The Global Observer

SOPA, governments, and freedom of the internet

2012-01-26T11:11:00.001-06:00

In the little spare time I have had the last couple weeks, I have been trying to form an educated opinion regarding the new SOPA and PIP (Protect IP) laws that the USA is trying to pass to regulate the internet and protect domestic copyright and piracy laws.

Probably the opinion I most reflect so far is that of this open letter from technology founders in the USA to Congress...

http://dq99alanzv66m.cloudfront.net/sopa/img/12-14-letter.pdf

I have a unique situation in regards to these laws in that I am in both technology and the "music" industries. That means...I am for any legitimate expansion and use of technology without false limitations or freedoms curbed by any government, including my own...yet at the same time I am for reasonable protection of the ownership of my creativity...whether that be music, writing or image arts.

Admittedly, we live in an age of competition by imitation. The rules and regulations MUST continue to evolve to take into consideration all aspects of irreversible globalization and new technologies that make copying and duplication a very simple process. Yet, I think our simplistic and archaic "leaders" in Congress understand very little about the laws and verbiage they are forcing through Congress...and trying to force upon the rest of the world. Long gone are the days of "book burnings" or "bannings" as an exercise of executive privilege. Long gone are the days when huge companies and institutions can DICTATE laws...and submission to those laws...by the global masses. This is just unrealistic in this day and age without annihilation of huge populations in the world. Do we really have the option of "nuking" or invading China and other such countries who have made huge industries of piracy and duplication of original and patented processes or inventions? I don`t think so. So, what are our real options?

While technology has created some of this problem, therein also lies much of the solution. There are many ways to digitally place your "ownership" on printed or digital materials to establish legitimacy. We need to continue the development of these technologies that can track content or programs that are protected...and at the same time safeguard such materials or processes in common sense ways. One small example might be written, digital content. Even emails. There are plenty of encryption and secure programs out there to retain privacy of written materials...yet very few people who publish such copyrighted or private content use the most basic of tools. There are also many ways to treat music and video files so they cannot be easily copied or distributed unauthorized. Yet, many producers don`t use some of these basic tools already out there. Believe me, as long as you continue to lay "gold coins" out in the street, street people will continue to pocket them and disappear.

The other point is that any government must work UNDER THE LAW OF DUE PROCESS to enforce laws that are already on the books. At this point I haven't seen or understood anything of copyrights and privacy laws that are not covered already WITHOUT these new, overstepping laws. Todays governments, including the USA, seem bent on dictatorial, tyrannous approaches to enforcing laws that have not even been officially passed or printed yet! Based on the first pass reading of SOPA, I see many items there that appear unconstitutional or without due process of law. To me this is another version of a "Patriot Act" that gives blind power and permission of government to act against their own citizens without due process or interpretation of law...which to me is very evidently unconstitutional.

I don`t know the whole story behind last weeks arrest and crackdown on MegaUpload in New Zealand...but from the outside looking in it is scary to me to see seizures of properties and arrests of persons without some judicial course of action. And when countries, such as in this case New Zealand and Hong Kong, immediately capitulate to a USA federal court order...against people who are not even USA citizens, it gives rise to the question of what IS the definition of due process...and is this a huge case of "governments uniting against the people"?

It would appear from this general story being covered on Wikipedia that this smells of complete and tyrannical flexing of governmental muscles...on a global scale...against large global businesses and their leaders who have "gotten too big and successful". It also calls into question the rights of the MILLIONS of customers using these services who have lost money paid to this company without any notice or obligation to make good a return of those people`s money. It seems governments are only interested in THEIR tax revenue (in this case lost due to offshore positioning) versus protecting the funds of millions of their citizens who rightly or wrongly paid for these services. If the government had a court order for this company to return revenue to their unknowing customers...with due process and notice to "the people"...then these actions might be less suspect. In this case...who or what institution gets all the millions in "spoils" that have been taken away by these combined government forces?

Now, I´m quite sure that many of us would have no love or respect for the founder of this company. Apparently he was an arrogant ******* who had little to no respect for copyright laws and was being a better distributor of Hollywood movies than Hollywood itself. I don`t know enough about this case or the laws around it to make a determination of his innocence or guilt. What concerns me is the hybris and aggression shown by police forces of an international scale against this guys properties and other third persons. Unfortunately most people in the world take medias and governments spin on such stories as the "truth". Yet, I would suggest that most of us are not qualified to make such a call on these types of cases...but any liberty minded person must wonder what kind of legal process was behind this statist actions. Sure, this company will have their day in court somewhere...but meanwhile it appears they have been deemed guilty until proven innocent...which to me is the reverse of what our democratic liberties are all about. And I once again have to ask...what juridiction does the USA have over foreign individuals in foreign countries? Are we paying for access and steam rolling over other countries...using taxpayer money and military threats? Who knows...but it surely seems odd.

Unfortunately, we have seen these types of actions on part of the USA government way too often in the past decade. The Patriot Act continues to be in force and in my opinion circumvents the established laws of our constitution and excessive powers when it comes to individual rights and due process. In addition to the Patriot Act, in 2006 the Bush administration surreptitiously passed a little understood law called the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act" wherein while the feds knew they could not outlaw completely online "gaming", they apparently believed they had the constitutional right to limit Americans from using their money or transferring their money to businesses for this purpose. No matter how one feels about gambling...or what they understand for that matter about Sports Betting or playing "Poker" as a game of skill...there are still many lawsuits and actions against these usurpative laws that call into question the governments authority in limiting a citizens rights to how and where one wants to use their money. While many probably think these actions were based on some "moral highground" of our legislature to protect the poor losers who don`t know how to control their money...I am quite sure that as soon as the USA determines HOW they can legalize, tax and take out the international COMPETITION for online gaming and poker...it will once again be legal at the federal level to play online...with real money. Just watch what happens...and then tell me what MORALITY this action was based on.

These are all huge subjects, but for now I try to find the underpinning, macro philosophy and opinion upon which to base my reaction(s) to SOPA and other laws in the USA. The USA, nor any other country for that matter, does not own or control the "Internet". This is now something of GLOBAL domain...and to that end the USA also has to play by international laws and regulations. I believe there are already plenty of international laws "on the books" related to protection of copyrights, fraud, piracy, etc. The USA cannot effectively and arbitrarily pass rules and regulations on the whole world related to this medium. Impossible to enforce and unrealistic to expect international cooperation on all fronts.

The best approach I think is for all global economies of scale to unite on international laws and regulations...as long as those laws and regulations do not overstep basic rights of individual sovereignty and access to information on an equal basis. Along those lines, I think the international community must FIGHT to protect equal access to information within all regimes...repressive or not. I also think economic sanctions are difficult to enforce, and usually only punish the poor, powerless masses instead of the governments or regimes they are designed to punish. There will need to be new and better ways to get international cooperation to lean on dictatorships and isolated regimes.

Global competition...and use of the internet...is now a race for effective use of the "information highway". A global body over the internet should be effectively established to fight security issues and go after virus producers. Instead of trying to limit online commerce...including gaming on line...the USA should instead compete to have the best and most secure systems for allowing its citizens the liberty to play any games...even for money...at their own risk and responsibility. Most people do not need government to determine their financial limitations...and those who do will eventually end up broke or in rehab somewhere whether it is legal or not...but the rest of us should not be limited based on the minority`s weakness of character...or lack of sanity.

I wish someone was paying me to study and digest all that is happening in the online legal space so I could devote more time to it. This is obviously just a laymen`s view on what is happening. Yet, I think it is legitimate to say that there is too much "Shenanigans" going on with governments and the internet. In general I will rebel against any law or position that my or any other global government establishes that limits freedom of access of the internet...for legitimate content or financial transactions. No one government is big enough, or knowledgeable enough, to play that role for the rest of the world. Those regimes or governments that attempt to do so will find it backfiring on their country`s economy, culture and productivity. We should not allow any government, even the USA, to attempt those kinds of controls.

My current position is I believe we have plenty of laws to defend copyright and piracy laws. We just need to enforce them...WITH DUE PROCESS...and not make it EASY for people to steal from us. That is the true "American way".

Why I might change my mind on Romney for President

2012-01-24T13:52:00.001-06:00

There are a couple old sayings such as:

If you can`t beat them, join them"

You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.

- Albert Einstein

How do I tie these sayings into Mitt Romney for President? Well...now that I know he paid over 3 million dollars last year in Federal Income taxes...I think he deserves a shot at leading our country into a positive economic and cultural turn around.

I know many of my more liberal or socialist friends will take issue with what I am saying here, but look at things realistically. What is the meaning or purpose of money? For me, money is nothing more than a way to "keep score". Business and free enterprise are built around competition and the score is kept by how many dollars your ideas or relationships can earn in the shortest amount of time. "Time is money"---also a valuable concept. I also go along with the thinking that jobs are never produced by poor people or governments. Its now about global competition of money and productivity. America is currently losing that competition.

If you go along with this mentality about money, then one must begin respecting the value...and POWER of money. I remember when I made the statement to my father figure Grandfather in my teens..."it looks like those with the most money win...even in religion". I sensed that my minister grandfather was a little taken off guard by my statement. He then clarified for me that it is the LOVE of money that was the root of evil...not money itself. Money can be very useful. Most people that hate people with money...are those that don`t have any. This is an ugly principle that is fueling most of the world`s conflicts...and unfortunately the number of "producers" of money are being quickly over run by the "consumers" of money...the primary culprits being GOVERNMENTS...who produce no money, only print it. They only spend what they tax out of the system...a system that must be voluntarily agreed to by the majority supposedly.

While I have unabashedly supported the ideas and fundamentals of Ron Paul as a "libertarian Republican"...I now think the next best litmus test of who is qualified to lead our country is the one who can or has generated the most money in their lifetime. And while we must recognize that "money flows to money" and that many people INHERIT what they have...I think we should evaluate leaders in our country based on how successful they have been as PRODUCERS. Not leeches off the system. Not lifelong attorneys who predominantly pursue and lead our political processes by manipulation of laws and regulations. We need a Warren Buffet or Steven Jobs type of figure who can take over and lead at least the economic rebound our country so thirsts for. Its not about government "programs" or continued redistribution of other peoples incomes and tax dollars. We need a true revolution in government that thrives on thrift, principles of productivity and competition...and not just how big they can grow the governmental complex into.

The biggest idea here is to make federal government an almost VOLUNTARY position to be held by PRODUCTIVE citizens. It should be a SERVICE job...much like Peace Corp or other service job. Get rid of all the financial incentives politicians have to be in office...and you will now see the TRUE leaders step up and run government.

Next step as already written about in other blogs...we need dynamic election reform where big money ads and PACs are no longer useful or legal as part of our electoral system. This alone will take big corporations out of the equation...actually save them billions of bogus dollars for influencing elections...which can then be put towards more productive things like R&D, international development, pensions and benefits for their workers, and actual sales and marketing of cutting edge products and services.

To that end...as of today...I will vote in the next election for whoever has the best potential leadership towards an economic revolution. This takes a BUSINESS leader...not a lawyer or career politician. If you put all these guys up against that litmus test...you only have one current star in the race...on either side of the political aisle.

Does it matter that Romney`s heritage is of the Mormon faith? Well, "by their fruits you shall know them"...and my perception is that Mormons have a pretty sound philosophy on money and what to do with it. Next to the Jewish people, they have the best history as a religion and culture of producing and saving money that I know of. If you care about the USA economy, you can do much worse than put the economy in the hands of a person of Mormon or Jewish tradition.

It is sad that in this day and age in America, a person has to hide or apologize for their wealth and income to run for office. I understand that if you made the money illegally or have something to hide. In this case though, I think Romney truly wanted to downplay his income only because he clearly understands the "class war" we have going on in America...and throughout the world. While he may have the best ideas on how to turn our country`s economy around...a majority of Americans are NOT wealthy and are still looking for what they can GET out of the government versus what they can contribute. They will always look at a guy like Romney as NOT one of them. He will NEVER be the guy next door, the average guy everyone can identify with. Most Americans will be much more comfortable with an actor like Reagan, or politico like Gingrich. As seen in the last election, the masses will ALWAYS be enamored by a "Robin Hood" like President Obama...and he is obviously STILL the front runner to win this next election since a majority of the poor masses STILL believe in him. They think Robin Hood is their only chance to matter in the world. I truly hope not, because if so, we are doomed.

So, there you have it. Mitt is not the best speaker in the Republican lineup. He is not as intellectual as a Gingrich. He is not as consistent in his views as a Ron Paul. He is not as conservative of a Republican as Rick Santorum. But, dollar for dollar of productivity in his lifetime...I will probably now support Romney IF he gets nominated. Without sound economic productivity, our country is doomed. This next election will be all about the ECONOMY...stupid.

A message for Evangelicals worth passing on...

2012-01-20T10:23:00.000-06:00

Not by sight, but by faith
By Cal Thomas
Tribune Media Services

A group of conservative evangelical leaders met in Texas last weekend and endorsed a Roman Catholic for president. Given the history of evangelical antipathy toward the theological underpinnings of the Roman Catholic Church, that in itself signals a remarkable evolution (pardon the word), along with a considerable amount of political pragmatism.

The blessing of what was once called the “Religious Right” fell on the once-married Rick Santorum and not the thrice married and more recent convert to Catholicism, Newt Gingrich.

The endorsement came on the same weekend when Tebow-mania was at its height, as were the ratings for CBS, which carried the Denver Broncos-New England Patriots football game. Tebow’s Broncos were crushed by the superior and less openly religious Patriots.

Despite evidence that politics (and sports) cannot deliver America from its collective sins, evangelicals repeatedly search for an earthly savior. So desperate are they to find this deliverer that they have glommed onto the Catholic Santorum, a man whose religion many of them vilify and hold in utter contempt, in hopes of trumpeting their conservative values and faith-based initiatives in the coming election. In so doing, they make a mistake their Scriptures warn against.

The Kingdom of God functions best, said the One who ought to know, when it is invisible, or hidden. In his numerous parables, Jesus spoke of it being like a treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44), or as tiny as a mustard seed (Mark 4:30-32). As for prayer, He said to do that privately, not in public “…like the hypocrites...” (Matthew 6:5-6)

Those who spend a lot of time arguing for the inerrancy of Scripture seem to gloss over these instructions when it comes to politics and football.

Why do many evangelicals feel the need to see their faith on public display? Are they that insecure about the One in whom they claim to believe? His Apostle, Paul, said, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Was he kidding?

I’m sure Tim Tebow is as fine a man as everyone says he is; everyone except Bill Maher and other “apatheist” detractors. But the Jesus about whom Tebow frequently speaks and to whom he drops to one knee to publicly praise, said to go into your closet and pray in secret and then your prayers will be heard.

The point has been made by several commentators that God also loves players on the losing side of games (and elections), so why don’t losers praise Him and we them? Just asking.

Something else evangelicals gloss over. Scripture says all authority comes from God and He puts people in power who serve His purposes, not ours. There are too many verses to cite here. Look it up.

For those who claim to believe the Bible is “the Word of God,” it means God has a purpose for President Obama being in office. Evangelicals may not like it and many may not vote for him, but they can’t credibly deny this truth. In the ultimate church-state moment, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus responded that Pilate would not have that power had God not given it to him. (John 19:11) Case closed.

American Christianity is unique and the antithesis of what the faith looks like in much of the world. Elsewhere, Christians pay a high price for their faith. Some are denied their freedom, some are denied jobs and still others are denied their lives. Christian missionaries labor for low pay, receive little recognition and are often persecuted. Jesus said those who are greatest on Earth will be least in Heaven and vice versa. (Matthew 19:30)

Righteousness doesn’t come from the top, but from the bottom. A nation that focuses on money and pleasure will get political leadership that reflects that idolatry. The list of great nations that have collapsed throughout history is a long one. Self-indulgence toppled most of them. Invading armies merely finished the process.

Instead of intensely focusing on football and the next election, perhaps evangelicals ought to pray more; in private, of course, and with the right motives.

(Direct all MAIL for Cal Thomas to: Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, N.Y. 14207. Readers may also e-mail Cal Thomas attmseditors@tribune.com.

Comparing two Panama Cities

2012-01-08T12:17:00.001-06:00

The easiest way I have to keep perspective on my home country versus my adopted country...is to track the news on Google. Google has a great "news alert" system, and for a couple years now I have an ongoing news "alert" for "Panama City". Of course, what is interesting is that half of the news coming in is related to Panama City, Panama...and the other half is about Panama City, FLORIDA. Since I often get asked by foreigners how life in Panama compares to the USA...I often have a fresh perspective on this just by following Google news on the two cities.

As per today's alert summary highlighted in the image above, life seems to be challenging on both sides of the Gulf that divides them. I visited Panama City, Florida decades ago...and from my recollections, I would suggest there are many similarities. Beaches, warm weather most of the year, and broad distinctions between the "haves" and the "have nots". Most people are more comfortable "suffering" or "playing" in sunny, warm climates. That`s why Florida grew so rapidly out of the Everglades "swamps"...and that is why we see such significant development going on the isthmus that is Panama. The poor AND the rich continue to migrate to these types of cities.

Part of the challenge of understanding life in either place is handling the tension and conflicts between rich and poor. Both Panama Cities have this complexity. Both have slums...and both have high end real estate zones. Both have reasonably high crime rates. When I read these "Nationmaster" crime stats...I find that in most categories Panama is relatively safer than the United States. The main areas Panama "wins" in higher crime categories are in percentage of "foreign detainees", and the amount of prison overcrowding. The USA is much more efficient in building prisons and putting its citizens there than Panama is. If you have to go to prison, Florida is probably a better location. Hopefully you nor I will ever have to deal with that sordid thought.

Back on the city theme...it seems to me that for its relative size in population (36,649 in Panama City, Florida, vs 880,691 for Panama City, Panama in 2009), Panama City, Fl has a lot of crime for its size. Its pretty hard to find reliable data in Panama and elsewhere for these kinds of statistics...and I have never lived in Panama City, Florida...but from my Google news perception, there sure seems to be a lot of crime in the Florida location even though Panama is obviously a much poorer, less educated population.

Then again...how do we adequately judge "poorer" and "less-educated"? It seems to me that with all the billions spent on the USA social structure and education programs, the USA SHOULD be much further ahead than Panama economically and productively...yet I think the unemployment rates along with the crime rates are significantly higher in Panama City USA. That in itself is a crime to me...based upon the money spent.

Of course, who is to blame for these dreadful statistics? Do we blame the government for inadequate education or lack of social safety nets based on the amount of tax money they consume? Do we blame all the churches and non-profits who pay no taxes yet shovel in billions of dollars every year for such causes that never get resolved? Or, should we blame all citizens at large for not "taking care of their own"?

In this scenario, I think both the USA and Panama have the same problems. The governments tax too much from everyone for distribution back to the "entitled" and people "in power"...while the general citizenry waits for governments and institutions to cover their personal responsibilities or needs within their own families. There is some obvious truth to the fact that the poor in the world have more babies and contribute to the population boom more than the rich. Sure, part of that is that 70% of the world lives in poverty...but the other reality is that poorer working class families tend to have many more children than prosperous families. This in turn demands that society make more room for the growing number of under educated, under financed members of society. Who pays for all that? We ALL do!

The "dance" between governments and social programs that never adequately or evenly distribute what they collect is a never ending one. I don`t see any history of Socialism or Communism being a successful model of governing, economic planning or even distribution of a country`s wealth. Of course, Democracy and Capitalism has very few pure examples of success in this either. I would argue that every attempt at Democracy or Capitalism at some point gets diluted by the greed of a FEW producers...who then try and turn the rest of their society into some form of Socialism or Communal-ism...that THEY control. As a friend of mine always says about these things..."smoke and mirrors...smoke and mirrors".

As the world continues in the irreversible process of "globalization"...it will be interesting to watch these two "Panama Cities" as they continue to evolve and compete for growth and maturity in their unique regional and cultural evolutions...and to see in the end which citizens will end up with the best quality of life. Of course, one must define "quality of life" to adequately compare...and we will leave that for another discussion. Yet, I would suggest that overall...I see more happiness and relative tranquility in Panama than I see in the USA these days. Part of the reason for that is most Americans are not very well acquainted with real poverty or third world living...though they are quickly moving that direction. And most Panamanians...well, they currently have the most freedom and independence that they have ever experienced in their history. The average Panamanian is quite experienced at living in relative poverty and contented with the basic provisions that life (or powers that be) affords them. To that end, Americans in Panama City, Florida may have lots to learn from Panamanians in Panama City, Panama. Hopefully the growing economic system in Panama will not replicate some of the most drastic mistakes of the USA...those being: run-away credit, runaway materialism, and a self destructing culture fighting between conservative and liberal, religious and non-religious, between various races...and ultimately the main divide between rich and poor.

Lets Evolve in the New Year...

2011-12-31T10:48:00.001-06:00

Another New Years day is upon us...and while it will hopefully be full of good friends, good football, and celebration of life...hopefully it will also launch some real New Years resolutions that will improve our outlooks.

I had another theme prepared for this blog...but last minute have decided a more IMPORTANT message is preferable and succinct. I wrote a whole spiel on "being positive and not focusing on the negative all around us" to keep us going in forward motion. Now I think a better message is the following:

The UNhappiness in the world is primarily about people NOT evolving from their primordial roots and being manipulated to imitate previous generation`s UNhappiness or bitterness about the past...which keeps them from moving forward. Most of our inability to function anywhere near full capacity is based on living daily with the recorded "tapes" in our minds of people and institutions telling us who we are or what can or cannot do. Until we can throw off the yokes of mental slavery of our past experiences, we will not excel, evolve or be free to reach our potentials.

Here is to a happier, more evolved New Year :)

Panama Invasion

2011-12-23T13:04:00.001-06:00

December 20th is a somber date in Panama`s modern history. Only 22 years ago this month the USA invaded this small country of around 3 Million people in order to take out its dictatorial leader, one Manuel Noriega.

While many may say that Panama of today is totally different and has "boomed" since its "liberation" from dictatorial leadership...I have to question the "totally different" claim. After almost 7 years living here, while I see billions of dollars of new skyscrapers going up everywhere on the skyline...I am not convinced there is much change in the Panamanian people or culture over all. Sure, there are currently more jobs and a higher standard (cost) of living for many people here...but I am not seeing much of the sense of "liberation" in the words and attitudes of my host country.

As is a common theme in my global blogs, I question many of the assumptions and media hyped manipulations of what is and isn't going on here as well as the rest of the world. While many of us who are somewhat educated or come from a more wealthy perspective may find Panama to be a nice calm place to settle in for either retirement or investment, there is a sick underside to what is going on in this country that should be examined in balance to the superficial buildings and gigantic projects such as the Canal expansion and the Metro. The GNP and employment statistics look wonderful for such a small county of still less than 4 Million people. The new "Cinta Costera" boulevard around the bay and the new island being built before our eyes off Punta Pacifica makes this place appear to be the new "Dubai" of the western hemisphere.

Yet, as I read the local papers, listen to the news and talk to Panamanians I am trying to make friends with...I find that among the regular working or poor classes in Panama...they are not in the loop or benefiting much in the long run from these past two decades of "change". If anything, their cost of living is rising significantly compared to their wage base...and with the recently passed TLC trade agreement with the USA and Colombia, many of their agricultural products may end up competing poorly against the higher production and lower prices of the trading partner's goods. If that happens, the locals will be getting less profit on their products, and paying higher prices in the local markets for those same goods. There is no such thing as true "free trade" in today`s markets...and Panama has little or no manufacturing of products outside of agricultural. Most other products (cars, materials, tvs, computers, etc...) are imported and higher priced than they are in the USA or other global markets. This surely does not help the average Panamanian get ahead in this scenario of modern day Panama.

So...what was accomplished on those dark days of December 1989? Pictures and videos speak much louder than words on what took place. The justifications of why are what I think much more complicated...and unfortunately has little to do with the Panamanian people. There are a number of books out there to read perspective by, and I must admit I have been more busy learning and living in Panama in the first person than pursuing many of those third person written accounts or interpretations. I have been reading more from the faces, words, memories and attitudes of typical Panamanians I have met over these years.

While no one I have met admires or wants a return of the likes of Manuel Noriega in leadership, there are many who still prefer his comradeship to that of the oligarchy and political powers of today. Corruption is STILL hugely rampant in this country...in business and in politics. There is no independent judiciary to speak of, so justice is based on who you know and how they like or don`t like you as a local or a foreigner. Supreme Justices are appointed by the President, so that makes justice a very political exercise. Having protection because of WHO you know is comforting for those within those circles, but lets face the fact that a majority of the population are helpless and at the systems mercy if all they know is WHAT their rights SHOULD be. I don`t know what the USA expected to happen post invasion on this front...but from what I have seen...and observed/read about in other places like Iraq, Nicaragua, etc...the results of our invasions and global "policing" are pathetic in comparison to the price in lives and dollars we have paid.

We typical, everyday Americans have no clue what and why our government does these things. We wake up one morning...such as it was in December 1989...to our leader telling us we have ALREADY invaded a foreign land. No warning, no DECLARATION of war, not invited by any internal leadership group. Immediately we Americans get on our flag waving, Bible toting bandwagons in support of what our government has decided...without our participation or voice. I truly hope after this past decade of demise in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan that we are finally learning our lesson. Our military actions are NOT appreciated. The collateral damage of our actions are NOT acceptable. We the people can no longer afford to blindly agree to the machinations of our flawed leaders, political or military. We truly should become the moral, righteous nation we claim to be...even a Christian nation if that is what you want (see my recent blog on that topic).

Poetry in life continues to rear its sometimes ugly head. I cant claim to know why the various country leaders got together to bring Noriega back to Panama just before the anniversary of that unfortunate invasion this month. What politics are in play for passing this Noriega "hot potato" back and forth in the international justice arena for over 22 years? We (Americans and Panamanians) paid a huge price to "take him into custody", and now nobody wants this ugly bundle of human tragedy and waste.

For me the question always is...why does my country spend the money and lives on taking out some of these tyrants in the world...to "bring them to justice"? What happened with justice for the hundreds and possibly thousands of innocent Panamanians who were killed during that short invasion and assault? Why is the guy we were after still alive almost into his 80s, while so many young, poor and middle class Panamanians are forever lost to their families and hopeful futures? Millions of dollars have been spent in international courts and tribunals and sustaining this one pitiful life in jail...for justice...while no one seems to care about the justice of all those Panamanians seen in the video above. How does this make sense to anyone?

These issues are not very comfortable for typical Americans to discuss or rationalize. We dont want to face the facts of our own barbarianism in world affairs. We don`t want to face the hypocrisy of our hidden agendas and power brokering ways that do not particularly defend the rights of all men and women equally. Yes, we have done many noble things in the two World Wars of this century. Our country has spent considerable money and resources on famine relief and rebuilding countries we have helped tear down through the ravages of war. The question we should ask ourselves is WHY do we continue this cycle of tearing down and building up again...and in most cases getting no respect or appreciation for it? I think we have to face the music that much of the world looks at Americans in a very different light than we see ourselves. We might want to start considering that it IS important how the world views us from a standpoint of trust and stability. Most Americans back home that I talk to have very little concern about how foreign countries view us. As long as WE feel good about ourselves...that seems to be the only thing that matters. Yet, I would argue that in the new globalized world we live in with huge reliance on interconnected economies and ruling international institutions...our reputation and true morality is more required than ever before in protection of our OWN interests and sustaining our future in the US of A.

Most of you will not understand the lyrics to Ruben Blades song above. Most of you will not connect with the images of the charred out buildings and bodies on the ground if you have not been in Panama City and met these people face to face. I will tell you though...that we continue to live with the fallout of this action. We Americans living or working in Panama are the face of those who invaded. The few locals who are "happy" about our invasion are those who profited or took power from the vacuum we produced when we left a short time later. A majority of people here RESENT the fact of our invasion...even if they are also happy that Noriega is gone. Their question justifiably is...why did we have to kill so many innocent people to do so? Why could we not have just paid someone to take him out individually? Why could we not have worked behind the scenes politically and otherwise to replace him or get at him? We may never understand the answers to those questions...but I have never identified with the USA policy of non-assassination of despot leaders in the world or in-clandestine operations...yet we readily defend our carpet bombing, strafing skills and expensive Drone planes firing on indiscriminate targets. Something is hugely askew with our perspectives on morality.

As we Americans enjoy our holidays and contemplate a New Year, I hope we spend some time thinking about the motivations and results of our actions as a country...and hopefully commit to a more peaceful, patient, and yes...Christian...approach to our problems and conflicts throughout the world.

Panama, France and "laissez-faire"

2011-12-18T11:07:00.001-06:00

Recent political news in Panama features conflicts between President Martinelli of Panama and France`s leader President Sarkozy. It seems that just after Martinelli`s visit to France to review among other things the terms and conditions for the release of former dictator Noriega for return to Panama custody...Sarkozy chose the following week to claim that Panama is not cooperating with them on collecting taxes from their countrymen or corporations in Panama. I guess the meetings in France did not create good karma for whatever reasons. Now Panama authorities are retaliating by cancelling business and finance deals with French sources on some of the major projects going on in Panama.

Regardless of France`claims, I as a foreigner living in Panama can attest to the fact that Panama and its banks have made it much more difficult to open accounts and do business as foreign entities in this small Latin country. It strikes me as somewhat disingenuous of France to make this claim based on what I have seen first hand of the changes and increased taxation taking place in Panama.

What might be more interesting on this front has been the many comments and reactions I have read internationally to this charge. It is quite obvious that France, the USA, Great Britain, and many other Western countries have found themselves in more desperate hard times than they are willing to admit. There is no doubt that there is significant cash flow LEAVING these high tax countries. Of course, the real issue is that it is not foreign money leaving these former economic powerhouses...but significant domestic funds are leaving for better opportunities and lower taxation as well. While it is no shock that these countries are trying to stop that exodus of capital...it is still arguably immoral and illegal for these governments to do so. What they are in fact admitting is that they have allowed their systems to become upside down in debt and social entitlement to the point where their governance is unsustainable. It is much easier to blame a country of less than 4 Million inhabitants for your troubles than to accept blame and take REAL measures to give your constituents real incentives to stay the course behind your leadership economically and otherwise.

While few of us really understand the powers that function behind these superpower trading blocks, there is no doubt that Centralized global funds are running scared. There are huge discrepancies between the economies of many of these main political and governmental partners. They have truly grown "too big to manage" versus "too big to fail". The "Superpowers" of current western persuasion are trying to unite in their efforts to stop the bleeding of funds leaving their losing propositions for more upside elsewhere in the developing world. If people`s votes in these supposed democracies vote against investment and for highly taxing retained profits...the money will find a way to go elsewhere. And yes, you can see a lot of it in the Panama construction boom and rise in domestic and international financing here.

