Kinkikali

November Revolution

Since 2001, national politics has become progressively more contentious and complex.  The coming mid-term elections are already described in “line in the sand” terms.  Unfortunately there is no national consensus—just groups of hell for leather and bunker mentality interests.  Trust exists only within “the tribe”.

And there is zero patience.  So the Democrats get the proverbial boot.  Republicans take over, but then what?  Will they stand by their promises or will hopes be burst like plenty of recent bubbles.

Voters will stew knowing nothing has changed in the positive direction.  There are vague alternatives–but again can bravado translate to practical solutions.  Our troubles, especially financial, are too deep and widespread.  It has taken decades to degrade the low and middle class.  They are stripped of all but defiance and anger.

This leads to long term questions about democracy competency. 

Unfortunately institutions in America are pretty well sullied and younger generations are none to pleased with current and especially future state of affairs.  There are some ok folks running for office, but the prospects don’t look good.  Many candidates are so virulently “anti-government” that one wonders why they are running for something they hate.

Since severe financial disruptions has left so much in the air, now would be the time to deep think how to re-arrange the things we once considered permanent, before they are thrust upon us by those who find elections no longer enough to sustain democracy.

Duly Noted

Earlier this year, before the Gulf Spill, the petroleum industry ran a TV commercial that awed the viewer with deep sea drilling potential.  It was all glamorous stuff with a single primary well having multiple “tentacles” running along the seabed to other wells. Then came Earth Day and an explosion and the rest is floating in its long voyage to the Gulf Stream and beyond.  That commercial strangely has dropped out of sight. Just shows that sexy sales pitches often end up in oily ditches.

Firestarters

The recent healthcare debate was fiery.  There was a vocal conservative side of politics that kept calling for stopping the democratic monster at “any and all costs”.  Media commentaters fed off the this and added fuel to the flames.  Then the “masses” got involved stoking politicans and commentaters.  Pretty soon the firestorm built—feeding off each other in frenzy.

Now there is a lull.

Some are calling for “pulling back from radicalism”.  But I have heard few of the commenataters step back and APOLOGIZE for encouraging “any cost”.  It is nice to be impassioned, committed to one’s cause.  But commentaters have RESPONSIBILITIES (Bulldog and Jack).

Back in 2001 the conservative movement was all out for blood “to avenge” Chandra Levy.  All summer that was the focus.  Then while the Republicans were setting the grill up for Congressman Condit a few dozen Arabs decided the friendly sky.  What was worse than witchhunting for the people’s visit was how quickly Chandra Levy was dropped as Golden Victim on 9/12.

Wars start because of emotions run wild.  Genocides are perpetrated because moderate thought gets left in the gutter–dead.  Word has it that the Rwanda genocides were in a large part because of local media firebranding.

“At all costs”, political revenge, holier than thou attitude…nice paved highways to hell folks.  It just seems the two sides of political aisle are raising the stakes—at great cost to country and dignity.  Meanwhile the masses simmer in their discontent. Slippery slopes people.  If you hate your fellow Americans than you hate your “enemies” than we all fall down.

Cash-out

The difficult times we are in manifest themselves in many ways.  One noticeable example of desperate times and the people caught within is the proliferation in media advertising of “sell gold for money”.  Not that it is illegal or immoral to pawn away your savings—there is an ongoing demand for suchstuff.  But what if the recovery is not.  Blowing the last of your assets means more critical mass of desperate and demoralized.  Our leaders tell us NOW is NOT the time to panic.  So be it.  But cashing out is one step shy of giving up followed by getting even.  And pray it does not come to that.  Otherwise I won’t wait for the “go ahead” on panic.

1% Success

Since 2001 the United States has been involved in two major wars as part of a world wide of nebulous nature. Despite pouring immense amount of treasure, among other resources tangible and intangible, we have not been able to link effort to long term success.

Looking back historically the wars we won came from full effort or “total war”. Despite one third for, one third against, and one third apathetic, we won the Revolution after 8 long years,  The War of 1812 was won in part because our war was part of a wider war—and even then many Americans and parts of America sat out the war.

The Indians Wars were uneven.  Despite this it took three bouts to make the Seminoles cry uncle.  The Apaches and Sioux were long term headaches.  The Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection were more uneven conflicts—yet costs, mostly financial, were easily burdened.

Both the World Wars were “total war” affairs.  America went full bore.  And even in the most complex Second World War, America made short order of the duece and a half threats.

Korea was a stalemate and Vietnam was a checkmate.  In both cases America took a more comfortable tact towards the wars faced.  And if the military was retarded in Vietnam, the Home Front never got out of the easy chair.

As I said above, we are coming on the decade anniversary of this war.  I would be curious to compare our expenditures to our enemies.  Not only do I suspect our body count ratios look bad, but our financials must be far much worse.

