Now, it has been a few years since my favorite holy day surpassed Easter as the second largest holiday based on consumer spending, but here at The Otherfish Wrap it has been noted that major media outlets have no qualms about reporting twenty or even thirty year old information as "news". At first it seemed unsavory to rehash old information and present it as news, but the more we thought about it, the more we realized that people rarely pay attention to information that makes a difference in our lives, or forget it once it is heard, so we forgive the major media players for their untimely coverage. Now we must humbly ask that you do the same for us. Fact is, several years ago, The Otherfish Wrap was still a dormant fanzine. So, please allow us to turn the wheel of time back to a time when some of the best news we have heard in a while came to light.
In our consumer culture, people often judge things by how much money they generate. Halloween, on one level, is just one more thing that has commodities associated with it. When it surpassed Easter as the number two holiday, pagans were elated. Because the Christians co-opted so many of our holy days, the thought of Hallows Eve making such a strong showing was both comforting and exhilerating. Now don't read too much into this, because the gaudy and skull infested celebration that passes for Halloween has about as much to do with the pagan calendar & pagan values as Christmas has to do with the rebirth of the Sun. In our day, we have lost sight of many of our traditions because it is economically expedient to have us just buy things without asking why. The fact that the veil between our world and the other is thinnest at this time makes no difference to the majority here in the U.S. but to ancient people it was a time of ancestor appreciation and recapitulation. Celebrations included the give away, revelry and the release of self in honor of greater forces that we wished to invite back into our lives and psyches.
We all know the power of costuming in creating characters. Who wouldn't want to be a superhero, princess, witch, or zombie? Heck, it seems that any and all manner of beings come to life on this night, many of which we fantasize about all year long. When I was a child, I was Captain Hook to my sister's Tinker Bell, The Tin Man to my sister's Dorothy. The heartless, or villainous characters are, for some, the most fun to try on because they are the most different from our normal selves. For many years now I have transformed myself into Jacob Marley's Ghost for Halloween. You may know him as the famous character from A Christmas Carol who says the immortal line, "I wear the chain I forged in life." For him, each link was a chance that he had to help someone else, that he passed up in his diligent quest for wealth. Each of us bears the burden of the opportunities overlooked, friends not made, promises not kept, and ignorance based in pursuit of money, so in this way I remind myself and hopefully others to make the best choices we can in our daily lives, being the best we can be day in and day out, in honor and respect of our fellow humans. Jacob Marley knew that we all deserve it, he just learned a little too late!
The repressed or neglected part of ourselves is free to take center stage on this holy day. Inexplicably, we are drawn to these dark recesses of self, looking for release from our ego-induced captivity. Who hasn't felt the release of putting on a mask, channeling if you will, the disembodied spirit of some one or some thing else? As you may have seen, this is the one night that folks can mix humor with seriousness, desire with abhorrence, and beauty with disgust. For many, this night of the living dead, or fright night is looked forward to much more than Christmas or for that matter, their Birthdays! Pagan rites serve deep human needs. That's why the conquerors used so many of our sacred sites, virtually all of our equipment, so many of our rites, and nearly all of our practices to dominate and subjugate us. Bell, Book and Candle to name just a few. The fact that Halloween may one day surpass Christmas as the biggest holiday makes some quiver with fear, while others quiver with expectation. I for one am of the latter camp.
It is a bit ironic that the number three holiday is Easter. For pagans, Oestara may be the rite most clearly stolen from us by the Christians. It is one of the only Christian holy days that is based on the moon cycle, and it is all about the fecundity of the earth being coaxed out of hibernation by the returning Sun. The fertility symbols associated with it are the egg and the rabbit, one, the essence of reproduction, the other one of the most prolific creatures known to humans. I'm sorry for lecturing, but the time has come for us to reestablish ties with our ancestors, to get in line with earth centered approaches to our lives and to begin again with a new perspective, recreating relationships with people, profits and our planet.
A wise friend told me once that the environmental crisis would be over when folks from Florida eat oranges and drink their juice rather than eating apples and drinking apple juice and folks from around here (the Western Great Lakes Region)enjoy the apple and drink it's juice rather than that of the orange. Appreciating what abounds where we are is the first step in bio-regionalism. Interestingly enough, most of the costumes that you see out on this night will be fashioned from whatever we have on hand. Why else would bobbing for apples, or oranges, be so popular? How else to explain the great traditions of the season? We use what we have in new ways and create something bigger and more profound than we ever though possible in our daily slumber.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Stand Together To Overcome The Divide And Conquer Strategy
We have been through the worst of our latest economic downturn. The numbers have stopped their drastic decline and slight improvements are reported almost daily. Just yesterday the word came out that Real Estate sales figures were up 6% from last year at this time, although it still languishes at 80% less than four years ago. I hope that we have not forgotten how we got to where we are now. I also wish that the majority of people take time to sift through the lies that are told in defense of business as usual for the wealthiest among us. I'm sick and tired of being called names and abused because I want to help others. Our greed inspired, capitalist system is on the ropes as surely as the "communist" system that focused on a strong central government controlling all aspects of daily life. If we do not begin to treat one another better and find ways to help each other, there is little hope of turning the corner on this terrible tragedy that was the logical outcome of Reagan's "Trickle-down Economics".
The big money is still riding on the old way that business has been done in the past. This male dominated, good old boys network survives by beating down others, keeping them at odds with one another and a plethora of lies perpetrated by mass media. One of the biggest lies perpetrated by the rich is that of race. It seems to me that the only reason that racism continues is to facilitate the divide and conquer method of command and control. Calvinism too is a veiled attempt to blame the victims of capitalism. People who love to consider themselves enlightened have no problem blaming those whose blood sweat and tears make their way of life possible, for all manner of ills. This election cycle, the "conservatives" have outspent "liberals" by a factor of five to one. Considering that their cohorts helped bring our economy to it's knees, perhaps it is like a tithe, designed to placate their troubled conscience.
When we look critically at the varied and diverse populations around the world, we find that we are much more similar than different. There are those who I personally see as different, but that is mostly because I don't really know them. No matter who I take the time to get to know, I find their struggles, feelings and ideas are more and more similar to my own. I'm not saying that there are no differences, but that they are far fewer and less important than the ideas, beliefs and understandings that are similar between us. I have lost track of the number of bullies that I have become "friends" with after I fought back. Somehow, my own weakness mirrored their own. It seems that by showing them that I too could be driven to hate made them respect me.