Outside of losing military protections in the canal zone, I find it hard to identify motivators for Panama to work WITH the USA and other superpowers in sustaining their high tax systems. Cant any of these players just admit that "globalization" is here to stay and that tomorrows winners will be those countries who offer the best incentives and lifestyles for living, working and investing within those few countries? Must the world continue to bear the saber rattling and cries of "fowl play" from governments that have been upside down economically for decades now? Must countries like Germany, Switzerland and even Asian countries like China, Taiwan and Singapore continue to bail out the former empirical powers of the West?

Western Civilization has overall lost its edge on managing productivity and profits. They continue to fail in legislating moralities and redistribution of wealth. Technology and globalization has now irrevocably taken away any monopolistic opportunities for superpowers to hog resources or control global money flows. Even the recent unconstitutional taxes that the USA has passed will ultimately fail to rescue their sinking ideology. Only continued market competition between regions and states will keep a real score on who wins the global competition on profits and upward mobility. I would argue that Latin America is getting set to realize significant, sustainable growth primarily because they are now more independent of the superpowers to do so. The USA has lost its insider relationship with these countries...primarily because it has been so preoccupied with fighting terrorism. Unfortunately, they have gotten so caught up in the fighting that they have forgotten it takes money and productivity to create and sustain the machinations of warfare. It is a losing proposition I am afraid. Just look at the lack of fanfare over the USA`s complete pull out of Iraq. Where are all the bands and flag-wavers on this one?

So, this brings us back to little Panama. While all of this global hoopla has been going on over terrorism and EURO meltdowns...Panama and other countries in this region have been growing fast and furious. Banks are full of cash, and unemployment rates are next to nothing....and now the likes of Sarkozy and USA voices come out of the woodwork crying about their loss of revenues and investment to these little Banana Republics.

While all is not perfect in Panama...and I fear they are living and investing in the same track as the USA did historically with big debt against irrational income expectations and entitlements...it is little wonder Panama and other democracies in this region are garnering such huge upticks in economic growth and production. France and other Western powers should simply focus more on encouraging their citizens and domestic companies to become more productive and competitive. Quit making it so easy for the Panamas of the world to pick your pockets of prosperity. After all, "laissez-faire" is a French word and concept...meaning an environment "in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies...and literally means "let do", but it broadly implies "let it be", or "leave it alone."

The Litmus Test of Faith

2011-12-11T11:00:00.002-06:00

Another Sunday is here...and as has been the case for a couple decades now...I will not be going to church. Does that mean I have no interest or concern for things "spiritual"...as a matter of fact I do. But I have discovered in life that walking into a church or synagogue doesn't make you a Christian or Jew any more than walking into a garage makes you a car.

I have had a few interesting discussions this week with friends who remain a bit more on the fundamental side of Christianity than I have evolved to. While I have less and less interest in discussing or arguing over "beliefs" or theologies that are somewhat mystical or esoteric...I continue to be interested in what people believe in and why...and then cross check those things with my own current understanding. Understanding what and why people believe helps one better predict their actions and determine potentials within a relationship. When it comes to my own sense about people of faith...I have come up with a "Litmus test" that works for me anyway in determining respect for someone`s faith or religion. For me, the effectiveness of faith depends on what ACTIONS or BEHAVIORS result from those beliefs as to whether I can agree with them or not.

I believe there is "good" faith and "bad" faith. Since my religious heritage is Christian, I tend to revert to many Biblical sayings and teachings even if I have strayed a bit from fundamental zealotry over that book...or collection of books I should say. There is a New Testament scripture that says "faith without works is dead"...and in another part it says "by their fruits your will know them" (referring in context to professing versus real believers). It doesnt take us long in this world to find someone who chirps a lot about their faith or their religious traditions...but their actions or lack of integrity does not match up to their claims.

We live in a world full of "faith". We each live daily exercising faith in something or someone. We make plans for the future assuming we will be in good enough health or without disaster to fulfill those plans. We get on airplanes where most of us have no clear understanding of aerodynamics...but we have "faith" in the knowledge and expertise of pilots and airplane builders that this bird will carry us to our next destination. We have faith in financial institutions full of strangers that we trust to guard whatever level of worldly wealth we have earned or acquired. Perhaps there are much better examples than these...but for the sake of argument lets agree we do a lot of things based on 3rd hand or non scientific understanding of how it will work.

As has been a frequent theme in my blogs...I believe true religion or faith should be a UNITER, not a divider, of men and races. I believe that 80% of what the main world religions teach in their churches and books are compatible for the most part. Man made religions spring up over slivers of disagreement over interpretations of what someone said over 2000 years ago. If a reasonable person steps back and analyzes the reasons for various divisions between all the major religions of the world...one may quickly discover frivolity and vitriol in the origins of many of these divisive religions. Most religions or denominations have sprung up over personality contests or false comparisons of who is more like the originator of that religion.

For me, truth is truth, wherever it is found...in whatever book it is found. I think there are truths in the Bible, the Quran, the Talmud...and even the Book of Mormon or Scientology`s new slant on things. Heck, I found truths written in Jimmy Carters interview in Playboy magazine back in the late 70s. The problem comes in most religions when someone or some group claims "exclusivity" over truth or ownership of "God". How presumptive of any person to claim by divine revelation or personal hallucination that they heard a "new" truth about the Supreme Being and everyone should follow them. This for me is the first "oh oh" moment when listening to someone talk about God or their faith.

I think the Christian Bible which I am most familiar with has relevant instruction about this issue:

For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)

To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? (Isaiah 40:18)

I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. (Romans 10:20)

I could go on and on quoting...but let it suffice to say that Gods message to man through ALL the major religions is..."I am God, you are not". You cannot understand nor bring me down to your level. That's why I AM the "Supreme Being". Why are you constantly trying to bring me down to your level of nature and understanding?

It is unfortunate that throughout the history of mankind on earth, we have been fighting and killing each other over our particular religions claims on "God". We continue to do that now, even in the US of A which, while founded on Judeo Christian ethics of freedom and personal sovereignty and responsibility, most Americans have now sacrificed those ideals for securing religious and patriotic ideals for themselves over reasonable and right thinking for all. Instead of PEOPLE helping PEOPLE, we have subjugated ourselves to governments to take care of our futures and act for us. We have aligned our faiths in many instances with a temporary and impure flag of government and state. This mixture of faith and politics has watered down both matters to a level where no one can clearly see right from wrong, either by faith or by principle. We have relegated reasoning and resolution of conflicts to governments and courts which do not necessarily function based on "good faith" principles.

For both people of faith and those of political passion...I suggest we return to the causes of "good" faith that people of all races and religions can agree upon...at least a majority. I think anyone of "good faith" will approve of what I deem the core doctrine of "good" religion, whether you believe in the divinity of Jesus or not. Of course, you`ll notice it mentions nothing of following "rules" or going to church. It primarily focuses on what good faith DOES...

Marks of the True Christian
Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If America wants to truly be a "Christian" nation...it is time for her to take this previous passage to heart...and action. Same goes for Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc... This to me is the secret to having peace in our time...and the litmus test of true Faith.

Why the Average American Investor will always get "shafted"....

2011-12-11T00:47:00.000-06:00

--These guys...Paulson and Bernake...are the biggest manipulators and culprits in the manipulation of markets that were supposedly regulated and "free"--

This article about how the US Secretary of the Treasury Paulson gave hedge funds advance word of the government bailout of Fannie Mae is just the latest of many instances where government and SEC insiders get a huge advantage in the American markets over the average American investor. The people MAKING the rules are continually BREAKING them...without reproof.

I continue to believe that investors in the American markets will never get a fair shake while the market manipulators or their lackies are running the SEC and Wall Street. The "old boys club" continues to be alive and well as it always has been. A very small fraction of inside traders get caught or convicted. It is only the middle level or small time players who get taken to the cleaners when someone accuses them...while the guys at the top like Paulson always have a finger to point elsewhere or run under the cover of the most expensive lawyers Wall Street can afford...which are the "best".

I was a licensed investment broker in the mid 1980s and have seen this stuff from up close and personal. It sickened me then, and it sickens me now. These machinations are a big part of the reason I got out of the broker racket. Unless you are part of the inside track machine, you might want to reconsider the idea of investing in direct stocks.

Coming to terms with "Altruism"...

2011-12-06T23:05:00.000-06:00

In the past few years, I have found myself involved in a couple projects that I call "altruistic". Probably the best example is having visited the Embera Indians in Panama, met a Peace Corp worker, and thereafter provided a mini Computer Lab to a village that has no running water or electricity. I have some mixed feelings about the whole situation, but the involvement was reticent of decades past when I was involved with troubled youth in America and medical missions in Mexico while in my 20s. I spent probably a total of 5 years of this short life with the motivation of helping others or "saving souls". I still have no idea what the lasting "results" are of those years and dollars spent.

On the other hand...the lessons I learned during those altruistic years...all the people and cultures I experience even while making no money...helped me learn things about life and people you would never learn at Harvard. My understanding of the human condition by both reading and experiencing so many different facets of humanity tremendously affect the person I am today.

After all my reading and youthful conditioning...I still can`t relate totally to Gandhi, Mother Teresa...or even Jesus. While they all in their own ways confronted many realities of humanity and the "meaning of life"...I´m not sure any of them would know what to do with the world we live in today.

Gandhi for me was a replication of Jesus but for the Hindu and Indian races who were so subjugated during his times by white British rule in both India and in South Africa. Like in most religious movements...these movements were born out of reaction to subjugation, suffering and tyranny of one race or nation over another. While some would say "God" is to blame for creating this inhumane nonsense, others seem to think "God" is the answer. Interesting, huh? I have come to think we humans only have OURSELVES to blame for accepting social injustices, wherever and for whoever they are experienced.

To be true to her own cause, Mother Theresa had to practically leave the Catholic church. It is interesting to note that Mother Teresa, the ultimate altruist of our age, had long bouts of doubt regarding her faith and original intents of her "mission". She is quoted as writing...

Where is my faith? Even deep down ... there is nothing but emptiness and darkness ... If there be God—please forgive me. When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul ... How painful is this unknown pain—I have no Faith. Repulsed, empty, no faith, no love, no zeal, ... What do I labor for? If there be no God, there can be no soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true.

Some of Jesus own reported final words when dying on the cross were "My God my God...why have you forsaken me?" I can`t help but wonder if in that final moment of dying, Jesus himself seriously doubted the meaning of all the good deeds he had done "for his Father".

When a person performs altruistic acts, it is almost impossible to know the true intent or motivation behind those actions. Is it purely out of "love" or caring, or is the action based on guilt for having more than the person you are helping? Do we help others in order to "be a good person" which makes US feel better...or do we do it "under orders from God" in order to have a "reward in heaven"? How many altruistic persons are truly able to look deep inside to REALLY know the purpose of their altruistic act?

Many people view "selfishness" as the opposite of altruism. Most religions preach that selfishness is immoral or evil. While I grew up on that religious track, I was very challenged by Ayn Rand`s book "The Virtue of Selfishness" which defined selfishness and her reaction to the word`s wrong meaning with the following...

(I define Selfishness as)..."concern with one's own interests. The equation of selfishness with evil, Rand said, has caused "the arrested moral development of mankind" and needs to be rejected.

I have seen much generosity in my life...both towards myself and towards others. I have at times been altruistic...and at other times selfish. Having studied communications and "words" to a significant extent, I always find it interesting to hear people discuss their altruistic activities or actions. I have often heard people say "I am happiest when I am giving to others", or "It made me feel so good to give or help "so and so"...". Doesn`t sound very "sacrificial" to me.

In addition, I have seen extravagant boasting about "giving". You only have to spend 5 minutes on most Evangelical TV programs in America to hear the rantings of extreme "givers" who boast how much money they sent to such and such mission...or how they received "ten fold" in return for whatever they had given to that program or church. Whenever I have observed this, I have been reminded of the words of Jesus when he was quoted as saying

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)

I think I have evolved to a realistic viewpoint on giving and altruism...at least for me. It is probably a unique blend of my religious upbringing tied to some original views on what it means to be a "Humanitarian". I tend not to give money to institutions or third parties to distribute to someone else. I have grown to be very distrusting of most such institutions...from NGO types like the "Red Cross", "March of Dimes", UNICEF and others...to religious organizations such as "World Vision" and the various TV "ministries". Most that I have seen...some from way too up close...have involved a high percentage of administration and overhead to where the actual "mission" receives a small percentage of the money given. Many of these organizations also put demands or qualifiers in order for the poor or victims to get help. They have to attend certain meetings, certain churches or perhaps sign up to back certain political movements in order to receive the handout. I`m just not seeing the results from this form of "altruism".

Now lets think a couple minutes about familial "altruism". After all, this is probably where the most "charity" is exchanged within humanity. Fortunes tend to be built and based on multi-generational exchanges within certain cultures and families. By "luck" or destiny, some of us were born into families of wealth and education. Most upper-class families I have observed tend to be substantially about preserving or making more of their estate for future generations. An interesting footnote along this line might be that some of the greatest fortunes ever made were by individuals who came from poverty or underprivileged backgrounds. I think it is rare that this happens, but when it does, it comes from motivations where the individual has nothing to lose and everything to gain to take great risks...that sometimes turn into great rewards. On the other hand, some of the greatest fortunes LOST have been at the hands of those who never made a dime of their own. The game of life seems to often be played in the arena of who will make the fortune and how many family members will it take to spend or waste it all. This seems to be a never ending cycle in history that speaks to character differences between the acheivers and the "users".

There is no doubt in my mind that it is better to teach a person to fish than to give them fish. Same with money...it is better to help someone "make their own" than to give them unlimited amounts to spend or more likely "waste". It has been my observation that we humans don`t respect money we have not made ourselves. Human nature I guess. Herein lies my fundamental difference with traditional "socialism" or communism. Redistribution of wealth is rarely respected by those on the receiving end. While there are obvious cases of societal members who deserve or need our altruism and support...that number is not nearly as high as today's hoards clamoring for those handouts.

For me the best model for both giving and receiving of altruistic acts is a mixture of my Judeo Christian roots and the more humanist manifestos I have been undoubtedly influenced by. I think "to whom much is given, much is required". I believe this goes for the "receiver" as well as the source. I think "sharing" is meant to be passed on. Any rational person knows we can`t take material wealth with us after we die. Therefore, money and "things" are only meaningful as a form of combustible life-force while we are living. It primarily serves as a "measure" of our productivity and influence in our short lives. Our legacy beyond this life often hinges on what we did with what we had and what we left behind or built with it. Some "star" producers can blow millions on cocaine and fast toys like planes, boats and cars. Other producers are like the "millionaire next door" who hardly ever spends a dime and never flaunts what they possess. I think both extremes can be quite unhealthy in this life. People shouldn`t feel guilty about spending and enjoying what they have earned...but some should obviously feel guilty about what they have wasted in self destructive ways while leaving in their wakes millions of people who would have better used their luck and fortune.

So, in summary, I think there is virtue in Selfishness...and there is virtue in Altruism. It all comes down to motivations and purpose. For me there is no great pride in inherited wealth. Sure, it is okay to be proud of your family and previous generations who HOPEFULLY gained their wealth honestly and with integrity. Unfortunately history has shown that many great fortunes are built via dishonesty, stealing, slavery or other terrible human habits. There is no great pride in stealing...unless I guess that is your only profession or talent.

The most interesting and respectable individuals of wealth I have known were those who "made their own". These people tend to be of great character, hard workers, disciplined and self sacrificing. The luckiest people I have known are the hardest working ones. These people also tend to be the most responsible "givers" in that they expect the receiver to respect what it took to make the money or goods being charitably given. To that extent they might be called "selfish" givers because of their expectations...but I think that is a healthy form of "selfishness".

So...is there virtue in selfishness? Probably. Is there virtue in Altruism? Sometimes. Depends on your motivation...in both cases.

Ephebophilia, Paraphilia or Pedophilia at Penn State

2011-11-28T10:48:00.002-06:00

Collegiate sports has been rocked recently with an evolving scandal regarding Ephebophilia activity by a long term coach at Penn State University. It seems that a number of victims have now come forward to indict one Jerry Sanduskey, their former defensive coach...who is now defending himself against his accusers. The report that another staff member observed him in the showers with a young boy years ago doesn't seem to phase his claims of innocence. Of course, anyone with experience with Pedophiles or "Paraphilias" knows this is part of their psyche. They can never acknowledge the power or control of their addiction. Many of them are married with children...which is usually more about covering up their true nature than for any real drive towards women and family.

First, lets clarify the differences between Pedophilia and other Paraphilias per Wikipedia...

In research environments, specific terms are used for chronophilias: for instance, ephebophilia refers to the sexual preference for mid-to-late adolescents, hebephilia refers to the sexual preference for earlier pubescent individuals, and pedophilia refers to the sexual preference for prepubescent children. However, the term pedophilia is commonly, but incorrectly, used to refer to any sexual interest in minors below the legal age of consent, regardless of their level of physical, mental, or psychological development. Acting upon ephebophilic preference is illegal when the adolescent is below the legal age of consent.

The nature of where these "philias" come from are up for debate. Up until 1973, homosexuality was deemed an illegal sexual deviation. Obviously most fundamental religions denounce it as deviant and sinful sexual behavior. While I have no first hand understanding or experience in homosexuality...I have learned that there are many adult "homosexuals" who function quite well in society and based on the frequency of those leaning that way, I tend to say "live and let live" in people`s private sex lives. On the other hand, when it comes to children and minors as sexual targets...it is time to draw the line. I have had enough first hand experience to know the devastation experienced by victims of these Paraphilias. I fear that these conditions are much more pervasive than most of us can imagine...and to that end we must all make ourselves aware and help minor children or family members avoid the potentially devastating experience of being a victim to adult predators.

Until recent years, I think most people unfortunately ducked their heads in the sand on these issues. Sex and sexual deviations have traditionally been "hush hush" as topics of conversation in traditional society. It has always struck me as ironic that while a majority of people are uncomfortable in a serious conversation about their sex-lives or preferences, these same people can be the quickest or most entertained when it comes to sexual humor. Perhaps we cover up our sexual insecurities by making fun of that which is most core to our being as humans and part of the animal kingdom.

Admittedly, I am not a professional psychologist...or sexologist...who specializes in these things. Yet, being a rational and "worldly" guy, I think I have some pretty solid guesses on causes and effects of sexuality and some of its deviations. I have two core theories...some of which was gained by reading on the subject...and some others...well, by experience...

1)Sex can be casual, or sex can be relationship based. These are the same actions based on different drives or needs. Some people are comfortable limiting their sex lives to long term relationships...while others thrive on variety and short term liaisons. I will leave the morality issue of all that to others for judgement...but I think both applications are common and not necessarily damaging unless there are unhealthy motivations behind the actions. Most people are passive and some are aggressive regarding their sexuality. I suppose some people have bigger "sex drives" than others...but I also think repression and guilt are associated with many people who have little sexual outlet. Consensual sex between any two adults is their own business.

2) The cause and effect of sexual repression and guilt will often lead to deviant behaviors such as we see in Hebephilia and other paraphilias. Many people who I have read about or talked to on this subject have come from some seriously "Victorian" cultures or families. Many were rejected sexually by "normal" sexual prospects or had general inferiority among members of their own sex in competing for the opposite sex. With homosexuality, I think there is something to genetic tendencies in this regard while others may be won over to the practice over time and peer pressure integration. Its not a simple "black/white" issue in my mind...and I think the paraphiliacs are in the same boat. Some act on their tendencies and others don`t...but I think there is a much larger percentage of our population who have these tendencies than anyone is willing to admit.

If that is the case, I think we are just seeing the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to this Penn State case. While this one case is probably being way overblown and over-reacted to by the media...it IS about time society took a realistic view and stance on protecting the young victims of these crimes. To a degree, much of our society is as guilty as the whole coaching staff who supposedly "looked the other way" when they found out about these reported actions by their fellow coach. I have personally seen "up-close and personal" the denial and ignorance of the average person and the legal authorities on this issue. It is definitely time we do something about the pervasive ugliness of this problem and not only prosecute perpetrators...but get them help to deal with their serious illness while also educating children on how to defend themselves against potential aggression.

I think we don`t talk to kids about this because we want to "protect their innocence" on the subject...and in many cases we don`t want to acknowledge their own sexual awakenings at earlier and earlier stages of their childhoods. But, the cat is out of the bag...and it is my belief that it is better to risk a conversation ahead of time than take responsibility for something happening to a child that you could have avoided.

Here are some suggested guidelines I have read about towards having this conversation with minors... (some taken from this helpful article on the subject...)

First, you should be suspicious of someone who seems overly interested in your kids, especially if they're always angling to be alone with them. Unfortunately, this can go overboard to where parents don´t allow their kids to have any meaningful relationships or physical contact with adults. Our culture now seems quite paranoid about hugging, touching or kissing on the most casual basis...and even among family members. The hard part of parenting a child will be knowing what is inappropriate while allowing the child to experience family intimacy...and eventually sexual intimacy...without a stigma or guilt feelings. After all, guilt and repression in my observation leads to other forms of sexual deviation and lack of normalcy.

Tell your kids to never get close to a car if someone stops and asks for directions, lest they be snatched.

Make sure you know what your kids are doing on the computer. Tell them never to meet privately with anyone they have met online and never to give out personal information, like where they live.

Children should also know what to do if they get lost. It's helpful to give them a prepaid calling card to use if this happens: They should memorize their phone number and address. Tell them to call the police if they can't find you or reach you on the phone, and never to accept a ride or wait alone with an adult they don't know. If you're coming to fetch them, tell them to wait in a store or restaurant -- someplace where there are plenty of people around.

The relationship with your child is paramount to having them trust you. If they trust you to tell you even "bad things", it is more likely you will know about anything untoward happening to your child. I think it important to tell your kids at an early age that strangers, even other "kids", should never touch their genitals. Hopefully this is done in such a way as to make the child feel comfortable with their genitalia while being protective of themselves at the same time. There are many books and articles written on this subject for helpful suggestions.

Finally, what to do if these actions are observed or suspected... Obviously the staff at Penn State did NOT react appropriately. Pedo or Hebephilia when observed or reported by a minor should never go unreported. Police and various medical and psychological practices are available in most countries to deal with this crime. Knowing and not reporting is part of the crime. It is not going to be pleasant...and one wants to be quite sure of the charges before making them...but if there is little doubt about what has happened, it needs to be reported and dealt with immediately.

Remember, pedophilia and other psycho-sexual addictions are not curable. There can be treatment and/or incarceration, but a person who is mentally sick in this way will not change and cannot be allowed alone time with minors.

Here are some linked public sources of support and help on this subject:

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=98
http://www.psychforums.com/paraphilias/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraphilia
http://www.atsa.com/
http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/registry
http://www.realid.net/criminal_sexoffend.php?page=employment

Thoughts on "Inequality"

2011-11-27T19:55:00.002-06:00

Recent world publications have been profuse on the theme of fighting "inequality" between the rich and poor of the world. There is no doubt in my mind that the differences between rich and poor are far greater than they were just 30 years ago. The reasons for that are too multiple and complex to go into for this simple blog...but lets just accept it as our current assumption in global economics up for discussion.

As I have been reading a bit lately concerning the United Nations and its sub agencies on this issue, it seems quite obvious that they see bigger government programs and World Bank type intrusions to be the quick answer to this obvious problem. The biggest problem I have with this is that they primarily work with domestic governments who are actually primary players in perpetuating this reality of disparity between the haves and have nots. Most leftist leaning governments have destroyed regular enterprise by taking them over and trying to redistribute the goods to their massive supporters of poor, uneducated voters while keeping the best for their "own".

I have spent my adult decades trying to better understand global economics as it relates to the poor and uneducated. I have purposely traveled and exposed myself to some of the worst neighborhoods and ghettos...from the USA to Mexico to many of the rest of Central and South American countries. One thing has been uniform in all of those countries, including my own. No matter whether markets or currencies go up or down...the poor and disenfranchised live pretty much the same reality. Even if they get more assistance from public or non profit funding somehow, the distance between them and wealth remains the same.

It is quite interesting to observe the past few years the number of governmental overthrows...especially in some Middle East Arab states. While there are varying causes for these uprisings...at the bottom of most is the inequality of distribution within their country or system. Rulers, especially from third world countries, seem to all read the same book about how to "rape and pillage" their own country for self and live like royalty while "in office". It continues to amaze me how long the huddled masses put up with this obvious hording for personal or family gains in their various countries for decade after decade. In most cases this has gone on so long, it would be challenging to take over and know what assets are where within many particular governments.

It seems quite clear to me that there is an insidious and conscious cooperation between various nation states to support so many of these ruling tyrants. Between the United Nations, and the various sub organizations such as the "Group of 77", UNESCO, the "G20" group of nations...and even tack on the block trading zones of NAFTA, the European Union (currently "dis" union), and various summit groups all over the world...you see on a huge scale the inter-operable network of states and their global organizations working to "organize" and arguably manipulate a world order that are not necessarily based on the majority of people`s better interests.

Lets face it, there is POWER in leading the huddled masses...whether as a benevolent dictator, or a barbaric totalitarian. When so many states have controlled so many global industries and resources for so long...it is hard to wrest away the control buttons and codes from those few global leaders who control them. Spoils go to the "victors", and this last century of two World Wars and various global "conflicts" between nations has led to some pretty dire consequences for those nations or regions that "did not win".

The carving up of the world between the "Allies" of post WW2 divided nations and cultures into unnatural and inhumane borders between families and religions. From there quickly went up the walls between East and West, North and South. The rush was on for statist domination of the world as the USA continued to expand on its role as the global "policeman" and superpower...while Russia and China moved in kind to protect their "interests" and share of global assets and resources. In my early years, the leaders of note were Nixon, Nikita Khrushchev (a man named "Stalin" preceded him), and the worlds largest population was lead by Mao Zedong and after him by Chiang Kai-shek. Beyond the superpowers we saw the rise of revolutionaries such as Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, the Shah of Iran, Gaddafi in Libya and various mini kingdoms on the continent of Africa. At the macro level, you had three "Super Powers" using 3rd world countries as battlegrounds for their economic, cultural and geographical controls of resources...whether it be people, oil, water or other advantages pursued. Of course, the arms race that resulted from this global competition has turned into the major population control tool. One can imagine these leaders agreeing behind the scenes saying who, what, and where can be bombed or allowed to enter Civil War in order to have less poor mouths to feed down the road.

Again, this scenario is so huge and multifaceted, we can`t begin to adequately analyze it in a simple blog. The main point I am trying to illustrate is that "inequality" is a largely "institutionalized" reality of global powers and dictatorial regimes who control the worlds resources...and DISTRIBUTION of those resources. If those powers REALLY wanted to get together to help the poor and uneducated catch up a bit on their own advantaged families and royalties...they could. The poor are not "institutionally" stupid. They are just without money or position to change the structure of distribution and spend significant portions of their measly incomes supporting those powers that be in the form of "taxes".

Changes are quickly taking place I believe in today`s world. Some of these changes are good and welcomed. The advancement of technology via cellphones, computers and the internet has allowed the global masses to have almost equal access to information and communication that used to be reserved only for the states, military and global corporations. Self education is more readily available through these modern tools for those who really want to pursue it. Enough of the poor and disenfranchised are doing so to make a difference in political and economic waves of today. We will soon see mobile money and other transaction options allow the majority of people who have no bank accounts or credit become major factors in their region`s economic reality and GNP.

Inequality in today's world will not remain dormant or accepted. The question now will be to what ends and legal processes the newly educated and connected poor will go to claim their equal access to the worlds assets and resources? The "natives" are getting more restless than ever before...and with today's global economic meltdown, I predict there will be more significant exchanges of fortune than in any other time in recent history. There will be economic wars, cultural wars, and yes, outright wars between powers to gain advantage over the next reshaping of the worlds borders. There will be more governments toppled before this new parity is in place...and less "centralization" or isolation between countries and peoples...primarily because islands are no longer profitable or sustainable.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, a new "world order" is coming...and while it is too early to say whether it will be better than the old one...lets hope that it is...because the old one cannot endure. There is a current vacuum of true leadership...and this fact alone could more quickly contribute to the rise of individuals within the world to hopefully foster more inter-connectedness around the globe and a more even distribution of opportunity. I think the new equality will center around some form of new globalized agreements...connected to more localized community and cultural governments. The model of city and state versus "country of origin" will make a lot more sense going forward in governing and protecting the "rights of the people". The pyramid of power has been upside down too long...and I personally welcome more activism and controls from the family and local community on DOWN to the "Federal" level of controls. We can start by simply re reading and reinforcing the Constitution of the USA which first presented this concept in ways that are still malleable and practical.

Here`s to earned equalities...protected by international laws.

On the Rich Serving the Poor...

2011-11-12T13:53:00.000-06:00

Since my last post on "Prosperity Doctrines", I have had a number of updated thoughts on money and the contemporary culture we live in.

It seems obvious to me that the current world economic system has created a global version of "class warfare". We have the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators demonstrating in many major cities of the USA currently. We have syndicates and labor unions demonstrating in the streets of North America and Europe against government cutbacks or limitation of powers because of economic realities that don`t allow for the entitlements and securities that these groups have grown to count on. We also have broken government coffers in Europe, such as Greece and Italy, who now have the masses in the street demonstrating against austerity measures forced upon the whole country by their creditors throughout the European Union.

It is quite understandable to me that the poor masses would be angry at their leadership for squandering their GNP and on top of that billions of borrowed funds to sustain an unsustainable socialist model. I´m sure there is also considerable corruption and misappropriation of state funds by the systematic leaders of those countries...and the poor and working class are mad as hell. Yet to me the problem always comes down to...we all get the governments we deserve when we hide our heads in the sand or blindly accept whatever filters down to us common people from the institutions we either elected or willfully submitted to with our tax dollars.

Lack of wealth is not because there is none, but because a majority have not EARNED any. In many cases this is not the fault of the masses as they have historically been lied to and gone along with false promises based on false pretenses...which is usually about the powerful holding on to offices they don`t really deserve. Many of these leaders have skewed the systems so bad with high tax and inflation to where there is little incentive for anyone to get creative and try and make things better. Instead they have been told that if they just "tow the line" and support the government, they will somehow be magically taken care of in their old age and or infirmities. This to me is like your child telling you to give them all your money now and they promise to take care of you when you are old and can`t work anymore. This never works...hasn't in the history of governments or ruling systems, and isn't working any better in the US of A.

As often happens during hard economic times, revolutionary figures and voices arise to try and manipulate the times to their wants and needs. In major revolutions and wartime, morality gives way to passion and anger. The masses are overcome by a sense of injustice and then begin to repeat some of the immoralities that were previously used against them. Blind revenge and anger overcomes rationality and reason.

