be. See if you say that the U.S. is in a recession or almost in a recession or teetering on a recession then the growth rate would be a negative number. So for the non recession boosters, a positive number no matter how small is a good thing. And the other number? Well, China is trying to slow its growth because 12 - 15% is dangerously too fast. So, its a number and its what you what it to be. But alas, the reporter only gave us "anemic" and "robust".
Gas prices are souring ... by summer time the average price should be over $4.00 per gallon. Republicans and Democrats alike are clamoring for political points advocating a tax holiday from the onerous Federal and state taxes on gasoline. At the same time a major oil company reported a 17% increase in profits over last year. These two numbers were not something the reporter tried to bring together and ask the big question. Oil is a cost of goods sold for the Oil Companies, that is purchasing oil is what it costs the Oil Companies to sell to the thirsty public. Well, last year oil cost around $80 per barrel and now a year later its $115 per barrel. So, the cost to sell went up $35 dollars. Now normally when a companies cost of goods sold go up almost 50% you would think that logically a company's profit would go down but no that is not what happened. Profit went up 17%. Anyone curious how that works and no one asks why?
Numbers, so many numbers and no real questions.
Statistics
Happy Happy May Day!
Well that is enough for positive attitude ... now on to normal negativity ... it is so much easier ... not maybe so happy ... but then it does put you in line with the majority of people.
Well it seems that as one listens to the commentators of all stripes, they seem to have some commonality. Everyone talks in percentages. 52% prefer X over Y. The DOW was up .2% today. Office Depot quarterly earnings were down 55% beating analysts predictions sending it stock up 3.8%. Joe Quarterback completed 65% of his passes on the left side of the field and only 50% to the right side.
What do we know? Do we know how many people were asked? Do we understand that if you ask 600 people from around a state and we asked them a tainted question that we will get a predetermined answer?
If the DOW thirty stocks were up .2% what does that mean for the Russell 1000 which is a broader measure of how the market did yesterday? Should we care what a manufactured number, the DOW is a manufactured number to only go up over the long haul. When a company is not growing they throw it out and find a new growth stock so the average will only go up over the long term. But, come on its 30 stocks and you probably don't own them.
The bottom line, the critical point is that you did not pay attention in your statistics class if you took one. Four died in Ohio when I took my course and it was basically a canceled class because we had great sympathy in Illinois for students being shot by 19 year old National Guardsmen in Ohio. So, statistics is something that 98% of all people do not understand. Statistical sampling used by pollsters is something they do not understand and rarely tell you that their number is plus or minus 4-6 ... so a 52 - 48 difference is really 50-50 and no significant difference but CNN and Fox will tell you how one candidate is leading the other.
Stop with the made up numbers until you educate the uneducated. Stop trying to sound smart ... we know you are only reading a tell-a-prompter ... we know you could not explain anything you are saying ... why does anyone list to you spouting those stupid numbers? Please make the numbers go away!
Well that is enough for positive attitude ... now on to normal negativity ... it is so much easier ... not maybe so happy ... but then it does put you in line with the majority of people.
Well it seems that as one listens to the commentators of all stripes, they seem to have some commonality. Everyone talks in percentages. 52% prefer X over Y. The DOW was up .2% today. Office Depot quarterly earnings were down 55% beating analysts predictions sending it stock up 3.8%. Joe Quarterback completed 65% of his passes on the left side of the field and only 50% to the right side.
What do we know? Do we know how many people were asked? Do we understand that if you ask 600 people from around a state and we asked them a tainted question that we will get a predetermined answer?
If the DOW thirty stocks were up .2% what does that mean for the Russell 1000 which is a broader measure of how the market did yesterday? Should we care what a manufactured number, the DOW is a manufactured number to only go up over the long haul. When a company is not growing they throw it out and find a new growth stock so the average will only go up over the long term. But, come on its 30 stocks and you probably don't own them.
The bottom line, the critical point is that you did not pay attention in your statistics class if you took one. Four died in Ohio when I took my course and it was basically a canceled class because we had great sympathy in Illinois for students being shot by 19 year old National Guardsmen in Ohio. So, statistics is something that 98% of all people do not understand. Statistical sampling used by pollsters is something they do not understand and rarely tell you that their number is plus or minus 4-6 ... so a 52 - 48 difference is really 50-50 and no significant difference but CNN and Fox will tell you how one candidate is leading the other.
Stop with the made up numbers until you educate the uneducated. Stop trying to sound smart ... we know you are only reading a tell-a-prompter ... we know you could not explain anything you are saying ... why does anyone list to you spouting those stupid numbers? Please make the numbers go away!
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