It is high time that we the people stand together with one voice to say that we won't be lied to any longer. It is time that most of the most wealthy among us stop pitting one group against another. It is time for a maximum wage, and the people need to express their desires clearly. Not one of us is "worth" more than 100 times what someone else might be. Say that you could meet your needs with ten dollars per hour, if someone made one thousand dollars for the same hour, that would seem excessive. The most influential people are not the movie stars or sports heroes that command millions per performance, but those who make these excessive sums as corporate executives, eclipsing the rates of pay of even the most enduring stars. Together, the non-financial S&P 500 companies (forgive me this rant once more before the election) hold enough cash on hand and short term debt owed them to create a second stimulus plan, that's right, 764 Billion! (or so) Now why would the wealth builders just hold pat? It isn't hard to see, they have enough capital to create the second dip in our economy, strangling even more folks out of their wealth and leaving themselves sitting pretty to swoop in and absorb even more rices resources for cheaper prices and eventually luring ever more desperate workers for ever lower salaries. Don't be naive, there is good reason that people make a distinction between old and new money. While there has been a recent flush of folks entering the billionaire category, they are still a pitiful minority amongst their peers.
Big money has gotten used to getting everything that they want, Don't give them Congress too! This has been what has fought Obama at every turn, the moneyed interests. We need so many things right now, that to put any of them off will only inspire chaos. Our babies, especially those born in hospital, are not born gracefully into our families any longer.Instead, doctors intervene more often and achieve poorer outcomes than in many other nations. The care that we give at any age is more expensive and of poorer quality here than in most industrialized nations. By the time we send our children to school, in The U.S., many of them have already been diagnosed with environmentally caused illnesses, or in some cases, inability to utilize the resource that is school. Many of our schools are failing our children. The Black Market Economy swallows up many of our young people and we put some of them in prison. Every step of the way, the largest corporations are given welfare, and all the while our infrastructure is looking more and more like a tattered old quilt. With so many crises to attend to is it any wonder that our presidents always go gray?
We all know the same things to be true. The lying bastards who want your vote will stop at nothing to regain control even if the ship is sinking from their weight. The bloated corporations need to live like the rest of us and pay their way entirely. I hate seeing people who live off the sweat of my labors, but have not a care about paying me a living wage with at least a few days off to relish with my loved ones, the security of knowing that if I get sick, I won't lose my house and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that my air and water are clean and that my food won't make me sick or die. You don't have to answer, but I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing. I just had to say it.
The big money is still riding on the old way that business has been done in the past. This male dominated, good old boys network survives by beating down others, keeping them at odds with one another and a plethora of lies perpetrated by mass media. One of the biggest lies perpetrated by the rich is that of race. It seems to me that the only reason that racism continues is to facilitate the divide and conquer method of command and control. Calvinism too is a veiled attempt to blame the victims of capitalism. People who love to consider themselves enlightened have no problem blaming those whose blood sweat and tears make their way of life possible, for all manner of ills. This election cycle, the "conservatives" have outspent "liberals" by a factor of five to one. Considering that their cohorts helped bring our economy to it's knees, perhaps it is like a tithe, designed to placate their troubled conscience.
When we look critically at the varied and diverse populations around the world, we find that we are much more similar than different. There are those who I personally see as different, but that is mostly because I don't really know them. No matter who I take the time to get to know, I find their struggles, feelings and ideas are more and more similar to my own. I'm not saying that there are no differences, but that they are far fewer and less important than the ideas, beliefs and understandings that are similar between us. I have lost track of the number of bullies that I have become "friends" with after I fought back. Somehow, my own weakness mirrored their own. It seems that by showing them that I too could be driven to hate made them respect me.
It is high time that we the people stand together with one voice to say that we won't be lied to any longer. It is time that most of the most wealthy among us stop pitting one group against another. It is time for a maximum wage, and the people need to express their desires clearly. Not one of us is "worth" more than 100 times what someone else might be. Say that you could meet your needs with ten dollars per hour, if someone made one thousand dollars for the same hour, that would seem excessive. The most influential people are not the movie stars or sports heroes that command millions per performance, but those who make these excessive sums as corporate executives, eclipsing the rates of pay of even the most enduring stars. Together, the non-financial S&P 500 companies (forgive me this rant once more before the election) hold enough cash on hand and short term debt owed them to create a second stimulus plan, that's right, 764 Billion! (or so) Now why would the wealth builders just hold pat? It isn't hard to see, they have enough capital to create the second dip in our economy, strangling even more folks out of their wealth and leaving themselves sitting pretty to swoop in and absorb even more rices resources for cheaper prices and eventually luring ever more desperate workers for ever lower salaries. Don't be naive, there is good reason that people make a distinction between old and new money. While there has been a recent flush of folks entering the billionaire category, they are still a pitiful minority amongst their peers.
Big money has gotten used to getting everything that they want, Don't give them Congress too! This has been what has fought Obama at every turn, the moneyed interests. We need so many things right now, that to put any of them off will only inspire chaos. Our babies, especially those born in hospital, are not born gracefully into our families any longer.Instead, doctors intervene more often and achieve poorer outcomes than in many other nations. The care that we give at any age is more expensive and of poorer quality here than in most industrialized nations. By the time we send our children to school, in The U.S., many of them have already been diagnosed with environmentally caused illnesses, or in some cases, inability to utilize the resource that is school. Many of our schools are failing our children. The Black Market Economy swallows up many of our young people and we put some of them in prison. Every step of the way, the largest corporations are given welfare, and all the while our infrastructure is looking more and more like a tattered old quilt. With so many crises to attend to is it any wonder that our presidents always go gray?
We all know the same things to be true. The lying bastards who want your vote will stop at nothing to regain control even if the ship is sinking from their weight. The bloated corporations need to live like the rest of us and pay their way entirely. I hate seeing people who live off the sweat of my labors, but have not a care about paying me a living wage with at least a few days off to relish with my loved ones, the security of knowing that if I get sick, I won't lose my house and the peace of mind that comes from knowing that my air and water are clean and that my food won't make me sick or die. You don't have to answer, but I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing. I just had to say it.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Elections Less Than Two Weeks Away
Being a poll worker for over two decades and paying attention to politics since childhood, I have never seen the money that has been spent on this mid term election. Nation-wide, "conservatives" are outspending "liberals" by five-to-one. No matter what the Supreme Court allows, it is immoral and anti-democratic to let money translate into votes. One accusation that has come up in this election cycle is that the "US Chamber of Commerce", a private corporation, accepts money from overseas to influence elections with so-called "issue ads". If a foreign national is prohibited from helping me in the voting booth, why should they be allowed to produce ads telling me who to vote for?
The public is entitled to have presented to them, the true costs to society of the "business as usual" model. There are too many ways to cloak tax breaks for the biggest businesses in a mantle of economic impact, to list here. But for the name it is always just one thing, corporate welfare. We all pay for it. We have not had free markets since at least 1906. Before that, snake oil salesmen abounded; much like today, we still have our charlatans and carpetbaggers. The most stark difference is that snake oil salesmen would get away with twenty dollars and leave behind bamboozled hang-over sufferers, but today's sharks hawk people's life savings and retirement funds. More, not less government regulation could have prevented market crashes many dozens of times. The most powerful forces in America today want us to vote a certain way. That is obvious from what is on the TV. Most of the biggest money is being spent to ravage the few who had the guts to stand up against politics as usual.