There is no time for due process of law in lawless regimes. For sure there is no money for justice on behalf of the poor or disenfranchised. It usually comes to a point where masses have to physically revolt and sacrifice lives and livelihoods in order to reestablish order and justice within their borders. We are currently seeing this in many Arab countries whose poor have for so long lived at the end of the bread and information line. One would be foolish to think these events could not happen in Western first world countries. The masses are definitely restless in this day and age...for good reasons.

I think the best answer for the majority of humanity is to be uniting their voices and actions more in order to reestablish values and wealth systems...starting from the ground up. A new economic order has to start with individuals in localities who are willing to stand up for themselves against tyrannical leadership, whether that be a dictator or a whole statist institution. While everyone likes to hope this can be done peacefully and over time through due process of laws...most people don´t have the patience...or the freedom within a constitution...to pursue these changes peacefully. When the world is so marked with governments willing to use the defense systems and armaments of the people against these same people...there is usually only a bloody and violent alternative. We have unfortunately seen it many times this past century, and we don`t seem to have learned much from these conflicts and keep heading back down that same path of cause and affect. Some people make huge profits from war and conflict...but the majority lose big time.

Most countries in the world are run by the moneyed elite. Even in the USA, probably still the best current system of government and justice the world has as an example, the leadership has evolved into a two party money-fest where the prize of leadership and controls goes to those with the most money. Elections are bought and sold through this system every couple of years. There are really no realistic financial controls on the election process that allows a leader without wealth to successfully run for office. This creates a corrupt system of "good ole boys" and entitlements of privilege that are definitely not resembling of "justice for all". In today`s system, justice is bought and paid for in way too many cases. The poor and uneducated do NOT get the same level of representation in our courts of law...and it is little wonder that a majority of our governmental leaders are lawyers who constantly study how to interpret and use law...to their own advantages and interpretations.

So, now in response we have the revolt of the poor and middle classes, not only in America, but throughout the world. Is this any big surprise? Not if you have a basic understanding of world...and American...history. Inequality and false justice are fueling the fires of revolution and discontent. Many strings are being pulled in political and economic circles that lead to wars and "cleaning the slate" of injustice and inequality. Unfortunately, in my view many of those "strings" are being pulled by some immoral and hideous manipulators who can and will gain from upheaval in the worlds economic and political makeup. There are some powerful forces BETTING on the demise of free trade and true democracy. Hitler started his rise to power with the poor and working class who were disenfranchised from the bad ending of WW1, and we would be foolish to think another similar type of leader cannot arise in today`s scenario, maybe within our own country.

When the masses start believing that they are entitled to instant resources and power...there will be revolution. When the masses start believing they are entitled to jobs and equal pay for unequal work or ability...there will be revolution. When governments start reneging on their promises to their citizens based on heavy taxation or regulations that supposedly were going to bring security and peace to those masses...there WILL be revolution.

I personally see little hope of staving off major global revolutions. You can see in the recent bloody coups of taking out Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya what extremes tyrants will go to in order to hold on to power. I believe this same power sickness exists in many of America`s governmental leadership...and they will not go away quietly either.

The only hope to avert this revolution in my opinion is a new attitude of the rich and entitled. While it is not moral to "steal"...even from a rich person...it is also not moral to "hoard" or place a blind eye on the plight of those less fortunate. There has to be a measure and movement of wealthy, educated persons and companies in our world to reach out and bring up the poor masses behind them. There are many RESPONSIBLE ways this can be implemented in the world.

True community in the purest sense of the word says "charity begins at home". The biggest problem with wealth distribution is that the walls continually go up between the haves and have nots. The poor must ask themselves what they have done to cause the wealthy to be afraid and separate themselves from them in community. The wealthy on the other hand need to examine the reasons why they have become afraid of the poor and those less fortunate. Tax deductible contributions are nice...but they have obviously not solved the problems of unequal opportunity and access to justice. I believe it is in rich people`s best interests to help those less fortunate more often and more directly. In my observation, governments and church institutions filter aid and support through so many hands and bureaucracies that very small percentages of that which was given to the cause actually gets directly in the hands or coffers of those who need it the most.

If more individuals just worked more to help their own family members who have fallen on hard times or have developed health problems..."society" would have less pressure to fill the gap for the downtrodden. If local or regional organizations had more resources devoted to their own needy populations, there would be less pressure at federal levels to qualify and filter help to those local needy. This was the system in the 1700s and 1800s...what has changed in the capabilities of individuals and families to take care of their own? Whole societies in our contemporary world continue to live this way, but it seems some of the richest and most advanced countries have lost their way on developing citizens who are self sustaining members of society. Western Civilization is falling under the weight of its demanding, overly entitled masses. This is exactly how our enemies want to take us down...under the weight of our own misappropriation of resources and manpower.

For me, the answer is...compassionate wealth with protection of ownership. Those that have must continue to INVEST in those that don`t. Blind giving in the street is not the way to get people off the street. Government programs in upside down pyramid schemes do not get enough resources to the bloodletting. I believe it will take more privatization of programs to turn things around at all quickly. It will take each one of us who are blessed or successful to one by one help one or a few around us to reach our levels of success. The poor will get nowhere tearing down the rich and successful...but the rich will get nowhere ignoring the need and devastation around them. Devastation and conflict will soon creep into their lives also if not addressed.

As stated in previous blogs, I was brought up believing that "to whom much is given, much is required". Hoarding and false pride based on riches is in my opinion not very fulfilling. Helping others in need when we have extra has for me been some of my most fulfilling moments.

One of my favorite songs of John Lennon and the Beatles is "Imagine". I continue to believe his vision of world peace and connectedness in this song is one of the best "hymns" to that effort.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

(Yep...I`m a dreamer...)

The Problem of Prosperity Doctrine...

2011-10-22T23:20:00.001-05:00

I have recently read and replied to some Facebook posts in my network regarding so called "prosperity doctrine" within Christianity. It basically is about the idea that God somehow wants all "believers" to be prosperous and rich. It is a fundamentalist religious approach similar to "The Power of Positive Thinking" as written in the early 1950s by Norman Vincent Peale. Somehow in the latest doctrine, just "believing" is enough...very little "thinking" or "doing" seems to be needed.

At an earlier age than most, I read "Power of Positive Thinking", and I do think it has continued to impact the core of my being in sometimes invisible ways. Yet, I have to take exception to the "pray and grow rich" mentality that unfortunately seems to source itself from our materialistic, hedonistic, consumerist mentality in the USA.

America has truly been blessed the past 200 years or so...though I think that "blessing" has been largely based on hard work and right thinking when it comes to individual rights and free enterprise. Unfortunately, in just the last 60 years or so, we have moved from that model to one where either government or God has to take care of us...because we are somehow powerless to take care of ourselves financially. I don`t know for sure if this mentality originated in government or religion, but I would suggest that the two institutions now play quite nice together in growing dependent, weak and despondent followers to support their programs. Of course, I am over generalizing...but I still think a majority of supporters of these institutions participate based on need more than pure belief, reason or passion.

While there are many directions one could go philosophically on this subject, let me focus on what I have observed the most in my life...and that I think impacts a large number of my friend and family, some of whom follow my blogs. What I am writing is not with the intent of hurting or tearing down...but to challenge and hopefully lead to the real truth behind some wrongful reasonings.

Though it has oft times been tremendously confusing, I have been a lifelong reader of religious doctrines and apologetics. Most of my exposure has been to Christian traditions since my Grandfather-father figure was a fundamentalist, evangelical minister. I have been trying to catch up in the last couple decades with comparative understanding of other religions such as Judaism and Islam...primarily because so much of our future acculturation will depend on all these religions understanding each other and "getting along". Obviously it is not an easy task.

I have been discussing with many of my "home folks" of Christian persuasion the true meaning of being a "Christian". I am reluctant to call myself one anymore primarily because it means so many different things to different people. Just in America alone, last I knew there were 108 different denominations called "Baptist", and even in the mainline churches such as Presbyterian, Lutheran, Congregational, etc...there have been so many divisions and schisms in the past century that I think it would be hard to pinpoint a pure commonality for those religious labels as well.

Most Christians I know would probably fundamentally define a "Christian" as "one who follows Christ". That is the most basic definition I can think of for the word anyways. But then, the problem comes with defining who Christ was...is or will be.

Since we still have not seen the "second coming" that fundamentalist Christians believe in...the main thing Christians have as a guide to following Christ are his teachings and examples as revealed in the Bible. Now, since most of those writings were written almost 2000 years ago to a very different culture, day and age...many have taken it upon themselves to modernize or reinterpret many things that were standard to Jesus` teachings and related to the Jewish and other Mediterranean cultures. We now have some very different ways of viewing and doing things than the original "Christian" church did. This does not necessarily create problems for me personally as I think this should be expected in a belief system...evolution, progress, enlightenment...whatever you want to call it. Yet, I get continually challenged or piqued by modern day "fundamentalists" who pick and choose what parts of the old they want to keep, and what part of the original teachings they want to ignore.

I think most Christian churches have become too caught up in traditions, pomp and circumstances that my perception of "Jesus" would have no interest or time for. I think he primarily lived for the poor masses, came from an impoverished, occupied land of Israel...and exclaimed himself to be the Jewish Messiah that all religious Jews were looking for to deliver them. Yet...he had a very different idea from them of what "deliverance" was all about. Even in Jesus time, religion and government were constantly dancing together to try and control the masses...and in modern day politics we see this still playing out quite effectively.

All of this preamble to setup the main point of discussion. Religion...and politics...has become all about the money. Most religious programs in churches or on TV spend significant time on "fundraising" or taking offerings. Most of this money goes to support the "program" of superstructures, church salaries, travel costs for groups going to other countries to "evangelize" other nations or cultures...and hopefully some is left over for the local poor and hungry though from what I have seen that is probably less than 10-15% of the annual budget of most local churches.

Like big government with the upside down pyramid of entitlements and dependencies...I think most Christian churches have drank the same Koolaid of big programs, edifice complexes, media spending and other "marketing" campaigns as political governments have developed into. Church for many now is about "clean entertainment" and self gratification...uplifting self to being "close to MY God"...as if God can be reduced to our pitiful levels of existence. What happened to the great MAJESTY of a God to be FEARED? In this case I think the Jews have a more realistic view of who or what God is really all about.

But back to the "Christian"...how does being prosperous fit into a majority of Jesus` teachings that you SAY you believe in? Here are a few examples...not MY words...

"If anyone will be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me"

“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ...Matthew 8:20

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it....Matthew 10:38,39

“Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”...Matthew 19:23,24

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Matthew 6:19-21

Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs

OK...much more could be quoted or said...but I think the point is...there is very little Biblical content tied to a "prosperity doctrine". I also think every modern day Christian should read Dietrich Bonhoeffer`s "The Cost of Discipleship" before taking a stance on this issue. He lost his life at 39 years of age standing up to Hitler`s Nazi regime for his faith...which was not a very prosperous thing to do.

I now tend to quote more worldly sayings to support my personal viewpoint on the subject...such as:

You cant take it with you...

He who dies with the most friends, not the most toys...wins...

Some of the most miserable people I have known have been the richest I have known...

It is the LOVE of money, not money itself, that is the root of all evil.

Money cannot buy class or character...

Own your money, dont let money own you.

The rule is not to talk about money with people who have much more or much less than you

When money speaks, the truth remains silent

And just about my favorite..."Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.
- Eric Butterworth

Steve Jobs and "Greatness"

2011-10-07T10:58:00.002-05:00

Most every educated person in the world by now knows that Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Computers, Pixar, and various other companies passed away this week at the all too early age of 56. Most of us are in awe of what Steve Jobs accomplished in his relatively short time on earth. Most of us have no clue what his life was really like or what it took to get where he did in this life.

In an exchange with some friends today regarding Mr. Jobs over an article that was basically saying we all have the potential of success such as Steve Jobs had, I wrote the following:

”I think too much emphasis is put on simple “belief” and “positive thinking” type of messaging. The words that I think caused Steve Jobs successes are VISION and ACTION ( or “WORK”). Many people have great visions of grandeur but no work ethic. Many others are hard, dutiful workers, but are working someone else’s vision or plan. Many people want to think that just by believing hard enough or having a plan or vision is enough. Most people don’t reach their goals or vision…because they don’t work hard enough. In some cases their vision is unrealistic to their capabilities. In most cases they have no vision at all.

Much emphasis is and will be made of Mr. Jobs “vision”, but most will not focus on the hard work and SACRIFICES he made to accomplish his vision. Nothing is easy and nothing is for free in this life. Yes, life is harder for some more than others either because of lack of inheritances, baggage (emotional or otherwise), and just plain “all men are NOT created equal”. But, with hard work and vision we all can reach our own levels of potential…and that is what I strive for personally.”

Another thought I had yesterday when reading Steve Jobs obituary in the NY Times was…”what about these other people who died this week”? Here are SOME of the people who were on the “same page” as Steve…

Derrick Bell, Law Professor and Rights Advocate, Dies at 80

Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, an Elder Statesman for Civil Rights, Dies at 89

Sarkis G. Soghanalian, an Arms Dealer Who Aided U.S. Intelligence, Dies at 82

Bert Jansch, an Influential Folk Guitarist, Is Dead at 67

A.C. Nielsen Jr., Who Built Ratings Firm, Dies at 92

David Mitchell, Broadway Set Designer, Dies at 79

Marv Tarplin, Motown Guitarist and Songwriter, Dies at 70

Ralph M. Steinman, a Nobel Recipient for Research on Immunology, Dies at 68

Everett Ellin Dies at 82; Helped Computerize Art Catalogs

Peter Gent, Football Novelist, Dies at 69

Michael J. Drake, Planetary Scientist, Dies at 65

Mike Heimerdinger, 58, Who Helped to Coach Super Bowl Winners, Is Dead

Joseph Carmichael Jr., a Carrier Hero, Dies at 96

Lee Davenport Dies at 95; Developed Battlefront Radar

My thinking was…which of these people of note that died this week was the “greatest” human being? How would you measure such a thing? By how much money they made (to me that seems to be the number one qualification in modern society)? How many lives they “saved” by what they devoted themselves to? By how many obstacles they had to overcome to reach their final epitaph?

“Greatness” in my opinion is not about money or fame. Greatness is about being a quality human being to all other human beings. Greatness is about having grace and character…about having a balance between expectations of people…and forgiving them. Greatness is about what you do for others that no one knows about. Greatness is about the “motivation” behind your actions. Greatness is about honesty, integrity, values and discipline. Hopefully we all have had someone “great” in our lives…who spurred us towards the positive side of ourselves. Someone who “practiced as they preached” and yet embraced their humanity with all its flaws and imperfections.

Life to me has simply become a challenge of OVERCOMING. We spend our lives overcoming people and obstacles that get in the way of our vision(s). Sometimes it is simply overcoming bad thinking or that "tape recorder" in our heads from our childhood telling us we aren`t good enough or won`t amount to anything. From what I know of Steve Jobs, he overcame MANY obstacles to get to the level he did…yet I have a feeling he would have given every last cent he had to overcome the last obstacle to his future.

The other people on the obit list this week are known but less famous than Steve. This may seem morbid to some, but I read the obituaries once or twice per week. I read them from the standpoint of seeking inspiration. I find the obits to be the best summaries, at least in the eyes of society, of what a person accomplished and what their journey was about. I take encouragement from the inspirational things I read about them, but usually I am also reminded that in every life comes tragedy and trials. People get rich and go broke every day. Some people marry, some get divorced…every day. Some are born and some die…every day. The motivation I take from these obits is that the clock ticks the same for everyone, and no one knows how much time they have to accomplish their vision. So, let’s get on with it…LIVING...and writing our own future obituaries.

Government regulations killing the USA economy

2011-10-02T12:40:00.000-05:00

There are probably hundreds of illustrations we could make about ways in which USA federal regulations are killing productivity and production in North America. Yet I think this article read today double underscores some of the lunacy going on within the last 40+ years of our government.

This article features Harold Hamm, his company being one of the most productive oil and gas producers in the USA currently, and it hits so many issues right on the head. His overall view is that America could be energy self-sufficient within 10 years if the same money that is spent on unknown technologies and less regulations were put into drilling the vast oil and gas reserves in Americas mainland. He also claims that the jobs and revenue that would be produced from freeing up the industry to meet its potential would pay off the trillions of national debt in short order. BUT, it seems that the powers that be in Washington are totally focused on new “green energy” sources and undeniably sustaining our “wonderful” relationship with the Saudis and others who gain so many billions from our oil consumption habits.

Now, before you get confused if you have read my other blogs about being pro renewable energy sources…I have not changed my mind about that. The reality is that we are 15-20 years minimum from many people`s estimation who are more informed than me from developing the technology needed to replace fossil fuels. In the meantime we continue to fork over billions of dollars to Arab countries and and the likes of Venezuela, who has all but declared war against American interests, to sustain our unquenchable thirst for oil and gas to keep our engines running…and I´m not just talking about cars and airplanes. Mr. Hamm`s opinion that I tend to believe is that we COULD be oil self-sufficient in just a few years if the federal regulators allowed them to explore and extract the vast resources we already have.

I`m sure many of us including myself are concerned about balance in all these things. I am pro environment though I probably don’t go to the extent of “hugging trees” to make a political statement. I think our government SHOULD have a role in protecting nature and the environment, yet it is unrealistic that we should think that every bird or tree in the country could be protected from development, including developing our own energy. Here are just a few brief clips of Mr. Hamm’s observations of federal mismanagement of the issue:

Mr. Hamm was invited to the White House for a "giving summit" with wealthy Americans who have pledged to donate at least half their wealth to charity. (He's given tens of millions of dollars already to schools like Oklahoma State and for diabetes research.) "Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, they were all there," he recalls.
When it was Mr. Hamm's turn to talk briefly with President Obama, "I told him of the revolution in the oil and gas industry and how we have the capacity to produce enough oil to enable America to replace OPEC. I wanted to make sure he knew about this." The president's reaction? "He turned to me and said, 'Oil and gas will be important for the next few years. But we need to go on to green and alternative energy. [Energy] Secretary [Steven] Chu has assured me that within five years, we can have a battery developed that will make a car with the equivalent of 130 miles per gallon.'" Mr. Hamm holds his head in his hands and says, "Even if you believed that, why would you want to stop oil and gas development? It was pretty disappointing."

Washington keeps "sticking a regulatory boot at our necks and then turns around and asks: 'Why aren't you creating more jobs,'" he says. He roils at the Interior Department delays of months and sometimes years to get permits for drilling. "These delays kill projects," he says.

A few months ago the Obama Justice Department brought charges against Continental and six other oil companies in North Dakota for causing the death of 28 migratory birds, in violation of the Migratory Bird Act. Continental's crime was killing one bird "the size of a sparrow" in its oil pits. The charges carry criminal penalties of up to six months in jail. "It's not even a rare bird. There're jillions of them," he explains. He says that "people in North Dakota are really outraged by these legal actions," which he views as "completely discriminatory" because the feds have rarely if ever prosecuted the Obama administration's beloved wind industry, which kills hundreds of thousands of birds each year.

It's hard to disagree with Mr. Hamm's assessment that Barack Obama has the energy story in America wrong. The government floods green energy—a niche market that supplies 2.5% of our energy needs—with billions of dollars of subsidies a year. "Wind isn't commercially feasible with natural gas prices below $6 per thousand cubic feet, notes Mr. Hamm. Right now its price is below $4. This may explain the administration's hostility to the fossil-fuel renaissance.

Mr. Hamm calculates that if Washington would allow more drilling permits for oil and natural gas on federal lands and federal waters, "I truly believe the federal government could over time raise $18 trillion in royalties." That's more than the U.S. national debt, I say. He smiles.

Another example of our government`s mismanagement of their regulatory spending and role in energy was the widely publicized failure of a California company, Solyndra, which after receiving $535 million in federal loan guarantees built a $733 million dollar plant which has now been closed and shuttered after just opening in January. Its construction featured “robots that whistled Disney tunes, spa-like showers with liquid-crystal displays of the water temperature, and glass-walled conference rooms. "The new building is like the Taj Mahal," John Pierce, a San Jose resident who worked as a facilities manager at Solyndra, said. All of this was constructed during a time when… “about 11.4 percent, or 950,801 square feet, of industrial space was vacant” in the Fremont, CA area. Another nice use of the taxpayers money wouldn`t you say?

The bottom line for me in all this is that America has many available solutions to jobs, clean energy, domestically produced gas and oil and even significantly higher tax revenues…IF we can keep the federal government from over regulating, micro managing and gouging the domestic energy producers in deference to foreign interests. The government should NOT be backing loans with your and my money to benefit one private business entity over another. This power was never granted in the US Constitution. It also seems very clear to me that the government is significantly in the way of economic recovery. Let’s remember that most jobs created by government are paid for by the taxpayer. Jobs created by enterprise and private business generates huge revenues for the government…and SUPPORTS the taxpayer.

Whats wrong with Ron Paul?

2011-09-22T08:28:00.000-05:00

Ron Paul continues to run a strong 2nd place in most polls…and first place in straw polls…in the race to become the Republican nominee for President next year. Yet, as in this article today regarding the New Hampshire primaries…even Sarah Palin who is NOT running gets more mention from the press than Ron Paul.

Let’s examine for a minute why this might be. Yes, Dr. Paul is the oldest candidate running at 76 years of age and his is the only revolutionary message of all these politicians from either side of the proverbial aisle. Yet, I think there are other more sinister reasons he does not get the traditional coverage and respect of the media that all politicians tend to count on.

Could it be that the media moguls who control the networks along with their political pawns are purposely black balling Ron Paul’s message? I could understand it if they are since Congressman Paul is the only one prescribing the distasteful medicines and about faces to rescue the economy and save the dollar from the machinations of the Federal Reserve. He is the only one advocating taking big money out of the political election process and bringing powers back to ALL “the people”. He also is advocating pulling back our troops and government from illegal foreign actions that were never authorized by the US constitution. This could create some enormous news vacuums as war and conflict abroad tends to sell more newspapers or TV viewing time...as well as make more money for the huge industrial complex manufacturing weapons.

For me Ron Paul is the only sane voice in the pack of Republican candidates…or Democratic for that matter. The rest seem to be content falling back on the typical “God and country” empty metaphors and more big government to solve every American`s problem. I have yet to hear a reasonable position on taxation against the deficit and social programs that are going broke. How can you REDUCE taxes when you owe everyone in the world. Then again, how can you INCREASE taxes on those you owe the debt to? After all, almost 60% of the Federal debt is owed to the American people…19% alone of those trillions is owed to the Social Security fund which it would seem the repayment would rescue its insolvency. But…none of these politicians besides Ron Paul is talking about these realities.

So, do Americans really want another Hollywood type character as the head of our country? Will good looks and “image” really solve our huge problems and deficits? I think it is time for some strong medicine…and while I may not agree with 100% of Mr. Paul’s views…it comes much closer with him than any of the other candidates in the running. With or without the media support, I hope Ron Paul and his followers continue diligently on the path of leading our country out of the political and economic morass we now find ourselves in.

(Extra credit...read Ron Pauls wikipedia bio and compare his experience and qualifications with any of the other Republicans running. Then I challenge everyone to vote on the issues...not the "image" of these slick politicians.)

The Core Freedom..."Decision"

2011-09-20T18:14:00.000-05:00

One freedom that is universal among humans is the freedom of “Decision”. We humans of sound mind are making decisions almost every waking moment…what to eat, who to spend our time with, even deciding what we are going to think about. The core of our beings and levels of success reached is in direct relationship to the decisions that we make. Obviously some decisions are more momentous than others.

As I have been writing frequently these past years about the continuous erosion of freedoms represented in this world where the institutions and governments want to continuously usurp their controls and values over the individual rights and sovereign freedoms of people…it is often comforting to realize that at least up until now they cannot control our minds or the decisions we make…unless we let them. To that end, it is important for each of us to realize the freedom…and power…we each have in our abilities to think and decide for ourselves.

Even prisoners of the state or in war zones have freedom to decide. They can decide to give in to their captors, or they can decide to look for ways of escape. Even prisoners under torture can “escape” within their own minds if they have the will and training to do so. There are many stories of POWs who under extreme hardships and torture were able to focus on other thoughts apart from the pain and deprivation they were being put under in order to survive and eventually prevail over their circumstances.

Of course we can`t take lightly the great “deciders” of our time such as former President George W Bush and the current President Obama who have made some huge “decisions” on our part as to what role and rights government should have over us. So many decisions have such huge consequences…not so much for the decider…but for those affected BY the decider. The decisions by the USA government over the past 10 years based on the 9/11 catastrophe continue to shape and change the world and our country at a very rapid pace, not necessarily for the better. These leader`s actions and reactions…their decisions…have led to the loss of thousands and thousands of lives all around the world…and not just the “bad guys”. Having read the book of former President Bush and observed his interviews during his “book tour”, it continues to alarm me how shallow and “matter of fact” his attitudes seem to be over some of those key decisions…such as Iraq and Afghanistan invasions.

We now live in a very different world whether we realize it or not. It is now for each of us to “decide” how we will live…in relationship to all these other decisions that were made for us. My observation is that most people tremendously undervalue the power and affect of THEIR decisions. A majority of Americans I am quite convinced have made NO decisions about what they think or feel about the status of their country in the world…either economically or politically. Most of them have made no “decision” to read and study the issues that affect them so. Most have decided that they can`t do anything or impact change on that which they don’t like or agree with. Many have decided to let others like the “Tea Party” or one party or another decide for them what positions should be taken on the many huge issues our country and world faces. A majority of the world have relinquished this core freedom of thinking and deciding for themselves. Many of them have decided that eating, drinking and escaping these realities is the best reaction for them. It is this majority who will enable the quiet and ominous minority who seek to control the masses and macro economic factors we all live under.

I challenge every person reading this to examine themselves as to how they have handled their core freedom of “deciding”. Have you decided to control your own fate, or just to ease on down the road with the rest of the masses? Have you decided to live long and healthily, or have you decided to live abusing yourself and rejecting the notions of self control and discipline that might improve one’s quality of life? Have you decided to live off society and entitlements, or have you decided to take pride in a self sustained and planned outcome of economic self sufficiency? Have you decided what and why you believe in something beyond yourself…or have you decided to just not care or capitulate to the society around you?

Fortunately for all…the freedom of “decision” is never completely lost…and is often times rediscovered…simply by deciding to do so.

Amercan loss of freedoms

2011-09-20T12:14:00.001-05:00

(This video features many important current and former government members who have seen the ugly downside of our government`s war against rights and freedoms…in the name of fighting “terrorism”. It is worth an hour of your time to review it.)

This past decade in America has been the most devastating in regards to American freedoms and privacy since the American Constitution was ratified in 1787. We have allowed our government undo powers in the name of “protecting” American interests which are both alarming and crippling of our individual sovereignty and independence of both movement and finance. We have repeated the mistakes of the past such as when we incarcerated Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and Germans during WW2...or for that matter "communists" during the McCarthy era. How is it we Americans have become so fearful and weak in the face of adversity?

Here are just a few of the rights lost via the so called “Patriot Act”…initiated by the Bush administration and extended by the Obama Administration:

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigations.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records questions.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of any other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed information related to a terror investigation.

RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers to Americans accused of crimes.

FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror investigation.

RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.

RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them.

Another indication of the times is our government`s use and budget for private armies and bounty hunters who replace our troops in foreign countries in pursuing terrorists. So...we not only pay for a huge traditional defense budget, but taxpayers also pay a lot of "dark forces" to do the "dirty work" that our regular forces might not do "legally". This morality reflects back to domestic policy of our government as well. Justification of "the ends justify the means" is contributing to the immorality and lack of justice and freedom within our own borders.

Now, while many of you are probably saying “what is the problem if I am not a criminal and have nothing to hide?” I would suggest that if you study the history of tyranny from Nazi Germany to present day dictatorships such as Venezuela and Cuba…the same reasoning by autocratic leaders is used to get their way over individual sovereignty. Benjamin Franklin was so right on when he wrote…”Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”.

I need to state for the record that I have no problem with taking strong actions militarily and otherwise to defend our country`s borders and the freedoms contained within those borders. Yet, I do not think those methods should include limiting rights of ALL Americans within our own borders. If we do not take action soon against this invasion of freedom and privacy in our own country by our own government, it will soon be too late…just as it was in Hitler`s Germany and Stalin`s Russia. That wasn’t so long ago…and it seems America could be going down that road of government controls and autocracy featured by our former enemy states. I personally don’t think it will take long to get there. It will be in my lifetime unless we reverse this NOW.

Reflections on 9/11

2011-09-11T19:11:00.000-05:00

Probably THE most game changing event of my 5+ decades of living happened on 9/11/2001. While the shock of what we viewed that morning on our television sets around the world stays etched in our psyche probably for the rest of our days, I believe it is what has happened in the 10 years since that will be determining the true meaning of that fateful day.

Here are a few reactions of note written today either in my emails or on Facebook:

I wrote:

Taking nothing away from the solemnity of this date nor to politicize it...but I do believe we Americans must continue to examine the results of our actions-reactions to this travesty. Has war, retribution and revenge really solved anything so far? At what cost have we responded...not only economically, but emotionally and morally? Is our country truly safer and better off because of our government`s actions post 9/11? Sometimes the "human" or emotional reaction may not always be the BEST one. More questions than answers for me...

My friend Dave wrote:

It has been 10 years since Osama bin Laden changed America forever. He changed it for the worse because the United States on 9/11/2001 went from being a United States into being in the Fearful States. We, the citizens of the U.S. have given politicians unprecedented power to undermine the freedom, liberty and ideals that the all true U.S. patriots believe are the essence of our uniqueness and strength as a country.

We are now subjected to more searches and seizures while our Constitutional protections have declined. At Airports the norm of business today is to be searched like a common criminal, the IRS has tightened down to the point where U.S. citizens and banks must report all foreign banking and our financial transactions are being watched by “Big Brother” continuously . There are now warrantless electronic surveillance on all U.S. Citizens including electronic eavesdropping on cell phone calls and emails by the National Security Agency (with the total knowledge and agreement of the President). If anyone points out that privacy rights are being taken away the politicians call them “political agitators” or “potential terrorists” and not a true American.

In 2004 Osama bin Laden in a videotaped message said that his policy was to take “America to the point of bankruptcy” America has allowed this, through the politicians in Washington D.C. to turn this prophecy into a reality.

What can all “patriotic Americans” do to turn the tide on what has taken place over the last 10 years? The idea that many Americans have shared are simple and takes courage. True patriots must become active in promoting the same principles of our Founding Fathers by restoring the spirit that all individuals are endowed with the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The only function of government is to insure those rights. If the politicians don’t see this as their mission then we need to hire new ones, through the power of the ballot box, who are dedicated to this purpose.

