Well the Mayans were apparently wrong. Here we are approaching New Years Eve 2012 and not a zombie in site. No polar shift, no mystery asteroid or hidden planet crashed into earth. I do believe it was a incredibly good apocalypse for all those that provided the doomsday planning and prepping services. No need to worry about customers asking for a refund because those pesky zombies managed to get into your bunker or concerns about complaints due to the shelf life of the survival food and supplies wasn't really three years. So if you were supplying products for the end of the world, maybe it wasn't so bad. Now we just need another impending doom to keep that economy going.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Technology
Here we are in the year 2012 amidst all this technology. In the 1950's folks thought that technology was going to lead us to a life of leisure. Machines, robots, and technology was going to increase our free time. What really happened, was it increased our productivity and decreased our free time. Like the old saying "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile".
Here's my slant. In today's world of computer's, the Internet, and smart phones, the concept of being connected has changed. The quote from the 60's, "Tune in, turn on, and drop out" has come to pass in a whole new way. We tune into the World Wide Web, turn on our devices, and drop out of society. Literally. Why is that? I’ve read that in 2011 there was an average of 294 billion emails sent every day, and an average of 2.5 billion text messages are sent per day in the U.S. alone. Apparently we spend a of of time connecting without really “connecting”. Maybe it’s just a new type of society? An electronic one. Why have we as humans embraced this new electronic society of emails, text messages, instant messaging and social networking sites? There are multiple reasons, I would imagine. It’s fast, easy for the most part and readily available. I think above all it gives us a bit of a buffer. Some small sense of safety perhaps, however false in reality the feeling of security and anonymity really is. But, it’s far less personal.
Just like the art of sitting down, putting pen to paper and writing a letter is all but gone, I bet we are on a path that leads us to the loss of being able to actually interact. Person to person, face to face. Maybe it because it’s easier to deal with on the emotional level. Is it a bit less painful to have an invitation turned down via text message? Easier to ignore someone you just don’t want to deal with in that moment? Easier to say something negative or hurtful in and email, text, or electronic message? Sure it is, let’s face it, it’s hard hate face to face. I think people put just a tad more thought into what is about to escape their mind when recipient is staring back at them.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not bashing technology, or the trappings that come with it. I make my living working in a technology based field. I’m writing this and you are reading it thanks to the wonders of modern technology. I have a smart phone that somehow I am compelled to keep within arms reach at all times for absolutely no apparent reason. I have to confess, texting is still a novelty to me. Hard as it is to believe the number of people I have sent a text message to is..... three. If I have an invitation to extend, a message to convey, or want to tell someone to “F” off, I still prefer to do that face to face, or at the very least over the phone so I can hear my recipients reaction. And if you are one of the three people I have sent a text message to; Thank You for indulging me and you probably don’t have to worry about me running up the message count on your plan.
All that being said. The next time you crank up your communications device of choice. ready to send your message unto the world; whether that be a text or post on a social networking site, pause for a moment and think about it before you click send. It only takes a millisecond to to do something that you might never be able to undo.
Here's my slant. In today's world of computer's, the Internet, and smart phones, the concept of being connected has changed. The quote from the 60's, "Tune in, turn on, and drop out" has come to pass in a whole new way. We tune into the World Wide Web, turn on our devices, and drop out of society. Literally. Why is that? I’ve read that in 2011 there was an average of 294 billion emails sent every day, and an average of 2.5 billion text messages are sent per day in the U.S. alone. Apparently we spend a of of time connecting without really “connecting”. Maybe it’s just a new type of society? An electronic one. Why have we as humans embraced this new electronic society of emails, text messages, instant messaging and social networking sites? There are multiple reasons, I would imagine. It’s fast, easy for the most part and readily available. I think above all it gives us a bit of a buffer. Some small sense of safety perhaps, however false in reality the feeling of security and anonymity really is. But, it’s far less personal.
