Kinkikali

Pak it in

Earlier this summer, the US  Secretary of State Hillary R Clinton tripped over to Pakistan.  She came loaded down with gifts for Pakistan.  These gifts, worth hundreds of millions, are to keep Pakistan in line and on our side.  Much of it was and is for “water projects”.  Given the arid state of Pakistan, “water projects” have a useful ring to it.  But just this week, the weather turned rough and the rains came.  Pakistan now sits in deep flood.  It is kind of interesting that one day “water projects” are announced and then within an omen’s twist “water projects” are all down stream, all under the bridge.

The Four Fems

No matter what your viewpoint is of the political process, the November 2010 Mid-term elections should be a hoot and a holler, with hopefully a minimum of gunfire.  Here in NH, there are plenty of races worth watching.

And I think NH will soon have an all female delegation…

Below are my predictions, with the usual mushy commentary…

House 1:  I give Carol-Shea another term.  Her original campaign was the original tea-party type–fired up about Hurricane Katrina and party underdog.  She has made no big whoops.  And she has made getting veterans local health care her flagship cause.  Any Republican/Conservative picking a fight with her will have to put up or shut up on supporting our dear suffering veterans.

House 2:  With an open seat this will be like  playing hockey and basketball on the same field. Katrina Swett will put up a feisty and smart campaign.  She will face Jennifer Horn who will beat Charlie Bass.  Not that she strays beyond the talking points, but because she is newer and fresh.  Charlie has had too much time in congress to get another chance.  Katrina v. Jennifer ought to full of fury and foam.  Jennifer will win by having never set foot in DC.

Senior Senator: I know Jeanne Shaheen is not up for re-election, but she will have a split delegation—all filled with strong willed women.  Tragically will alone does not bring back Happy Times.  I hope she can bring unity because unity comes in awful handy in awful times.

Junior Senator: Paul Hodes will be the sacrificial goat for the sins of Obama.  Meanwhile Kelly Ayotte will beat her male opponents after a bruising, hurting, and wearing race. But she will be the “establishment” pick with an anti-establishment mandate.  She will have the courage to blow the whistle on her fellow Republicans/Conservatives when they engage or had engaged in the same behavior they complain about.  She will resign within a year saying (about Congress) “They no longer do the people’s business, but business’s business…and they have lobbyists for that”

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.

Public Right/Private Right: SeaWorld or SeeWorld

Earlier this year, a trainer got killed at SeaWorld with cameras rolling.  This tragic accident took a turn when the family of the trainer wanted the video footage sealed, citing privacy.

This brings up the question of privacy versus public right to know.  Do we all have the right to control our image?  Who decides what images are public domain or private propriety?  What about retroactively gaining ownership of  “public images”?

Public record (of the image variety) is so important for the public good.  Going in the opposite direction is only fair if it is all or nothing.  Giving certain groups the advantage to “cover up” is wrong and wrong.  And that is where the SeaWorld case is so important. Being in public means being the public…subject to the eyes and the lenses therein.

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.

United States of Semitica

The Middle East is a part of the world with a violent rap sheet ages long–lots of boiling oil to fight over.  And then there is the land. Nothing is straightforward in this land of milk and honey.  The main conflict is described as Jews versus Arabs.  Of course the Jews are a religious group and the Arabs are a linguistic group—apples and oranges and reason enough there is no feng shui balance.

Taking the old patriarch route let the Solomon method, sort things out.  Divide the disputed Holy Land into two “states”.  That way each can claim ownership as land title seems more important than eternal peace.  Jerusalem will be under International control.  The new entity will be called United States of Semitica.  “Semitica” or rather the Semitic language family is what unites these quarreling cousins.  And the idea is to find unity, not wanton apartheid.  Each state will be self governing.  A ruling council of thirds (Arabs, Hebrews, and Internationals) will handle larger national and international affairs.  From them, one of each group will be part of a three person ruling junta (President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister).  All three thirds will of course have their own sub political divisions, left to right—so the choice will be, from top to bottom, cooperate or collapse.

Getting peace out of 4,000 year old desert spat will take extreme courage and lots of bullet biting.  But otherwise what value is peace when peace is not valued?

Making Haiti (Out of Nothing at All)

Trouble in paradise, real bad stuff.  We all know about–2010 earthquake.  But sure as sap will run, the vaporous minds of TV media will feed on the tragedy like vultures:

Survivor (Haiti): Talk about “reality TV”.  This has streets full of stories.  I am still waiting to hear about the woman selling dirt cakes.  Fox News did a piece on her a while back.

Extreme Makeover (Haiti): Hey Ty do we have a project for you.  How are your urban redevelopment skills.  Why not get all the tool dudes (This Old House, Extreme Makeover, etc,) together lead by Tim Allen to go down and do a celebrity Haiti makeover.  I know someone who can handle the catering.

CSI (Haiti):  A crime scene, a real bad one. Here comes Ducky.  Things will get sorted out.

Your Fired (Haiti):  Great, the Trumpmeister is here.  I think we need POSITIVE feedback here.  Better to get some hiring down here.

Real World (Haiti):  Pretty authentic in my book. Beyond extreme poverty and terrible natural disasters, not much to change.

Lost (Haiti): “Hey man, where are we?” bout sums it up after the land you stand on gives way.  Makes the plane crash seem minor.

China Cash-out

2011, the Hiroshima Hilton.  Obama, Clinton, Boenher, and retired Judd Gregg sit mournfully at the table. Oriental decor abounds.  The group has just returned from the Gulf where the oil states has just painfully extracted from the US delegation precious monies as part of payment on demand loans America so breezly accumulated.  The process was bitter, painful, and yet some what muted by towel headed dsicretion.

But not now.  This event was clear and transparent. On the wall was a giant map of the Pacific.  The Chinese marched in.

China announced it wanted to collect, all, everything. Protests erupted. China rolled out a simple “compromise”.  China will not ask for more than 50% of the total loans.  And China will “forgive” the rest of the debt FOR…

And then they rolled out some names  Midway, Outer Hawaiian Islands, Palmyra Island, Howland Island, Wake Island…most of America’s Pacific territories (and their zones of control) AND most of the Aleutian Islands–also to be transferred in perpetuity to the People’s Republic—OR the transference of 95% of the US Fleet including all but small coastal vessels and rescue and research vessels.  It was a tough no-win call.  Loss of US territory was bad, but in the Aleutians!.

So we signed.  Our debt and debt services burden lowered.  But overnight the Chinese were all over the Pacific.  And the Chinese ruled the waves.  Anti-Chinese sentiment rose to rabid heights.

Mitt to Haiti

Mitt Romney, former contender in the 2008 Presidential Olympiad, is known as Mr. Fixit.  He rescued companies, states, and Olympic games.  Despite his crippling good looks and bloated personal wealth, Mitt has himself a golden opportunity to set himself up for the next presidential race.

Haiti, a disaster with a disaster, is just about as bad as it gets.  Perfect for a go to guy with chin and muscle.  Bring your family.  Their fashionable good looks would beautify by mere presence.  But the Romneys bring more impressive ivories.  They have family teamwork and solid Christian values.

And then there is the money.  Not that it won’t end up in some foundation anyway.  Why not cut loose a slab of millions.  Show your mettle Mitt.  If you rescue Haiti think of accolades—Mitt the Messiah of Haiti.

People, the voting public, would be sold on your boldness and executive nerve—-you would be unbeatable.  But you need to get going.  Time and opportunity are wasting (as well as scores of human lives).