In the famous movie, “Network” which was made in 1976, Howard Beale (played by Peter Finch) said,

“I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, and shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be …All I know is that first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING….My life has VALUE!' …I want
you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE'…Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis.”

Now is the time for us to get mad and take back our country. We need to restore the essence of America which is so eloquently put in the Pledge of Allegiance, “'I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.

In pursuing a balanced perspective and voice about what has transpired this past decade in reaction to 9/11...I quote former President George W. Bush from his farewell speech at the end of his term:

“As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. I never did.”

“Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school.”

“Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States.”

“Under one (belief system), a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology, condemns women to subservience, and marks unbelievers for murder. The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of almighty God, and that liberty and justice light the path to peace. Advancing this belief is the only practical way to protect our citizens.”

“If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.”

“Good and evil exist in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise. Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right.”

So many emotions, so many viewpoints and so much that is still not clear about status in our war against "terrorism". After almost 3 years of President Obama and a new administration, the outcome in Afghanistan in restoring order and long term stability for ALL people there seems none too sure. While both Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden have been "taken out" by our much more powerful military complex...we continue to be under yellow and red "security alerts" at various times.

We still have a Patriot Act that has been extended basically eliminating Habeas Corpus provisions of our historic legal code. While on one hand we don`t want Terrorists and foreigners using our liberty against us within our borders...it is quite another thing to limit the liberties of your own citizens to "protect them". Our federal government unfortunately has used their increased unlimited powers to attack privacy and financial freedoms of its own citizens, and now quite frankly finds itself in a very defensive position of keeping up it entitlement programs to its masses of citizens including the thousands more maimed or supporting the survivors of those brave soldiers who have lost their lives in foreign battle...primarily because so much money and resources have been expended to hunt down and kill terrorists abroad. The collateral damage has been HUGE.

While it feels quite human for us to want revenge for the blood spilled on our soils that fateful day of 9/11 2001...I continue to look for continuity in our national moral compass. Many people in my network say the USA is a "Christian" nation. This has always made me uncomfortable since I was very young, as even then I realized that many "Americans" were not "Christians"...and I thought our country had equal rights for ALL. The other paradox for me on that issue is my historic understanding of Jesus teachings...such as "turn the other cheek", "love your enemies and do good to them who despise you" and "revenge is mine sayeth your God". Yet...revenge and anger is a very vivid part of our national psyche...and I admit that day I wanted revenge as well.

Now, 10 years later, we have killed off most of the leadership of that day`s events. It seems for every one we put away, perhaps 10 more become "operatives" right behind them. As has often been said and written about this conflict, this is an "ideology" war of religions and ruling systems. As I see us so terribly weakened economically and otherwise after this ten year struggle, I have to wonder if it really HAS been worth it. Have we truly avenged those thousands of Americans who died that terrible day...OR...have we fallen right into the sacrificial hands of the Bin Ladens and other ideological enemies who stated from the outset they planned to take us down from the inside out?

I fear we may not be winning this war as simply or clearly as we like to think. I am beginning to think President Bush` quote Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right...needs to be turned around in support of the American people. It is time to release the American people from the oppression and despair inflicted by this huge beast of government and institutions who have taken over our lives...in response to 9/11. And we have let them...

Is Obama becoming a Moderate?

2011-09-02T15:48:00.002-05:00

It has been an interesting almost three years of the Barack Obama administration and its affect...or lack thereof...in the world. Even though I didn't vote for him, I truly thought he would with the help of a Democrat controlled Congress have more impact for better or for worse than he has proven to have. For whatever my core political differences with him and his party...I really thought his intelligence and the momentum of his landslide election would propel him into SOME kind of key changes for our nations government. Unfortunately, the result so far from my perspective have been dismal...and his lack of true, effective leadership has allowed the vagabonds of Congress to continue their running our country into the ground through their politicking and infighting. Unfortunately, the people paying the cost of this failure are the taxpayers and the powerless masses who have no true representative voices in their government.

Unfortunately for this President, the combination of world events and decades of governmental abuses of power and mismanagement of budgets from both major parties has caught all of us in its powerful vortex of financial disaster, an entitlement system that cannot be paid for, and continued power mongering as the only response these "leaders" have for the extreme problems that ail us. Obama has been isolated in his White House tower and I think surrounded by a lot of people who had no breadth or scope for handling the leadership of a melting pot country like the USA. While I have been chagrined by the nasty, oftentimes racist attacks by his critiques to the Right...and many "Christian" leaders even...it is obvious to me that our nations ills cannot be completely placed at the feet of this one man or administration. We the people have to take our share of the blame for lack of involvement in our governments and blind appeasement of what the government or media has commanded of us to think or feel on these issues. Each of us has to take our own level of responsibility to be up on the issues that affect OUR daily lives. To leave these things in the hands of representative government without our input or comment is simply irresponsible. We all vote not only at the ballot box, but by which TV channel we tune into, where we spend or invest our money and where we choose to live.

For all his charm, intelligence and "message of hope" for the disenfranchised, I think this President had no clue what was waiting for him on the other side of the past election. Perhaps he had his head in the sand. Perhaps he was so blinded by his own message or ambition that he hadn't taken the time to take stock of what connections, ammunition and money he would need to execute his plan for America. I think his biggest discovery was how pathetic and weak his own party leadership was in handling the tasks at hand with him. There seems to me no continuity or teamwork between his administration and his party`s leadership. All of these people for the most part have clearly exhibited their hubris and hyper egos of position to where there has never been room for agreement, bi-partisanship or unity for the American people to follow.

The other big factor is the continued wimpishness of the American masses overall. In previous generations the American people have been able to unify and even demand of their government actions that would protect their interests or reel in the egocentric ways of their leaders. It is my observation that these strong American characteristics are in hiding. I don`t know if it is because we have just gotten too calloused, jaded and cornered by the normal ineffectual actions and traits of our government system...but I can predict that if we don`t get a grip on our country soon, there will be no semblance of the power and independence we all grew up with. We are quickly becoming a sea of "munchkins" ruled by the "Wizard of Oz" (unfortunately there are probably a few million kids in our country who have no idea who those characters are or from what book...part of the problem). We are letting all the extremists like the Tea Party, ultra right or ultra left voices control the whole conversation. I would suggest that a majority of Americans don`t fit any of those profiles that the rest of the world judges us by. MOST of us are "moderates" in one way or another. This COULD have been our President.

But I digress...I think this desperate President is now doing too little too late what he should have tried from the beginning. Instead of participating in the usual game of politics upon his election, he should have truly taken the reigns as Franklin Roosevelt did at the end of the last Depression. Not that I agree nor think that everything that came out of FDRs leadership has served our country that well over the long haul. Many emergency actions were taken during that time of government takeovers that were meant to be temporary on an emergency basis...but then the government got heady over its growing role in economies and increased control of revenues that were not even constitutional...and never relinquished back to "the people" the powers and freedoms to self govern or retain their private freedoms, including expecting taxation WITH representation. Unfortunately the American people got too used to the government programs "taking care of them", and it grew over 70 years into this behemoth of entitlement programs that there are now no resources to cover. Bushes administration did the same over reaching with the "temporary" Patriot Act and taking on even MORE controls or powers than the USA Constitution has ever permitted of our government. Big government has siphoned and borrowed against 70 years of entitlement funds of the American people...and continue to do so without a yelp from the people. We sacrifice "freedom" for our safety...and our government has us right on the track they want us on. Just "trust them" to work it all out for you.

I think Obama had a mandate and COULD have implemented solutions early in his Presidency that the people would have supported. Had he followed through with his promises to immediately pull out of all our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and reeled in the power and irresponsibility of Wall Street sooner...he would be in a different position and light today. While the "bail out" of major financial systems was probably required at the moment partly due to the legacies of the Bush administration, he continued to leave in the same leadership of people such as the FED and various Wall Street firms to continue manipulating and controlling the flow of money in our system. This to me was his first step in compromising and becoming a "moderate" from his earlier positions. Instead of being "Robin Hood" and taking from the rich to give to the poor, he directed good taxpayer money from the relative "poor" to bail out the rich...not only in our country, but in the international money circles that now invisibly affect and control our country`s currency and credit ratings. And lets remember that both parties pretty much went along with this plan...since they had no better morals or ideas. Unfortunately, three years later the jobs have still not come back in force and our country continues to go broke while politicians just point fingers at each other and work overtime to make the other side look bad.

The other area in which President Obama has looked weak is in the recent budget compromise he did with the Republicans and his continuing the tax cuts of the Bush administration. I am not judging at this point that issue...but his problem is that he ran on a totally contrary platform than what he has executed and has now significantly lost core support he had from his own party and many independents because of his "moderate" stances with the Republicans. Perhaps he is being extremely smart as a fox politically for his own political future or private plans and into the next election trying to shore up a NEW base of support...but it seems to me if you are going to trust somebody in this role, they have to be more predictable and of stronger principle than just playing politics within the system, risking potentially the whole power and position of the country you lead just for political or personal security.

Perhaps we DO need more of a moderate, centrist leader in this day in age...who can breach the gap of ideologies and the various institutions that control us and unify Americans of all persuasions. The Republican line up so far gives me no sense of hope for improvement from extremism in government. The problem with this President is that he did not run on a moderate platform, and in his apparent aim to "please" or succeed at all cost, he has become perceived as having less backbone and strength than the Democratic President FDR who has been revered for bringing America out of its previous darkest hour economically. And that President did all this from a wheelchair.

True leadership is not "given"...it is earned.

I have to agree in summary with Paul Krugman, a Liberal columnist with the NYTimes who wrote recently...

We’re in a world in which conventional prudence is folly, in which playing it safe is extremely risky. And we have, alas, a conventionally prudent, play-it-safe president — the kind of president who might have done fine in the 1990s, but not now.

New Global Taxes

2011-08-30T20:57:00.000-05:00

(Milton Friedman`s economic model appeals much more than the Keynesian economic model of Government intervention in markets...which seems to be running on steroids in this scary day and age. This article is prefaced with the video above that cuts to the core of this philosophical issue that has become so important to our future security...and in response to this recent announcement by CEPAL, a division of the United Nations)

If it were not bad enough that most domestic governments have almost unlimited taxation authority without approval of its constituents...we now receive the news that Global taxation is on its way as well. This article published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC...or CEPAL in Latin America) should sound alarm bells to any free enterprise, free market thinker throughout the globe. While it is obvious there are no true free markets left in the world...those of us who continue to produce, dream and work towards individual sovereignty and self sufficiency should strongly react and prepare to fight this latest round of GLOBAL TAXATION.

This taxation is sponsored by and for the benefit of the United Nations and its various constituencies. While the UN was initially started on noble premises and to support freedom around the globe, I would suggest overall it has turned into an huge global body that represents the interests of the governments of the nations who form it and not necessarily the individuals within those nations. It has been almost powerless in the face of global conflicts and confrontations to unify and fight terrorism or statism. In fact, its policies have been very status quo for sustaining the power of statism more than individual rights for world citizens. More often than not the UN has supported socialism and world government as the solution for the ills of the world versus free markets and individual rights.

There are only five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Russia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and France), who are all nuclear powers and have created an exclusive nuclear club whose powers are unchecked within the UN. And of course, one would question if anything is "united" about those five states accept for maybe their being the 5 largest producers of global armaments that continue to fuel all global conflicts including both sides of the war on terror and against the drug trade. One could argue that the UN can`t lose a war because it has interests on both sides of the battle.

So...next step...GLOBAL TAXATION in ADDITION to the arduous taxes these member states already impose upon their citizens. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem if these nation-states wanted to appoint a percentage of THEIR domestic taxes and incomes to help "global warming" and poverty issues in Latin America or elsewhere. But no, what they are proposing is to IMPOSE new global taxes on the producers in the world who are already taxed to high heaven by those same states. They are calling it a "transaction tax", but rest assured this is just the first inch of a mile they intend to take.

So many issues arise with this proposal. Lets just focus on the Latin American portion of this agenda. ECLAC, or CEPAL as they are known here in Latin America, according to their own website...

"... is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. It was founded with the purpose of contributing to the economic development of Latin America, coordinating actions directed towards this end, and reinforcing economic ties among countries and with other nations of the world. The promotion of the region's social development was later included among its primary objectives."

Their admitted and historic basis of philosophy is that "Keynesian thought, the historicist school and the Central European institutionalists exerted a decisive influence in the Commission's early years. More recently, the focus has been on a revival of this line in inquiry, along with the new theories of international trade and industrial organization, evolutionary theories of the firm and the new institutionalism.

How comforting...

Lets dissect this for a moment. Keynesian thought is behind all these government "stimulus" programs where governments intervene in everything from markets, to currencies, to bailing out the losing large institutions that have such a poor track record of managing and maintaining themselves. How is this working so far? Has it been helpful and productive to take the moneys of the taxpayers and productive business people or corporations...and put it behind the losing entities and false financial pariahs who have run Wall Street for so long? Oh, and how about those billions that go to international relief in such places as Haiti, Afghanistan and all the other mudholes of the world? A majority of those funds end up in the pockets of the defacto rulers and/or middlemen...who represent those same countries to the United Nations! Does anyone else see this mad cycle of good money after bad and supporting losing causes?

I have news for you ladies and gentlemen...this institutional approach to governing the world and solving the economic "crisis" of the world is NOT WORKING. Money is being filtered and churned through these huge taxing authorities...and very little of it is getting down to the point of need. Sure, you see UN vehicles occasionally on the news delivering food or relief to starving, displaced people in Africa and other desolate places...but I would suggest that each truckload cost 10-20 times more per delivery than if that support was more localized or regional in its source. We truly do NOT have food shortages in this world...we just have a distribution and COST crisis...and the UN is doing little in that regard with all the billions it takes in. One reason for that may be the fact that in 1945, the UN had 51 members. It now has 193, of which more than two-thirds are developing countries. When it comes to the combined budgets of the UN, it is this General Assembly who has authority on how those funds are spent. Each member country...1 vote. That to me reads that the poor developing countries of the globe have control on the UN when they want to...just based on simple math.

A few more UN facts have to be pointed out for the purposes of this blog. Though the US has one vote of 193 members...we pay 22% of the $5 Billion budget. China pays 3.2% roughly. Russia isn`t even in the top 10...yet both China and Russia along with the USA has vetoing power over the whole UN. This whole scenario is whacked out. And now the UN wants to impose global taxes on ALL global transactions? WOW!

I encourage anyone to review-download the 2010 report from CEPAL titled "Time For Equality". While I don´t take issue with the overall philosophy of equal rights for all within a democracy and the world at large...I do take issue with the way and reasoning why institutions like this one perpetuate such a message. So much of what they say here sounds admirable and doable...yet so much of the fundamental philosophy underneath it shouts out "unprincipled equality"...such as suggesting that true democracy equals equality by way of REDISTRIBUTION. This is the fundamental error of the socialistic model. You cannot justify STEALING from the haves in order to support the have nots. Everyone has to learn to "fish". If society dictates feeding everyone equally regardless of their work ethic or entrepreneurship...history has proven that the power will go to the FEW institutional "fishing companies" who will rake their portion off the top and give the rest to the masses. Is this really an improvement over a "corporate elite" model or monopolies? At least monopolies provide REAL jobs and incentives. (no, I am not advocating monopolies...just making an illustrative point).

Where equality comes in is the right to fish...or work...in a competitive environment. Much of Latin America`s economic inequality is actually supported by "protectionism" and foreign worker quotas. No one down here wants "competition" for jobs. They want "protection" of jobs. They want jobs to be a "right", not something that is earned. They want a "status quo" they can always count on. This is just irrational in a competitive, real world. If a nation-state does not allow better educated workers to come in from the outside, they will continue to drivel on way behind the global curve. It is about competition...not rights...that limit many of these countries from thriving in today`s global economies. These markets are so controlled and protected...there can be no true incentive to change or grow with technology advancements. And when government jobs in many of these Latin countries equal 60-70% of the jobs available...there is an obvious waste and stench of bureaucracy and non productivity...since we all know that governments PRODUCE NOTHING. They simply exist to oversee the laws of the land and protect the borders. In reality, they just simply "redistribute" some of what they rake in from productive society. How can this activity require a majority of the country`s workforce? Why doesn`t CEPAL start working on THAT issue?

But no, it is easier to attack and vilify "inequality" of income especially in the private sector, than to look at the extreme wastes and instant millionaires produced by these socialistic states of Latin America. These are not TRUE democracies...and no matter how much tax you bleed out of the economic producers, you are NOT going to bring equality to these masses until you stamp out the cancer of "entitlement" and "redistribution" from your methodology. Instead, focus on freeing and equalizing MARKETS and unleashing the power of innovative INDIVIDUALS to grow businesses and create jobs much better and faster than governments can.

The pyramid of the solution is UPSIDE DOWN. The institutions like CEPAL and the UN are not going to provide the economic answers. Individuals and families are. Allowing them to tax on a global scale is NOT going to help the poor and disenfranchised. It is only going to take institutional dominance and political filtering to a whole new level of imbalance. This is "Reaganomics" in reverse. The trickle down of tax cuts...versus the "trickle down" of tax INCREASES. Governments should not be growing in size...companies and producers should. Until that changes in Latin America and beyond...you will not see more equality just because you exercised some new taxes on every transaction in the world. My God...get a grip on reality!

Religion of Consumerism...

2011-08-25T12:04:00.000-05:00

What is the core reason for our world`s economic mess? I´ll tell you one of the BIGGEST catalysts...CONSUMERISM.

Consumerism is the new religion of the masses. Instead of dreaming about great adventures or discovering new cultures or a cure to poverty or cancer...most of the world is focused on...CONSUMING. We consume more and more food at higher and higher prices. We consume new technology before we even understand what it is or how to use it. If everyone else has it, we need it. Brand names like Chanel, ROLEX, Mercedes, and GUCCI are all about perceived value for appearances sake so that one's image is that of success and being "cultured". Unfortunately many of the people who spend the money on these things are impostors. They don`t have the kind of money to put into those "things"...and underneath the imagery of many of these THINGS, people are not attractive and nearly or completely bankrupt. Its a sad commentary on humanity that we would be impressed with what brand of clothes or watch someone is wearing. Don`t get me wrong...I like NICE things just like the next person...but I don`t NEED them to be happy or fulfilled. Isn't that the key difference...owning things but not being owned by THEM? Some people own things they like and can afford. Others own things they can`t afford for appearance sake only. This is the religion of Consumerism.

Same issues with cars and houses. Its one thing to get a "good deal" on a luxury car or a huge house in a new neighborhood as an "investment". It is another thing to go completely on the edge financially to "own" the biggest house or newest car in your family or circle of friends. One of the biggest reasons America is on the brink of collapse financially is the majority are in hock up to their eyebrows in order to appear wealthier than they are. A very small percentage of Americans really OWN their home or car.

What is really sad is so many of these "upscale" people in our culture spend so lavishly to attract friends and admiration...to gain clout in the proverbial pecking order of society...and yet they have no class or social graces to know how to act or what to say when they "get to that level". Someone once said "you can`t buy class. You either have it or you don`t". Now I´m not sure what "having it" may mean, and it could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people...but I am quite convinced that "it" is a diminishing quantity in modern society. You only need to see a few of today's reality shows like "Real Housewives" or "Keeping up with the Kardashians" to illustrate what I am talking about.

So who or what is to blame for our cultural demise due to consumerism? Is it the fault of advertisers/marketers who constantly bombard the airways with imagery and false promises if you only "buy this product"? Is it the "parents fault" for wanting their children to have everything they didn`t have simply for the fact of saying they provided it? How egotistical is that? What ever happened to good old fashioned "earning for the yearning" where we save and plan for that which we need first...and want last?

Here is one core fundamental that the we should do if we want to turn things around. Don`t say something is YOURs until it is completely paid for. Yea...pretty revolutionary by today`s standards...but the reality is, that WAS the standard of our grandparent`s generation less than 50 years ago. My how far we have strayed from the veritable nest! Most Americans have payments up the ying yang for homes, cars and credit card bills...and yet we really have NOTHING until it is paid for. Meanwhile many have cash reserves of less than 2 months living overhead in their bank accounts...and a growing percentage of our population dont even HAVE bank accounts. Why? Because they have NO money and BAD credit. What is the cause and effect of this? Simply put, they want everything now...and don`t want to EARN it. And the things they WANT are usually "consumer goods" that depreciate in value...usually the minute they take it out of the store or drive it out of the dealer lot.

I grew up in a religion and culture that said it is not important what you have in THIS life...but more important to store your good works for "heaven". In adulthood I never could quite understand the religious edifice complexes and fundraising drives for bigger and bigger buildings and operations for religions. In the end, this conflict of perspective and reason diverted me from some of the fundamentalist religious views I grew up with. Yet, I still like to think like Jesus when he said in Matthew 6...

I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth more than birds?

Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith? Don't worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?" Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

Eds interpretation of this...

The cause and effect of being "rich" without falling for the religion of consumerism is to "do Gods work". What is that? Is that going off to a monastery or theology center, taking vows of chastity and obedience to a religious order of some kind? Heaven forbid.

I think Jesus theology or philosophy was REAL simple...love God (who is life) and your neighbor as yourself. You cannot love others until you love yourself. You cannot give to others until you have acquired for yourself. YOU are in the center of this simple spiritual realm. YOUR thoughts, YOUR actions and YOUR choices.

Are we healthy physically? If not, why not? "You are what you eat". Don`t let CONSUMERISM dictate your diet to you.

Are we healthy mentally? If not, why not? Do you carry around emotional baggage and never thought through your reactions to the "Consumerists" around you? Get out of the peer pressure grind or feasting on media trivialities...and start thinking good, elevated thoughts. Put on a positive dream and pursue it with discipline...for YOU.

Are we healthy socially? If not, why not? Do you even LIKE the family and friends you spend all your social time with? Or, have you retreated to solitude and escapism because you have been "hurt" by others close to you? Don`t let your society determine your tastes in social connections. Chose carefully those who are in your inner circle. Its YOUR move.

Are we healthy spiritually? And by that I don`t mean some mystical, feel good tangent as presented by our consumer society of religion. The latest fad of religion or psychology is not what you need. When you are physically, mentally and socially healthy...your God will be very real and evident to you. Spirituality is a very self oriented, in depth relationship with the source of your life. It is not dependent on consumerist, societal norms and expectations regarding how, what or whom you call God or define your faith. Yes again...its all about YOU. And how or why is that so bad...IF you are "loving God, self and others"?

The core of this approach is that we will release ourselves from the potential victim-hood of Consumerism...if we stay focused and balanced on our inner and outer selves...and in balance to the rest of the REAL world around us. Stay real, stay in love, and be good to yourself. It IS Gods will. And you dont have to see "Him" physically or have a book to tell you this.

One subpoint to this blog:

I can now hear in my imagination some of my fundamentalist friends and family disdainfully questioning my viewpoint as "humanistic" versus "of God". I would go as far to say that it is my "revelation" that Jesus...and God...are, were and always will be some form of "humanist". My definition of Humanism from the dictionary is "any system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate". To that end I would suggest that good theology IS humanistic. My simplest reasons from a Biblical perspective would be:

According to religious tradition, from the beginning of creation, God "created man in his own image" with many of Gods traits. God is jealous...so are we. God loves and hates...so do we. God is one of "free will"...and created us to have that as well. So, in essence, Man...like God...is at the center of his own universe. Man has the potential to think, breath and act based on his own reason and will. Because of this capacity, man is largely in control of his own destiny outside of calamities or acts of "nature" outside his control...and we are in process of controlling those things as well. Man is of the highest mind in this world for solving problems and puzzles, and having "dominion" over all the other animals. Man has discovered the core scientific actions and reactions that help us cure diseases...or in a negative case, split atoms to blow up our enemies. I guess we can blame God or the Devil for these realities...but personally I think we are our own worst enemies when it comes to reason and irrational actions.

In summary, do I equate man with God or make ourselves out to be "gods"? No, but I think we are of a much higher calling in life than simply participating in the religion of Consumerism or defining ourselves by what we own...or dont.

Issues for Americas 1% Wealthiest

2011-08-21T23:55:00.000-05:00

This short Vanity Fair article from May 2011 is one of the most impacting short articles I have read in a long while. In light of Warren Buffets op ed this past week suggesting that the USA government SHOULD tax more heavily the richest of Americans...the Vanity Fair bit titled "Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%" truly lays out some supportive reasoning along with Buffets apparent willingness to gift more to the US government through higher taxes.

It has always been obvious to me in my adult life that politics, governments and big money run together especially in a democracy. Yet it has now come to the point where one questions if there is any such thing as a pure democracy as it appears that most governments are bought and paid for by various rich corporations and the "top 1%" in most any country. As the USA continues to be mired in the muck of heavy debt, lowering production expectations, and in general a downgrading of the entire culture via ineffective education standards...this article rings home to me that harder times are ahead for my home country and revolution could be just around the corner...unless by some miracle the hyper rich 1% come to their senses.

Anyone who reads much of my material understands pretty clearly that my bent is a "libertarian" mode of political philosophy. I believe in small government, lowest possible taxation and individual freedom and responsibility instead of entitlements and bailouts. Yet, because my government has floundered so poorly in managing the country economically and failed the expectations of the people for honesty and integrity in leadership...it is truly time for the wealthiest of Americans to take action towards securing their country before it is further devastated in the competitive international arena of trade and commerce. There is a strong undercurrent of justified American discontent...and the people of our country have a history of turning quite violent and passionate when put in a corner of desperation.

Without further extrapolation of my viewpoints, I will let these key statements from the article in Vanity Fair make the rest of my case:

...in our own democracy, 1 percent of the people take nearly a quarter of the nation’s income—an inequality even the wealthy will come to regret.

In terms of wealth rather than income, the top 1 percent control 40 percent.

...many of the distortions that lead to inequality—such as those associated with monopoly power and preferential tax treatment for special interests—undermine the efficiency of the economy

The top 1 percent may complain about the kind of government we have in America, but in truth they like it just fine: too gridlocked to re-distribute, too divided to do anything but lower taxes.

Much of today’s inequality is due to manipulation of the financial system, enabled by changes in the rules that have been bought and paid for by the financial industry itself—one of its best investments ever.

Virtually all U.S. senators, and most of the representatives in the House, are members of the top 1 percent when they arrive, are kept in office by money from the top 1 percent, and know that if they serve the top 1 percent well they will be rewarded by the top 1 percent when they leave office.

The rules of economic globalization are likewise designed to benefit the rich: they encourage competition among countries for business, which drives down taxes on corporations, weakens health and environmental protections, and undermines what used to be viewed as the “core” labor rights, which include the right to collective bargaining. Imagine what the world might look like if the rules were designed instead to encourage competition among countries for workers. Governments would compete in providing economic security, low taxes on ordinary wage earners, good education, and a clean environment—things workers care about. But the top 1 percent don’t need to care.

Everyone possesses self-interest in a narrow sense: I want what’s good for me right now! Self-interest “properly understood” is different. It means appreciating that paying attention to everyone else self-interest—in other words, the common welfare—is in fact a precondition for one’s own ultimate well-being.

The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that money doesn’t seem to have bought: an understanding that their fate is bound up with how the other 99 percent live. Throughout history, this is something that the top 1 percent eventually do learn. Too late.

I think this is the realization that Warren Buffet and other wise people of wealth are starting to comprehend. If they don`t start helping the other 99% to earn a bigger share of the wealth...the 99% will eventually just TAKE IT ANYWAYS. To that end, I suggest America find a way to bring back the growth of its middle class and get people working and off the public "dole". Otherwise...the 1% is in big trouble.

Dust in the Wind

2011-08-16T10:26:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite songs from the 70s was Kansas` “Dust in the Wind” which theme was basically how we humans are somewhat insignificant against the large backdrop of time, space and history. While I continue to hear that haunting, beautiful melody in my head, I think I have grown a bit uncomfortable with the message.

The problems and issues of our growing yet shrinking world do seem quite immense compared to our relative individual positions among the masses. We grow up in a world that pressures us to “conform” or bend with the prevailing winds of thought and culture. I would suggest these prevailing cultural “winds” tend to destroy and “blow away” all the seeds of independence and reason before they can take root in the shallow soils of life. It is pretty hard to think or see straight with all the debris of futilistic/fatalistic thinking and attitudes that whirl around us.

I find myself quite annoyed at this point in life with many of the people around me who have no sense of direction, opinion, or positive “agenda” to live for. Most people seem to plod through each day looking to secure themselves financially, taking care of the many dependents around them or looking for whatever temporary pleasure they can find to fill the void of meaning and security in their short lives. While I think it is important to “do” all those things to an extent, it is not the end-all purpose in life from my point of view. I continue to hold the belief than mankind is capable of marvelous achievements and ecstatic experiences that are only limited by our imaginations and willingness to pursue them into being. We are surround by so much negativity and nay saying in our immediate circles that we cannot breath the air of freedom and independent living that I believe we are all born to experience or at least have capacity for. I think it comes down to OUR attitudes and viewpoints of our destinies. If we THINK we are just “dust in the wind”, we will probably act upon that by flying through life in the air of contemporary thought, ambitionless and without purposeful direction. If we think we are here for a purpose…whatever we imagine that purpose to be…then I suggest taking on the challenge of sinking ourselves into the fertile soil of reason, positivity and hope. Without those things we are all destined to living as “dust in the wind”.

The harsh reality behind all of this is the ticking clock. How much time do each of us have to realize our ambitions or dreams? Do I really have time to mourn the past today as I listen to that ticking clock? Do I have the luxury of time to listen to or read sources that contradict or attempt to deflate my goals and ambitions? Do I really want to run around with the rest of the majority who think they are just “dust in the wind”? I would suggest the answer is a definite NO. To use a Biblical analogy of merit, I would rather be like a “tree that is planted by the water”…that is irremovable and strong because it has stood there through the test of time and high currents of change. Its roots are deep in its own existence. It does not give in easily to floods of despair and external pressures. The tree of an individual`s life should provide shade for the weary, shared fruit for the hungry, and a strong reference point during the floods and storms every life will bring.

I choose NOT to be “dust in the wind”…

Extremism running and ruining our culture

2011-08-14T11:48:00.001-05:00

This has been quite a week. First, the USA markets START their long awaited correction to much panic and speculation of where will this all end. Then the Republican "straw poll" in Iowa comes out with the Tea Party favorite Michelle Bachmann in the lead of at least Iowa Republican constituents. It would seem the extreme liberalism of Obama and company could conceivable be replaced by the extreme conservatism of Michelle Bachmann and her NEW religious right.