Just like the art of sitting down, putting pen to paper and writing a letter is all but gone, I bet we are on a path that leads us to the loss of being able to actually interact. Person to person, face to face. Maybe it because it’s easier to deal with on the emotional level. Is it a bit less painful to have an invitation turned down via text message? Easier to ignore someone you just don’t want to deal with in that moment? Easier to say something negative or hurtful in and email, text, or electronic message? Sure it is, let’s face it, it’s hard hate face to face. I think people put just a tad more thought into what is about to escape their mind when recipient is staring back at them.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not bashing technology, or the trappings that come with it. I make my living working in a technology based field. I’m writing this and you are reading it thanks to the wonders of modern technology. I have a smart phone that somehow I am compelled to keep within arms reach at all times for absolutely no apparent reason. I have to confess, texting is still a novelty to me. Hard as it is to believe the number of people I have sent a text message to is..... three. If I have an invitation to extend, a message to convey, or want to tell someone to “F” off, I still prefer to do that face to face, or at the very least over the phone so I can hear my recipients reaction. And if you are one of the three people I have sent a text message to; Thank You for indulging me and you probably don’t have to worry about me running up the message count on your plan.
All that being said. The next time you crank up your communications device of choice. ready to send your message unto the world; whether that be a text or post on a social networking site, pause for a moment and think about it before you click send. It only takes a millisecond to to do something that you might never be able to undo.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Do What We Should
I have been pondering on what to blog about next. Should I stick with the Holiday theme and write about Chri$tma$ (yes the dollar signs were on purpose)? Maybe a round on Congress not being able to come to terms with extending the Payroll Tax Cut? Maybe some thoughts on the Dutch scientists that have "created" a highly contagious and deadly from of the bird flu that is airborne and has the potential of killing millions? Nah.. maybe next time.
I think this time it's going to be a random rambling that has rolled around in my head. Lord knows they have plenty of room to rattle around in there.
Let's start with this. It's moving, at least to me. Please take a few minutes a click these links below. They are to a country singers website. Ronnie Dunn. No, I'm not promoting his music or trying to sell you something. Hell, I'm not even a country music fan. But, it goes right to the heart of the matter.
The first one is 4 minutes and 32 seconds if you can spare it. It's the music video itself.
http://www.ronniedunn.com/video/music_videos/cost-of-livin_1
The second is a Fox News report on the video. Another 3 minutes and 32 seconds.
http://www.ronniedunn.com/videos
Hopefully you took those few minutes and checked out the videos and your back. Good people, if you haven't figured it out. There is it. That's what happening around us. I've been there, too many of us have. And those "wolves at the door"; if they are not at your throat or your door, they're lurking just around the corner waiting for any sign of weakness to pounce. Unfortunately they are feeding all too well these days. Hopefully we all can start to realize that we have to begin taking care of each other. I don't see anyone else doing it for us, unless they can figure a way to line their own pockets in the process. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word, or holding back a harsh one. Maybe some encouragement or understanding. Just like the man in the video talking about the plant closing, I think we're all a little scared, even if we don't ever show it. We have to start somewhere. It's time that we all just do what we should.
And to Mr. Ronnie Dunn, if by some stoke of luck you, should happen to see this and take offense or have an issue with my linking to your web page, let me know and I'll remove it. But in the meantime the Internet blogger / critic with "made up" sounding name that you blogged about having some unkind words to say about you. Well... he can kiss my not such much of a "country music fan" ass too.
I think this time it's going to be a random rambling that has rolled around in my head. Lord knows they have plenty of room to rattle around in there.
Let's start with this. It's moving, at least to me. Please take a few minutes a click these links below. They are to a country singers website. Ronnie Dunn. No, I'm not promoting his music or trying to sell you something. Hell, I'm not even a country music fan. But, it goes right to the heart of the matter.
The first one is 4 minutes and 32 seconds if you can spare it. It's the music video itself.
http://www.ronniedunn.com/video/music_videos/cost-of-livin_1
The second is a Fox News report on the video. Another 3 minutes and 32 seconds.
http://www.ronniedunn.com/videos
Hopefully you took those few minutes and checked out the videos and your back. Good people, if you haven't figured it out. There is it. That's what happening around us. I've been there, too many of us have. And those "wolves at the door"; if they are not at your throat or your door, they're lurking just around the corner waiting for any sign of weakness to pounce. Unfortunately they are feeding all too well these days. Hopefully we all can start to realize that we have to begin taking care of each other. I don't see anyone else doing it for us, unless they can figure a way to line their own pockets in the process. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word, or holding back a harsh one. Maybe some encouragement or understanding. Just like the man in the video talking about the plant closing, I think we're all a little scared, even if we don't ever show it. We have to start somewhere. It's time that we all just do what we should.