Here in Wisconsin, Russ Feingold, co-author of Mcain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation, took on directly the power of large corporate players to guide policy. His opposition in this election has the audacity to claim the Russ is a yes-man, big spender and Washington insider. What is really needed is some sort of truth commission to guard against outright lies and deception, especially in the ads funded by agents from outside the campaigns. If you went to a doctor, would it be a dirty word to call him a career, doctor? What about your mechanic, a career mechanic. One would expect that experience in the halls of Congress, would enhance aplomb and aid in diplomacy. Are we to stand by as excellent representatives are discarded in favor of unimaginably moneyed interests hijacking our representative democracy?
The non-financial S&P 500 companies have enough cash on hand and short term loans to fund a second stimulus of the American economy, but they are holding those funds out of the economy until workers are even more desperate and prices fall again, allowing them to pick up even better deals. These are the same folks who touted trickle down economics and world trade agreements. Why they should have any say at all in politics is beyond me. Our Constitution talks about people, not corporations. Sadly, in economic ways, lack of food availability, ecological damage, dismal health care and woeful educational institutions, we all pay when the rich are allowed to play, elsewhere. The vast majority of the extremely wealthy are also extremely un-famous. They live in the shadows of anonymity, but let their wishes be known through funding politics as usual. We need to know that they are an incredibly strong force in politics, able to contribute vast sums through "issue ads" that do no more than slander an opponent.
When the American Way becomes justification of lies as striving for truth, ignoring the writing on the wall, forsaking our own history, or lying to ourselves about what constitutes freedom, justice or liberty, it will be a way that I want no part of. I wonder why there has been no class action suit against the banks, their appraisers and Wall street for colluding in the massive housing run up. American homeowners lost 30-50% of their home's value and bear no responsibility for the rapidly falling prices. Being taxed on the former valuation, when the market has suffered this much is like stealing 30-50% more in tax.
A friend said it best, there needs to be a nationwide strike. All workers stand firm and offer terms. We will work the same number of hours, for twice the pay, or we will work half as many hours for the same pay. The benefit for corporate America is that they could choose which it would be. For all those who got cut to half time, it would open up the possibility of getting more education, staying home with the kids, starting a new business or enjoying partial retirement. Those who doubled their pay would win also, because they could afford to spend more, save more and live better, supporting their community, the many new businesses and beyond that, one another.
Another solution that I came up with was to break America down into thirteen climate-based colonies, encompassing several states, or parts of states but with similar ecological concerns. These would function as states do now. In one fell swoop we would cut the number of U.S. Senators to 26, from 100. States would remain for Congressional purposes only and allow that chamber to be cut from 435 to just 100, two from each state. This alone would make it harder for corporations to exert their influence on the representatives because of their relatively small number, they could be held accountable much more easily. In addition, we would save on general operations, offices and aides. The total number of representatives would drop from 535 down to 126. The cost of Congress then might conceivably be 25% of what it is now. Any one who has served on a board knows that when groups become too big, bad things happen or worse yet, nothing happens! We voted for change two years ago and the Democrats who fought tooth and nail against any change should go, in essence they were voted out two years ago. A way forward will never be found until someone sticks their neck out.
The third interesting idea that I have heard talked about has been the theory of a maximum wage. Unions worked to bring us a minimum wage, but the idea of a maximum one seems to have never been considered. No one is capable of being ten times as valuable as I, nor am I ten times more valuable than anyone else. If I'm average, then a total swing of maybe twenty times would be close to adequate. That puts us in the realm of income range being from about 16,500 for a minimum wage earner to twenty times that, 330,000 our hypothetical maximum wage. I'm sure that most folks you meet would be thrilled to have an income even half that. What we must not be afraid to do is to talk about the many ways that we could improve our American Experiment, to meet the needs of the largest number of people for the least damage to the planet, as well as one another. I am not the only one who thinks everything needs to be on the table in our search for solutions to our pressing problems. If there are cheaper and better ways of doing anything, institute it. There is no reason that our health care should be worse that dozens of other countries when we pay the largest amount of our earnings for it, more than any other country!
We need to reaffirm our commitment to create positive change in the face of entrenched corporate interests that pursued greed to it's obvious conclusion threatening our entire economy. We deserve to have clean air, conservatives don't stand for that any more. We should be able to eat the fish out of every lake and stream in the US without consuming toxic compounds. Small government folks most often side with the regulated community to be honest in their reporting. Before you vote, remember that Abe Lincoln, the first American Republican President would roll over in his grave if he heard what Republicans are proposing today. We must not succumb to the angry mob mentality that screams "Throw them all out!" Reformers must stay and become more powerful. Those well-heeled friends of the corporate elite are the ones that must fall away to reclaim our democracy. Vote for public servants, not corporate mouthpieces. In the words of Honest Abe, "Though passion strains, it must not break the bonds of our affection."
The public is entitled to have presented to them, the true costs to society of the "business as usual" model. There are too many ways to cloak tax breaks for the biggest businesses in a mantle of economic impact, to list here. But for the name it is always just one thing, corporate welfare. We all pay for it. We have not had free markets since at least 1906. Before that, snake oil salesmen abounded; much like today, we still have our charlatans and carpetbaggers. The most stark difference is that snake oil salesmen would get away with twenty dollars and leave behind bamboozled hang-over sufferers, but today's sharks hawk people's life savings and retirement funds. More, not less government regulation could have prevented market crashes many dozens of times. The most powerful forces in America today want us to vote a certain way. That is obvious from what is on the TV. Most of the biggest money is being spent to ravage the few who had the guts to stand up against politics as usual.
Here in Wisconsin, Russ Feingold, co-author of Mcain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation, took on directly the power of large corporate players to guide policy. His opposition in this election has the audacity to claim the Russ is a yes-man, big spender and Washington insider. What is really needed is some sort of truth commission to guard against outright lies and deception, especially in the ads funded by agents from outside the campaigns. If you went to a doctor, would it be a dirty word to call him a career, doctor? What about your mechanic, a career mechanic. One would expect that experience in the halls of Congress, would enhance aplomb and aid in diplomacy. Are we to stand by as excellent representatives are discarded in favor of unimaginably moneyed interests hijacking our representative democracy?
The non-financial S&P 500 companies have enough cash on hand and short term loans to fund a second stimulus of the American economy, but they are holding those funds out of the economy until workers are even more desperate and prices fall again, allowing them to pick up even better deals. These are the same folks who touted trickle down economics and world trade agreements. Why they should have any say at all in politics is beyond me. Our Constitution talks about people, not corporations. Sadly, in economic ways, lack of food availability, ecological damage, dismal health care and woeful educational institutions, we all pay when the rich are allowed to play, elsewhere. The vast majority of the extremely wealthy are also extremely un-famous. They live in the shadows of anonymity, but let their wishes be known through funding politics as usual. We need to know that they are an incredibly strong force in politics, able to contribute vast sums through "issue ads" that do no more than slander an opponent.
