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Friday, March 20, 2009

6 1/2 minutes of Brilliance - Watch it now!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Idiots Guide to Government in America

I've been thinking a lot about the fundamentals of the situation politically and economically in the US right now. I want to boil things down to the atomic elements of our problems. Here is my incredibly simplistic, unsophisticated analysis:

10 Easy Steps for Complete Political and Economic Meltdown in America.

1. Foment fear, anger and envy in whatever crisis can be politically leveraged to your advantage.
2. Enlist the support of your PR arm (the MSM) to marginalize anyone criticizing your plans or actions.
3. Rush to institute unworkable, unconstitutional regulations, contracts and law.
4. Do not read your own legislation before voting for it.
5. Lock out the opposition party from attending debates and discussion of these proposed actions.
6. Force Americans to conform to these unread laws under the threat of seizure, fine and/or prison.
7. When these laws and contracts produce ridiculous, destructive and unexpected (to some) results; persecute, demonize and threaten those in compliance in hearings and in the press.
8. Encourage those compliant Americans you persecute to commit suicide.
9. Use the bad results of your faulty legislation to agitate anger and class envy in your constituents against those in compliance with your legislation, to misdirect attention away from your complete culpability for the chaos.
10. Use the ever increasing panic and anger to implement even more destructive unconstitutional legislation.

Sprinkle liberally with arrogance, class envy, bigotry and lies. Rinse, repeat...

Outrageous Political Manipulation!

Zimbabwe's 'beer and cigarettes' Economy

Zimbabwe 'surviving on beer and cigarettes' - CNN.com

Zimababwe has been an agricultural, human rights, military and economic tragedy for the last 3 decades. Now through a power sharing arrangement with the opposition party, Robert Mugabe has remained in power. This article describes the depth of depression and depravity in that nation, as expressed by their new Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

Biti's ability to express his country's sad circumstances in typical African understatement makes it easy to underestimate the staggering human cost, "We are now implementing the basic law of hunting economics," he said. "What we gather is what we eat."

Why human beings repeatedly drive themselves to the depths of depravity pursuing the pipe dream of artificial "social justice" and "economic equality" at the hands megalomaniac micro-managers I cannot understand. It seems the more vigorous that pursuit, the more gullible the populace, evil the leaders and devastating the results.

It's stunning that in this article, the journalist refers to murderous land takeovers that result in the beheaded corpses of the former property owners hanging from meathooks in barns as a , "land reallocation program".

The journalists and media in the 20th and early 21st century are complicit in covering up more evil, death and starvation than any other time. Stalin, Mao, Saloth Sar (Pol Pot), Middle Eastern and African slave traders, Castro, Chavez, Il, and the rest are inevitably excused, pardoned, even idolized whilst stealing from those in their countries they don't murder. The UN turns a blind eye, and the enlightened "journalists" write stories of their victimization at the hands of western powers. When do the UN and ammoral journalist enablers of such evil get their comeuppance?

Simply Unbelievable!

I cannot keep up.

I have never seen such a frenzy of uninformed, irrational and unconstitutional stuff rammed down Americas throat! The legislators are passing bills without reading them, or giving Americans time to read them. They have locked the doors of chambers in which debate is supposed to take place, not allowing the opposition party to participate in the process at all!

They pick and choose targets to persecute, because those targets have conformed to ridiculous regulations, contracts and laws written by the Government. Any American - liberal or conservative should be VERY concerned. No one is safe. Only the luck of NOT being in their sites protects any one of us.

Keep your eyes on this space. I will have a whole host of posts coming soon getting in to the details of the historic proportions of today's political hijacking and persecution.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Paul Hollander - Prager Would Shine His Shoes!

Paul Hollander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I was driving between appointments today, listening to Dennis Pager and heard him talking to an author about a fellow named Paul Hollander. He mentioned that he thought so highly of him that he'd shine his shoes.

With that kind of endorsement, I had to get to a place where I could look this guy up. Here 'tis: The Russian Center at Harvard.

Now I have to add his books to my ludicrously lengthy list of literature...

Cell Phones more Common than Water...