And to Mr. Ronnie Dunn, if by some stoke of luck you, should happen to see this and take offense or have an issue with my linking to your web page, let me know and I'll remove it. But in the meantime the Internet blogger / critic with "made up" sounding name that you blogged about having some unkind words to say about you. Well... he can kiss my not such much of a "country music fan" ass too.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Econmic Meltdown
So here we are in the throes of an economic crisis. But, how did we get here? This is a brief over view of what happened as I see it. With a bit more research on the internet, you can dig even deeper if you chose.
In March 2007, the United States' subprime mortgage industry collapsed due to higher-than-expected home foreclosure rates, with more than 25 subprime lenders declaring bankruptcy, announcing significant losses, or putting themselves up for sale.
The national median home price is poised for its first annual decline since the Great Depression, and the National Association of Realtors reported that supply of unsold homes is at a record 4.2 million.
Because of this, borrowers can't refinance as they no longer have the equity in their homes that they had in 2005 or 2006.
Why…
Mortgage fraud
In 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned of an "epidemic" in mortgage fraud, an important credit risk of nonprime mortgage lending, which, they said, could lead to "a problem that could have as much impact as the Savings and Loan crisis".
The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission reported in January 2011 that: "...mortgage fraud...flourished in an environment of collapsing lending standards and lax regulation. The number of suspicious activity reports—reports of possible financial crimes filed by depository banks and their affiliates—related to mortgage fraud grew 20-fold between 1996 and 2005 and then more than doubled again between 2005 and 2009. One study places the losses resulting from fraud on mortgage loans made between 2005 and 2007 at $112 billion. Lenders made loans that they knew borrowers could not afford and that could cause massive losses to investors in mortgage securities."
New York State prosecutors are examining whether eight banks hoodwinked credit ratings agencies, to inflate the grades of subprime-linked investments. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the Justice Department, the United States attorney’s office and more are examining how banks created, rated, sold and traded mortgage securities that turned out to be some of the worst investments ever devised. As of 2010, virtually all of the investigations, criminal as well as civil, are in their early stages
Securitization practices
The traditional mortgage model involved a bank originating a loan to the borrower/homeowner and retaining the credit (default) risk. With the advent of securitization, the traditional model has given way to the "originate to distribute" model, in which banks essentially sell the mortgages and distribute credit risk to investors through mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and collateralized debt obligations (CDO). Securitization meant that those issuing mortgages were no longer required to hold them to maturity. By selling the mortgages to investors, the originating banks replenished their funds, enabling them to issue more loans and generating transaction fees. This created a moral hazard in which an increased focus on processing mortgage transactions was incentivized but ensuring their credit quality was not.
Inaccurate credit ratings
Credit rating agencies are now under scrutiny for having given investment-grade ratings to MBS based on risky subprime mortgage loans. These high ratings enabled these mortgage-backed securities to be sold to investors, thereby financing the housing boom.
The three credit rating agencies were key enablers of the financial meltdown. The mortgage-related securities at the heart of the crisis could not have been marketed and sold without their seal of approval. Investors relied on them, often blindly. In some cases, they were obligated to use them, or regulatory capital standards were hinged on them. This crisis could not have happened without the rating agencies. Their ratings helped the market soar and their downgrades through 2007 and 2008 wreaked havoc across markets and firms.
Government policies
Both government failed regulation and deregulation contributed to the crisis. In testimony before Congress both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Alan Greenspan conceded failure in allowing the self-regulation of investment banks
Then came "The Bailout".
The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a program of the United States government to purchase assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on October 3, 2008. It was a component of the government's measures in 2008 to address the subprime mortgage crisis. The initial bailout was approximately $700 billion.
Less than two months after Congress and President George W. Bush agreed to send $700 billion to the banking industry to "rescue" Wall Street, it was revealed that those very same banks have been using the money to pay out more than $18 billion in bonuses to top executives.
It’s estimated that the average American family will contribute $7,000 to the very companies which took "the destabilizing risks that undermined the global economy."