When the American Way becomes justification of lies as striving for truth, ignoring the writing on the wall, forsaking our own history, or lying to ourselves about what constitutes freedom, justice or liberty, it will be a way that I want no part of. I wonder why there has been no class action suit against the banks, their appraisers and Wall street for colluding in the massive housing run up. American homeowners lost 30-50% of their home's value and bear no responsibility for the rapidly falling prices. Being taxed on the former valuation, when the market has suffered this much is like stealing 30-50% more in tax.
A friend said it best, there needs to be a nationwide strike. All workers stand firm and offer terms. We will work the same number of hours, for twice the pay, or we will work half as many hours for the same pay. The benefit for corporate America is that they could choose which it would be. For all those who got cut to half time, it would open up the possibility of getting more education, staying home with the kids, starting a new business or enjoying partial retirement. Those who doubled their pay would win also, because they could afford to spend more, save more and live better, supporting their community, the many new businesses and beyond that, one another.
Another solution that I came up with was to break America down into thirteen climate-based colonies, encompassing several states, or parts of states but with similar ecological concerns. These would function as states do now. In one fell swoop we would cut the number of U.S. Senators to 26, from 100. States would remain for Congressional purposes only and allow that chamber to be cut from 435 to just 100, two from each state. This alone would make it harder for corporations to exert their influence on the representatives because of their relatively small number, they could be held accountable much more easily. In addition, we would save on general operations, offices and aides. The total number of representatives would drop from 535 down to 126. The cost of Congress then might conceivably be 25% of what it is now. Any one who has served on a board knows that when groups become too big, bad things happen or worse yet, nothing happens! We voted for change two years ago and the Democrats who fought tooth and nail against any change should go, in essence they were voted out two years ago. A way forward will never be found until someone sticks their neck out.
The third interesting idea that I have heard talked about has been the theory of a maximum wage. Unions worked to bring us a minimum wage, but the idea of a maximum one seems to have never been considered. No one is capable of being ten times as valuable as I, nor am I ten times more valuable than anyone else. If I'm average, then a total swing of maybe twenty times would be close to adequate. That puts us in the realm of income range being from about 16,500 for a minimum wage earner to twenty times that, 330,000 our hypothetical maximum wage. I'm sure that most folks you meet would be thrilled to have an income even half that. What we must not be afraid to do is to talk about the many ways that we could improve our American Experiment, to meet the needs of the largest number of people for the least damage to the planet, as well as one another. I am not the only one who thinks everything needs to be on the table in our search for solutions to our pressing problems. If there are cheaper and better ways of doing anything, institute it. There is no reason that our health care should be worse that dozens of other countries when we pay the largest amount of our earnings for it, more than any other country!
We need to reaffirm our commitment to create positive change in the face of entrenched corporate interests that pursued greed to it's obvious conclusion threatening our entire economy. We deserve to have clean air, conservatives don't stand for that any more. We should be able to eat the fish out of every lake and stream in the US without consuming toxic compounds. Small government folks most often side with the regulated community to be honest in their reporting. Before you vote, remember that Abe Lincoln, the first American Republican President would roll over in his grave if he heard what Republicans are proposing today. We must not succumb to the angry mob mentality that screams "Throw them all out!" Reformers must stay and become more powerful. Those well-heeled friends of the corporate elite are the ones that must fall away to reclaim our democracy. Vote for public servants, not corporate mouthpieces. In the words of Honest Abe, "Though passion strains, it must not break the bonds of our affection."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
* * * * WARNING * * * * *
WORKING LOADS ARE FOR STAGEHAND IN GOOD CONDITION WITH APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION, IN NON-CRITICAL APPLICATIONS AND UNDER NORMAL SERVICE CONDITIONS. WORKING LOADS ARE NOT APPLICABLE WHEN STAGEHAND IS SUBJECT TO SHOCK OR DYNAMIC LOADING. THESE CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF A STAGEHAND THAT IS NORMALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE JOB. DO NOT STAND IN POSSIBLE RECOIL PATH IN CASE FAILURE OCCURS. DO NOT USE THIS STAGEHAND WHERE LIFE, LIMB OR PERSONAL SAFETY ARE INVOLVED UNLESS PROPER TRAINING HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND PROPER EVALUATION OF ALL RISKS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT OF PROPER STAGEHAND USE, CONSULT THE JOB STEWARD OR BUSINESS AGENT.
Several years ago, a spool of rope came through Green Bay with one road show or another. This warning appeared on the spool, however everywhere that it said rope, I changed to stagehand oddly enough I think it is an even more crucial warning for stagehands, but that is another story. When I first read the warning, I though that it was a sad testament to the state of our litigious society. I'm sure the lawyers had a lot of valuable fun at the manufacturers expense, however as I read it I began to feel a subtle hope welling up inside me that somewhere, someone might begin to understand that using ropes, or stagehands for that matter, is not to be taken lightly. I have seen both rope and stagehands pushed beyond their limits and in neither case is it pretty.
Several years ago, a spool of rope came through Green Bay with one road show or another. This warning appeared on the spool, however everywhere that it said rope, I changed to stagehand oddly enough I think it is an even more crucial warning for stagehands, but that is another story. When I first read the warning, I though that it was a sad testament to the state of our litigious society. I'm sure the lawyers had a lot of valuable fun at the manufacturers expense, however as I read it I began to feel a subtle hope welling up inside me that somewhere, someone might begin to understand that using ropes, or stagehands for that matter, is not to be taken lightly. I have seen both rope and stagehands pushed beyond their limits and in neither case is it pretty.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Green Bay, A Drinking Town with a Packer Problem
When the Super Bowl buzz starts before the regular season begins, it's a good bet you are living in Green Bay. Once we pass mid season, adults and many school children know the arcane mathematics of which teams have to lose to which other teams to assure that we make the playoffs. Many are the homes with at least a "Packer" Room, if not a bit o' the old Green and Gold spread through each and every corner of the house. This is a town where mailboxes are mounted on miniature goal posts and shutters and awnings can be found that are team colors or emblazoned with the trademarked "G". Even my own history includes brushes with greatness in the form of Packer players and team legends. Like the movie "Idiocracy", folks from around here are often suspicious of intellectual pursuits, especially when they interfere with game day activities.
We also have the distinction of being one of the cheapest places in the entire country to go out for drinks. When they came up with the idea of the mini-extension for big pick ups, the kind that fit in the sleeve for your towing ball, people around here immediately discovered that they were the perfect size to hold two more coolers for extra beer. Now, folks with this arrangement don't have to lower the tailgate to get to their beverages. Wandering through the sea of "tail-gaters" before a home game, drinking and the Packers seem to unite into a single two-headed force to be reckoned with. All manner of creativity and human endeavor can be seen on display. The improvised canopies, the hopped up electrical systems for watching the pre-game show on big screen TVs, and the many meat charring devices are all enlisted to create a party of epic proportions.