The only good news that came out of the straw pole for me was that Ron Paul came in a strong 2nd (27% to her 28%)...which by the way seems to glean little press as usual. It is amazing to me how media pundits latch on to the likes of Michelle Bachmann, but remain almost mum on Ron Paul whose many years in Congress and consistent viewpoints without waffling are almost as rare as Dinosaurs are today. He is the only truly experienced federal government leader running under the banner of Republican. Based on his differences with many core platform positions of the Republicans, I continue to find him unfortunately nonviable to win the Republican nomination...and I must assume he remains in that party only as an agent/voice for change and moderation of their errant extremism on many topics.

Let me state for the record that I understand the popularity of Bachmann and her appeal to Christian fundamentalists. The "Anti Obamas" are looking for the opposite matrix to Liberalism, no matter whether they make sense or not. As seems to be part of human mass consciousness, extreme positions are always more interesting and digestible than RATIONAL ones. We seem to be continually more pressured in this world to jump in one box of beliefs or political agendas or another. If people can`t clearly label or define you in societal terms, you have little chance of being heard or understood in the discourse. That is the position I unfortunately (or fortunately?) find myself in. I really don`t show up on the radar screen of any "norm" when it comes to political debate...unless someone wants a TRUE independent viewpoint of what I think is going on...and most people don`t. They only want viewpoints that support their liberal or conservative presuppositions...many of which on both sides are errant in relevance and reason.

So...will Americans run to the opposite extremes this next election towards ultra conservative views as held by Ms Bachmann? While I admit I am just now getting familiar with her platform and have never met her...here are come of her reported key viewpoints that give me pause on supporting her or the Republican platform if they go this direction (many taken from THIS article about her Iowa showing):

Michelle seems to prefer the religious totalitarianism of the "Dark Ages" to the Renaissance and "Age of Enlightenment". This says to me that she thinks we should go back to blind Papal authority and "allegiance to the King", versus reason and educated self opinions. I am quite sure she would like to edict Christianity as the official religion of our country. This is of course patently unconstitutional in my view.

She and her husband consider the late Francis Schaeffer, a protestant leader who died in 1984, to be a great "philosopher" that they base many of their views upon. I`m sorry, but theologians are rarely philosophers. Philosophy is SCIENCE. Theology is FAITH based...and in this case "fundamental". I have read Francis Schaeffer and I think he would turn over in his grave to hear he lived for a philosophy versus for his "faith".

While she calls herself a "lawyer" (yep, just what government needs...ANOTHER lawyer), her degree came from the O.W. Coburn School of Law; Michele was a member of its inaugural class in 1979. "Originally a division of Oral Roberts University, this august academy, dedicated to the teaching of “the law from a biblical worldview,” has gone through no fewer than three names — including the Christian Broadcasting Network School of Law." While I have oft been critical of President Obama, at least his law degree came from Harvard. Credentials?

She continually talks about having "heard Gods voice" and justifying even her most irrational positions based on "God told me so". I think most Americans would feel very insecure with the most powerful leader of the free world being able to base her views and judgements on the whims of her "ear to God". She is obviously anti-gay, anti immigrant, and has had very little exposure in her life to minorities or other religions. How is she going to be qualified to represent ALL Americans in this great land of diversity?

Let me say again, I understand why millions of Americans would be tempted to support and be intrigued by this Christian, white middle class rooted, Sarah Palinesque creature of political imagery. We unfortunately still live in a very segregated republic where our 50 states tend to be very different from each other when it comes to racial and economic stature. It is very difficult to find a leader in this day and age who can appeal to the broad base of diverse Americans. Yet, I am convinced that it is going to take someone of a much more inclusive and diverse background than Ms Bachmann to sincerely represent the interests of the broadest base of American ideals.

And once again, my greatest perplexity lies with the Republican party which seems so ineffectual in finding a true, broad based leader to lay out a plan for our country that really solves problems versus simply white washing the truth with broad strokes of religious or political fundamentalism. God help us if this is our best option for curing America`s many long term ills.

If I were the Benevolent Dictator...

2011-07-09T11:05:00.003-05:00

...I would replace politicians with business people.

As President Obama and Congress continue down the road of one of the least productive, most conflicted governments in our history...I can`t help but wish for a recall vote on these 525 people who lead our country`s government. Where are the tough minded, realistic leaders we need who can add and subtract simple numbers before they make decisions like...going to war, promising more entitlements or giving our money away to foreign states?

I am quite convinced that most average, middle class business people in America could do a more productive job running our government and balancing our budgets than these losers some call congresspeople. Our system of government with its primarily two party system has fallen to new lows in functionality, ineptitude, and outright corruption.

Should you want to elect me as your representative in the federal government...or better yet, make me "benevolent Dictator"...here is what I would do and the simple math that would be behind it:

PRIORITY NUMERO UNO...BALANCE THE BUDGET!

How do we do this? Well, first, we eliminate all unnecessary expenditures and freeze or reduce government wages until the people in government prove themselves more productive. I would tie Government salaries and benefits to productivity goals. For example, each division or organization in government would have a set annual budget and any overspending would come directly out of their wage or salary base.

Congressional leadership would be looked at as PART TIME jobs for SUCCESSFUL Americans who can afford to serve their country part time...just like the original congress. They would not have lifelong income and benefits from the public coffers just because they got elected. They would meet on a quarterly basis and work maybe 12 weeks per year...about their current pace since most of them spend 70% of their time on political posturing, fundraising and getting re-elected. They would live IN their constituencies and truly represent their local citizens. No more CAREER politicians in Washington DC. This would be a service-representative job only...something like being on the board of a public company. They would be elected to two year terms and every representative would campaign with equal amounts of public campaign funds. No PACS or corporate/private donations to buy elections with. They won`t even be allowed to use their personal funds for campaigning. Let’s see how each candidate does in managing a small campaign account for maximum results...a requirement for getting into office by demonstrating effective spending!

Next, we would eliminate all financial aid or support for countries or organizations (like the United Nations, etc) who do not share our country`s values. Dictatorships, Kingdoms, Military Juntas or Communists need not apply for one penny from our public coffers. From my current foreign aid list this would save our treasury about $45-50 Billion per year.

In addition, our fine military would be pulled out of any foreign location that is NOT a declared war zone. We can no longer afford to be the world`s policeman...and this step alone would save our treasury more than half of our country`s $1 Trillion dollars per year in military spending. That is $500 Billion per year that could pay off our national debt of $14.2 Trillion in roughly 28 years. We would continue to spend effectively on defense of our borders and domestic protections of rights and liberties. We would NOT fight all our neighbors battles...unless they PAY for our resources.

Welfare and unemployment benefits would be totally reorganized. We would continue to help the truly needy, homeless and handicapped in our society, but no longer would we reward welfare mothers with monthly payments per child or food stamps per mouth to feed...only to have many of these same people playing the Lottery, cashing their checks at the local liquor store or shoring up the hundreds of Indian casinos throughout our country. If you are on welfare or unemployment, you better not be caught in any of these establishments...AND you will be required to work at least part time for the system that is supporting you. That may mean cleaning the streets in your local community, helping take care of the elderly, handicapped or orphans, or simply licking stamps on envelopes the government will be using to send tax rebate checks with a THANK YOU to their productive citizens.

That`s right...my program will include a tax REBATE to any American who pays more than 15% of their income in federal taxes. I would instill a federal flat tax of 15% during this emergency period in our national economy on ALL income...with the goal of reducing it to 10% when the national budget is balanced and national debt paid off. I assume this would take roughly 4-5 years with my new productivity and tax program. With this saved tax revenue staying in the hands of business and consumers, tax revenues would actually GROW from increased profits within our country. The government and its constituents would be much better off with 10% of Trillions than 40% of Millions. More people would have jobs, pay taxes and be off the welfare and entitlement rolls that are killing our country economically.

The Feds now consume over $2.5 Trillion per year. A 15% flat tax against total GDI (Gross Domestic Income) of $15 Trillion is $2.25 Trillion...so the federal budget remains about the same, but the income will come from a wider range of taxpayers at a lower percentage level. This leaves more productivity and discretionary spending for consumers within our domestic borders...which in turn heats up the economy to provide more revenues for paying off national debts faster. Oh...and no "estate taxes"...which is a form of double taxation. This money belongs to the families or beneficiaries designated by the producers of those funds...who have already paid income tax on that money. The government should survive very nicely on that 10-15% of GDI thank you.

With this new 15% flat tax on ALL individual and corporate income across the board along with the huge reductions in government costs and outlays for non-constitutional activities...our national budget should be balanced and the engines of our economy will once again burn hot with world leading entrepreneurial activities, robust profits and high flying markets within 4-5 years. The cost of collecting taxes would be reduced by over 30-40%. Yes, I would have to find new jobs and programs for unemployed government workers and accountants...but there are more productive, humane things for them to be doing in this world anyways.

And then there is Tort reform. Legal costs and judgments in America are using up 25-30% of our GNP depending on who you talk to. There is very little "standardized justice" in our system. One plaintiff gets $1000 for a cut off finger in an accident while another lady gets millions for spilling hot coffee on her lap. These irrational judgments and awards hurt the general public more than anyone else as costs of these judgments are passed on to the market. I would push the courts to standardize all penalties which would also effectively reduce healthcare costs to our aging population because medical malpractice awards would be reduced as well as caretakers and Doctors insurance rates. This benefits us all in a productive society. Mistakes happen and people need to be compensated...but no instant millionaires...sorry.

Now...we also have to put limits on all the natural resource gougers of the world. OPEC would no longer determine gas and oil prices for our country...the domestic market would. Within 5 years I would make the USA oil and gas supply independent by developing our own tremendous resources and buying additional supply TEMPORARILY from FRIENDLY nations like Canada, and yes, maybe even Russia. Why are we supporting and getting supply from Arab countries and Venezuela who hate our guts and our values and do not support democracy or free enterprise? I would also take a large chunk of our savings from foreign wars and oil prices and put tremendous effort and finance behind renewable energy sources that are cheaper, cleaner and longer term in supply. This would be one of the FEW industries who get a tax "break" from the flat 15%.

How would I handle the global economic crisis? Just give me discretionary spending on 1% of the national budget to build an international organization that would focus on transaction technology and governance policies for international economic exchanges. We would eliminate the Federal Reserve and fiat currencies, taking all the middlemen out of the global currency exchanges and force the banks back to fundamentals of what they are supposed to do best...store local funds and live on reasonable interest loans and credit. All currencies would become digital and based on a return to the gold standard. No country would be allowed to support unrealistic economies by printing worthless currencies to falsely sustain their imbalances...as the USA has been doing for decades now.

This step alone would produce 30% or more increased GNP as the informal economies would have to come under the umbrella of traceable transactions. Just imagine 30% more revenue to be realized throughout the world and under standardized taxation. This would be a huge step towards more responsible stewardship and tracing of economies. This process of digitizing currency alone would put a huge dent into illegal drug trafficking.

While we are on that subject, I would eliminate all laws that are not covered under the Constitution. That means people would be free to consume and live freely. If they want and can afford to take drugs, that is their right as long as they don`t endanger or affect another person’s rights. This alone would probably reduce our prison populations and costs by more than 50%. Addicts would be cared for humanely and at the local level with treatment centers and education programs...not prisons. The revenues from taxing and controlling these drugs would more than pay for the treatment and education centers.

OK...and how would we take care of all the poor or displaced workers in our country? We would take some of the money saved from foreign pursuits and invest more in education and vocational training institutions. If people are unemployed, they should be getting re educated in more productive fields of study. No more $25 per hour unionized broom pushers. You will need relevant technology training or true service training to make that kind of money.

Oh and credit...it would be illegal for a citizen to owe more than 30% of their annualized income to banks or credit companies. There would be no more "credit swapping" to cover up banking institution`s risk levels on bad loan portfolios. Banks will NOT be too big to fail but would be forced to have sufficient reserves to cover every penny owed their depositors.

Finally, the unintended consequences of this dream scenario would be...America would be the preferred country to invest in again. We would have the lowest competitive tax rates, the best services and the best debt free lifestyle of anywhere in the world. With secure borders and high standards for getting into our system, other countries would be FORCED to imitate our standards and lifestyles if they want to compete in the world. We would once again become the world’s bankers. China would owe us instead of us owing them.

Ok ladies and gentlemen...that is my platform. Please vote for me whenever there is an election for "Benevolent Dictator"...:)

Is Panama safe?

2011-05-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

I often field the question from foreigners to Panama along with friends and family...is Panama a safe place to live? From my 6+ years living here I usually answer that I feel as safe here as most any major USA city. Sure, the culture is different, there are MORE poor people per capita, and "stuff" happens anywhere as well as the USA.

I have not taken the time to pursue crime statistics lately between the USA and Panama so most of my views are based on perception and first hand experience which admittedly can be relative. Part of that perception is simply gleaned from news coverages. I subscribe to Google news services that feed me daily news on certain topics I like to follow. One of those topics is obviously Panama, yet I have not filtered that news heavily enough to leave out news from Panama City, FLORIDA...so I actually get daily news from both Panama City s.

As I browse recent weeks of these headlines, it strikes me that the news is much more violent on the average from Panama City, Florida than from the Republic of Panama. This actually doesn't surprise me since there are many more guns per capita in the USA and probably (again...perception) more drug users and gang bangers than in my adopted resident country.

Here are a number of recent Panama City, Florida headlines that backup my perception:

(First two are just in today)
Man dies in Panama City Beach shooting...
Shooting suspect denies being gang member...
Women charged in check fraud...
Three arrested, one sought in pill / hostage case...
Severely burned man arrives at hospital wearing only his underwear; he's arrested on meth charges...
Man charged with attempted bank robbery after bomb scare...
15 charged in meth ring...
Boil water notices issued...(I thought this only happened in the Republic of Panama)
Man charged with aggravated battery...

The bottom line of this illustration is that crime and violence happens in both Panama City s. We all have a choice of believing or not the media slants towards the news. Sure, many media love to sensationalize the crimes, blood and guts in the streets throughout the world. And sure, we all want to be made aware of the dangers around us...and probably which neighborhoods to avoid from a probability basis of bad things happening to YOU.

My summary view on personal safety in both Panama City s,... and probably many other reportedly dangerous places like Colombia and Mexico...is that your personal safety depends on where you go and who you associate with. I would suggest that violent crimes apart from petty theft rarely occur against the average good citizen. Much of the violence in Panama, Colombia, Mexico AND the USA is based on drug deals gone bad, either between the suppliers or the users. Most of the cause and effect of that is because when someone in that world steals or cheats you, you can`t call the police or consult your lawyer. That whole world (the drug one) is based on the most banal, animalistic aspects of what it means to be human and survive.

I don´t think crime and violence should be a deterrent for people wanting to work or retire in Panama or most other Latin countries. The biggest issue for most "Northerners" or Anglo s will be if they can adjust to the different culture, language and service levels these cultures feature. For some Panama, Colombia, Mexico and other Latin destinations are "paradise". For others it is "hell on earth". I think it just depends who you are and where you go. Same goes for Panama City, Florida...

I will not...

2011-05-25T10:09:00.001-05:00

I will not crave for that which I cannot have
I will not give what is not mine to give
I will not kiss my enemy or slap my friend
I will not suffer fools lightly

I will not have my dreams squashed by the limits of your imagination
I will not lose hope because of your despair
I will not spend my short time on this earth waiting for you to love me
I will not devote one day to a cause or person I don´t believe in

I will not accept your lack of respect
I will not give in to the invasion of my privacy
I will not be judged by you neither be your judge
I will not live for you nor expect you to live for me

I will not be limited by your limits
I will not be easily talked into surrender
I will not go through life aimless or without direction
I will not demand more of you than I demand of myself

I will not cower in the face of adversity
I will not easily wilt against life`s pressures
I will not live as if I am dying
I will not die without dignity

--Ed Thurston 2011

Fire in the Belly

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-05:00

As a marketer, I have always been attracted to interesting expressions and oft times wonder about their origins. One of those expressions that came to mind today was ¨fire in the belly¨.

Some synonyms I find in the dictionary related to this expression are: ambition, aspiration, coveting, craving, hankering, hunger, itch, pining, thirst, urge, wish, and yearning. Another meaning I found that strikes home is ¨…referring to severe motivation, or hunger that causes action!¨

Lately I have found myself disappointed and perplexed at the lack of passion and conviction in what people around me are doing… or better yet, NOT doing. So many efforts to me seem like an exercise in futility and drudgery. Most people have no focus or explanation for what they are doing in their lives on a daily basis. Just the challenge of getting from point A to B is more than many can handle…let alone think about Z.

I was talking with a friend tonight who said ¨…the higher expectations you have for yourself, the higher the stress level¨. So it would seem that many people avoid stress by maintaining LOW expectations? I guess that way you can never be disappointed or disillusioned. Yet, somehow that form of living seems very unattractive to me. I think we need more of that ¨fire in the belly¨ in order to better ourselves and the conditions around us. We have become way too compliant and accepting of the ¨status quo¨ and the marginalization of excellence or superiority. In this world, everyone loves to read or hear about the downfall of great people. We like to bring the successful and courageous down to our level of commonality. We don´t want to feel inferior to anyone, therefore we respect no one and strive to moderate the imaginations of those free spirits around us who dare to dream and act on those dreams. Worst than that, we allow others to stomp out the fire of our own imaginations and ideas. This is a form of invisible murder of the human mind and spirit…performed by a mass ritual of educated mediocrity and peer pressure to conform to norms.

Of course, the easiest excuses towards not reaching our goals relate to not having the ¨things¨ we need to succeed or feel comfortable. Somehow we feel without the right clothes, right car, right family, enough money or the right team to work with….we just can´t get started. We find a thousand and one excuses not to do the things we WANT to do. We find more reasons why we CAN`T accomplish something than reasons why we CAN. We`re too young or too old, too poor or too rich, under qualified or over qualified. When we have the time we don´t have the money. When we have the money we don’t have the time. Life seems to be this continuous continuum of the stars not being in alignment for our dreams or ambitions. Are there reasons for this lack of accomplishment?

If we are to take lessons from history, I think of people who had ¨fire in the belly¨ for what they wanted to accomplish in life. People`s financial heritage had little to do with whether or not they succeeded. Without necessarily evaluating the ¨morality¨ of their accomplishments, three or four figures stand out to me from histories recently read. John Adams, Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford and Warren Buffett…just to name a few. While each of these figures were fallible men with weaknesses and failures in their lives…they each forged change and controlled a certain amount of their destinies based on various aspects of ¨firebelly¨ attitudes towards life and the circumstances of their days.

John Adams helped forge the USA Constitution and was one of the most outspoken writers and debaters of the first ¨Continental Congress¨. Teddy Roosevelt wasn´t content with staying within the tapestries of his rich family heritage and chose instead a life of adventure, travels and pushing the limits of his own political and philosophical barriers. Henry Ford overcame immigrant farmer roots to become the icon of America´s industrial age by promoting mass production of inexpensive goods coupled with higher wages for workers. Ford had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to peace. Warren Buffet converted his childhood knack for door to door selling of chewing gum, Coca-Cola, and weekly magazines into the largest most profitable holding company in the world called Berkshire Hathaway.

None of these people performed their miracles overnight. I´m quite sure none of them saw the end from the beginning. They probably had NO IDEA how effective and long standing their accomplishments would be. Yet, the common thread I read in all of these and other like people was their commitment to their own unique ideas, philosophies and standards. The essence of these men…they lived and breathed the ¨fire in their belly¨ which to my viewpoint was the root ¨cause and effect¨ of their success in life…even amidst well documented frailties and failures.

On a much smaller and personal scale, my Grandfather who was a strong father figure to me growing up, had a unique approach and sense of life´s calling that demanded much of this ¨fire belly¨ approach. In the early 1900s he became part of a strong religious awakening in America as a first generation naturalized citizen of Norwegian roots. Most immigrants of those days…like today…were from poor disenfranchised populations in their home countries looking for a new start and better way of life. These people honed their skills of individual survival and doing whatever needed to be done in order to survive and grow with the new opportunities this foreign land afforded them. And yes, religion has always played a strong role in giving the poor and disenfranchised hope and will to live… pushing forward to a better, ¨God given¨ future. Without significant education or traditional preparations, this teenage cowboy from the Minnesota plains experienced and pursued his own approach to a spiritual way of life that was in no way part of mainstream religion. Yet, my grandfather carried his religious experience to a level of leadership and ¨ministry¨ to where he built his own church in my old hometown in the 1930s, raised his family in his tradition of faith, and influence hundreds who have since influenced hundreds to live in ¨the fear of God more than the fear of Man¨.

While I admittedly have grown into more secular understandings of life than my Grandfather had, I still have to live in awe of his ability to build a church, a home, a family and a following simply on the strength of faith and devotion to his personal cause. While he died a relative pauper, he lived rich in the belief of his cause and fervency of dogma. He was a self taught printer, always found a way to have the newest gadgets such as wire recorder, then reel to reel tape recorders (5 of them that I remember from childhood), a decent big car (primarily a Oldsmobile fan), and writer of many religious and philosophical articles. I am quite sure in today´s times he would be a better blogger than me. He read and read…and his library was the root of my own thirst for reading and knowledge. His large library included all sorts of subjects and not just ¨Christian¨ ones. My first reading of the Quran was his copy…and this was in the 1960s.

So in some ways I suppose the apple has not fallen far from the tree…though many might not agree with that statement. Yet, I pursue a circle of personal friends and associates who have ¨fire in their belly¨. I am easily bored or impatient with people that have no ambition or “zip” to their daily lives and activities. The longer we live, the more we realize how short our time of opportunity is. While it’s nice to believe in an afterlife…the only life we are assured of is the here and now. I think we each need to go with our ¨fire bellys¨. Wherever our passions, ideas or creativity takes us…we need to embrace them and carry them to their ultimate ends. We can´t all be Henry Fords or John Adams…the times don’t always demand that of us. But as my friend and I discussed tonight on the phone using a golf analogy…¨It is up to us to tee the ball and hit it as good and far as possible. Beyond that we cannot control how the winds of fate will affect that ball, but we must have passion to hit it none the less¨.

Love means...

2011-04-23T08:26:00.001-05:00

...never having to say you're sorry.

Love is the most beautiful, yet most complicated, thing in life. Some say we love too easily, some say too little while others say we don't get it at all. It is the most complicated of human experiences and emotions. Love sometimes blinds us with devotion. Other times it opens our eyes to meaning and truth. Sometimes it is a feeling...sometimes a fact. We love things, people, animals and some love "God". And all these loves mean different things to different people...which makes it all the more complicated to know what love "means".

Defining love is like defining the wind. We feel it, we see its affects around us, yet we're not sure from where or why it comes. Some of us are quite sure it comes from "God" while others narrow it down to some genetically driven function and creation of the mind. The idea is that somehow love perpetuates the survival of mankind through procreation...therefore it has that simple purpose for some people. Maybe we are just animals driven by our lusts and mating cycles to continue evolution through "survival of the fittest"?

If we look for love, we don't find it. If we wait for love, it might find US. Some of us are in "love" with love...while others repel it like the plague, preferring instead a life of quiet solitude.

Some of us are move lovable than others. Some are attractive with easy going dispositions. Others are neither attractive or easy going. Some love superficially (external beauty, pretty things, cuteness...) while others love things internal such as thought, talent and other admirable qualities that come from the heart or soul...whatever those terms mean to you. Some skate through their love lives counting on their looks. Others demand understanding and acceptance of their more inner qualities before calling it love.

All in all...for me love comes down to total behavior and combines the factors of thought and action. I think we love ourselves by how we care for our external attributes such as personal health and hygiene. We also love ourselves by nurturing our minds with reason and understanding...balanced by a healthy dose of "I don't know nor never will...everything". We love others by placing those self love values on another person.

While we love things such as our pets, possessions and hobbies...that love is NOT the same as loving another human. It is much easier loving pets for instance because they tend to be more responsive to us. We feed them, they sometimes respond by licking us or snuggling next to us (I have never found the licking part to be that enjoyable...at least by an animal). If we show care and love towards them, most animals respond positively with undying love. Of course, this love is quite conditional, don't you think?

Human love on the other hand is a bit more complicated. Sometimes the more you love someone, the more they push you away. Many people are very uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness. Why is that? I will suggest that in most cases it is so potentially powerful and to an extent requiring submissions of our own will or individuality to love in return...that we instead take a safer road towards survival where we don't ever allow another to have that kind of power or influence in our lives. Many people have been burned by love either within their family or with a significant other to the extent that they are unwilling to love or trust again. The balance of give and take, the ups and downs of emotions...and the timing of mutuality in our relationships makes love a rare and delicate experience to contemplate.

For me love means making yourself ready and lovable. Without a good dose of self-love, I don't think it is possible to truly love another well. Too many relationships are imbalanced in that regard...I think psychologists call it "co-dependency". The most historic or powerful love stories we seem to love but not always emulate are of two strong, iconic individuals who find each other at a common level of existence and bond based on the strengths in each other versus "weakness" or need. At the end of the day, I think this is the kind of love most thinking persons aspire to.

Finally, I think true love is described best in this poetic scripture...

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails;

...I Corinthians 13

My Halfway Heart

2011-04-19T17:29:00.003-05:00

(Some of you will not get this at all. This is dedicated to all those who have for whatever reason(s) not been able to follow through with their "soulmate" connection. Perhaps because we weren't ready when that person came into our lives. Maybe because of various forms of cultural barriers that got in the way. Maybe that person was of the same sex. Maybe the person was much older or younger than ourselves. Maybe they were of a different race, religion or culture. Maybe even a distant relative. It is my observation and guess that most people never end up with "the one that got away")
----------------

“It is thought a disgrace to love unrequited. But the great will see that true love cannot be unrequited. True love transcends the unworthy object, and dwells and broods on the eternal, and when the poor interposed mask crumbles, it is not sad, but feels rid of so much earth, and feels its independency the surer.”…Ralph Waldo Emerson
----------------

I loved you from the moment I saw you, but I could only love you "halfway"
You were my best friend
We understood each other like no one else ever could
I longed for you like I never longed before.
You were the mirror reflection of my soul
When you cried, I cried
When you laughed I laughed
When we touched, it was like touching myself but from the inside out
I always felt like I knew you in a previous life
Perhaps we came from the same tree of life...from some distant path called destiny
Those feelings I could never express, you understood
I never knew loneliness until we were apart the first time
And when we parted for the last time, a part of me died forever

You see...

I chose THEM over you
I chose ME over you
I chose alienation and limitation
I chose rationalization versus truth
I chose conformity over individuality
I chose mediocrity over exceptionality
I chose the safety of rules versus the risk of breaking them
I chose the box versus freedom
I chose my color over yours
I chose my religion over yours
I chose my family over yours
I chose my nationality over yours
I chose to limit my passion versus yield to it
I chose what others wanted for me versus what I wanted
I chose pursuit of money and fame over you
I chose to take instead of give
I chose to die instead of live

I could not bear the risk of loving you
I could not take the rejection of my peers, family and culture
I could not sacrifice them for you, and I knew that would be the price

Now I sit here living...well semi living...with my halfway heart

...Edward Doran 2011

(A late addition since a number of you have wondered...this writ is not necessarily written as "auto biographical". It just COULD have been me:). While most of our hearts probably all yearn for more love and understanding...I am basking in more love and "soul connection" than I probably deserve. )

The Risks of Role Models

2011-04-12T19:39:00.002-05:00

The hardest part of growing up in this world is the disillusion and disappointment as we find out there is no Santa Claus, and that all the "giants" of our childhood had faults that made them imperfect. The frailty of our human condition is perhaps the most bitter pill to swallow throughout our lives. Our "perfect" parents become more human and frail to us over time. As we study history more deeply than 4th grade history books, we find out that Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and other great Presidents of our country all had weaknesses and failures to deal with in their lives...just like us. The further we go in life, the more we realize there is no perfect person or infallible leader to aspire to...its just "us" against ourselves.

Many of us grew up in America's golden age of industriousness, extreme economic growth and full of the "American dream". Until Vietnam and Watergate, we implicitly trusted our Presidents and other world leaders and believed what Walter Cronkite reported about them each night on the 6 o'clock news. We grew up wanting to play baseball like Micky Mantle and Pete Rose. We wanted to play golf like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. We oohed and awed at the original college basketball stars such as "Magic" Johnson and Michael Jordan as they broke records from college through their professional careers.

Unfortunately reality and humanity caught up with our heroes in most cases. Nixon was impeached and Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner with a slave mistress who bore him at least one child. Mantle had a drinking problem that eventually killed him, and Rose a gambling problem that has kept him out of Baseball's "Hall of Fame". Magic contracted AIDS and Michael Jordan went through a messy divorce and lost millions at the blackjack table. The mirror of modern media caught up with the dark sides of our humanity and we discovered no one is perfect. Yet...we continue to hold sports stars and political leaders to higher levels of scrutiny and perfection than the average person which is one cause of our constant disappointment in life.

Sports writer Bill Simmons poignantly writes about the travails and hopes of Tiger Woods in this editorial piece related to last weekend's Masters golf tournament. After almost two years of personal problems...some say "sexual addictions"... which has affected the competency of Tiger Wood's play for quite some time, Mr. Simmons offers this humane and objective treatment of Tiger's comeback play at the Masters:

I am supposed to think that he's a poor role model -- that he's an adulterer, that he's selfish, that he's a phony, that he behaves badly on golf courses, that he's someone I wouldn't want my son to emulate some day. That's horses---. I want my son to know that people screw up, that nobody is perfect, that you can learn from your foibles. I want my son to watch "The Natural" someday, hear Roy Hobbs say, "Some mistakes you never stop paying for," and know that it's not just words in a movie. I want my son to know that you haven't lived until you've fought back, that you haven't won until you've lost, that you can't understand what it's like to relish something until you've suffered, too. I want him to understand that it's the 21st century, that we sit around picking our heroes apart all day, that we expect them to be superhuman at all times, that we get pissed off when they aren't, that it's hypocritical if you really think about it.

I want my son to know that great athletes are meant to be appreciated, not emulated. He can steal Tiger's fist pump without wanting to become him. He can play Tiger's video game without feeling like Tiger is his best friend. He can imitate Tiger's swing without getting the urge to bed every cocktail waitress and model he meets. We should have learned by now that athletes aren't role models in the traditional sense -- they exist to entertain us and inspire us, and that's really it.

If my son needs a role model, and he will, that person should be me. I don't need Tiger to teach my child how to behave. I need him to teach my son that it's fun to watch golf. Yesterday was the first lesson. There was a putt, and a roar, and a fist pump, and then my son screaming "Again!" Only Tiger Woods could have made it happen. It's a gift.

The risk of being a role model is that you WILL someday disappoint and fall short of everyone's expectations of you. To that end, humility and modesty should be a significant attribute of anyone that society puts up on the pedestal for adulation.