It's common sense: giving money to people who have made poor choices and driven their companies into the ground will only result in more poor choices. Before the bailout, senior financial executives were making billions in bonuses. After the bailout, senior financial executives were making billions in bonuses
On December 8th 2008 the Bush administration said it would lend $17.4 billion to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.
Fast forward to 7/24/2011 when the following fact were published buy the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/02/04/business/20090205-bailout-totals-graphic.html
“Through April 30, the government has made commitments of about $12.2 trillion and spent $2.5 trillion…”
Please click the link above to get the detailed picture.
First let’s think about $14 trillion dollars. How much is that anyway? That would be
$14,000,000,000,000. That’s right 14 followed by twelve zeros. A million is a number followed by six zeros (1,000,000). $14 trillion is $14,000 million.
Let’s break that down. On April 1, 2010 the US Census reported the US population to be 308,745,538 people. Time to break out that snazzy calculator your computer has. $14 trillion dollars would be enough money to give EVERY man, woman, and child is the United Stated of America $45,344.79 EACH. So a family of four would roughly get $200,000. Do you think that would have stimulated the economy a bit?
So, how did this all start? In my opinion it was a group of very greedy corporations and individuals that had a scheme to circumvent the system. They had come up with a plan to line their pockets with our money, with no thoughts or remorse for the consequences.
And what will come of it all? Probably not much. The folks responsible will never be held accountable. Some government agency may try, but it will be the equivalent of a witch hunt. A few underlings may have to fall on their swords, but what will that do for us. Nothing. We’ll still be in the economic crapper. Employment will still be high (which doesn’t count those that have dropped off the roles or the under employed). Houses will still foreclose, with their values lower than they have been in years. The number of people of food stamps will still rise and the lines at the local churches and food banks will grow longer with people trying to get food for their families. We’ll continue to struggle to survive for decades to come, while the corporate leaders will continue to make millions in salaries and most likely billions in bonuses.
In March 2007, the United States' subprime mortgage industry collapsed due to higher-than-expected home foreclosure rates, with more than 25 subprime lenders declaring bankruptcy, announcing significant losses, or putting themselves up for sale.
The national median home price is poised for its first annual decline since the Great Depression, and the National Association of Realtors reported that supply of unsold homes is at a record 4.2 million.
Because of this, borrowers can't refinance as they no longer have the equity in their homes that they had in 2005 or 2006.
Why…
Mortgage fraud
In 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned of an "epidemic" in mortgage fraud, an important credit risk of nonprime mortgage lending, which, they said, could lead to "a problem that could have as much impact as the Savings and Loan crisis".
The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission reported in January 2011 that: "...mortgage fraud...flourished in an environment of collapsing lending standards and lax regulation. The number of suspicious activity reports—reports of possible financial crimes filed by depository banks and their affiliates—related to mortgage fraud grew 20-fold between 1996 and 2005 and then more than doubled again between 2005 and 2009. One study places the losses resulting from fraud on mortgage loans made between 2005 and 2007 at $112 billion. Lenders made loans that they knew borrowers could not afford and that could cause massive losses to investors in mortgage securities."
New York State prosecutors are examining whether eight banks hoodwinked credit ratings agencies, to inflate the grades of subprime-linked investments. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the Justice Department, the United States attorney’s office and more are examining how banks created, rated, sold and traded mortgage securities that turned out to be some of the worst investments ever devised. As of 2010, virtually all of the investigations, criminal as well as civil, are in their early stages
Securitization practices
The traditional mortgage model involved a bank originating a loan to the borrower/homeowner and retaining the credit (default) risk. With the advent of securitization, the traditional model has given way to the "originate to distribute" model, in which banks essentially sell the mortgages and distribute credit risk to investors through mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and collateralized debt obligations (CDO). Securitization meant that those issuing mortgages were no longer required to hold them to maturity. By selling the mortgages to investors, the originating banks replenished their funds, enabling them to issue more loans and generating transaction fees. This created a moral hazard in which an increased focus on processing mortgage transactions was incentivized but ensuring their credit quality was not.
Inaccurate credit ratings
Credit rating agencies are now under scrutiny for having given investment-grade ratings to MBS based on risky subprime mortgage loans. These high ratings enabled these mortgage-backed securities to be sold to investors, thereby financing the housing boom.