One of my favorite contraptions was made from a weed whacker. The tiny gasoline powered motor was enlisted to run a blender so that margaritas could be made on-site. I must admit that some of the awe was inspired by the fact that the traditional old fashioned, a drink that I knew more about as a child than any child has a need to know, was giving way to a nationally popular drink like that. I'm not saying that our drinking ways are all bad, but sometimes I wonder what life here would be like if folks developed other skills. We live in a state that allowed pharmacies to sell bitters for medicinal purposes during prohibition, so drinking is part of the culture. Some things cannot be changed. They say that knowing when you are beaten in your efforts to change the world is a valuable attribute. People here don't even like the suggestion that someone would mess with their access to or enjoyment of fermented fluids or distilled spirits. I had a friend here, who lost his job as a bartender for refusing to serve liquor to an obviously pregnant woman.
There are stories, still hanging in the air around here about the great plays, the goal line stands and the amazing victories that paved the way to legendary status as a football city, but for each of those stories there are hundreds if not thousands of them that honor the drinks that were had to accompany them. I have my own, so as not to feel left out. The playoff game late in the season where we trounced the Carolina's Panthers comes to mind. Having no ticket, I rode bicycle up to Lambeau, just to participate in the tailgate party. I took one of my favorite foods, a fermented, cheese-like spread made out of cashews to share with anyone brave enough to try it. I'm not a big drinker, so I just brought food. About ten minutes before game time, I was leaving, to rush home and watch the game on TV. some folks saw me and invited me to use an extra ticket that they had. It seems that the one fellow's girl-friend had stood him up and they were willing to let me have her seat. During the game, they purchased beer after beer, for all of us. I lost count, but it was enough that late in the third quarter, the fellow I was sitting next to leaned over and said, "With all the beers I have bought you, you're going to have to put out." History tells us that we won that game, but I was out of there! I spent the final quarter trying to not get thrown out by security because I was watching from anywhere but near that guy. I think that I spent the last quarter ducking in and out of vomitoria, catching a few plays at each before moving on to the next. I was drunk enough that I shouldn't have got back on my bike, but we were far enough ahead that I still left a little early to beat traffic.
This season has been especially hard on Packer Country. Most notable was the loss to the Bears, old rivalries die hard. Then, there is the double whammy of winning the games that we did win by such a slender and ugly margin! The dozen or so decent plays we make each week have been easily overshadowed by record numbers of penalties, giving the other team a half dozen chances to beat us, and an injury roster nearly as large as the units we send on to the field! Of course, the Super Bowl buzz is still around, but it has been a bit muted as of late.
Now, the Packers Organization (and it is always referred to as such, so as not to get it confused with the Packers that you can cheer for.) says that they are planning to expand seating in the stadium around the South End Zone. This would ruin the games, especially the late season ones, by blocking out the sun that gloriously fills the stadium during the day. Even when there is thick overcast, the bowl warms up enough to make it tolerable. That playoff game that I spoke of before was on one of those days when the high temperature only rose to about 10 degrees. The difference between being in sun and being in shadow makes a world of difference if you have to sit there for three hours. "Real fans" should not bear the burden of supporting fat cats in this way, losing their only luxury when the mercury drops below freezing. I say, and everyone agrees who has been to a home game in winter, build it up to thirty stories on the north end if you want, but let the sunshine continue to stream into the bowl. That's one of the things that makes Lambeau Field so great!
Sure, we may lose an occasional child or five to senseless drunk driving incidents. We also have our share of other relatives who have passed because of drunken drivers, but we still have The Pack. Even though the certificates that they printed to raise funds for "our team" may not be worth anything, really, we still feel like we own them and that they are worthy of our undying respect and admiration. Go Pack Go! One has to wonder are we the only stadium that is lit and maintained with tax dollars? Where else would they consider closing schools and libraries, but be willing to increase taxes for a game that takes place just eight days per year?
We also have the distinction of being one of the cheapest places in the entire country to go out for drinks. When they came up with the idea of the mini-extension for big pick ups, the kind that fit in the sleeve for your towing ball, people around here immediately discovered that they were the perfect size to hold two more coolers for extra beer. Now, folks with this arrangement don't have to lower the tailgate to get to their beverages. Wandering through the sea of "tail-gaters" before a home game, drinking and the Packers seem to unite into a single two-headed force to be reckoned with. All manner of creativity and human endeavor can be seen on display. The improvised canopies, the hopped up electrical systems for watching the pre-game show on big screen TVs, and the many meat charring devices are all enlisted to create a party of epic proportions.
One of my favorite contraptions was made from a weed whacker. The tiny gasoline powered motor was enlisted to run a blender so that margaritas could be made on-site. I must admit that some of the awe was inspired by the fact that the traditional old fashioned, a drink that I knew more about as a child than any child has a need to know, was giving way to a nationally popular drink like that. I'm not saying that our drinking ways are all bad, but sometimes I wonder what life here would be like if folks developed other skills. We live in a state that allowed pharmacies to sell bitters for medicinal purposes during prohibition, so drinking is part of the culture. Some things cannot be changed. They say that knowing when you are beaten in your efforts to change the world is a valuable attribute. People here don't even like the suggestion that someone would mess with their access to or enjoyment of fermented fluids or distilled spirits. I had a friend here, who lost his job as a bartender for refusing to serve liquor to an obviously pregnant woman.
There are stories, still hanging in the air around here about the great plays, the goal line stands and the amazing victories that paved the way to legendary status as a football city, but for each of those stories there are hundreds if not thousands of them that honor the drinks that were had to accompany them. I have my own, so as not to feel left out. The playoff game late in the season where we trounced the Carolina's Panthers comes to mind. Having no ticket, I rode bicycle up to Lambeau, just to participate in the tailgate party. I took one of my favorite foods, a fermented, cheese-like spread made out of cashews to share with anyone brave enough to try it. I'm not a big drinker, so I just brought food. About ten minutes before game time, I was leaving, to rush home and watch the game on TV. some folks saw me and invited me to use an extra ticket that they had. It seems that the one fellow's girl-friend had stood him up and they were willing to let me have her seat. During the game, they purchased beer after beer, for all of us. I lost count, but it was enough that late in the third quarter, the fellow I was sitting next to leaned over and said, "With all the beers I have bought you, you're going to have to put out." History tells us that we won that game, but I was out of there! I spent the final quarter trying to not get thrown out by security because I was watching from anywhere but near that guy. I think that I spent the last quarter ducking in and out of vomitoria, catching a few plays at each before moving on to the next. I was drunk enough that I shouldn't have got back on my bike, but we were far enough ahead that I still left a little early to beat traffic.