White African: Where African and Technology Collide!

Interesting quotes from a couple of experts regarding the ubiquity of the web. I would think we'd want to make sure people had access to healthy water before an iPhone. I guess my priorities are out of whack. That is, if it's even true. Read the article and tell me what you think.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Extra! Extra! Gregory Behaves like Unbiased Journalist!

March 15: Romer, Cantor, roundtable - Meet the Press, online at MSNBC- msnbc.com

I never thought the Obama Administration would be subjected to this type of questioning. particularly from David Gregory. Kudos Mr. Gregory!

Check it out and mark the date.

Why Bother with Legislation?

DOD Ends Sale of Expended Military Brass to Remanufacturers | Project World Awareness

I've always poo-poohed the right wing wackos that saw an unconstitutional conspiracy behind every Government action, but I must say that the brilliance of this smooth move was slicker than I saw coming.

No need to deal with Congress or the political process. Way too messy, controversial and time consuming. Just regulate ammo out of the marketplace. Guns become historic show pieces, relics of a bygone time of independence, strength and freedom.

What is the right move now? Phone calls? Emails? Anybody up for a million round march?

21st Century Stanley & Livingston Coming Soon on History

Mark Burnett series scheduled on History channel - Road Runner

I am really looking forward to this series. It's a great example of how entertaining TV can be more than vacuous personalities battling in artificially dangerous and dramatic environments. The Hitle, ah, History Channel is one of my favorite networks. Who can forget the series "Dogfights"? The finest combination of CGA and aerial battle strategy history ever made.

The stories of Stanley and Livingston as individuals are incredible. The story of Stanley's search and their eventual meeting against all odds is nearly mythical. True Providence.

Both men knew how to live. Took great risks to pursue great dreams. Not always with the most elevated of motivation.

If you haven't read any of the dozens of books available, here's a couple written by Stanley and Livingston in the late 19th century that you can read free on line at Google Books. "How I found Livingston" by Stanley and "Explorations of Africa" by Livingston and others. Both are in my library and both are spellbinding.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Failure and the Creation of Opportunity

SemGroup

As a follow up to my post on the Semgroup controversy, and Jon Catsimatidis' planned takeover and rehabilitation of the company; I located this official website.

It's a good resource for following what is sure to be a very convoluted road to health for Semgroup. The point I'd like to highlight is how self-interest and public good often go hand in hand. Catsimatidis will undoubtedly make a good chunk 'o change in the deal, but not without considerable risk. But what often gets ignored is the 2,000+ jobs in Tulsa and elsewhere that are likely to be saved AND the likelihood of payment of creditors. Not to mention Catsimatidis commitment to oil independence and the American markets. Catsimatidis did a similar deal in '86 that returned 100% of the creditors money! How many bankruptcy's have you seen that even come close? When self interest and public good are aligned (and they often are) good stuff happens in the pursuit of profits. No regulation, no legislation, no bureaucrats. Just ethical self-interest, a man of character and skill, and an opportunity.

What a country!

Steal Waters Run Deep

Report: Rep. Maxine Waters Helped Steer Bailout Funds to Bank With Family Ties - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

It's the typical political story. Do as I say, not as I do. Glad Pelosi implemented all those ethics reforms.

We're in charge. All we have to do is vote 'em all out. Wreck havoc with their switchboards and email servers. It does work, but we have to stay committed and consistent. They're not giving up the perks from our pockets without a fight.

Profound Thoughts of Economic Justice

I have been thinking a lot about "economic justice" recently because that's a very common phrase used to manipulate people into giving the Government the right to take the fruits of people's labor and play Robin Hood. Here's what the Salvation Army has to say about economic justice. Please don't let the references to Jesus and the Bible give you an excuse to discard the profound truth in their analysis.

"Economic Justice

The Salvation Army believes that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and that we are to "love our neighbor as ourselves" (Matthew 22:39). We believe in the sacred freedom and dignity of persons and are committed to the redemption of the world in all its dimensions (physical, spiritual, social, economic and political). We believe that, as God's children, we are called to exercise a clear priority for the least among us (Matthew 25: 31-46).