The three credit rating agencies were key enablers of the financial meltdown. The mortgage-related securities at the heart of the crisis could not have been marketed and sold without their seal of approval. Investors relied on them, often blindly. In some cases, they were obligated to use them, or regulatory capital standards were hinged on them. This crisis could not have happened without the rating agencies. Their ratings helped the market soar and their downgrades through 2007 and 2008 wreaked havoc across markets and firms.
Government policies
Both government failed regulation and deregulation contributed to the crisis. In testimony before Congress both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Alan Greenspan conceded failure in allowing the self-regulation of investment banks
Then came "The Bailout".
The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a program of the United States government to purchase assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on October 3, 2008. It was a component of the government's measures in 2008 to address the subprime mortgage crisis. The initial bailout was approximately $700 billion.
Less than two months after Congress and President George W. Bush agreed to send $700 billion to the banking industry to "rescue" Wall Street, it was revealed that those very same banks have been using the money to pay out more than $18 billion in bonuses to top executives.
It’s estimated that the average American family will contribute $7,000 to the very companies which took "the destabilizing risks that undermined the global economy."
It's common sense: giving money to people who have made poor choices and driven their companies into the ground will only result in more poor choices. Before the bailout, senior financial executives were making billions in bonuses. After the bailout, senior financial executives were making billions in bonuses
On December 8th 2008 the Bush administration said it would lend $17.4 billion to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.
Fast forward to 7/24/2011 when the following fact were published buy the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/02/04/business/20090205-bailout-totals-graphic.html
“Through April 30, the government has made commitments of about $12.2 trillion and spent $2.5 trillion…”
Please click the link above to get the detailed picture.
First let’s think about $14 trillion dollars. How much is that anyway? That would be
$14,000,000,000,000. That’s right 14 followed by twelve zeros. A million is a number followed by six zeros (1,000,000). $14 trillion is $14,000 million.
Let’s break that down. On April 1, 2010 the US Census reported the US population to be 308,745,538 people. Time to break out that snazzy calculator your computer has. $14 trillion dollars would be enough money to give EVERY man, woman, and child is the United Stated of America $45,344.79 EACH. So a family of four would roughly get $200,000. Do you think that would have stimulated the economy a bit?
So, how did this all start? In my opinion it was a group of very greedy corporations and individuals that had a scheme to circumvent the system. They had come up with a plan to line their pockets with our money, with no thoughts or remorse for the consequences.
And what will come of it all? Probably not much. The folks responsible will never be held accountable. Some government agency may try, but it will be the equivalent of a witch hunt. A few underlings may have to fall on their swords, but what will that do for us. Nothing. We’ll still be in the economic crapper. Employment will still be high (which doesn’t count those that have dropped off the roles or the under employed). Houses will still foreclose, with their values lower than they have been in years. The number of people of food stamps will still rise and the lines at the local churches and food banks will grow longer with people trying to get food for their families. We’ll continue to struggle to survive for decades to come, while the corporate leaders will continue to make millions in salaries and most likely billions in bonuses.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Black Friday 2011 did not disappoint...
Or, maybe it did.
Initial reports are saying that Black Friday sales were up by 26% over last year, but was the cost really?
Do a Google search for "Black Friday 2011 incidents" and see what you find. Shoppers pepper spraying other shoppers, shootings, stabbings, police tasering folks, fist fights, parking lot muggings, and the most heart breaking I heard.. a 61 year old man died on the floor of a department store from a heart attack while eager bargain hunters stepped over his body.
Unbelievable.
That time of year huh? Peace on Earth, Good will towards men, and all those other lyrics to holiday songs. Yeah, right. If Santa is making a list and checking it twice for all those naughty or nice, he could give his eight tiny reindeer the night off.
Do you think the people that shouted, pushed, shoved, hit, and/or punched their way to the front of the line to get that special holiday bargain are proud? I bet they are. I bet they haven't a shadow of remorse for how they got their bargain.
So let's start making a check list for next years Black Friday sale...
1. Shopping list.
2. Tent for camping outside the store 3 days prior.
3. Safety Goggles
4. Pepper Spray
5. Taser
6. Hand held weapon of choice. (gun, knife, club, or shillelagh perhaps)
7. Full body armour.
8. Lack of any common decency.
No worries, the local media will be providing the news crews and aerial photography.