This season has been especially hard on Packer Country. Most notable was the loss to the Bears, old rivalries die hard. Then, there is the double whammy of winning the games that we did win by such a slender and ugly margin! The dozen or so decent plays we make each week have been easily overshadowed by record numbers of penalties, giving the other team a half dozen chances to beat us, and an injury roster nearly as large as the units we send on to the field! Of course, the Super Bowl buzz is still around, but it has been a bit muted as of late.
Now, the Packers Organization (and it is always referred to as such, so as not to get it confused with the Packers that you can cheer for.) says that they are planning to expand seating in the stadium around the South End Zone. This would ruin the games, especially the late season ones, by blocking out the sun that gloriously fills the stadium during the day. Even when there is thick overcast, the bowl warms up enough to make it tolerable. That playoff game that I spoke of before was on one of those days when the high temperature only rose to about 10 degrees. The difference between being in sun and being in shadow makes a world of difference if you have to sit there for three hours. "Real fans" should not bear the burden of supporting fat cats in this way, losing their only luxury when the mercury drops below freezing. I say, and everyone agrees who has been to a home game in winter, build it up to thirty stories on the north end if you want, but let the sunshine continue to stream into the bowl. That's one of the things that makes Lambeau Field so great!
Sure, we may lose an occasional child or five to senseless drunk driving incidents. We also have our share of other relatives who have passed because of drunken drivers, but we still have The Pack. Even though the certificates that they printed to raise funds for "our team" may not be worth anything, really, we still feel like we own them and that they are worthy of our undying respect and admiration. Go Pack Go! One has to wonder are we the only stadium that is lit and maintained with tax dollars? Where else would they consider closing schools and libraries, but be willing to increase taxes for a game that takes place just eight days per year?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Why Ignorance is Becoming Popular
For the past several generations there has been a push toward reducing politics, education and public discourse to a common denominator. I'm not trying to bamboozle you with math, but there is a problem with using this approach when dealing with human beings. Imagine for a moment having to teach a group of students. This takes place every day in our great country. I asked my daughter to think about percentages the other day. My question to her was, "When you look at your day objectively, how much is spent on the three main things that you do there? Then to help her to think about it I told her that learning is what she's there for, waiting around to learn, switching classes, getting everyone on the same page and preparing to learn is usually part of the day, and hanging out with friends, talking with other students and thinking about boys sometimes takes up a large part of the day as well. Her analysis was 10% learning, 20% hanging out with friends and talking about boys, and 70% of her day is filled with getting ready to learn!
In our case, this was an excellent jumping off point for a deeper conversation about how the school system meets her needs, leads to her education and what characteristics make for the best teachers. She was able to identify a single teacher who commanded rather than demanded respect and therefore is able to teach much more effectively. Her estimate was that in the well-run science class, that one teacher turned those percentages around. Out of all of her classes she could only identify one where students were challenged, stimulated and inspired. The things she had learned in just the first month of school was respectable. We talked about the scientific method, how that same rigorous analytical style has a place in the humanities as well as the sciences and how many people have a hard time following through the process of learning because they don't know the way to assess the information and claims that are made by others.
We continued to talk for over an hour about this one science class as well as another class that was "pretty good", where the percentages were more evenly split. As my daughter talked, I began to understand that the difference between history and pre-history was a perfect place in time for her to be studying. Because in her way, she is between ages as well. Sometimes when we feel out of place, it is good to know that different ways of being in the world are out there and that one's culture has gone through tumultuous change before and that your changes are shared.
We may see the predominant culture as overly sexualized, consumerist and full of terrible messages for our youth, but taking the time to discuss my daughter's world tells me that parts of her experience may be edgy and different than how I grew to learn about the world, but in time she will have to confront many of the same difficulties and issues. How she sees herself fitting into the world is more important to me than what specific things she is exposed to. Lady Gaga, the endless advertising, especially in this election year and the litany of hate speech that masquerades as patriotism are things that I have to deal with, so why shouldn't I be man enough to tell her about how I get through the day with my morals and ethics intact? I'm pretty sure that if I didn't appreciate her intellect, it would atrophy.
I was trained as a teacher and couldn't sell out my profession by practicing in the terrible environment that exists out there today. I have seen teachers totally dominated by just two children who acted out. Twenty-six others had to sit idly by as she harangued and cajoled these two boys. I have begun to realize the terrible waste of humanity that is absorbed by the commercial break. Two hour movies become three hour ones, American Football, whose clock is only one hour and actual playing time just a matter of half that or less, can run over three hours. Perhaps we are being bred to only do a few minutes of work per day, and to think even less, but I for one, want to continue to use my intellectual gifts. They say that no one is ready to hear an answer until they formulate a question. I fear that far too many of us are told all day long what to think, how to make sense of the world, and what to get upset about that we forget that we are the ones who are supposed to be finding the answers and practicing the art of seeing the world as it is. Lord and Lady love us if we ever give that responsibility over to another!
From time immemorial, the ones among us who were educated have had status, butter to go with our bread so to speak and all the good things that society has had to offer. Before the Crusades, Constantinople had running water, sanitation, libraries and spas to pamper the educated classes. Our Christian forefathers from Western Europe tore down their infrastructure and burned the greatest libraries of the world. For our part, when we just recently attacked the cradle of civilization twice, we did the same, turning an advanced culture, that we did not understand back into a third world nation. If the culture we live in cannot learn, why should the individuals within the culture be required to? The fable that we are telling ourselves seems to be about creating viable scenarios that leave us victims, in a hostile world. In fables of old, at least, we were allowed to feel that we might one day triumph through adversity by using our cunning, or strength, intellect or faithfulness to moral values. now that is all being called into question. Cunning looks more like another Bernie Madoff scheme, strength has become spineless drone attacks and nukes. Intellect is suspect and it seems that moral values are a mask for hate and lies. Even things that are necessary and good for us are suspiciously tainted, like the apples with Alar or our water which comes from contaminated sources. They also say, "Ignorance is bliss.", so who wouldn't like a little of that from time to time?
In our case, this was an excellent jumping off point for a deeper conversation about how the school system meets her needs, leads to her education and what characteristics make for the best teachers. She was able to identify a single teacher who commanded rather than demanded respect and therefore is able to teach much more effectively. Her estimate was that in the well-run science class, that one teacher turned those percentages around. Out of all of her classes she could only identify one where students were challenged, stimulated and inspired. The things she had learned in just the first month of school was respectable. We talked about the scientific method, how that same rigorous analytical style has a place in the humanities as well as the sciences and how many people have a hard time following through the process of learning because they don't know the way to assess the information and claims that are made by others.
We continued to talk for over an hour about this one science class as well as another class that was "pretty good", where the percentages were more evenly split. As my daughter talked, I began to understand that the difference between history and pre-history was a perfect place in time for her to be studying. Because in her way, she is between ages as well. Sometimes when we feel out of place, it is good to know that different ways of being in the world are out there and that one's culture has gone through tumultuous change before and that your changes are shared.