The Salvation Army recognizes that poverty is a complex problem and that we will always have the poor with us (Mark 14:7). We are compelled by our love for God to serve "the whole person" (spirit, soul and body).


Jesus inaugurated his mission on earth by stating:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor"(Luke 4:18-19).

A vital component of The Salvation Army's mission is to "meet human need in His name without discrimination." The Army's commitment to economic justice was expressed in 1890 by the organization's founder, William Booth, in his "Cab Horse Charter:"

"... every Cab Horse in London has Three things: a shelter for the night, food for its stomach, and work allotted to it by which it can earn its corn. These are the two points of the Cab Horse's Charter. When he is down he is helped up, and while he lives he has food, shelter and work. That, although a humble standard, is at present absolutely unattainable by millions of our fellow men and women in this country."


Salvationists affirm the following principles

• All people have a right to secure the basic necessities of life (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, safe environment, economic security).

• All people have the right to economic initiative, to productive work, to just wages and benefits, and to decent working conditions.

• All people, to the extent they are able, have a corresponding duty to work, a responsibility to provide for the needs of their families, and an obligation to contribute to the broader society.

The Salvation Army believes that certain societal structures can perpetuate economic injustice and is committed to seek constructive changes in those structures wherever they exist. The Salvation Army endeavors to serve individuals in such a way that the spiritual and social dimensions of their needs are identified and addressed. In this approach we find the very essence of the Gospel expressed."

The Salvation Army has it right. The key here is the Salvation Army's doing it. With small paid staffs and selfless volunteers. Not with laws, coercion, bureaucrats and force. Charity, love and service are none of those when done at the insistence of the Government or in the pursuit of political power. What do you think?

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Obama's Ugly Vector

Tech Startups 3.0: Obama, market's least favorite president so far

The curve is unkind in this graph of the market's response to the new Presidents policies. This tells us more than all the talking heads on all the networks combined. Wall Street wants profits and a hope of future profits. They don't see it happening right now.

Admittedly not all of the ugliness is directly in response to Obama, but if he had taken serious, informed action the traders would have jumped all over it. When he selected the people he did for his Administrations most important economic positions Wall Street realized this guy just didn't get it, and accelerated the pitiful slide. Each time Obama or another administration representative took to the mike to assuage Americas fears, they just compounded the problem by exposing their lack of clarity and purpose.

I hope for the best, but Obama's moves so far are likely to be as damaging as Hoovers in '30-'32, perhaps worse. The similarity is stunning. One mitigating factor is the sophistication of the average American today. The wool can't be pulled over everyone's eyes for long, regardless of Obama's favored status in most of America. It won't take years for Americans to respond and demand effective leadership. Even with the MSM in his pocket, the tide is already beginning to turn.

Cramer's a Traitor!

Jim Cramer Shorting Stocks, Manipulating Markets, Saying The SEC Doesn't Understand

I was hollering about this when I first heard about it 2 or 3 years ago. It's funny that the Huffington Post people didn't hear about it until Cramer started dissin' Obama.

They have become so overtly Stalinist, they don't even make an attempt to appear journalistic. Character assassinate anybody on the other side, no matter how ridiculous the circumstances, and protect your guy no matter what he's done. It's a deal with the devil.

I know, because I participated in it when Reagan was in office. He was "tryin' to starve our chilren"! And I relished in it. I knew it was ridiculous, but it was all about slingin' mud on our opponents, it never occured to me how filthy I had become.

There have always been political gangsters, but the mainstreaming of it is breathtaking. It's just rip and shred, the more aggressive the better. It's amazing to watch the shameless destruction of a political system and culture in the pursuit of power.

Dr. Ronald Chevalier - The Art of Relaxating

A Cluster Award winner and master relaxator, Dr Ronald Chevalier is on the leading edge of sonorous personal inspiration. Do yourself a favor and immerse yourself in his unusually insightful, uplifting perspective.

While I almost without exception, have complete disdain for the current crop of popular gurus, even Oprah; Dr Chevalier is uniquely effective at enabling my relaxating, inspirating, and enjoymentating of the web. ;-)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

An O'Reilly Apology?