So, if you were one of those the pushed, scratched, or clawed your way to that bargain of the year. Enjoy it. Think not of the person that missed out, got injured, or maybe even died so you could have your deal. It's not about them, it's about you. Remember, maybe next year your neighbor may step over your body to get that flat screen TV they've been wanting.
Initial reports are saying that Black Friday sales were up by 26% over last year, but was the cost really?
Do a Google search for "Black Friday 2011 incidents" and see what you find. Shoppers pepper spraying other shoppers, shootings, stabbings, police tasering folks, fist fights, parking lot muggings, and the most heart breaking I heard.. a 61 year old man died on the floor of a department store from a heart attack while eager bargain hunters stepped over his body.
Unbelievable.
That time of year huh? Peace on Earth, Good will towards men, and all those other lyrics to holiday songs. Yeah, right. If Santa is making a list and checking it twice for all those naughty or nice, he could give his eight tiny reindeer the night off.
Do you think the people that shouted, pushed, shoved, hit, and/or punched their way to the front of the line to get that special holiday bargain are proud? I bet they are. I bet they haven't a shadow of remorse for how they got their bargain.
So let's start making a check list for next years Black Friday sale...
1. Shopping list.
2. Tent for camping outside the store 3 days prior.
3. Safety Goggles
4. Pepper Spray
5. Taser
6. Hand held weapon of choice. (gun, knife, club, or shillelagh perhaps)
7. Full body armour.
8. Lack of any common decency.
No worries, the local media will be providing the news crews and aerial photography.
So, if you were one of those the pushed, scratched, or clawed your way to that bargain of the year. Enjoy it. Think not of the person that missed out, got injured, or maybe even died so you could have your deal. It's not about them, it's about you. Remember, maybe next year your neighbor may step over your body to get that flat screen TV they've been wanting.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Black Friday, Grey Thursday
It's that time of year again. Only this year it's ealier than ever. The Holiday Season is upon us. There is a local FM radio station that started it's regiment 24 hour Christmas music on November 2nd.
Maybe I'm old fashoined, or just old for that matter. But, I remember the days when the "Holidays" didn't start until after Thanksgiving. The commericals on the television and radio have started, the stores are decked out in thier holiday best, and folks are decorating thier yards with lights and plastic reindeer.
The latest is "Black Friday" (please see the blog entry about DNA) is spilling backwards into Thanksgiving. Which should be henseforth known as "Grey Thursday". Another day to camp out for the great deal. Another oppotunity to put on our helmets and shoulder pads to trample our way through the crowd to get that item we just can't live without. Be damned with the "Holiday" spirit! To hell with being with family! Just give me that bargin! Now we need not even consider the countless people that will have to work at these retail establishments on a day usually set aside for family, friends, and giving thanks. They need to be at thier posts, working for minimum wage, sacrificing thier "Holiday" so we can can get that cheap laptop or flat screen TV!
I suppose this is all good for the sake of profit. Heavens forbid the retailers stock enough of those products that we could go at our leasure and get a great deal. No, that wouldn't work. Why stock enough of the deal for everyone, when we can stock 10 of them and let the rest pay full price for a similar item? Where's the fun in that? That wouldn't make the evening news.
So here's the reality check. the "Holidays" aren't about family, or friends, or giving thanks. They are about money. Don't believe me, take a look around. Why did do the RETAILERS get to decide when to kick off the "Holiday" season? Corporate profits have taken over and the "Holidays" have moved from our hearts to our wallets. Believe that. Ask someone that's struggling in this economy right now, worrying about how to pay the bills, the food they don't have, or the roof they don't have over thier heads. They'll tell you just how much "Holiday" spirit they can afford. Let's ask the 49 million people on food stamps in the US (reported this morning) about the "Holidays" or the people we see lined up at the food pantries.
So yeah, the "Holidays" can suck for alot of people. More now than ever and starting the "Holiday" season right after Halloween is just rubbing our noses in it.
Maybe I'm old fashoined, or just old for that matter. But, I remember the days when the "Holidays" didn't start until after Thanksgiving. The commericals on the television and radio have started, the stores are decked out in thier holiday best, and folks are decorating thier yards with lights and plastic reindeer.