The risk of too much hero worship is that you WILL someday be disappointed at the shortcomings and humanity of your idol. Whether that be a parent figure, a sports star or a fantastic performer in another arena of life...it is wise of us to moderate our expectations of other human beings. I think it is better to BE a hero than to look up to one...and yet we should never try to be everything to our followers. I think it much more valuable to teach our children and other followers to pursue their own hearts and dreams to become the unique, successful person that they define on their own terms. If we all treated each other with that level of mutual acceptance, respect and non judgmental-ism...fewer of us would be so disillusioned with humanity and more focused on what we can make of OURSELVES.

Connecting the Dots

2011-04-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

I find myself using the expression "connecting the dots" more often these days. Remember those childhood drawing books where you followed the numbered dots which led to an outlined picture of a horse, train, airplane or some other image of childhood fancy? It has dawned on me that most of our lives are spent doing this...if only in a more allegorical sense.

People have often asked me how I have found it so easy to move and change so often in my life? For whatever reasons, it has always been easy and adventurous for me to pursue new places and cultures...adapting to change better than most. When I take a moment to analyze how I do this...I fall back on my "connecting the dots" analogy. I start with knowing key people or information within a business, geographic location or a culture...and expand my vision and knowledge from there as fast as I am allowed to know it.

In business, success is often about simply "connecting the dots" of relationships and information. If you are able to connect people to information, you should be able to determine in a very organized way how to accomplish what you envision for your business or career. As Dale Carnegie taught us in "How to Win Friends and Influence People", to be accomplished in business or selling yourself, it is crucial that the other "dot" you are connecting to feels important and that you relate to each other. If we are too isolated or unwilling to recognize the value of the other "dots", we will find ourselves unable to complete the potential of our lives. We need other dots...

"Cause and effect" comes into play for this subject as well. One's relative level of success can often be determined by how well you connect the dots in sequence. Most people want to jump ahead of the game as quickly as possible. They don't want to learn by "sequence" or deal with the details of 1-2-3-4-5...they want the instant gratification of jumping to 10...or 100..without connecting to the experiences or details required in between. So many leaders have rushed so fast to "get ahead" that they have risen quickly to their level of incompetency. Many corporate and world leaders are ineffectual because they don't understand how to "connect the dots". They have no understanding of the "matrix" and are primarily just focused on their own self survival. They don't seem to understand that their survival depends on the "matrix" underneath them surviving as well.

Connecting the dots is no exact science...primarily because as you grow up, the matrix becomes more complex and people no longer "put the numbers" for you to follow. It takes more imagination and knowledge to know which dots to connect with in order to build the "picture" of your life that YOU want to make.

Many of us are content to sit on our current dot in life...maybe accepting half or less of the picture/vision we had for our lives. Because we are uncertain about the next dot, we instead live looking back on our past dots and in many cases decide we have gone as far as we want to. For some of us it is too scary to leave the current point in search of the next one. Many of us have forgotten what it was we were trying to create in the first place.

Some of us have taken so many shortcuts in life that we have no sense of the design in our lives. This cause and effect in life is similar to taking a trip...if you go too long and too far in the wrong direction...it takes you that long to get back to a cross roads. That journey can be painstakingly boring because you have "already been there and done that". Yet, retracing and going backward, at least in our understanding, is often the first step in moving forward.

It is also a reality that some of us are better and faster at connecting the dots than others. Some seem to have an unflinching eye and steady hand in creating the life that they envisioned early on. Others of us are so full of indecision and doubt that we fall far behind the rest and will never finish what we started in this life. If we make too many mistakes of this nature, it is sometimes wise to reconsider what you want to create and limit the amount of dots you are going to pursue.

I personally struggle with this aspect myself. My mind imagines me doing a LOT of different things. I HAVE done a lot of different things and continue to pursue more than my share of ideas and aspirations. Yet, as I realistically look in the mirror and come to terms with my own mortality, I realize that it is now more about quality dots in life than quantity.

As a musician, dots have been important to me as well. Many musicians call written music "dots". The dots on a staff in the right sequence and combination determine the beauty of a musical piece. Dots in harmony make beautiful affects...dots in dissonance can make living unbearable.

Of course, people in our lives are like dots as well. I think psychologically and otherwise we ARE the sum of all the important people and relationships we have had in our lives. Some have been a joy, some have brought significant pain. Some dots have held us "in place" for long periods of time...others have spun us off into hundreds of other connections.

Finally, we must analyze our SELVES as a dot. Do we help other people build the mosaic of their lives in a beautiful way...or do we tend to throw them off their own path of connecting dots? Do we harmonize with other dots to make a pretty picture...or do we unconsciously or even purposely seek to destroy the continuity of the matrix we have found ourselves in? As a dot in someone-else matrix, do we demand their total attention to our one dot...or do we propel and encourage them to multiply and grow beyond OUR point of reference? Do we find value in being a PART of someone-else' beautiful matrix...or do we demand their focus to be on our simple point of reference, thereby limiting their potential to "connect the dots" themselves?

I do believe that by connecting with the right matrix of dots...that matrix can carry us much further in life and understanding than we can ever reach alone or disconnected. Lets get connected...and start growing again this beautiful picture we call life. Its about ideas, discoveries...and PEOPLE.

Rethinking the Way We Think

2011-03-29T07:51:00.001-05:00

We definitely live in interesting and perilous times. The world seems to be in the throws of more chaos than normal with mass uprisings against tyrannous governments, and more than our share of natures tumult with earthquakes, tidal waves and nuclear meltdowns. Perhaps the biggest "meltdown" is the economic one that few people have a realistic grasp on.

One main demand of all this mess is that we "rethink the way we think" about things. We can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand of ignorance, apathy or false supremacy. We all are being touched or WILL BE touched by the current upheavals in our world.

But thinking isn't the end-all, right? Everyone "thinks" to some degree or another. The problem is RIGHT thinking (and I don't mean politically). The age old question of the meaning of life comes down to the continuous question of what is right and what is wrong.

Right and wrong is such a subjective issue after all. Some people base their views of right and wrong on books...religious or otherwise. Others base it on some sense of innate "spirituality" that mysteriously reveals to us the truth of what is right and wrong. For many of us this makes "truth" a very relative thing...relative to your moods, feelings, sanity etc. I would suggest that most people's truth comes from a form of "democratic" exercise. If most of us...or at least the majority in our immediate circle...claim something as true and right, well, it must be so. This is the most comfortable approach to truth as it reduces the need to question so many things in life that we have no practical or provable answer to.

It seems practical to me that the majority think this way. After all, it keeps the masses in line, the level of dissidence at a minimum, and promotes peace and tranquility at least temporarily. The problem comes in when decades or even centuries later "we" discover that this majority thinking was totally false and delusional...and we have now built huge systems, institutions and shrines to the false tenants of our respected but long gone forefathers. Who are we now if/when we discover that some of our original presumptions of fact are indeed false? How do we handle this?

I would suggest most of us don't. We simply bury our doubts or newly discovered truths as far away from consciousness as we can. In some cases we quietly, secretly begin operating outside of the system or even living clandestinely with a new, private approach to life and survival. It is similar to a real world situation where everyone was starving and we knew where the largest hidden cache of food was stored...but we kept it to ourselves and helped ourselves to that hidden supply as much and as long as we can get away with. Some would call this another form of "survival of the fittest". After all, knowledge is king.

The sad reality for our world is that many of our supposed leaders and government officials know more than we all know. They are privy...and protect that privilege at all cost...to the core, real statistics of our systems. The smartest ones know that they cannot reverse the perilous road our civilization is traveling without substantial upheaval to their own lives and realities. Therefore, they chose to stay mum and cover-up the truth. They continue to placate the masses with buttery, syrupy speeches of hope and patriotism. They continue to infuse our medias with hype and pomposity...keeping the masses focus on the present and past, so they don't ask too many questions about the future. They continue to horde and give us all just enough to keep us from revolting. This reality in itself is revolting.

If the arts are, as often argued, the reflection of our culture or civilization...then we don't have to look far for proof that our world is in a huge vacuum of leadership and creativity. In just a couple centuries we have gone from Mozart to Snoop-dog, from DaVinci to Andy Warhol, and from the classics of Milton or Tennyson to "HEAVEN IS FOR REAL", by Todd Burpo. When you look at what makes the top 10 best sellers lists these days at the bookstore, it doesn't take long to get a quick peak at the breadth of modern day thinking.

So, where is all this taking us? I would suggest that civilization's meeting with mathematical destiny is sooner than we think. I don't think we are facing a "Nostradamus" quick end to the world...but I do think the world as we know it will experience some cataclysmic upheavals that will revolutionize life as we know it. Someday the accountant shows up along with the banker and says "pay up or move out". If you believe in right and wrong, you realize that someday the givers are going to revolt against the takers and say enough is enough. We are seeing this now in certain regions of the world...and this will continue in reaction to new ways of thinking by the masses.

One of the few hopes I see coming through modernity is futurist Ray Kurtzweil's theory that technology and artificial intelligence will come to our rescue in the near future. When man's mind and the modern computer meld to bring singularity of mind and reason...maybe then we have a chance at true objective thinking.

Until then it seems we are stuck with our very limited brains, short relative existence, and the challenge to make the most out of what little brainpower and understanding we really have. In the meantime, many of us need to question or "rethink" the way we think...as a matter of survival.

The Power of Free Will

2011-03-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

OK...for those of you who may not appreciate the musical art-form of "Rush"...here are the lyrics of significance to begin this subject:

There are those who think that life has nothing left to chance take,
A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance.

A planet of playthings,
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
"The stars aren't aligned,
Or the gods are malign..."
Blame is better to give than receive.

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill;
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose freewill.

There are those who think that they were dealt a losing hand,
The cards were stacked against them; they weren't born in Lotusland.

All preordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate.
Kicked in the face,
You can't pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate.

Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete.
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet.

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill;
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose freewill.

Have you ever felt like you were the prisoner of your own mind and emotions? -- I have.

Have you ever felt like your job or people around you were not in sync with what you had envisioned for your life? -- I have

Have you ever made an abrupt change in your life in order to "clean the slate" and start over? -- I have and more than once.

For most of us, life is not a straight line of steady advancement towards our vision or life's dream. We experience many setbacks, failures, disappointments and heartaches that sometimes keeps us from advancing at all.

The biggest hurdle in my experience to get over is self-doubt...which often has its roots in the hurtful or critical words of our families and/or peers. If the people closest to us say our ideas are crazy or impossible...it is very difficult to turn a deaf ear or blind eye to their criticism and negativism. And since it seems to be human nature to tear down others instead of build them up...I guess it is understandable why so many of us find ourselves stymied and disappointed by our status in life.

I think most people go through many stages of life facing decisions and indecision...continually making compromises with ourselves and others about what we will do or pursue in life. It is my contention that a majority of people tend to compromise their "uniqueness" in exchange for "belonging". Even as a small child, it is very difficult to be different from the other children. Children are actually quite cruel towards "difference". Remember the first kid in grade school who had to wear glasses? Old "four eyes" we sometimes called them. Then we hit adolescence where there was a constant pressure to conform to fashion or hair styles in order to "fit in" with our friends or get attention from the opposite sex. Most of us did not "drive our own bus" growing up...and many of us never have.

Then came college...or for some the military. Wow, what institutions for challenging you to conform. In the military it is about learning discipline for following orders and "respecting authority"...especially those way up the chain to where you don't really know them personally. Those in college began the great competition for grades and grants that would get them the best shot at good jobs or careers. We learned to "play politics" and "dress for success". We have been judged more by the car we drive or house we live in versus "who we are" or our character traits.

I have been meeting a number of adults in "my age group" lately (mid 50s) who have made major life changes and a number who have said "they are just starting to live freely". I think many of these people just "stumbled" through the ropes of society...getting their degree, getting a job, getting married, having kids...basically fitting in nicely to what is expected of them...only to wake up one day and ask "who am I and what am I doing here?". I am meeting many people in their 50s and 60s who are just starting to feel independent and empowered in their lives after coming out of the shadows of their previous existences. They are just waking up to the power of "free will".

Even in those remote, undereducated, Arab countries in revolt right now...they are discovering the potential...and responsibility...of "free will". To live and BE who you want is a rare commodity in life. Most are so penned in by laws, taxes, payments, relationships, religions and governments...they have no sense or even desire to live freely and independently. Many people don't know how...most people just don't WANT TO. It takes too much risk and responsibility for some to break the molds and rules that bind them into an existence that they feel obligated to live in.

In many cases...the immensity of what you "own" actually owns YOU. I have met many people who have told me they would like to travel or even try living in other parts of the world...but alas...they have real estate, pets, kids and/or grand-kids who somehow they can't live without or think can't live without them. It's all really a matter of perspective, isn't it?

What I have always felt, believed and experienced is that each of us decides how much "freedom" we are going to exercise. Most of us have the capacity to exercise free will and reason to direct our lives in certain directions. Some of us use that freedom productively, others too easily give it up for traditions and irrational attachments.

Traditions and attachments are not harmful in and of themselves. It is only when those histories and appendages completely blot out the reality of who we are...or WANT to be. A simple exercise in living is to go to a crowded mall somewhere and just observe the various forms of humanity moving about in some invisible form of energy in motion. It is helpful to get out of our SELVES long enough to get into observing and knowing others. This to me is when life's education truly begins. Now, as you observe various individuals, you can almost tell intuitively by their appearances, the way they walk, the way they interact or don't...who is living freely and independently. How many of these people are really free to be who they WANT to be? How many have a clue? Maybe it is just me, but I see most of humanity living in quiet futility...appearing like deer staring in the headlights of life...with very little idea of how to react or TAKE ACTION in their lives or how to respond to the world around them.

And yes, I am human and have had my moments in life when I was blinded by my emotions, attachments or even personal ambitions...to the point where I could not see or live objectively. It is admittedly hard to keep objectivity in life. We are so easily jaded or emotionally damaged by life's perpetual harshness. The harsh realities of struggling to live...and struggling with our eventual death. It all can appear so huge and heavy that we lose our ability to function...our ability to exercise our free will.

But...if we allow ourselves to do so...we can throw off all the negativity and ugliness that has walled us in to our uncertainty. We can step by step start climbing up and over the obstacles that keep us from living freely. For some of us it is certain relationships that have smothered our existence for years or decades. For others it is the lack of self love and respect...those values which enable you to look yourself in the mirror and constantly say "yes I can" and "yes I will".

I continue to strive...to exercise my "power of one"...to throw off every doubt and doubter...and run the race of my own life as best I can do it. Who is with me? Get next to me or get behind me. But don't stand in front of me as I will have to run over or around you...and you will no longer be in my sight. Maybe that is better...for the both of us.

Don't underestimate the power of...free will.

New Immigration Perspective

2011-02-28T17:17:00.001-06:00

I couldn't help but be affected today by this article from journalist Andres Oppenheimer on "immigration reform". This is a very divisive topic in the USA that few seem to have an objective handle on.

Having been through more immigration "labyrinths" than the average guy, I can personally speak to the ridiculous bureaucracies of most modern day governments...not just the USA. Between Latin America and the USA, I swear that immigration bureaucracies are the most corrupt and ineffective of all government offices.

For me, the top three wasteful bureaucracies in the USA are immigration, drug enforcement, and "Department of Defense"...not necessarily in that order. If I were attempting to balance the US budget...which seems to an increasingly politically correct priority in government at least at this hour...I would probably find creative ways to cut budgets of all three divisions of these failing bureaucracies...in HALF.

Costs for incarceration of illegal immigrants is running around $6.7 Billion annually. 27% of all prisoners in Federal custody are criminal illegal aliens and the majority (63%) of those are Mexican citizens. In the midst of this you have a large bureaucratic budget that is not working. The cost of that dysfunction to our society in the USA alone is many times more than the incarceration budget. For me this continues to underline the ineptitude of governments to run any kind of business, let alone immigration.

Here are some high level solutions/ideas that come to mind that I would initiate if I were "King"...

I would take all the paper and in-person processes of immigration and redirect as much as possible "online". No paper and no paper money transactions. The first barrier to immigration would be you have to have internet access and a verifiable online identity to gain entry into the USA along with a digital money way to pay the fees. I estimate this alone would save 50-60% of the processing costs at immigration. It would eliminate unnecessary, expensive jobs in the system and right away force applicants to have enough money, education and traceability to be able to communicate with immigration through computers. Obviously the USA doesn't want the poor and illiterate any longer anyways. To gain entry to the USA you would need a debit card, mobile money or some form of identity attached to your funds..proving you have enough to sustain yourself for a period of time.

I would grant a one time amnesty to all current illegals in the USA who do not have criminal records. Once again, this process would not be "in person", but online verification only. There would be one final in-person interview to match up the required documentation with the identity of the person...not the 3+ in-person touches and standing in lines demanded by the current approach. These people would be granted a national ID card, different than citizenship, that would allow them to work and compete with their ideas in the USA system. This approach would put all of these undocumented workers immediately into the "system" from which the government taxes and pays for all of society's services. It would be illegal to grant work to anyone that does not have a passport or national ID card. The national ID card would not guarantee participation in the Social Security system. These workers would not pay into social security, nor gain any benefits from said system

Any illegals who have a criminal record would be immediately exported...OR...if their crimes are serious enough they would be put into labor camps...not prison cells. These labor camps would include education opportunities and teaching skills and trades that these people could use for acquiring jobs when/if they reenter society. Meantime, they would "work off" their cost of incarceration by performing labor. This could be anything from basic computer work, to cleaning the streets and parks of America...or making license plates like they USED to. No more "free bed and breakfast" in the USA penitentiary system. This whole thing could become a social support center of productivity and learning. Most criminals are never "rehabilitated" and return to society with a record and no jobs. No wonder they often become hardcore criminals and repeat offenders of society.

While the USA constitution covers basic rights of ALL mankind...there are many "rights" that are or SHOULD BE reserved for "citizens only". Foreigners should not have the same access to public education or social services as residents and citizens. Any "foreigner" caught with a gun or convicted of a felony should be immediately expelled from the USA without delay. The elimination of "due process" costs in our current system alone would more than cover the cost of deportation.

Immigration is a very complicated subject for me. I have many friends and acquaintances who have been forced to live "illegally" somewhere/sometime by the combination of their personal situations and/or the ridiculous barriers of immigration bureaucracies. In most cases, it is the process of immigration itself that is the cause for "illegal" pursuits. As I have written previously about Mexico immigration process...it is silly that we make applicants of Mexico come to border towns in order to process their applications and pay their fees...knowing we are going to refuse over 80% of the applicants. After they have spent their dismal life savings trying to come to "America", it is no wonder these hordes make a "swim for it" when denied access at a point so close to the "promised land". That is a core point for my idea of taking the process "online".

I also continue to believe that what makes America great is the diversity and "melting pot" of nationalities that call themselves Americans. While it is a given there are too many Hispanic criminal elements in America, there are also way too many white criminals. We must not discriminate based on race. Most Latinos are industrious, hardworking family members. Many of them were in "America" before the Europeans...don't forget that important fact.

Here are some eye-opening links with summaries should anyone want more statistics on the immigration problem:

During the year of 2005 there were MILLIONS of illegal aliens that crossed our southern border along with as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border. www.house.gov/sites/.../tx10.../pdf/Investigaions-Border-Report.pdf

If you believe Lou Dobbs: ...the estimates by the most authoritative and recent study put the suppressed wages at $200 billion a year, as a result of immigration, both legal and illegal. We know that...the estimated costs run about $50 billion for services... we provide $7 billion in Social Security taxes every year, as if that is some sort of reasonable offset. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

Way back in 2003, state governments spent an estimated $11 billion to $22 billion to provide welfare to immigrants. Those programs included Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Child Care and Development Fund, reduced meal programs in school and public housing. (Steven A. Camarota, "Back Where We Started: An Examination of Trends in Immigrant Welfare Use Since Welfare Reform," Center for Immigration Studies, March 2003) Immigration and Welfare

The total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.' http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/publications/?b=deportation

In closing, I agree with Mr Oppenheimer's opinion related to the cost of enforcing current immigration policies...

My opinion: If President Barack Obama and Congress are seriously considering drastic cuts in public spending — including funds for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies — they should definitely cut waste in immigration enforcement spending.

At the very least, they should have a serious discussion on whether it makes sense to spend $4.5 billion in deporting people who have not committed serious crimes and do jobs that Americans don’t want to do, while slashing funds for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies whose job is to put serious criminals behind bars

The Dirty Dozen Despots

2011-02-20T20:22:00.001-06:00

I have compiled my list of the top twelve world tyrants who should be thrown out of power...and it seems increasingly the masses of their constituents are in agreement. I call it my "Dirty Dozen Despots". There are probably 25+ other tyrants and demagogues close behind them on the world stage, but for starters the world has a much better chance for peace and prosperity if we get these first 12 out of the way.

The top twelve in this collage from the top, left to right are:

President Ali Abdul - Yemen
President Evo Morales - Bolivia
Ramon and Fidel Castro - Cuba
President Al Baraka - Bahrain
President Zine E l Abidine Ben Ali - Tunisia (GONE)
President Mubarak - Egypt (GONE)
President Bashar Al Assad - Syria
President Ahmadinejad - Iran
President Hugo Chavez - Venezuela
Moamer Gadhafi - Libya
Kim Jong Il - North Korea
President Abdela - Algeria

There are a number of other African and Asian leaders who need to be replaced...but this "dirty dozen" seem the most ready to topple, implode or who affect regional stability in the Middle East and elsewhere.

As they say, pictures are better than a thousand words. As you start reviewing photos of these despots, you start seeing common traits. The most telling sign of a dictator is their shaking of the index finger when talking. I could have delivered a photo of each one of these guys in a strikingly similar pointing pose, but I didn't want to send the message that they were all just alike. Some are more imposing and insane than others. The continual use of the forefinger strongly indicates their belief in authoritarianism and pointing their fingers at others to blame for their perceived need for "dictating" to their countrymen.

You also will see many of them often dressed in military uniforms. This sends another strong message of identifying with their military and their willingness to use them in defense of their hold on power. Whenever their own people rise up against them, they are always pointing the finger at "foreign powers" or "political enemies" for their leadership failures which somehow justifies their use of armed forces against their own people.

I have been very disappointed with my own government which has often times funded such regimes, including the former despots such as Noriega in Panama and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The latest tally of the cost of the USA to take out Hussein's government in Iraq...a former ally...is over $775 BILLION! And he built those golden laden palaces and bought heavy munitions with OUR tax payer money that was supposedly sent to support democracy and humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people. What a TRAVESTY! We Americans really have to ask ourselves if these wars "for democracy and freedom" in Iraq and Afghanistan have been worth the $1.1 Trillion price tag which has significantly helped bankrupt our country. What would our border security, health and education systems look like with an effective infusion of that kind of money? Better yet, what would our country's balance sheet look like in support of the dollar and competitive economics if that money had been invested more effectively?

To that end, I see these popular uprisings of "the people" as doing us a big favor. At our rate of "non-peace" building as a nation, we will or would be at war with these people before long in this cause and effect world. Sure, we don't know who is going to take over for our "friend" Mubarak and other of these leaders as they get overthrown...yet I would hope we are happy to start fresh with some new, truly representative governments "of the people". I am quite sure they won't all go towards a system of "capitalism" or pure democracy. Many will lean very socialistic...and yes, Islamic. After all...that has been their culture and understanding for millenniums. Yet, I am quite confidant that if "the people" who are educated and true leaders in those countries have a new chance to govern, lead and do economic "deals" in the global marketplace, our world stands a lot better chance for peaceful co-existence than we have had during these times of extremist rulers and reactionary governance.

I will share in closing my BIGGEST concern. My biggest concern is that the leaders of the three biggest world powers...China, USA and Russia...will be quickly starting to compete for influencing and buying the new leaderships of these smaller countries. And not only that, I am quite sure they all are taking notes on how quickly popular revolutions can turn the tables on "established governance" if the masses start realizing how controlled and victimized they may be by their own leaders and military. We have too few fingers holding the capability of pushing the military...or worse yet...nuclear...power option. While I concur that we cannot let any of these despots gain nuclear military capability...the "superpowers" that already have them (including Pakistan, India, and Israel) should all find ways to turn those nuclear "swords" into "Plowshares" as quickly as possible. The only way I see that happening is to have the world so economically linked and interdependent that there is no need for such weapons and capability.

Will my country be one of the first "peacemakers" to that end? Only time will tell...and it is up to "the people" to demand that pursuit by our leaders. Demagogues and nuclear buttons are an unfortunate reality of what our world has become. May "the people" continue their pursuit of demanding global harmony, peace and a fair shot at prosperity without filling the pockets of these global despots.

By the way, does anyone know where Mubarak is hiding with his ill gotten BILLIONS? The world is shrinking and these people can no longer hide unless "our leaders" allow them to.

The legacy of Sam Taliaferro

2011-02-18T09:10:00.000-06:00

One of my earliest influences in moving to Panama over 6 years ago passed away much too soon yesterday morning. Sam Taliaferro, probably the most renown American developer and entrepreneur in Panama has lost his two year battle with cancer.

The eloquent posting on his "Panama Investor Blog" by his friend Paul McBride sums up much of who Sam was better than I could. I only met Sam briefly a couple of times in my early years in Panama, but having observed his community in the mountains of Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama and reading his blogs these past years has helped me immensely in measuring my expectations of living and investing in Panama. We cross linked our blogs and exchanged occasional messages and references. I hope his family will leave his blog up for a long time as a reference point for new people interested in understanding what it means to live "offshore"...and in Panama specifically. Perhaps someone can even pick up where Sam left off...though those would be hard shoes to fill.

Like me, Sam was tremendously influenced by the philosophy of "objectivism" as revealed in the writings of Ayn Rand. He was a productive and "freedom loving" man who lived and breathed as he believed. Strong, resourceful, influential and ever optimistic are just a few of the adjectives I observed in him and his writings...even from a distance.

I can only hope to carry forward the truth along with others of Sam's message and "CAN DO" spirit in life. The "instructions" of Sam's example to me were:

Think positive, but be realistic. While Sam loved Panama and his creation of community in Boquete, he was also realistic about the challenges and "downsides" that living in a Latin third world country affords. He was not afraid to speak out about the problems and inconsistencies encountered here in government and culture.

Prosper but give back. It is impressive all that Sam accomplished in a relatively short life. While I'm sure he enjoyed the financial success, I didn't read him as "all about the money". I think he took more pride in "leadership" and helping others discover and act on profitable and productive living habits.

Sam demonstrated the power of promotion and positive energy. He understood and faced the challenges of living freely and without constraint in this complicated world...and he tirelessly promoted and accomplished his vision of providing an "oasis in the desert" from unbalanced taxation and government interference in man's pursuit of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

More than anything, Sam demonstrated the "power of one" to make a difference in this life. I don't know if he was a religious man or not, but he definitely believed in himself and his vision...and it appears he fought to the very end for that vision and the kind of world HE wanted to live in.

The final lesson as usual is that no matter how successful or rich we are, ones health is the greatest blessing one can have. None of us know what day or hour we may face life's final curtain. To that end, none of us should waste a day or an hour in pursuing that which we want to accomplish. I have a feeling Sam didn't waste much time nor suffer fools easily.

May we all be inspired by the legacy of Sam Taliaferro.

Energy Independence

2011-02-13T19:23:00.002-06:00

Leave it to Jon Stewart to best narrate the core reasons why the USA and most of the developing world continues to be dependent on foreign oil and the polluting nature of fossil fuels. While world leaders including all past Presidents of the USA in recent history have been expounding on our need to get away from dependency on foreign oil...everyone continues to be increasingly dependent...and the price continues to go up and up.

Somehow the recent Arab revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia have driven oil prices up substantially. Gas prices here in Panama are up 10% in just a couple weeks time. Of course, compared to Europe and other international locations, our gas is CHEAP! Do any of you understand the dynamics of OPEC and how their determinations are forced on all of us?

I went to a conference this past Friday on "Renewable Energy in Panama" which was very informative on many projects happening throughout Central America in generating renewable energy. There are currently 289 funded projects in Central America for renewable energy. Of those, 89 are Hydroelectric plants, 103 are Biomass and 87 are wind based. The only problems with those projects are...hydroelectric is dependent on water and in many places displaces water needed for agriculture and other needs including consumption. During dry season in the tropics, the production from Hydroelectric can go down in a hurry with low water levels against grid demands. Biomass cannot even be deemed "clean energy" in many respects because it usually involves burning of organic matter which in most cases releases harmful levels of Carbon Dioxide into the air. Wind is clean, but takes up a lot of space for the amount of store-able energy it can produce and kills a lot of birds.

I have recently become familiar with some new technologies that can produce renewable, clean energy...yet they are typically underfunded and will probably take a LONG time to reach the market. The biggest problem with new technologies is that government regulators in the various countries are also the PRODUCERS of that energy in the traditional, expensive and polluting approach. Do you think THEY are motivated to see change in the process and cost of producing electricity and gas for running your vehicles? Think again. It is very difficult for traditional private ventures to get money behind new technologies to improve the environment and reduce costs...because they are undermined by government regulators and BIG money suppliers of energy. Government leaders talk a big story...but meanwhile their back pockets and campaigns are filled by big oil and traditional energy producers. They can't "fly" with this because they are weighted down by "special interests".

As usual, we "the people" will continue to pay whatever price they demand to drive our cars and cool/heat our homes. We will continue to give a large percentage of our hard earned incomes to the Saudis, Russia, Venezuela and other producing sources who continue to run roughshod over the poor masses who are their constituents. Our own US government will continue to force us to buy foreign oil instead of use our own reserves for half the price. While I am quite convinced that 1-2 weeks of everyone just walking instead of driving would make a significant dent in those "powers that be"...most of us individually are too selfish and/or hopeless to participate in such a statement. Most people just think they have no say in the matter...so they just keep buying and driving. The "system" counts on that.

Personally I will continue to pursue and learn about renewable energy sources. I think market forces and reality will someday be the driver for change. Someone will set the pace and start making billions off of replacement energy. Only greed will drive others to replicate such success. Unfortunately it will always be about the money and not about good ecology or the health of the human race...or the funding of our adversaries.

Following the Money

2011-02-11T07:26:00.000-06:00

As embattled Egyptian President Mubarak continues to defy the masses of Egyptians demonstrating for his removal, the military today announces its support for his decision. This could bring devastating affect to peace and stability in Egypt...and throughout the region. As we ask the question "why" these people will not relinquish their position over night, I think you will find the answer by "following the money".

Just doing a little digging of public information, it is easy to see the USA government's complicity in facilitating this situation. According to this Washington Post source...

Since the Camp David peace accords more than three decades ago, the United States and Egypt have had an unspoken bargain in terms of the roughly $2 billion in aid given each year to Cairo: The Egyptian government had veto power over which nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) could receive the money. This deal meant that funds labeled by Washington as promoting democracy often ended up being used for other projects, such as sludge removal or to bolster the very judicial institutions used to jail democracy advocates.