Despite our efforts the wars are being fought by less than 1% of the US population.  Are we doing it right? Are we placing technology, the darling of the last two decades, on such a “never fail” pedestal that we are losing wars.  Is it too late to harness the best of America’s resources, human and otherwise, to go all out and get the job done.

Technology has brought much, but it is no end all panacea for this complex war.  Nor does money solve matters.  We may be able to hold any line, except the bottom line.

The Twin Towers were a symbol of All Conquering Capitalism.  Unfortunately that same decade the captains of commerce not only destroyed lives worldwide, but they came close to destroying the very capitalism that brought them to the position of high and mighty.  Tyco, Enron, Madoff…were not commies with AK-47s.  Yet they did not lay patriotism ahead of profits.

Are we going to repeat ourselves? We had three rounds with the Seminoles.  Will we have to do Iraq Take 3?  1% seems awfully small of effort for the job at hand. Playing the percentages—is a very dangerous margin to bet on.

Catholic Medical Center

Medicine 2010 can be pretty neat.  High tech and lots of wow, CMC is running commercials on their cutting edge technology.  Trouble is what about the cost? I have been unemployed since Oct. 2007.  I had a $200 simple doctor’s visit in November.  In February with a full blood test I expect to pay around $500 which is what it just cost me to fill my oil tank.  Is that commercial misleading–in a way.  There is glittery, cool, snazzy end of medicine and then there is the crappy, stinky, awkward, poke green side of medicine.  Both are valid.  But neither alone are truthful.  The trouble with “cheery side” of things in advertisement falsifies the “gloomy side” where a great many people are stuck.   How much does that cute technology cost a ride—$5000?  $7500?  makes a HUGE difference to Penniless Peter.  All show and no tell can in my opinion go to…   Enough said.

“Great” Overdose

WTPL-FM is a local talk radio.  Commentary is right of middle, but civil and informative.  One host, Jack Heath, has an afternoon show.  He is a self-proclaimed conservative and runs a PR company on the side (having once run for US Congress and produced TV News).  If nothing else, Jack is media savvy.

Therein is the problem.  Despite media savvy and passionate (politically) personality, Jack just can’t get away from describing everything positive as “great”.  Some broadcasts become endless streams of “great”, “great”, “great”, “great”,….

Is it truly bad?  Mindnumbing repitition, diminishing value, bland and ambigious description.  Hey, monosyllabic descriptors are easy and saves time and effort—but at what cost?

Words like awesome, fantastic, pretty neat, innovative, rich, astounding, classy, first rate, top notch, supreme, first class, unbeatable, etc. are workable substitutes.

Not only will their use spice up the broadcast, but the sponsors who you coddle (in a commercially nurturing way) will appreciate your expansive and expressive bounty beyond the “Great” wall of monotonous description.

Comeback Coalition

Back in the early 1990’s when the US economy was plugged like a backed-up toilet, there was in NH an organization known as the Comeback Coalition.  They were led by businesses that urged we consumers to purchase our way out of recession.  Like a flock of spasy cheerleaders they played the positive card game.  I’d love a job with them–if they are hiring.  Odds are they are not.  Nope even now “good news” comes coated with dumpster drippings.  Less bad is good. Speculative minutia becomes the trend.  And wishful vocalizing become “honest to God” truth.  Come on back Comeback Coalition.  You are desperately needed, if not cordially unwanted.

Gift Card Check

Christmas came and so did the gift cards.  I am personally a favorite of gift cards.  They are handy, neat, and flexible.

But I wonder about them in the economic sense.  Each year they track sales.  Each year the same economists track holiday spending.  And after Christmas the same numbernuts talk about all those gift cards being spent.

Is there double counting being done?

I can see adding the sales of the cards at their point of sale to the total.  But why does it seem they count it again at “cash in” point?

I ask this as recent economic downturns are worsened by idiot economics where foggy manipulation rather clear explanation of economic realities.

Pine Tree Cablevision and WMURTV

Oh how far we have fallen.

Pine Tree Cablevision has been serving the Rindge area (and nine other communities) for years. Yesterday they shutdown without warning. Bang. No more cable TV and high speed internet.  The story is the usual–overextended credit, in debt, and leaving customers in the lurch.  That is bad enough. But last night one of the MUR anchors added “Guess they’ll have to use rabbit ears to watch us.”.  Oh really, you say.  This is from the mouth of TELEVISION NEWScaster.  You see there have been some FORCIBILE CONVERSIONS  recently. That is Digital TV. No, rabbit ears will be useless.  And so will be all but the most extreme rooftop antenna array.  Who pays for that?   No Pine Tree Cablevision customers are doubly screwed.  Pinetree dropped the ball, but the rest of the media have succeeded in losing more and more viewers through short sighted tinkering with people’s lives by their Candyland commentary.