The latest is "Black Friday" (please see the blog entry about DNA) is spilling backwards into Thanksgiving. Which should be henseforth known as "Grey Thursday". Another day to camp out for the great deal. Another oppotunity to put on our helmets and shoulder pads to trample our way through the crowd to get that item we just can't live without. Be damned with the "Holiday" spirit! To hell with being with family! Just give me that bargin! Now we need not even consider the countless people that will have to work at these retail establishments on a day usually set aside for family, friends, and giving thanks. They need to be at thier posts, working for minimum wage, sacrificing thier "Holiday" so we can can get that cheap laptop or flat screen TV!
I suppose this is all good for the sake of profit. Heavens forbid the retailers stock enough of those products that we could go at our leasure and get a great deal. No, that wouldn't work. Why stock enough of the deal for everyone, when we can stock 10 of them and let the rest pay full price for a similar item? Where's the fun in that? That wouldn't make the evening news.
So here's the reality check. the "Holidays" aren't about family, or friends, or giving thanks. They are about money. Don't believe me, take a look around. Why did do the RETAILERS get to decide when to kick off the "Holiday" season? Corporate profits have taken over and the "Holidays" have moved from our hearts to our wallets. Believe that. Ask someone that's struggling in this economy right now, worrying about how to pay the bills, the food they don't have, or the roof they don't have over thier heads. They'll tell you just how much "Holiday" spirit they can afford. Let's ask the 49 million people on food stamps in the US (reported this morning) about the "Holidays" or the people we see lined up at the food pantries.
So yeah, the "Holidays" can suck for alot of people. More now than ever and starting the "Holiday" season right after Halloween is just rubbing our noses in it.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
DNA
They say that there is about a 3 - 5% difference in human DNA and the DNA of an ape. So that means the difference between a blogging, smart phone toting human and a grub eating, poo throwing ape is a relatively small number of DNA strands.
This isn't about evolution, more about behavior. It doesn't take long to look around and find examples of "humans" acting like animals. How about the "Knock Out Game"? Unprovoked attacks on innocent bystanders to see if you can "knock someone out". There are reports of people being beaten to death over this. A fine example of humanity. Maybe the annual reports of people stampeding retail outlets for the "Black Friday" sales. Knocking each other down and trampling one another for a good deal. Guess it's called "Black Friday" for a reason. Do a Google search on what happened at the Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina if you have any doubts left.
Have a look around during your day. I bet there are a lot of examples of people acting more like an animal than a fellow human. They don't have to be as tragic as the ones I mentioned before, they are most likely very subtle. Ignoring things that shouldn't be ignored, humiliating someone is some way for amusement or to elevate yourself. Demeaning or dehumanizing someone to get your own way, to feel or re-enforce a position of power. Sadly, the list could go on and on.
Is this really what we're suppose to do with that 5% of DNA? In times of need or catastrophe shouldn't we be rising to help one another instead of watching the idea of civilization dissolve, or worse, participating? Or maybe the next time I see something like this happen I should just throw some poo at them.
This isn't about evolution, more about behavior. It doesn't take long to look around and find examples of "humans" acting like animals. How about the "Knock Out Game"? Unprovoked attacks on innocent bystanders to see if you can "knock someone out". There are reports of people being beaten to death over this. A fine example of humanity. Maybe the annual reports of people stampeding retail outlets for the "Black Friday" sales. Knocking each other down and trampling one another for a good deal. Guess it's called "Black Friday" for a reason. Do a Google search on what happened at the Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina if you have any doubts left.
Have a look around during your day. I bet there are a lot of examples of people acting more like an animal than a fellow human. They don't have to be as tragic as the ones I mentioned before, they are most likely very subtle. Ignoring things that shouldn't be ignored, humiliating someone is some way for amusement or to elevate yourself. Demeaning or dehumanizing someone to get your own way, to feel or re-enforce a position of power. Sadly, the list could go on and on.
Is this really what we're suppose to do with that 5% of DNA? In times of need or catastrophe shouldn't we be rising to help one another instead of watching the idea of civilization dissolve, or worse, participating? Or maybe the next time I see something like this happen I should just throw some poo at them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