Meanwhile, the largest chunk of the annual largess, about $1.3 billion, was given to Egypt's military and security forces. The security forces have been repeatedly cited in the State Department's human rights report for torture, prolonged detentions without charge and other abuses. While overall aid to Egypt has declined in recent years, the budget for the security forces and the military has remained mostly intact.

Should we then be surprised that the military would support this beleaguered President in Egypt? I can imagine them all now in back rooms of government offices cutting deals and dividing the spoils before leaving power. A couple million for this general, a few hundred thousand for the Chief of Police...and of course no one will probably ever know how much Mubarak himself has pilfered away in secret accounts and holdings. Much of this thanks to the USA taxpayers contributions ANNUALLY for almost 30 years of $2 billion with a B. Now we really understand the reluctance to give up power in the world...and the double standard the USA government once again demonstrates in supporting, and next day withdrawing, from world tyrants and dictators.

I just hope before they finally get Mubarack out of there that some funds are still left to rebuild the country with. I can see it now..."New appropriations bill before Congress promising $2 Trillion in funding to restore confidence in Egypt".

Dictatorship...an all or nothing game

2011-02-08T09:13:00.002-06:00

As we see the fall of Tunisia's government based on "the people's" revolution in the streets and now Egypt's Mubarrak under pressure for 3 weeks to quit...we are reminded both of the "power of the people" when they unite...and the tenacity of dictators to stay in power.

Dictatorship is an "all or nothing" game. What happens to "retired" dictators? They sometimes are executed for their lunacies while in power. More often they are "exiled"...usually living on multi millions pilfered from the coffers of their countries. Yet, for all the money they steal, it does nothing for them compared to ...POWER. That is very evident in the ludicrous ploy of "Baby Doc" Duvalier who is now back in Haiti trying to fill the leadership vacuum AGAIN. Duvalier served as dictatorial President of Haiti for 15 years after the death of his father who had ruled for almost 14 years previous. It is quite obvious that "Baby Doc's" return is driven by his greed and potential return to power. Plus, he has already run through the millions he pilfered while in power through drug running and probably outright transfers from government accounts. I doubt his claims of "patriotism" for his country have an ounce of sincerity behind them. It is about the millions he is trying to get out of a Swiss bank account that the Haitian government has tied up against his claims. After all, he has no other experience or knowledge for producing money by hard work.

The cause and effect of tyranny and dictatorship is devastating. Consider Cuba which has been stuck in a time warp since the 50s when it comes to technology, wealth and lifestyle. Only the government and military has any sense of wealth or prosperity. Obviously that great "liberator" Castro has played his "all or nothing" game quite well against the most powerful country in the world. It is quite the defeat for my country that our policies towards Cuba have done nothing to limit this guy's delusion for over 50 years. It is just this form of success that inspires OTHER demagogues like Chavez, Daniel Ortega and Morales in Bolivia to carry on their deceitful and irrational leaderships over weak-minded, poor populaces. It is obvious that it is the lack of education and poverty that spur the masses to believe in these false leaders. People have short memories for false promises, especially when they are too busy surviving to think about what their leaders are doing. Plus we are suckers for sanctimonious calls on our "patriotism".

The biggest problem in this dictatorship dilemma is...when you take the guy out...who is there to replace him? Who can the majority trust and vote for who will truly have THEIR best interests at heart?

A family member used to say "the best form of government would be a benevolent dictatorship". I have grown to think this is what most of the world populace truly wants. They don't want "democracy" or true "free enterprise". They don't want to have to compete or struggle for anything. Most people are "sheep" who just want to be fed and cared for...content to graze wherever they are led. Unfortunately, this is exactly what dictators and power mongers count on to sustain them. They make just enough promises...and steal just enough...to secure their future and re distribute enough to those who didn't produce it to keep their support and obedience.

As is the cycle of revolution, the masses eventually wake up to their illusion...many times too late or at great cost. Every empire had had this cycle of leadership...win by benevolence, sustain by violence, and failure by irrelevance. When the sheep go hungry, they can quickly turn into a "pack of wolves". This is what we are seeing in many places in the world today. I would argue we are beginning to see this in the USA as well. Big government with entitlements and sustained financial cover ups have put the majority of Americans in peril. We don't know exactly how we got here...but we don't take responsibility and instead blame "our government". While we probably should to a great degree...we also need to remember that our VOTES put those "leaders" there.

Whether a country is socialistic, democratic or a dictatorship...no system can survive without support of the "sheeple". With the power of today's social networking and commonality...the masses are now waking up to the realities of their power against the dictators. I believe many "dictators" are shaking in their boots in these times...while putting their military on standby. That is always the first panic button pushed in their "all or nothing" game. It's one thing to use the military paid for by the people to defend their borders...quite another thing to turn that military against the people for a frivolous hold on power.

Yes...we all need to be concerned about what leadership will fill the vacuum in places like Tunisia and Egypt. Yet, part of revolution that brings positive change is giving someone else a chance. That cannot happen until the old regime is gone for good in this "all or nothing game" of power brokering.

Faith is something you DO

2011-02-04T08:53:00.004-06:00

This mornings highlight news is about our President Obama's most recent revelations about his "faith". I think this is a subject that this President can never win in America. Since he is not a consistent "church goer", he gets a lot of criticism and questioning regarding IF he has beliefs and WHAT are those beliefs. In the political arena these are fair questions in my opinion, because everyone wants to know or understand the core values of someone in such a powerful position in our world. Yet to me it has little to do with whether he goes to church or not. Many of the President's detractors have spread a lot of nasty and demeaning articles accusing him of being Muslim because of his father's Muslim roots...and others of the religious right and Republican ranks have come right out with accusations that he is the "Anti Christ". I haven't seen anything that proves to me either accusation...and I HAVE read one of his books. :)

I think this article based on Obama's comments at the National Prayer Breakfast is helpful in balancing out and understanding the President's faith. While I continue to be skeptical and sensitive to politicos who lay claim to "God's influence" while in office (since history is littered with Empiricists who claimed God's mantle on their leadership), it makes sense that this President takes this appropriate time to clarify his personal beliefs. I'm sure his detractors will never accept him as a faith based equal, but it does not offend me that he attempts to clarify and align himself with "believers". As I think about it today, I probably have more in common with this Presidents position on faith than I do many of his other policies.

I have been reading George Bush's "Decision Points" (Christmas gift from Mom...) which has been more enlightening than I anticipated. The book is heavily focused on how Mr. Bush pursued divine guidance and "peace" in the many crucial decisions he had to make during his 8 years in office. Only time will tell the story on how some of those decisions turned out...and I am still not convinced that all of his decisions were of a "Biblical" or Christian nature. Yet, I will give him...and President Obama...the benefit of the doubt that they each are sincerely seeking wisdom and direction from being in touch with their "spiritual" sides.

I continue to be uncomfortable with the importance so many Americans place on knowing the "Theology" of their political leaders. We continue in our humanity to lash out at "otherness" in defense of our own beliefs and ways of life. We continue to fight wars or stop communication with other humans simply based on what name they call "God". Most fundamental religions preach some form of "come apart and be separate" from the masses. While I have come to understand that the intention of that message is that "people of faith" be a shining example of "Godly" behavior in this world, it is unfortunately interpreted by many to mean you can't "mix" with people of other races or faiths. This continues to feed the bigotry and false fears in human nature regarding "otherness".

I have been fortunate in life to be exposed through real relationships to all three dominant world religions...Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I have come to realize that all of them share 80-90% of the same behavioral expectations of a "Godly life". The primary differences have been cultural and surface based on geography, dress, what names they use for "God" based on what book they were raised on, and the false Theology of "exclusivity". I don't think "God" is particularly happy with where any of these religions have gone in dissecting and dividing the world. I think "unity with diversity" should be the educated believer's response to what is going on in this world.

Finally, I would suggest that "Faith is something you DO...not something you CLAIM". From my Christian heritage I remember a passage in the Bible that stated "faith without works is dead". In another place it states "by their fruits you shall know them" regarding who is of true faith. Carrying this one step further, Jesus said "by this shall all men know you are my disciples...if you have love one for the other".

This is one practice of "faith" that I continue to judge myself and others by when it comes to discussions of faith. If I can't feel the "love" in what is being proclaimed or practiced...I am not inclined to think very much of someone's "faith". I think much of the rest of the world looks at that very similarly. True faith is not about guns and bombs, cloaks and daggers...or politics. It is more about the little things we each can do to make this world safer and freer...for all...through love, humility and mutual acceptance.

Listening to Computers...

2011-01-28T19:40:00.001-06:00

One of the first space shows from my childhood was "Lost in Space" which was full of interesting "American style" characters stranded on another planet and learning to get along and survive together. My favorite character was "Mr Robot" who went everywhere with the "kids" and was there to try and protect or prevent them from getting into trouble. He was always the first one to spot or sense problems...and one of his most frequently used lines in the series was "danger danger Will Robinson" when the robot would warn his boy companion of some imminent danger. Mr Robot's next most famous line in the show was whenever "Dr. Smith" or someone else came up with a harebrained plan that was dangerous or irrational, Mr Robot would always say "that does not compute". I think today's leaders should all have such a robot next to them at all times listening to what they say or think.

I have come to the point where I think computers hold most of the answers...and tools...we humans need for survival. Computers tied to the internet (which is just a huge chain of computers after all) can
bring all the information we need to make cognitive decisions in this life. They even include calculators so we can check the math of our financial decisions or check the math of others.

Another beautiful thing about computers is they simply reflect what we program them to do or say. They are the ultimate tool of "cause and effect". Garbage in, garbage out. That goes for programming languages...and input data. Isn't that really the way the "ultimate computer" works...the human brain?

The advantage of computers is they can "think" without the conflicts or interference of "emotions". That is something next to impossible for we humans. We are guided more by emotion than reason and intellect. Our desires get in the way of our "reality vision". We WANT to think everything is all right in "our world"...so we ignore the data or experiences that could contradict our preconceptions.

I also think computers can "act" in very human ways. If you try to rush them while they are "processing" data...they can get confused and even break down or turn off unexpectedly. If you beat on them out of anger or frustration, they may actually totally breakdown and be useless to you. And every once in a while, especially the older ones, if you overwork them or leave them on too long...they overheat and shut down.

While new computers tend to be fast and sleek...they still aren't worth much until you load them with programs and information. Its always hard for me to switch from my old computer to a new one because it takes me so long to program the new one to do what the old one does. With the old one, I know all the shortcuts and where the hidden files are. On a new computer there tends to be a significant learning curve before it is my "true companion".

So as you can see...humans and computers have a lot in common...and a lot of "co dependency". Its all in how we use them that will make us more effective...and objective...human beings.

Democracy is not about "Majority Rule"

2011-01-25T08:33:00.000-06:00

From a lot of things I am seeing on blogs and written in Facebook and emails these days...I think a lot of people in the world have the wrong idea about the meaning of "Democracy" and "freedom".

A number of writings and even media blatherings lately have included the idea that Democracy is about the majority of a country's inhabitants and that since a majority of America's founders (apart from the American Indians) were of "Christian" persuasion...that makes our county a "Christian" nation.

While obviously politics OR religion are in themselves a volatile, emotional subject...combining the two in my experience mostly causes reason and objectivity to fly out the window since emotions and traditions take so much control in mass consciousness.

I'm sure if you have read many of my blogs, you understand by now that intellectually I fall heavily on the side of individual freedom and sovereignty over one's life. I am a strong "Constitutionalist" and while not a political party member, I probably most fit in with the "Libertarian" political platform. Coming from those perspectives, it should come as no surprise that I strongly believe in separation of Church and State...which means that all legal religions should be protected by the "State", but that no religion should be taught, practiced or enforced by the "State".

Even from a theological standpoint, the idea of "Christian" and "nation" makes no sense at all. Religion is of personal and private pursuit and devotion. States should always stand up for the individual's right to believe as they wish as long as they are not trampling on any other person's rights...even if 99% of a "nation" believes otherwise. My understanding of Christianity and Christ' message was that faith was a matter of personal conscience and response to a message or personage. I think it is poor theology to think Jesus was about "nation building".

For those of you who disagree...I would just challenge you to think about this in reverse. If you chose or needed to live in a country that was majority Muslim, wouldn't you want the peace of mind that your personal choice or background was protected by law and that you would not be harassed socially or otherwise until you "converted"? This is what true democracy in a republic is all about. Even if the majority don't agree with me, I have the right to believe, act on that belief, and speak openly about my beliefs if I chose. This should be the freedom for all on a global basis...and I challenge my American family and friends who are Christian to consider this and show respect for "otherness". I think Jesus did...

End of the World

2011-01-24T08:21:00.002-06:00

In these days of calamity and upheaval, many apocalyptics I know seem to think we are once again seeing at least the beginning of the "end of the world". For the general pessimist, it might seem easily logical and almost desirable that we see an end to a world full of so much corruption, inherent evil and hard times.

Last night I had interesting dreams about the "end of the world". Yet the dream didn't focused on carnage or chaos, but on a "new beginning". Suddenly everything was changing around us very quickly. Water was covering earth where water never was. Populations were quickly having to shift and change based on quick changes in the natural environment. In my dream we were having big round table discussions about how to adapt and even profit from these sudden changes.

As I woke fresh from my dream, I thought of a few lessons or even interpretations that might be helpful for living today.

I thought MAYBE mankind can make some positive things happen out of climate change. Sure, some places are getting more rain than ever before (like Panama) while others are getting less. Some people are getting flooded out more often from their river basin dwellings. Yet, perhaps we just need to learn to "build our house on a rock or the mountain top instead of on the sandy river bed. Or, if we insist on living "under water" such as in New Orleans and the Netherlands, we just have to make sure we build to accommodate that decision.

I also thought about the revolution(s) going on in Tunisia and elsewhere against oppressing, dictatorial governments. While this may seem the end of the world for some, I choose to think this could be the beginning for true and new democracies the world over. The information age is there for all...and while a number of governments, even the USA, are attempting to limit access to "the people"...I don't think they can win that game for long. This could be the end of the world...for those dictators and tyrants who would control the world at our expense.

The debt of nations and its inhabitants, especially of "consumer nations" like the USA, are mounting up to ridiculously high numbers from which there may be no return. This could be the "end of the world" for many large banks, corporations and even States who are for all intents and purposes bankrupt. Yet, there is a lot of good that can come from this devastation. MAYBE prices can be adjusted to true market values. MAYBE disinflation is a good thing. Even social entitlement programs like Social Security and other social funds are going broke and the numbers for future needs do not add up. Maybe its time to declare an end to unsustainable programs and restructure to manage everyone's true expectations of what can be planned on for future decades.

Even at the "end of the world", mathematics...which I believe to be one of the fundamental elements of the "Creator"...might have a second chance at establishing a new World order. Not the evil one most apocalyptics envision...but one that truly adds up to basic laws of nature and mathematics. If that can be accomplished, I welcome the end...and a new beginning.

Normalcy Bias and the Economy

2011-01-16T12:30:00.001-06:00

There is a long video released by the "Sovereign Society" that should be viewed by any objective, responsible American citizen. If it is important to you to keep your liberty, peace and "pursuit of happiness", it is vital that you see and understand THIS VIDEO regarding the US economy and especially our currency.

Numbers don't lie...governments and medias do. Our country is facing its most serious threat to its very subsistence in the history of our republic. Those who refuse to see it will just be its victims. This is not "fun" news or a pleasurable topic to blog about...but after 20 years of belief that this will "some day" happen...I fear that "D-day" is soon upon us and we have little time to prepare or adjust for it. This is not just about the USA, but any country dependent on US dollars...like PANAMA.

The video itself is long and "boring"...like most economic discussions to the average American bystander. For those of you who refuse to take the time for the presentation, let me give you my 2 minute summary...

The only thing that has saved America from economic ruin this past decade has been the power of the American dollar as the defacto "world currency". Up until recently, the whole world has pegged their economic and currency system rates to the dollar. Based on that, our government is the only one that can simply "print more money" to cover up our debts and meet some of our obligations...saving us from hyperinflation. Meanwhile we hypocritically look down our collective noses at failed states such as Greece, Iceland, Ireland and others who are in huge default over their collective debts. The core summary of the video is...those days are SOON coming to an end.

Many world governments and businesses are starting to move quickly into other currencies besides the dollar. China holds the most of our US treasuries and obligations that are supposed to support the value of our currency. When they pull the plug on accepting dollars as payment, things will go downhill quickly. The only reasons they haven't done so already is that we are still BUYING a majority of what China is producing...and we help keep China's currency at a deflated value which helps them sell more to US and the rest of the world at a cheaper price. If currencies are allowed to adjust for true values, almost overnight there will be no one who can afford what the Chinese are producing. Is it any wonder that many knowledgeable and big money investors have moved into Gold and other commodities which have pushed those values up tremendously over the past 5-10 years?

I fully realize this is "unpleasant" to consider...and don't shoot me...I'm just passing on what more knowledgeable "prophets" are saying and that I unfortunately agree with. To survive, we must plug into global investments and diversify into multiple currencies...because the day is very likely coming when your credit cards and even ATM cards will be shut down and many of us will be left with no access to our assets or ability to buy anything with common currency.

Most of us won't do anything about this because of "normalcy bias". This is when a majority of people just cannot believe that a catastrophe that has never happened before will happen. Therefore, they don't prepare, plan or take action against the possibility. It is this bias that caused only a minority of 100,000 Jews to escape from Nazi Germany in the late 30s before it became too late for the 450,000 others still "hoping" Hitler was just an anomaly or "temporary problem". It is this bias that kept a majority of people in New Orleans from fleeing the oncoming "Katrina" which took out over 2000 lives. The choices we make determine whether we will be victims, survivors or beneficiaries of doom and destruction.

I truly want to write the blog that is "rosy", positive and telling everyone that "everything is going to be alright...just believe, have faith and continue waving that flag"...but, I cannot do that in good conscience...especially to many of you who are the closest and dearest people in my life.

I prefer to suggest that we all encourage each other to take actions against an insecure and dangerous future. Convert as much cash and other assets as you can into commodities and multiple currencies. Get some of your portfolio outside of the USA WHILE YOU STILL CAN. This is not about patriotism...this is about survival, personal responsibility and even morality. Globalization is IRREVERSIBLE. Pay off your debts if you can, but not to the detriment of your "survival cash" and investments. When the crisis hits, it will not be about how much debt you have...no one will be paying. It will be about what cash and possessions you can protect from seizure and outright revolution and anarchy.

Still don't believe this could happen? Well, that is your choice...but there will be no one (including government) to come to your rescue when this happens and you will not be able to say you "had no idea".

In addition, politically we must demand our government to focus on getting our economy...and currency...supported. The only way I think we can do that is 1) pull back on all foreign expenditures, including the ineffective wars we are funding on many fronts, 2) rev up the domestic engines of productivity and self production of oil and other core products we depend on for survival and industrialization instead of giving our last "gold" to the Arabs and Asian economies of the world, and 3) STOP DEFICIT SPENDING BY ALL GOVERNMENTS...FEDERAL, STATE AND MUNICIPAL.

So there, I end this difficult blog with macro constructive suggestions on how to avert this coming catastrophe. Not that it will happen...because the Federal printing presses continue rolling out those bundles of C-notes every day...and sends most of them out to the foreigners we buy from or who hold our debts...with just enough funneled to the masses of Americans to keep them placated...for now.

God help us...truly!

PS, I just noticed Sam wrote on this subject as well on his Panama Blog...

Lessons in leadership and success

2011-01-13T09:23:00.003-06:00

The BCS college championship bowlgame between the Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers was a classic battle between two very different teams. As the ebb and tide flowed back and forth for 60 minutes of play, I found myself observing the two coaches and making many mental notes on leadership from observations of this exciting game which came down to a last second field goal that gave this years championship to Auburn.

Life lessons to be gained from some of these observations:

Plan ahead but be ready to make adjustments...

Oregon and Auburn had very different strengths and weaknesses. Auburn had size and a very strong defense...especially their defensive line. Both defenses were strong...and the game was unexpectedly low scoring. Both teams obviously knew where each other was most vulnerable having had more time than usual to prepare for this battle between two much heralded teams. The first quarter was amazingly scoreless with both teams averaging 42 and 49 points per game throughout the season. Yet, by planning...and probably with cases of nerves...the first quarter saw each teams offense abnormally scoreless.

In the second quarter, with Oregon not being able to run against Auburn, they started passing more and doing their hurry up offense and a number of "trick plays". They ended up leading until near the end of the first half when Auburn scored a touchdown. After the first half, the Duck's trick plays were stifled and it seemed obvious to me that Auburn had made solid adjustments at halftime and effectively put out the fire of Oregons offense...which is to me what won the game. They stopped two touchdown drives in the red zone that should have been duck touchdowns.

It's good to have a game plan...but most games are won in the second half...after adjustments. Life is a lot like that.

If you get hurt, suck it up and stay in the game...

There were many injuries during this hard hitting game...and in most cases the players came back into the game later on. Both quarterbacks were limping here and there during the game...but I think both played every offensive play for their side.

Obviously adrenaline and the hugeness of a championship game helps overcome pain and adversity...but overall I think it takes heart and "mind over matter" to overcome pain and injury. The same applies to most of us in everyday life. Whether at work or within our relationships...we often times get our feelings "hurt" or things don't go as smoothly as we had hoped. The key to success in our careers , business or relationships is often tied to our ability to overlook pain and "injury" to focus on our goals and objectives instead. We can't control other people easily, but we have a better chance at controlling ourselves and our reactions to life's adversities. Don't give up easily to pain or disappointment. Stay focused on your objective instead.

Control your emotions, don't let them control you...

A game like this gets very emotional easily. The stakes and expectations are huge...each player of himself and the masses of spectators who are observing every play and decision. I very rarely saw emotion expressed by either coach. They both seemed TOTALLY focused on what they had just observed and what they had to do next. The play calling on each side was very creative I thought, and even the players seemed to reflect the determination, focus and lack of emotion on the part of their coaches.

I think the biggest hurdle for many of us in life is controlling our emotions. Many of us never express emotions that still under the surface control our actions and our destinies. Many of us struggle with emotional "fear"...fear of rejection, fear of risk and failure, fear of being in the limelight and therefore wilting into the backdrop of life. These fears may not be evident to others...but I think is the significant reason many of us are super UNDER achievers to our true potential.

We often times are our own worst enemies by letting our emotional reactions to things we cannot control get the best of us. I for one am guilty of letting certain things in my past fester or remain within my psyche without fully addressing and filing them away for good. I have allowed people who let me down or circumstances that caused pain and failure that were out of my control to keep me in check over long periods of time or to fear opening up to new people or ideas. I now try to own my emotions more quickly...whether anger, joy or sadness...and move on more quickly rather than linger too long over emotions from past experiences. I strive now to live in the present and future...though not always successfully. Without conscious effort it will never happen though.

Its never over til its over...

There were various times in the second half when I thought Auburn was going to start rolling all over Oregon. The stats were heavily favoring Auburn and Oregon was scoreless in the 2nd half until they tied up the game with 2:31 left with a TD and 2 pt conversion. Auburn should have had two touchdowns in the second half that instead were a series of catch-able dropped passes. Basically Oregon's defense kept them in the game while their offense sputtered. Even on the final drive by Auburn and the relatively short field goal that won the game, I observed the Oregon coach without emotion and looking expectantly for a miss and continuation of the game.

I believe in being optimistic. There is no other way to play the game of life. The only way we can impact fate is to have a will, tied to action, that can bring about change. When we are down, we have to redouble our efforts and emotions in a positive direction to get back to where WE want to be. Even when the odds are hugely stacked against us, the only way to react is putting in even more effort and resolve than we thought we ever had. It is never too late to turn things around in life...but if we think and feel defeated...we will probably live up to our own expectations.

Winning is all about the "grind"...

The key to Auburn's win statistically was in the "rushing yards" category. Auburn had 279 Net rushing yards to Oregon's 75...and Oregon had averaged over 286 per game during the season. Auburn's rushing edge also kept their offense on the field and kept the offensive strength of Oregon off the field of play. This is the unheralded part of team football...where those hefty linemen battle it out every play blocking and tackling. These players don't often make the highlight reels on TV sports...but this is where most games are won or lost.

I belief life is much the same way. It is a marvelous experience to hear a virtuoso musician perform or observe an artist's masterpiece. It is fabulous to observe or experience success in business, reach marketing goals or have a high flying investment portfolio. Yet, very few people "win the lottery". Most riches or accomplishments come with great discipline and sacrifice. Most great musicians spend hours per day playing scales and arpeggios and repetitive practicing...not very glamorous. For every great work, an artist probably throws out a hundred sketches or dissatisfying ideas. Making marketing goals or correct investments usually entails the "numbers game" of contacting prospects...or looking at hundreds of industry statistics before deciding what company or industry to invest in.

Success can be glamorous...but the road to get there usually isn't.

Win or lose, hold your head high if you gave it your best...

At the end of the game, I was happy to observe the Oregon coach...and most of his players...with their heads still held high and congratulating their opponents on their win. Each key player had made some spectacular plays and kept alive their chances of winning until the final seconds even against the stats and an arguably stronger opponent. I had the sense they had given it their all and were proud of their accomplishments even at #2 in the country.

While false pride or haughtiness is never attractive in a person...I think it is important to maintain a certain level of self pride. Without a certain amount of ego...man produces very little. The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat can often be based on one bounce of a ball or a fractional adjustment in any action or direction in life. If we haven't attempted our goals and dreams, then yes, we should hang our heads in shame and will probably live out our lives in regret and quiet desperation. But if we have pursued our dreams and passions with every ounce of our ability and energy...when the game is over we should be able to hold our heads high knowing we have given our all, even if we aren't perfect.

With full tilt, passionate "living", there are never losers. Just winners with varying degrees of joy and fulfillment.

Knowing objective truth

2011-01-10T11:22:00.000-06:00

By listening, we can learn to hear again
By observing, we can learn to see again
By conversing, we can learn to speak again

Only by turning OFF the media-fed stories can we hear our own story, and by shutting off the stream of images we can see what is real. By speaking and listening, even in the market, we can, again, capture our own voice...
...Michael Savage, "Psychological Nudity" 2008

This introductory quote from Savage's recent book struck home with me as I continue to grapple with the lack of objectivity in our society. We face so many grave debates and decisions to turn our world around from its current conflicts, moral challenges and economic depression, yet most debates or articles I see on various issues in the press or in books seem totally devoid of objectivity.

I would just once like to hear a debate, or even a private discussion, where someone admits their view was now wrong or too extreme based on a more rational argument from the other side. Yet, human nature seems to dictate we defend our traditional view to our dying breath...no matter how irrational those views may be. It reminds me of an old cigarette commercial..."I'd rather fight than switch". Even if something (such as excessive smoking) is killing us, it seems our nature to rationalize and even fictionalize support for our worst ideas and habits.

I would suggest that our lack of objectivity in life is "killing us" in many ways. People are not open to change. People are not that interested in getting "educated". A majority of people are not interested nor able to travel and experience new cultures and ideas. A majority of people live in their "backyards" their whole lives with little exposure to "otherness". I am convinced a majority of people even in the first world don't even READ about other cultures or viewpoints. Most people get their world views from books over 2000 years old, TV guide and socially ingrained family traditions.

One ray of hope seems to be the power of the internet to bring worldwide information, videos and social interaction to the screen in front of us. Yet, statistics show pornography to be the most clicked on content of the "world wide web". I am not one for governments to tell us what we can or can't see on media...but it sure would be refreshing to see more human interest in understanding the world around them versus idle fantasy via porn or "star watching" online.

Unfortunately, no matter what the medium or freedom level a world citizen has at their disposal...at the end of the day each person determines or "clicks on" their information of choice. I for one have always been interested in both sides of a debate. Even if I fall on one side or the other, it helps me be more "objective" if I at least TRY to understand the opposite rationale. Its good to take a side...and on some subjects there comes a time when you HAVE to commit to one view or another...but it is still humane and wise to understand the other side as well...if only to predict what the results are going to be on one subject or the other and how to plan for those results.

It has struck me lately that in most of the exchanges of differing views I have experienced, few people opposite me have questioned my rationale or even demonstrated an interest in understanding another point of view. I end up doing most of the questioning or challenging of the opposite viewpoint much to my chagrin...and probably their irritation. Personally, I like being challenged by someone about my opinions or views...yet I have been told that people are afraid to challenge me because I "feel or express my views so strongly". Do people think I am so weak minded as to not tolerate difference? Or are people so afraid of being challenged in their views that they would rather not engage in honest dialogue? These are the fears and emptiness of ideas that allow our world and society to be continually manipulated or painted into a corner ideologically. I would suggest a majority in the world have very little objective foundation intellectually upon which to build their lives.

I get alarmed sometimes at the strong differences of opinion I observe on Facebook exchanges and other social media. Yet, for all the alarm I think many extreme expressions are finally coming out for all to see. If we don't see and hear the extremes...we will never understand the world at large and will probably become victims of our own naivety.

I say bring on the debate. Give the world your best shot at understanding your viewpoints and thinking. If you get shot down or blown out of the water with better rationale, it is better to eventually know the truth than to live a lie your whole life. If your truth holds up under scrutiny...then you are probably helping some very confused people in the world find surer intellectual footing to base their life upon.

Without listening, observing and communicating...you will never know objective truth.

On being "anti-Capitalist"

2011-01-07T14:53:00.000-06:00

I wrote the following in response to this "anti-Capitalist" opinion piece in the "Panama News" today…thought it might be of interest to some of you. (The article in Spanish for those of you who want to read or translate in google... http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_17/issue_01/opiniones_12.html )

Dear Editor,

Just a few reactions to the opinions you published of Esther Vivas being interviewed by Enric Llopis regarding “Solo podemos salir desde una perspective anticapitalista” (“We can only go from a Anti-Capitalist perspective”). While Spanish is my second language, I think I understood very clearly Ms Vivas’ views in Spanish, but will respond in English.

Many of the “causes and effects” of our global economic meltdown are rightly attributed by Ms Vivas to the disenfranchisement of the masses or “clases populares” by their governments and the financial machinations behind those governments. Yet, I am still trying to connect the dots…after more than two decades of trying to do so philosophically…between the disparities of economic growth between rich and poor, and the philosophy of “capitalism” as the “evil philosophy” behind those disparities. She uses England, France and Spain as her main examples of how corrupt “Capitalism” is. Last I knew those “states” were primarily based on liberal socialism…not capitalism…and they are basically “going broke” on that model.