While I'm at it, I thought I'd send ol' Bill another email about another example of his class envy/corporate evil blind spot.

Last summer when fuel prices were completely out of control, Bill pounded the oil companies for profiteering. I thought there was more to the story, perhaps having to do with the speculators in that industry, but didn't have any facts to back it up. Now I do. I wrote about it all in a previous post. If you haven't read it, you need to take a moment to do so. The truth is even more stunning than we thought.

Here's my email to Bill:

Bill,
Last summer you were pounding the gas companies for profiteering. It didn't pass the smell test for me. Turns out the Semgroup, a company out of Tulsa, OK shorted 30% of American fuel and created the price problems. They have since declared bankruptcy, and the details are trickling out. Check out the Steve Forbes interview with Jon Catsimatidis. He's taking over the Semgroup. Please do the story on the fraud and apologize to the oil companies.

I'm looking out for you,
Dr Dave

O'Reilly's Class Envy Cliche's

Watched O'Reilly tonight and saw his flippant excuse of the responsibility of American Representatives and Senators for much of the economic chaos we are all having to deal with. Here's my email to him:
Bill,
Your class envy and corporate hatred cliches are getting a bit old. The Bush administration warned Congress several times that the Government regulations were out of control and were called racists as the result of telling Congress they needed to take action.

The guys that created the rules, created the crash. We can't let them go after the guys that were forced by law to make those loans and have the rule makers get off Scot free.

If Frank can get those guys, Bill, they can get you and me!

I'm looking out for you!
Dr Dave

Extreme PCs and "Homebrewing": Rest in Peace | Tech Broiler | ZDNet.com

Technology Hobbiests Reality vs Fantasy | ZDNet.com

This is an overwrought article on technology enthusiasts demise. I don't believe the high end market is going to evaporate, but like everyone right now, even the geeks have to get more practical about their expenditures.

The enthusiast market has always been an important one, but vastly over rated. True geeks are about 3% of the market. They supported bleeding edge research and encouraged companies to push the envelope in development of new products. But they also encouraged a warped perspective of what effective technology was. We were often led around by the nose by these technologists. Afraid to seem unsophisticated we bought really questionable technology, because we thought we needed to. We couldn't explain why we needed it, but we needed it.

I remember one stunning time in the late '90's when Bluetooth technology was promoted as a life changing technology that was going to be ubiquitous, automate and interface with ever single machine in our lives. I couldn't see how low power, short range radio was a revolutionary technology. Manufacturers had been using their own proprietary technologies for years. I know the standardization was the key, but even today the effect of Bluetooth technology of human life is negligible. Headsets and a few keyboard/mouse products. Big deal. Few if any refrigerators talking to air conditioners, talking to garage doors talking to toilets.

It's not that Bluetooth isn't useful. It's just the breathless reporting about revolutionizing humanity that gets a little weird. Then you have all the cell phone buyers running around buying new cell phones, just to get Bluetooth without having a clue what Bluetooth even is. Good for the technology companies sales reports, but maybe not for the consumers. Sure they should be better informed, but eventually they wise up.

Another segment of the business world that is lamenting the good old days are the technology journalists. Partnering with the technology companies and the PR mavens, they became expert at manipulating public opinion and creating white hot frothy demand for glitzy but mediocre products. They're wondering how they are going to do with with what they view as pedestrian products that actually provide value for consumers. A true test of journalistic excellence.

So now we find ourselves post Bubble II, with the economy temporarily stalled in the fast lane. Consumers are having to carefully consider all expenditures before parting with their money. Companies have to find a way to communicate real value to very skeptical prospects. Sure it's not as much fun, but it's the real world. Like life on the African plains, those tech companies (and journalists) left standing will be truly tested with products of proven value in the real world. That's a good thing.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Romanticized Mass Murder as Curriculum

FrontPage Magazine

University of Texas is offering a class that is the study of murdering thug Che Guevara. I have friends whose relatives were murdered at the hands of this man and his agents. To romanticize him and demonize the US is beyond wrong, it's evil.