We may see the predominant culture as overly sexualized, consumerist and full of terrible messages for our youth, but taking the time to discuss my daughter's world tells me that parts of her experience may be edgy and different than how I grew to learn about the world, but in time she will have to confront many of the same difficulties and issues. How she sees herself fitting into the world is more important to me than what specific things she is exposed to. Lady Gaga, the endless advertising, especially in this election year and the litany of hate speech that masquerades as patriotism are things that I have to deal with, so why shouldn't I be man enough to tell her about how I get through the day with my morals and ethics intact? I'm pretty sure that if I didn't appreciate her intellect, it would atrophy.
I was trained as a teacher and couldn't sell out my profession by practicing in the terrible environment that exists out there today. I have seen teachers totally dominated by just two children who acted out. Twenty-six others had to sit idly by as she harangued and cajoled these two boys. I have begun to realize the terrible waste of humanity that is absorbed by the commercial break. Two hour movies become three hour ones, American Football, whose clock is only one hour and actual playing time just a matter of half that or less, can run over three hours. Perhaps we are being bred to only do a few minutes of work per day, and to think even less, but I for one, want to continue to use my intellectual gifts. They say that no one is ready to hear an answer until they formulate a question. I fear that far too many of us are told all day long what to think, how to make sense of the world, and what to get upset about that we forget that we are the ones who are supposed to be finding the answers and practicing the art of seeing the world as it is. Lord and Lady love us if we ever give that responsibility over to another!
From time immemorial, the ones among us who were educated have had status, butter to go with our bread so to speak and all the good things that society has had to offer. Before the Crusades, Constantinople had running water, sanitation, libraries and spas to pamper the educated classes. Our Christian forefathers from Western Europe tore down their infrastructure and burned the greatest libraries of the world. For our part, when we just recently attacked the cradle of civilization twice, we did the same, turning an advanced culture, that we did not understand back into a third world nation. If the culture we live in cannot learn, why should the individuals within the culture be required to? The fable that we are telling ourselves seems to be about creating viable scenarios that leave us victims, in a hostile world. In fables of old, at least, we were allowed to feel that we might one day triumph through adversity by using our cunning, or strength, intellect or faithfulness to moral values. now that is all being called into question. Cunning looks more like another Bernie Madoff scheme, strength has become spineless drone attacks and nukes. Intellect is suspect and it seems that moral values are a mask for hate and lies. Even things that are necessary and good for us are suspiciously tainted, like the apples with Alar or our water which comes from contaminated sources. They also say, "Ignorance is bliss.", so who wouldn't like a little of that from time to time?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Deficit Spending Cause for Alarm?
The current rhetoric about "the deficit" belies a complete and utter disregard for history and economics. As far back as the Revolutionary War in our country, there has been deficit spending. Granted, the amounts were tiny by comparison to today's trillions, but the economy was like drops in a bucket compared to today's virtual torrent of capital. When George Washington needed horses, or food for his men, he had the power of the pen to agree to "pay tomorrow" for things that were used today. This is the essence of buying on time, or deficit spending. When the Oneida tribe brought food to his starving troops at Valley Forge, Washington not only couldn't pay them for it, but there was a very real chance that his men would prevail. Our government is still making payments to the tribe for their tide turning act of compassion. Luckily, we are all familiar with these sorts of transactions. Buying on credit only means two things, first, that whatever it is that you need cannot wait and must be purchased right away, and second that whoever is willing to foot the bill trusts you to pay them back.
The government has stretched this basic financial transaction quite thin, but even with the ballooning debt, it still equals less than a year of commerce for our country. When I purchased my home, it was in the neighborhood of five years of income for both my wife and I. No one would have said that it was "saddling our children with debt." In fact, rather than people being loathe to see me spend more than I had, they were excited for me. They were willing to see the benefits that could be gleaned from having my own place rather than the fact that the bank would eventually receive nearly ten years of my income, for the luxury of moving into a place that would have cost five years of income if I could have afforded it right then.
When we consider deficit spending, there are scary possibilities for both the individual and our country, but the scenarios that lead to catastrophe for individuals are many more and far more likely than those that lead to collapse for entire nations. For instance, the government is unlikely to lose it's job. In spite of the "Tea Party" refrain that government is too big, few of the corporate farmers in our country want their subsidies to dry up. Highways need to be maintained and schools need to be funded. These same rabble rousers who claim that government is out of control would scream bloody murder if we cut the military budget in half to balance the budget. The claim that out of control spending is bankrupting our country is completely overblown.
What is needed now, and this goes beyond most American's ability to conceive, is an act of compassion and humanity similar to what the Oneidas did over two centuries ago for our troops at Valley Forge. In this difficult time, when the pockets of most citizens of our great nation have been so thoroughly picked by the large corporate players, the richest among us need to give back. We currently live in a culture that has difficulty understanding the give-away. It has gone by many names in tribal cultures around the globe, but this practice is physically and spiritually necessary to stay in touch with who we are as humans. Unlike donations to non-profit groups, which in today's culture allow businesses to write off some of their obscene profits, the give-away requires that one give something of true value. Money, to those making millions, or in some cases billions, has a lesser value to them than it has for those making hundreds or even thousands.
The give-away needs to be substantial and it needs to make a qualitative difference in the lives of both the recipient and then it follows that the giver is transformed as well. I heard a terrible statistic yesterday. The "conservatives" are out spending "liberals" by a factor of five to one in this election cycle. More money is being spent on this mid-term election than any previous one. The numbers are staggering. This amounts to the opposite of a give-away. The wealthiest among us are not only hanging onto their fortunes but spending vast sums to consolidate their power and position. Whereas the give-away is characterized by humility and generosity, these capitalists are only spending so that they might get something in return.
I'm sorry if you read it here before, but I cannot stress enough the fact that the non-financial S&P 500 companies, have enough cash on hand and short term debt owed them that they could fund a second "bail out". Instead, they are consciously choosing to hold that cash, crippling the economy in the hopes of swooping in, and making a killing, when prices and the cost of labor drop further. Not only are these powerful corporate interests unwilling to give away any of their wealth and position, but they are willing to create pain and misery amongst all of us for their benefit. It is sad, because many of the individuals who make up the boards of directors and many of the stockholders in these companies know that giving actually enriches the giver as well as the receiver. I wonder if any of them will have the nerve to speak truth to power.
Being knowledgeable in this day and age requires more than just knowing words. Knowing the underlying meaning and implications inherent in them is required. It seems that knowing who paid to hold the focus groups that led to deciding what to say is just as important as knowing the meaning of the words. Quite often the platitudes are so devoid of meaning and sense that one questions, "Are they words at all? Or, just a nonsense song made up to fill in the gap created by ignorance." The majority of U.S. citizens voted for change two years ago, we beat the odds and started a revolution in political thought and expression. Let us not acquiesce in the face of those who would return to ways of the past. Conservatism brought us to the brink of destruction. Unbridled greed and inequitable distribution of wealth have been proven to not work, but the rhetoric blithely sidesteps that issue.