Capitalism is defined as “an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.” It is my observation that our modern world has not operated on pure capitalism in my lifetime (over five decades) and instead we continue to globally go down the path of government controlled markets and governments siphoning off more and more of most nation’s GDP. That along with the decline of morality overall in the world where there are no longer handshakes with any meaning and contracts between states and corporations that are reams long have little significance or reliability. Private individuals or corporations are more disenfranchised in the world’s financial order every day as liberal and bureaucratic statism continues to dominate all productivity and changes the order of “things” each election cycle. This has nothing to do with “capitalism” and in fact is more about defeating free markets and distribution…to the detriment of the masses, workers and even the environmentalists who like to blame “capitalism” and “profit” for their every ill.

As Esther Vivas so poignantly points out, “…explain why one in six people in the world are hungry, when there is more food today than ever.” Where the dots don’t connect for me is how “capitalism” is to blame for this. I would argue that it is core capitalistic pursuits and theory that have pushed farmers and producers the world over to create more food to feed the masses. The limits to distribution, which is more or less the main issue of world hunger, is primarily controlled by the manipulating and dictatorial governments…mostly of leftist mentality…who put up the trade barriers, high tariffs and rake the best product off the top for their own use and enrichment. This is NOT about capitalism.

The main problem with the socialist agenda is that they are not “real” about the money it takes to carry out their programs…and their morality is fundamentally flawed as to how they want their programs paid for. We need more morality in government, not less capitalism, to solve the world’s economic and hunger problems. The demand is obviously there…and there is plenty of supply. We just have to look at all the layers in the middle who are in the way of productivity and distribution of wealth. That distribution needs to be built more on the model of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman than on Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro…or Karl Marx for that matter. Please don’t equate Capitalism with Imperialism. If markets versus statist governments had been allowed to perform more freely post World War II, the world would today have a more even platform of exchange in world goods and profits.

My final point is for the near future…the great common denominator of opportunity in our globalized economies will not be so much based on access to “cash”, but based on access to “information”. Thankfully, it is the capitalist motivation behind new information technologies that are bringing financial distribution to the world’s emerging markets…bypassing the imposed limits of government bureaucracies and corporate industrial complexes. Being “anti capitalist” will do nothing to improve the current world economic situation.

Having it both ways

2011-01-01T20:37:00.000-06:00

Along with the joys of seeing family and friends during the holidays that you don't see often during the year comes the common discussions or even debates over the latest happenings, politics and even religion. My holiday was full of great family interactivity...and yes, some healthy debates that I will reflect on during this writing. As always, I readily admit this space represents MY views and outlook on things as well as reactions to other ideas though I try to always keep it "impersonal" and rational. Some of you interact with me privately from this blog while others are welcome to post their views or reactions. Your choice and welcomed from my end...

In debate there are obviously two sides to most any issue...and sometimes those "sides" overlap to some middle ground where we still have much in common. I continue to believe most of humanity...whether it be from religious or political viewpoints...agrees on 80+% of life's fundamentals. We build whole new religions and political parties off the 20% difference versus staying in relationship and continually discussing our differences. I would suggest that continuing to discuss and sort out our differences would be a healthier model than the normal human reaction seems to breed.

The other apparent reality of society is that instead of pursuing rational truths and views...many just go with the flow of the masses and don't question many fundamentals that SHOULD be questioned. It's just easier to stay in the "la la land" of "peace and tranquility" where we let others decide for or lead us so we don't have to make hard decisions or deal with "reality". Many of us continually fill our days with entertaining pursuits, sports, or just keeping "busy" without consciously deciding our daily priorities. For many of us, we are completely absorbed by our jobs/careers and focus on "survival" as we see it. We don't feel we have time or energy to do our own research or heavy lifting mentally on the big issues of the day. Some are content that their political or religious leaders are on top of things on their behalf...and the issues are just "beyond them".

I would suggest that the mass subjugation of the mind through blind trust in the media and philosophical passivity are making us mass slaves to the "powers that be". We Americans grew up in a country founded on individual liberties and "justice for all", yet we now see these core fundamentals flying out the window replaced by complacency and trivial, shallow thinking. We SAY we believe in freedom and independence, yet we continue to support institutions that beat down those values to be replaced with "conformity" and various forms of "socialism". In my opinion, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. You are either free and independent and taking personal responsibility for your world...or you are subjugated and dependent on the systems you participate in and "go with the flow".

It is obviously much easier to "go with the flow". It is no fun to be a minority or to feel alone whether it be physically or intellectually. Yet our history of humanity, both contemporary and ancient, has been spotted with individuals who stood up to the "multitudes" and called a spade a spade. We all grew up being taught to idolize George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Paul Revere, Jesus and/or Gandhi...yet we seem reluctant to emulate the actions and characteristics of these famous people who primarily became "famous" because they stood up for truth and justice usually against great odds of contemporary criticism. I recently read part of a book that depicted what became of the founding fathers of the USA constitution. A majority of them were financially devastated and limited their whole lives as the price they paid for standing up to tyranny and the "powers that were".

I heard many rationalizations these past weeks from people close to me that were alarming. Many educated and normally sound minded people in my circles seem to want more big government to solve our world's perceived crisis's. Many of us want MORE laws and stricter enforcement and punishments for legislating morality. Some of us want an America based on Christian "laws" or "values" while others want "jihad" to instill the laws of Islam. Some of us want to liberalize consumer laws to include recreational or medical use of Marijuana and other substances that alter consciousness. Others of us want those people interned in prison somewhere. Some of us want open free markets and ability to invest anywhere in the world without governmental interference and unjustified taxation. Others want the government to control what we do with our money, where we send it or even legislate what rates of interest I can privately agree to pay or receive for a loan. Many want the "government" to guarantee our success or cover up our failures. Some of us want to spend freely and yet have the government guarantee we have a pension or social security stream when we are ill or too old to work any longer.

I'm sorry folks...but we just can't have it both ways. We either need to grab on to the freedom and challenge to work, save and invest for our own futures and prosperity...or we can go along with government handouts and socialization of our lives based on higher taxation. We can either teach our children with time and example how to live and love successfully...or we can turn them over to the media and public "education" so society can cover them and dictate to them how they should then live.

My core difference with many is that values and reason are not part of some religion or other institution. Values and "right thinking" are at the core of all humanity. Sure, many of us got our foundations of values growing up in certain religions or cultures...but remember that most of the core religions of the world have 80-90% the same values in common. If we can but embrace our commonality, focus on those things we agree on fundamentally...and let the differences fall into the category of "agreeing to disagree" without the need of war or "winning"...we might still have a chance at peace and prosperity for all.

I do not accept the mentality that the "fix" is on and that God and the "Devil" are somehow just playing a game with humanity towards a future apocalypse. I believe we were created and have evolved to a point where our minds and common reasoning can solve any crisis of the world if given a chance. The only way we will have that chance is to get rid of all the demagogues and dictators who want to control how we live. We each need to take responsibility for our own. If we give institutions the control over our rights and our livelihoods...well, we will never be free to live independently or understand liberty as our forefathers did.

Remember:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

The Drug War and the DEA

2010-12-30T13:13:00.000-06:00

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/panama-row-reveals-us-drug-agencys-power-2169875.html

Happy New Year everyone. I might have a New Year blog to write over the weekend...but meanwhile I continue to see the topic of "prohibition" and the most costly and failing world-wide war against "drugs" as one of the key issues of our times.

Better than the article linked above is the first "comment" to that article by "malcolmkyle". Since I could not write a better opinion myself...I just chose to copy here for your reference:

Prohibition is a sickening horror and the ocean of hypocrisy, incompetence, corruption and human wreckage it has left in its wake is almost endless.

Prohibition has decimated generations and criminalized millions for a behavior which is entwined in human existence, and for what other purpose than to uphold the defunct and corrupt thinking of a minority of misguided, self-righteous Neo-Puritans and degenerate demagogues who wish nothing but unadulterated destruction on the rest of us.

Based on the unalterable proviso that drug use, among all echelons of society, is essentially an unstoppable and ongoing human behavior which has been with us since the dawn of time, any serious reading on the subject of past attempts at any form of drug prohibition would point most normal thinking people in the direction of sensible regulation.

By its very nature, prohibition cannot fail but create a vast increase in criminal activity, and rather than preventing society from descending into anarchy, it actually fosters an anarchic business model - the international Drug Trade. Any decisions concerning quality, quantity, distribution and availability are then left in the hands of unregulated, anonymous and ruthless drug dealers, who are interested only in the huge profits involved. Thus the allure of this reliable and lucrative industry, with it's enormous income potential that consistently outweighs the risks associated with the illegal operations that such a trade entails, will remain with us until we are collectively forced to admit the obvious.

There is therefore an irrefutable connection between drug prohibition and the crime, corruption, disease and death it causes. Anybody 'halfway bright', and who's not psychologically challenged, should be capable of understanding that it is not simply the demand for drugs that creates the mayhem, it is our refusal to allow legal businesses to meet that demand. If you are not capable of understanding this connection then maybe you're using something far stronger than the rest of us. So put away your pipe, lock yourself away in a small room with some tinned soup and water, and try to crawl back into reality A.S.A.P.

Because Drug cartels will always have an endless supply of ready cash for wages, bribery and equipment, no amount of tax money, police powers, weaponry, wishful thinking or pseudo-science will make our streets safe again. Only an end to prohibition can do that! How much longer are you willing to foolishly risk your own survival by continuing to ignore the obvious, historically confirmed solution?

If you support the Kool-Aid mass suicide cult of prohibition, and erroneously believe that you can win a war without logic and practical solutions, then prepare yourself for even more death, tortured corpses, corruption, terrorism, sickness, imprisonment, economic tribulation, unemployment and the complete loss of the rule of law.

"A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
Abraham Lincoln

The only thing prohibition successfully does is prohibit regulation & taxation while turning even our schools and prisons into black markets for drugs. Regulation would mean the opposite!

Prohibition is nothing less than a grotesque dystopian nightmare; if you support it you must be either ignorant, stupid, brainwashed, insane or corrupt.

While I share these sentiments, I understand why so many Americans support our government's spin on this issue. Drugs and other forms of addiction...including food and prescription drugs...are killing tens of thousands every year in the USA alone...and we want "big brother" to take responsibility for it. We are the biggest consumers of drugs both legal and non by far on a per capita basis. As long as we have this prohibition and focus only on the symptoms of our addictions and the black market suppliers to them...we will continue wasting billions of dollars annually through government and military operations that could be better invested elsewhere. This war has been more futile and expensive than Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

I know many will think I am a total conspiracy theorist...but I still believe...and with recent Wikileaks publishers proving it more...that governments have used this "war on drugs" to further push their military agenda and dominance over "the people" on a grand scale. The "DEA" has basically supplanted the "CIA" as the largest infiltrators of foreign governments and soil. Big government has used the fears of terrorists and our "addictions" to convince us that they alone can provide for our "safety and tranquility" through bigger/newer bureaucracies of government and military might. Constitutional limitations of federal governments and courts have been thrown out the window of expediency. I fear this momentum has gone so far down the fast lane that it might never be recoverable for the side of constitutional law.

I am fully convinced that if these "illicit" drugs were made and regulated in the USA like all other drugs...taxed and controlled...there would be less of this drug "sub culture" controlling so many of our fellow citizens. There would be more money for education, addiction clinics...and all these foreign "narcos" would be out of business or at least limited to competing as a foreign importer. At least they would have to compete on a market basis against legitimately produced domestic drugs of choice.

While in general I agree that most of these drugs are very harmful to humanity (along with cigarettes, alcohol and "McDonalds" type food fare)...it seems quite obvious to me that as the commentator above has stated so eloquently..."Based on the unalterable proviso that drug use, among all echelons of society, is essentially an unstoppable and ongoing human behavior which has been with us since the dawn of time"...it is time we regulated versus prohibited "the people" from having what they want. If they do harm while "high"...they should be prosecuted heavily. To incarcerate them simply for escaping their own realities or pain is NOT a humane thing to do. That my friends is not for us to judge. "There but by the grace of God go I"...

Prohibition basically just makes the criminals and governments rich...at the expense of the taxpayer and drug user. You don't see the connection? No demand...no supply. It's so simple as to be invisible to current day leaders of our institutions.

Found...Jesus' great-grandmother

2010-12-15T18:02:00.003-06:00

http://news.discovery.com/history/jesus-great-grandmother.html

Every week or so I run across a headline or article in the media that makes me laugh or brings out the maximum irony. Today was one of those discoveries...the headline read "Great Grand-mom of Jesus Identified".

My immediate reaction was "wow, they can't find "Osama bin Laden", but they found the great-grandmother of Jesus"? In fact, last I knew they haven't even found the remains of Jesus yet...who was a much more famous person.

From there my mind went spinning to the question "how would you identify or prove the linkage of such a find to the historical Jesus?" Would DNA testing somehow prove lineage? But wait...you would need Jesus' "DNA" in order to match that up as well, right? Beyond that, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was born of a "Virgin" Mary...and is the "Son of God"...so once again, how would that make Mary's grand-mother Jesus' great-grandmother?

I know, I know...many of you friends and family of religious persuasion are going to start shaking your mental finger at me before I make a total mockery of the faith. That truly is not my intention. My real point here is how sensationalistic and frivolous much of our modern day media has become...especially pertaining to religion. This was underscored after I read the full article and started connecting the dots of this ludicrous conjecture.

Some interesting quotes from the article that help us put this "news" into context...

"Medieval legends suggest that Ismeria, a descendent of the tribe of King David, was the grandmother of the Virgin Mary". Ok, so this story reported as almost FACT is sourced from Medieval (15th century...like 1500 years AD) legends (a nonhistorical or unverifiable story handed down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical). GREAT source.

"According to the legend, Ismeria then goes to a hospital where...she is said to perform a miracle, filling a shell with fish to feed all of the hospital's patients." Isn't this a direct rip off of Mark's "gospel" writing of Jesus' feeding the multitudes with "two loaves and five fishes"? I guess he must have learned that one from his "grandmother".

"...the author of the Ismeria legend remains unknown". Ok...that's a great source for your story.

I bring all this up because I can now clearly expect a new Christian cult to arise who are devoted to "Ismeria", a new patron saint, and eternal "great-grandmother of God". My problem with this is that it is non-factual "historical" arguments or "legends" like these that continue to fuel the polarization of world populations over issues of "faith"...faith being "that which is hoped for...the evidence of things unseen". They are right...this would take a huge leap of faith...yet thousands of "believers" will be once again sidetracked by another speculative legend that will be interpreted as "literal" truth. This to me does not encourage "faith"...it undermines it and makes religion more of an aberration than it already is in most cases.

In this matter, I must agree with the Guatama Buddha - “Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

Killing the Messenger

2010-12-05T09:15:00.000-06:00

My how quickly "Cyberwars" escalate. This outing of hacked information from Wikileaks of the US government has certainly created a firestorm of conflicts being played out in all forms of media, governmental spy rings and has created one of the biggest "chess games" ever battled in cyberspace for distribution of information.

I have had a number of interesting discussions and exchanges of email on this subject in recent days. It is interesting to note that most "Americans" are siding up with their government on this issue in criminalization of these "leaks"...and many foreigners are siding up with Wikileaks. This to me is another "sign" of how isolated our USA thinking is on a mass scale per global perspectives. Even "Pravda", Russia's leading news outfit, has now accused the USA of total hypocrisy when it comes to "freedom of information" and the press. Ouch...Russia preaching to US!

Many of us may have an "I don't care", blind patriotic position on this issue. I know I am personally struggling on this issue between freedoms and "patriotism". I am embarrassed for my country as I stated in my last blog on this subject...but I am also angry at many of the things "we" have done in recent and also long term history of our nation.

As my grandfather always used to say, "Be sure your sin will always find you out". The sad thing here is that the most powerful government in the world is being exposed for many heinous attitudes and actions taken "behind the scenes". Many of our "leaders" have written and expressed positions that they never thought would be exposed publicly. What is sad about this situation is that nobody is saying the information being distributed is FALSE. A person and a company is being persecuted globally...for distributing "truth". What a difference a day makes... Will people die or be exposed to foreign "powers"? I have seen no documented incidents so far...and I hope not. Yet, when people take on such roles with "nations", they probably understand the risks and are often in those roles for some pretty selfish reasons (money, adventure, power).

Regarding the "morality" of Wikileaks actions, what is so different about this situation than say...media's exposure of "Watergate" or the Iran Contra affair? We gave awards and accolades for those who so intently exposed governmental criminality and coverups. What about "Whitewater" and other shenanigans? People were killed (or took their own lives?) over many of those revelations.

Lets remember that at the founding of the USA, many esteemed "revolutionaries" were killed for stealing and disseminating "governmental" orders or documents to the constituents of that former British colony. Damn that Paul Revere for riding around and warning everyone that "The British are coming"! That was a state secret. If we are paying off Karzai in Afghanistan and other leaders worldwide in order to "do our bidding"...I want to know about it. That's MY money going to despicable opportunists and power mongers.

Change is normally driven from the top...based on demands from the bottom or outside. While Wikileaks obviously is based on info that is not owned by them...our governments steal, distort and extort others based on espionage and spying all the time. It seems quite hypocritical they should be criminalizing their own behavior...but of course it is common for governments to have a different set of standards than they impose on the governed. Nothing will change until the masses decide to do something about this international carnage and quit believing the governmental hype at all levels. These governments should be APOLOGIZING...not rationalizing. Its time for confessions and forgiveness...and then "sinning no more".

I truly believe positive change will come from this global incident. Yes, it is embarrassing and further weakens the "moralistic" posturing of my country. Yet, the sooner we realize our political immoralities and misguided actions...the sooner we can turn things around with honesty and transparency. It is about time we had more of that.

Hating Mr Assange is like hating the person who tells you they saw your spouse cheating on you. You may hate the idea that THEY know; you might question their reasons for telling you; but you might be further ahead to no longer place blind trust in that partner.

President Bush, Rick Warren and "The Good Book"

2010-11-30T12:45:00.004-06:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bush-20101130,0,4450383.story

A friend invited me to view last night's "Civil Forum on Leadership" online in real time from Saddleback Church featuring former President George W Bush and Pastor Rick Warren. This event was basically designed to promote/sell Mr. Bush' new book. While it was an intriguing almost 90 minute interview between Bush and Warren...I came away sincerely troubled by much of the attitude and quite a bit of the content that was communicated. This "forum" to me illustrated the worst of combined politics and religion...a combination that in my opinion has turned lethal and led the USA into a modern day version of "The Crusades" ...only THIS version of Crusade could turn nuclear in a heartbeat.

I truly don't wish this blog to be considered taking political sides. My observations would have been the same if President Obama or a Libertarian candidate would have been featured in such a manner. I imagine both men mean well in what they are trying to communicate and the leadership they are trying to inspire. At the same time, in my opinion the basis for their leadership and reasoning in so many things were unfounded, "un-Biblical" and lacking sensitivity and respect for the THOUSANDS of lives lost due to these political decisions and under their watch.

Here is my honest summary of the telecast I sent to my friend via email:

I caught all but the first 20-30 minutes. Nice to see the ex Pres in a more relaxed and contemplative setting and being more candid on certain things. I'm sure he is sincere and real about most of the things/stories he shared. I'm sure Laura is a wonderful lady. I still think if a rich man will find it so hard to enter the "Kingdom of Heaven", it will be twice as hard for a politician. (Of course you understand I am speaking "tongue in cheek").

It was somewhat nauseating to me the "good ole boy", backslapping approach Ricky took towards the former President. These people in my opinion are "trivializing" the risks of our country and the deaths of THOUSANDS that took place under their watch. There should be more solemnity...and yes APOLOGIES...for much that happened instead of trying to make each other out to be "God's modern day Messiahs". I'm sick of this pseudo religious posturing. Much of it is bad theology from my Biblical studies of many years. This is the worst marriage between bad politics and "syrupy" religion...

I still come away from this interview feeling that Bush Jr had much less intellect, class and grace than his father. I also think his father for all his "intellect, class and grace"...was guilty of some pretty heinous decisions and involvements going back as far as CIA directorship days and as the "hatchet man" for Reagan during the Iran Contra scandals...arming Iran and making a lot of USA enemies in Nicaragua and the rest of LatAm. While intentions may have been reasonable in their minds...the morals for many of those actions and international intervention are what we are now paying a price for in our country. I do not view these guys as "holy" men of faith. Sorry. Their theology goes to about the first grade level.

My biggest disappointment overall in life is not seeing more "leaders" of great intellect and moral character. I'm not talking about blowjobs in the oval office. I am talking about abiding by the constitution and voluntarily limiting powers and being honest and open with the electorate. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" (Bush was basically honest enough to admit that and to his "ego" during this program). I unfortunately feel and observe that all of these former USA leaders are in some regards corrupted by their power and tradeoffs they have made to get where they went...

Terms like "Good Book" and the "man upstairs" used so much by Bush and others are terms bred by "American style" Christianity. These terms to me are irreverent, basically secular vernacular. It seems to me the "Muslims" take their religion much more seriously/solemnly and for that reason are a growing tide in the world more than the Christian faith. Christianity has lost its "salt" and become just another "religion".

The final scary thought for me last night was that this tide of commentary and attitude expressed is the growing consensus in American consciousness. Rah rah patriotism tied to claims of "God's guidance" have put our country in a bad position globally...both economically and politically. In response to their own problems, the "powers that be" are passing more laws and regulations to control the tide of American's funds and thought process. This week you have seen the unprecedented shutdown of over 70 internet sites by the government without due process of law. After the fact they are trying to ram through legislation giving them legal support to do so when there are so many legal opinions that this is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, you can also see many of these lying political leaders shaking in their boots at the "Wikileaks" outing of their documents and communications that obviously won't line up with the political and media spin given to the general public on these recently catastrophic war activities. If you have studied Nazism in the 30s, these types of actions should bring tremendous fear to any true American's mind.

Perhaps the perfect conclusion for this blog is a news clipping sent to me today via email which I about 90% agree with...

The matter of Wikileaks

2010-11-29T10:43:00.000-06:00

The situation of our Government's panic over the "Wikileaks" emergency where millions of supposedly "secret" documents and communications hacked from our "secure" government databases are being released semi-publicly provokes a number of reactions. I think it time for a little "family discussion" amongst us Americans to understand the real issues and how we should respond to them.

I approach this situation like a "family matter" where someone outside the family is spreading all the family secrets and dirty laundry for all our neighbors and community members to see...and it is aggressive and unpleasant. Personally I have very mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I want my family's (country) honor maintained and be PROUD to be an "American"...yet I also want to know what it is that is so dangerous to my fellow countrymen and allies. Part of me wants to know about our family's dirty dark secrets...while another part of me just wants to stay childlike and trusting of my parents (government).

Unfortunately, for me it is very hard to be trusting of my "parents" in recent decades. It seems that they are broke financially and have been sending a lot of money to unknown "foreigners" or strangers to the detriment of the family's financial security. They also have been wanting to know more and more of my private business and controlling my behaviors and morals while they themselves seem not too bound by many of those same "rules". They have been using my "college trust fund" (social security) for decades for other purposes while leaving promissory notes for only part of the funds that have disappeared. Some of my parents (Congressmen) work 2-4 years and receive lifelong pensions and insurance benefits that I have to work 40+ years to carry them and myself. They allow my foreign cousins (British, Scandinavian, Indian, etc) to come and work in our home country for the same money without having to contribute to the rent and living costs at the same rate I do. Every time I leave or return home, my parents pat me down as if they don't know me and treat me as a common criminal because they don't seem to recognize my credentials. I get treated with more respect by the neighbors than I do my "parents".

Now it appears the family name and all our network of friends throughout the world is in danger because of letters and messages our parents have sent over the years describing things they have done that even to this day I don't know about. They have held all this information from me all my life and yet now they are warning me that this information...which I still don't know about...will harm me and them for a long time to come. It will somehow be a reflection on all of us...and yet I apparently have no right to know the details of that which I am supposed to fear.

So, I say to my "parents"..."I love you and my home, but if you want me to stand behind you in this matter or worse yet perhaps FIGHT for the family's honor...you'd better start telling me what is going on. If I am too "young" to know, then I am probably too young to fight your battles. Plus, if you don't start letting me keep more of my allowance, I will probably be less content or passionate about your problems and be more rebellious to your wishes. I will probably just stay here in the dark and "hope" you somehow restore the family's honor. I think it will be very sad to read about all your private "sins" or questionable moralities that might not match up to what you have forced ME to abide by all my life from someone outside the family. It will be very embarrassing for me when asked about these things (should they be as bad as you are suggesting) to simply say "I didn't know" or "I'm sorry". That should be YOUR role, not mine."

To summarize...the role of government is to represent the PEOPLE's wishes and viewpoints. It is obvious to me that concept has gone out the window for most of our legislators. If these "Wikileaks" are as bad as everyone seems to be braced for...I for one will be holding my own government and fellow Americans who elected them accountable for what truths come out. Its up to each of us "family members" to pursue that which is right and punish those who do wrong. Wrong is wrong...no matter who is doing it.

Travel Pananoia

2010-11-17T09:46:00.004-06:00

Flight travel post 9/11 has become very hazardous and laborious, especially for USA based passengers. As is often the case, reactions turn into over reactions...often times without foundation or reason. This seems to be happening on both sides of the travel security equation. Governmental security continues to over react to many perceived terrorist threats, while travelers often over react to new processes put in place to secure the general travel public's safety.

The most recent illustration of this phenomenon is the John Tyner pat down case in San Diego. According to the Youtube taping of the incident by him, he refused the machine scan process and chose the optional "pat down" method...but took exception when they said they would be touching his genital area. When told by a supervisor who was called into the situation that he could submit to the process...or leave and not fly today...he chose the later. He was escorted by TSA and police to an American Airlines counter who refunded his non-refundable ticket. During that process, TSA management with the police came back and asked him to resubmit himself for the screening or basically be charged criminally on some sort of code that they didn't seem to mention. Apparently those charges have been filed with an $10,000 fine attached. Now Mr Tyner and other citizens are going more public with their fight against this perceived governmental tyranny.

Personally I see paranoia and over reaction on both sides of this conflict. I think the general public wants security to be thorough and secure the people who are allowed to travel with them. I would rather go through the scanner machine than to be physically patted down...yet many people, apparently including the pilots union...are paranoid about over exposure to that technology for health reasons. I supposed if I had to be scanned multiple times every day, I might have the same concerns. I don't have that concern for occasional flying. If someone doesn't want to go through that machine, then pat downs make sense somewhat. Yet, I think the genital touching is going overboard on that front as well.

My biggest disconnect with the TSA approach is their "randomness" approach of who they pull aside for more thorough examination...and on the other hand their paranoia about "profiling" people. This has never made sense to me. If your typical "terrorist" is of Arab decent and between the ages of 18-40...I don't "get" pulling American retirees in wheelchairs over to one side for a "pat down" or sniff test. With today's access to technology and ID verification...these people should be screened and risk levels accessed on each passenger long before they even reach the airport. The Israelis do this and they seem to have a much better record of controls on flying terrorists. They also are not afraid of "profiling" the bad guys.

Unfortunately, many of us normal citizens are now getting paranoid about traveling and the overt governmental presence and oversight of our lives. 9/11 caused in my opinion an over reaction on the government's part in suspending many privacy rights and freedoms granted by our constitution. The "Patriot Act" was supposed to be a "temporary powers" type of bill that has somehow turned into a permanent contract with our government powers. We are rightly paranoid when our government can arrest or search us without due cause or process of law. Many of the attitudes and tactics being used by our government are reminiscent of the "Gestapo" tactics of the Nazi era. They used many of the same justifications and stirring of paranoia to gain the upper hand over mass civilians in limiting their rights and freedoms. Travel is now just another extension of overstepping governmental regulation into our way of life.

Thanks to the immediacy of internet media we are now seeing natural balance and access of information...as well as disinformation...being distributed to the masses. Hopefully this will help us find a balance of what is acceptable between government actions and the constituents they serve. We need balance and reason instead of over reactions and manipulation of emotions. We want our governments to get the bad guys without making us all suspected criminals. The problem is that at the end of the day "humans" are on each side of these conflicts. Humans run our government bureaucracies. Humans run the airlines and travel agencies. And of course, the general public is full of humans. All are imperfect and we all need to work together to arrive at the balanced common good.

I am convinced most disconnects in this dynamic is based on egos and human pride. All the role players in the San Diego pat down incident to me are so representative of the various factions in this "play". You have the systematic messaging and direction given by particular TSA "worker bees"...who when faced with a John Q Public that doesn't agree to the process calls over a manager of bigger ego. When that person doesn't succeed in getting compliance from the citizen...they make it into a scene with uniformed police escort away from the "security area". The worst part of the TSA reaction was when they brought in the "suit" management guy who is determined to "win the argument" and "complete the process" whether the civilian likes it or not...at the threat of criminalization and hefty fine. That was way over the top and too authoritarian a position for a "public servant" to take on. You are there to get "terrorists"...not turn a citizen into a candidate for being one. STUPID.

The overarching sadness for me in this "dance" is that all sides are playing roles that perpetuate the problem. The more authoritarian governmental entities become, the more rebellious become various sectors of citizenry. This has the potential of pushing more and more bystanders into the side of the "terrorists". It's kind of like the psychological aspect where if you accuse someone of being a criminal or treat them like one long enough...they will start acting on the notion. It is negative psychology on the grandest of scales.

I hope all the publicity on this issue affects reason and brings positive change for travelers as we approach the holiday travel season. Meanwhile, I will try to reduce chances of conflicts with the "authorities" as much as possible while traveling. I will probably chose the machine over the pat down...and dress as little like a terrorist as possible, including leaving the wheelchair at home.

Why no one invades Switzerland

2010-11-02T20:24:00.001-05:00

This video underscores one of the reasons Switzerland has little history of invasion and a very low crime rate. As the Swiss gentleman in the video says towards the end..."the key to freedom is to be able to defend yourself".

My fellow Panama blogger Sam Taliaferro posted this video with his comments about Panama passing new gun restriction laws. I agree with his sentiments. I continue to get alarmed that world governments in general are trying to disarm their citizens...while at the same time producing more weapons for "the State" than ever before.

In an ideal world or Utopia...you would not need firearms unless you hunted for survival food and clothing. But as long as so much of the world continues as the old "wild wild west" of crime and lawlessness...it is a foolish notion to take all armaments out of the hands of the law abiding.

I prefer Switzerland's model where they train their citizens in firearm safety and how to shoot. I believe in having harsh laws against those who use firearms in a crime...yet I still believe the best deterrent to crime is being prepared with equal or superior "force" in your personal space. Governments that don't support this approach in my opinion are suspect in their motivation. If they are the government OF the majority of the people...why should they be afraid of armed constituents? I understand taking guns from outlaws and convicted felons...but not law abiding citizens. At least in true constitutional republics or democracies...this should NOT be an issue.