William Ayers, Angela Davis and their likes have turned our educational system upside down. You can't teach people this bilge and not suffer the consequences. How did we let this happen?

I still believe it's a tragic '60's hangover that we've been unable to purge from our cultural system. It's incredible how intelligent, healthy, prosperous citizens in the greatest country in the history of man can fool themselves into suicidal self-loathing. I don't understand it.

What one is unwilling to fight for, will be lost. Are you ready to ruummmmbbbllllle?!

The Trillion Dollar Oil Fraud

Shortin' oil and gettin' squeezed, the untold story - Forbes.com

About half way through this video with Steve Forbes and Jon Catsimatidis, Jon drop a bombshell story about a company out of Tulsa Oklahoma that was shorting oil and getting squeezed. If they had been able to make their 500 million dollar margin call things would have been much worse than they are even now.

It's a good 17 minute video and the bombshell comes after about 10 minutes or so. Shocking story, I'll be doing more research, you can bet on that.

Minimum Wage Raise Increases Kidnapping?

OSAC - Honduras Kidnappings on the Increase

In a report by the OSAC (a part of the State Department) a massive raise in the minimum wage in Honduras, has caused a massive increase in unemployment and a corresponding increase in kidnapping.

While I would have never made that connection with kidnapping, I am surprised that the State Department put together the minimum wage increases with unemployment. Someone in the Federal Government actually gets it. Too bad they're not in the Congress or FTC. Perhaps the OSAC needs to do business and economic seminars for Congress, The White House and other portions of the Government whose main responsibility is Economic policy.

Artificial manipulation of the fundamentals of the economy almost always backfire because of the automatic leveling that occurs with people and money. Read the report in the link above, it's the best I've read from the Government in a long time.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

When the rule of law is neither

Justices Consider When a Judge Should Bow Out - washingtonpost.com

I wrote in a previous blog on the outrageous injustice of the behavior of many in the House and Senate, along with so many Administration officials with legal issues that have been ignored.

Yet another example of the elite using the system for their advantage. The Supreme Court seems willing to address it, but they'd better act decisively. Once the people see that the system is stacked against them it's over. The respect for the rule of law is vital. Once lost, it gets very messy indeed.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Smoke and Mirrors AND Teleprompters

Obama’s Dirty Little Secret « FOX Forum « FOXNews.com

I could care less if Obama needs a teleprompter, but I do care about the media's complete advocacy for Obama. I don't expect fair reporting and assessment of Conservatives, but do hope for a small fraction of that viciously aggressive reporting of Democrats. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd get complete passes on the destruction of the banking and mortgage industries. Rangle, Geihtner, and others for tax compliance problems. Obama has no serious professional history, and his college records are still sealed. I'd like just one of those topics addressed by Frontline, or Keith Olberman.

A tragic event from my childhood is the most glaring example: Chappaquiddick. A young woman dies in 5 feet of water, the drunk culprit allowed to walk. But wait. He is excused by nearly all good Democrats and becomes one of the most powerful Senators in the nation, and is only narrowly defeated in a run for the Democratic nominee for President. What a sick, outrageous example of elitist injustice.

I know, I know, how silly of me. Republicans are bad guys so they deserve it, and Democrats are good guys so they deserve a pass. Our whole country suffers for the bad policy and dishonest propaganda. Including Democrats.

Just Because I Don't Know Doesn't Mean I'm Lying!

Environmental Capital - WSJ.com : A Heated Exchange: Al Gore Confronts His Critic(s)

I find the resistance to dialog about the scientific basis for man-made global warming the biggest potential confirmation of it's illegitimacy. One who is confident in the facts encourages the opportunity to persuade people, he doesn't angrily avoid interaction.

We live in a time in which the entire culture is immersed in childish superstition and mythology. The litany of irrational judgments and misperceptions is overwhelming. From the rationale behind unlimited abortion, the denial of the free practice of religion in the public square to the demonization of America, it's military and it's businesses, the list runs the gamut of twisted misunderstandings of life, morality, justice and human nature. It includes the insane perception that criminals and terrorists are poverty stricken innocents created by their victims.