I have heard estimates that the bailout and stimulus cost us over ten thousand dollars per family. Oddly enough, this seems like a lot of money to the legions of poorly educated folks jumping on the bandwagon and saying that government is the problem. What is most interesting is that on closer inspection, the "bailout" is going to actually make some money, because the money was loaned at interest and the rate was higher than the rate of inflation. That money is nearly all paid back already. The unequal distribution of pain from the current economic collapse shows across America and the world. If government is part of the problem, it is because of too little regulation and oversight, not because we should have "free markets". Free markets allowed folks to sell snake oil that was mostly booze and claim all kinds of benefits for it. It seems that what we needed was someone to step in and change banks and the stock market into lending institutions and corporate funding sources rather than huge confidence schemes. When you look honestly at our current system, the case for more government, not less, can be made quite strongly.
My own losses were over thirty thousand on my primary residence, over twenty thousand on a home that I had purchased a year before the collapse and totally renovated, and over fifteen thousand on my rental which now costs me money to own. The bankers who financed my purchases never lost a dime. I was not one of the people who sought to "make a killing" in real estate. Each home that I bought provided me an opportunity to give-away my time and talent for the betterment of my community. Each home that I purchase, and it has been nearly half a dozen now, uses 30-50% less energy when I am done renovating. In addition they are more comfortable, require less maintenance, have more usable space and often produce food from their yards while requiring less mowing than when I purchased them. I never expected more than to use my properties as a hedge against inflation, perhaps eventually being able to sell them off for retirement, but that plan will have to be abandoned. Regaining over thirty percent losses will take quite a long time, even when the economy recovers.
The government has stretched this basic financial transaction quite thin, but even with the ballooning debt, it still equals less than a year of commerce for our country. When I purchased my home, it was in the neighborhood of five years of income for both my wife and I. No one would have said that it was "saddling our children with debt." In fact, rather than people being loathe to see me spend more than I had, they were excited for me. They were willing to see the benefits that could be gleaned from having my own place rather than the fact that the bank would eventually receive nearly ten years of my income, for the luxury of moving into a place that would have cost five years of income if I could have afforded it right then.
When we consider deficit spending, there are scary possibilities for both the individual and our country, but the scenarios that lead to catastrophe for individuals are many more and far more likely than those that lead to collapse for entire nations. For instance, the government is unlikely to lose it's job. In spite of the "Tea Party" refrain that government is too big, few of the corporate farmers in our country want their subsidies to dry up. Highways need to be maintained and schools need to be funded. These same rabble rousers who claim that government is out of control would scream bloody murder if we cut the military budget in half to balance the budget. The claim that out of control spending is bankrupting our country is completely overblown.
What is needed now, and this goes beyond most American's ability to conceive, is an act of compassion and humanity similar to what the Oneidas did over two centuries ago for our troops at Valley Forge. In this difficult time, when the pockets of most citizens of our great nation have been so thoroughly picked by the large corporate players, the richest among us need to give back. We currently live in a culture that has difficulty understanding the give-away. It has gone by many names in tribal cultures around the globe, but this practice is physically and spiritually necessary to stay in touch with who we are as humans. Unlike donations to non-profit groups, which in today's culture allow businesses to write off some of their obscene profits, the give-away requires that one give something of true value. Money, to those making millions, or in some cases billions, has a lesser value to them than it has for those making hundreds or even thousands.
The give-away needs to be substantial and it needs to make a qualitative difference in the lives of both the recipient and then it follows that the giver is transformed as well. I heard a terrible statistic yesterday. The "conservatives" are out spending "liberals" by a factor of five to one in this election cycle. More money is being spent on this mid-term election than any previous one. The numbers are staggering. This amounts to the opposite of a give-away. The wealthiest among us are not only hanging onto their fortunes but spending vast sums to consolidate their power and position. Whereas the give-away is characterized by humility and generosity, these capitalists are only spending so that they might get something in return.
I'm sorry if you read it here before, but I cannot stress enough the fact that the non-financial S&P 500 companies, have enough cash on hand and short term debt owed them that they could fund a second "bail out". Instead, they are consciously choosing to hold that cash, crippling the economy in the hopes of swooping in, and making a killing, when prices and the cost of labor drop further. Not only are these powerful corporate interests unwilling to give away any of their wealth and position, but they are willing to create pain and misery amongst all of us for their benefit. It is sad, because many of the individuals who make up the boards of directors and many of the stockholders in these companies know that giving actually enriches the giver as well as the receiver. I wonder if any of them will have the nerve to speak truth to power.
Being knowledgeable in this day and age requires more than just knowing words. Knowing the underlying meaning and implications inherent in them is required. It seems that knowing who paid to hold the focus groups that led to deciding what to say is just as important as knowing the meaning of the words. Quite often the platitudes are so devoid of meaning and sense that one questions, "Are they words at all? Or, just a nonsense song made up to fill in the gap created by ignorance." The majority of U.S. citizens voted for change two years ago, we beat the odds and started a revolution in political thought and expression. Let us not acquiesce in the face of those who would return to ways of the past. Conservatism brought us to the brink of destruction. Unbridled greed and inequitable distribution of wealth have been proven to not work, but the rhetoric blithely sidesteps that issue.
I have heard estimates that the bailout and stimulus cost us over ten thousand dollars per family. Oddly enough, this seems like a lot of money to the legions of poorly educated folks jumping on the bandwagon and saying that government is the problem. What is most interesting is that on closer inspection, the "bailout" is going to actually make some money, because the money was loaned at interest and the rate was higher than the rate of inflation. That money is nearly all paid back already. The unequal distribution of pain from the current economic collapse shows across America and the world. If government is part of the problem, it is because of too little regulation and oversight, not because we should have "free markets". Free markets allowed folks to sell snake oil that was mostly booze and claim all kinds of benefits for it. It seems that what we needed was someone to step in and change banks and the stock market into lending institutions and corporate funding sources rather than huge confidence schemes. When you look honestly at our current system, the case for more government, not less, can be made quite strongly.
My own losses were over thirty thousand on my primary residence, over twenty thousand on a home that I had purchased a year before the collapse and totally renovated, and over fifteen thousand on my rental which now costs me money to own. The bankers who financed my purchases never lost a dime. I was not one of the people who sought to "make a killing" in real estate. Each home that I bought provided me an opportunity to give-away my time and talent for the betterment of my community. Each home that I purchase, and it has been nearly half a dozen now, uses 30-50% less energy when I am done renovating. In addition they are more comfortable, require less maintenance, have more usable space and often produce food from their yards while requiring less mowing than when I purchased them. I never expected more than to use my properties as a hedge against inflation, perhaps eventually being able to sell them off for retirement, but that plan will have to be abandoned. Regaining over thirty percent losses will take quite a long time, even when the economy recovers.
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