It's the price of out of control secular humanism. Man's inbuilt spiritual nature makes us prone to such neurosis when we stop humbly acknowledging some spiritual higher power. We substitute amoral human imaginings couched in science. Science becomes the worship of the human intellect, rather than the more traditional study of God's handiwork as Isaac Newton and others viewed it. Once that tether to reality is broken, here's no limit to the misuse of "science" in the destructive glorification of the human intellect. Propaganda and emotion rule. Why do you think the first act of tyrants and dictators is to outlaw religion?

Prosperity plays an important role in that tragic neurosis, but that's for another blog.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Great Depression Cooking Ep:6 - Depression Breakfast

The good old days circa 2009

The Internet is now!

Media's Pirate Peril - WSJ.com

Way back in 1999 I watched a 60 minutes piece on the Internet and a busboy who had just started a web site and secured some VC. I don't even remember what the site was, I do know it's long gone.

This busboy enthusiastically said in 2 years he would put CBS out of business and that the reporter interviewing him would no longer have a job. It was incredible chutzpah and obviously didn't happen, but that busboy was only off by about a decade.

This report in WSJ describes Disney's plans to do subscription services for TV, video and other content. There's no question that things were headed in that direction, but this recession has accelerated the process. Newspaper, Radio, TV, Music and Movies are all going away. Not completely, but we will not recognize those media and their radically different distribution models in 3 years. The Internet and the recession are the secret elixir of that metamorphosis.

So in a replay of that 60 Minutes episode of a decade ago; get on board or get pounded by the wave. If you don't we'll be hunting for what's left of you in the foam...

The Architect toTestify

EXCLUSIVE: Rove Warns of 'Show Trial,' Says Dems 'Would Love to Have Me Barbecued' - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

The Libs have been after this guy for years. They are convinced that he is complicit in some sort of illegal firing of Justice Department personnel. Funny thing is the Bush Administration fired only a few people who resisted following through on Administration plans, while Clinton fired ALL prosecutors, and nothing was said. When Dems were told about this they said Bush should have done the same thing or fired no one at all. The fact that only a few were fired was proof of discrimination and was illegal. Now that's a HR recipe for success: fire everyone or no one, anything else is illegal.

It was discrimination - against loafers, insubordination and sabotage. Of course the MSM is beating the drum, so I pray Rove doesn't end up getting railroaded like Libby. Law enforcement types must fight this sort of misuse of the legal system. Makes average everyday, law abiding types contemptuous of it. Once the populace really believes it's all a sham, it is. The rule of law becomes a joke and all control is lost.

We may be only a couple of years away.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Who do we count on now?

I was listening to a national radio show host with a noted writer as guest. They were discussing the recent economic downturn we find ourselves in, and I was surprised to hear them both agree that we had no choice but to place our faith in the Government. This host is a rather Conservative fellow to say the least, so I was shocked. That's not a very Conservative outlook.

There are precious few things we can have faith in. Here's the list in descending order of reliability:
1. Your God - Completely
2. Your family, friends and you - Mostly.
3. the Constitution - Mostly
4. True Conservatives - a lot
5. Conservative Republicans - a little bit.
6. Everyone and everything else - not at all.

It's that simple. The fact that Americans believe they can place their faith in the Government is THE root of our problems. I don't just mean Democratic Governments can't be trusted. I mean any Government!

What has made America great is the incredible combination of personal self-sufficiency and ambition and a structure of Government that encourages and protects that. That form of Government has always been an unsteady compromise between effective enforcement of those freedoms and the instinctual reflex of any Government to grow and protect it's own growth by buying the favor of special interests.

We find ourselves in a historic time, a time only experienced 5 or 6 times in our country's 232 year history. Each time the crisis was used by the political elite to consolidate power. Are we going to react in the same way and allow the elitist pit us against each other to further erode our freedom and prosperity?

The American people have never been so powerful. We ARE waking up. It's been a rude awakening, no doubt. Now we have a real responsibility. It is completely up to us...