March 8, 2010
To The Editor,
Re: Adjusting to Reality (Op-Ed March 8, 2010)
Munnell”and Biggs’ opinion based “reality” fails the real world litmus test of daily existence for those living the “social security dream.” Their statement recipients “are relatively unaffected by the financial crisis” underscores this point. Many seniors lost forty percent of their savings and left the market forever; many live in states most greatly impacted by the real estate decline, losing forty percent of their home values. The combined events represent an unprecedented destruction of wealth.
Citing the Consumer Price Index is a tragicomic contrivance beset by jet lag as prices escalate precipitously. From Dec 31 2009 to April 1, 2010 supplemental health care and prescription costs increased 39% and 36% respectively, these increases not reflecting additional $100 deductibles and higher co-pays. While borrowing rates are 18% or higher, rates on CD’s, the mandatory senior safe investment, are .002%.
Rather than launching an assault on seniors who paid taxes all their lives, many whom are veterans, the country should honor promises made.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Economic Crisis
March 26, 2010
To the Editor:
Re: The Return of History, David Brooks (March 26, 2010)
The immediate fallacy future economic archaeologists will uncover when excavating the recent “economic crisis” is the vulgar malapropism of its very description. Besmirching the word economics by assigning it the central role in what was one of history’s most blatant and vindictive conspiracies of greed and fraud degrades the science of economics and surely alarms etymologists.
While economics played a supporting role, its sister social sciences history and criminology were the more likely stars of this shameful Wall Street drama. The dismembering of Depression era regulations and the prostitution of the credit infrastructure by both political parties allowed morally and ethically bankrupt financial firms to unscrupulously plunder the country’s and Main Street’s future.
More distressing is that nothing has changed as Wall Street’s evil gnomes continue to concoct nuclear grade financial I.E.D.’s to enrich themselves regardless of the damage to the country and its citizens.
To the Editor:
Re: The Return of History, David Brooks (March 26, 2010)
The immediate fallacy future economic archaeologists will uncover when excavating the recent “economic crisis” is the vulgar malapropism of its very description. Besmirching the word economics by assigning it the central role in what was one of history’s most blatant and vindictive conspiracies of greed and fraud degrades the science of economics and surely alarms etymologists.
While economics played a supporting role, its sister social sciences history and criminology were the more likely stars of this shameful Wall Street drama. The dismembering of Depression era regulations and the prostitution of the credit infrastructure by both political parties allowed morally and ethically bankrupt financial firms to unscrupulously plunder the country’s and Main Street’s future.
More distressing is that nothing has changed as Wall Street’s evil gnomes continue to concoct nuclear grade financial I.E.D.’s to enrich themselves regardless of the damage to the country and its citizens.
Age Discrimination
To the Editor,
New York Times
Re: Age Discrimination (July 7, 2009)
For those of us who have long ago lost count of the number of times we have experienced age discrimination, our response to the recent Supreme Court ruling is an exasperated “What’s new?”
Trying to prove “age discrimination” is tantamount to trying to prove the existence of God at an atheist’s convention. The average citizen would like to think that the “supreme” legal minds of the Court would understand that simple but painful reality.
Question: How many hundreds of thousands of highly qualified workers and job applicants holding advanced degrees, high performance records, and on the job experience have been rejected strictly because of age? Answer: All of them.
The economic cost of rejecting a more qualified worker is lower job performance which translates to lesser competitiveness. Any companies connecting the dots?
New York Times
Re: Age Discrimination (July 7, 2009)
For those of us who have long ago lost count of the number of times we have experienced age discrimination, our response to the recent Supreme Court ruling is an exasperated “What’s new?”
Trying to prove “age discrimination” is tantamount to trying to prove the existence of God at an atheist’s convention. The average citizen would like to think that the “supreme” legal minds of the Court would understand that simple but painful reality.
Question: How many hundreds of thousands of highly qualified workers and job applicants holding advanced degrees, high performance records, and on the job experience have been rejected strictly because of age? Answer: All of them.
The economic cost of rejecting a more qualified worker is lower job performance which translates to lesser competitiveness. Any companies connecting the dots?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Letter to Editor New York Times/Wall Street Pay
Let us momentarily accept the disputatious fact that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow really did cause the fire. The argument of whether her cow brought about this historic catastrophe by kicking over the lantern or lighting a match was plenarily irrelevant to those whom abruptly became former home and business owners.
The issue of whether executive bonuses caused the crisis is equally inapposite. Those present day victims of a greed spawned crisis experienced parallel consequences and worse. Their concern is not with the function the absurd, unethical bonuses played in the crisis. Rather, their rage is focused on executives who presided over calamitous failures and were simultaneously rewarded with horrendous dollar amounts inversely proportional to their own and their company’s performance.
To say that these executives did not understand “the risks that were being taken” implicitly blesses their inexcusable greed and notorious imprudence in gambling with the life savings of countless people whose trust they blasphemed. It also rationalizes their failure to effectively “execute” (as in executive) their responsibilities.
To say these C.E.O.’s and kindred titled ilk “cannot be blamed for the crisis” is to also give a pass to Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. Neither these executives nor the cow understood the risks and consequences of their actions. The intolerable rub is the difference in their respective responsibilities and paychecks. Executive compensation is theoretically based on effective performance which is achieved through responsible management. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was paid (room and board) to give milk.
Through gross dereliction of the responsibility and foresight included in executive job descriptions, financial executives stole the city. With responsibility and foresight not being included in the job description of any bovine, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow burned down the city. In either event, the city is gone.
The cow is forgiven.
The issue of whether executive bonuses caused the crisis is equally inapposite. Those present day victims of a greed spawned crisis experienced parallel consequences and worse. Their concern is not with the function the absurd, unethical bonuses played in the crisis. Rather, their rage is focused on executives who presided over calamitous failures and were simultaneously rewarded with horrendous dollar amounts inversely proportional to their own and their company’s performance.
To say that these executives did not understand “the risks that were being taken” implicitly blesses their inexcusable greed and notorious imprudence in gambling with the life savings of countless people whose trust they blasphemed. It also rationalizes their failure to effectively “execute” (as in executive) their responsibilities.
To say these C.E.O.’s and kindred titled ilk “cannot be blamed for the crisis” is to also give a pass to Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. Neither these executives nor the cow understood the risks and consequences of their actions. The intolerable rub is the difference in their respective responsibilities and paychecks. Executive compensation is theoretically based on effective performance which is achieved through responsible management. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was paid (room and board) to give milk.
Through gross dereliction of the responsibility and foresight included in executive job descriptions, financial executives stole the city. With responsibility and foresight not being included in the job description of any bovine, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow burned down the city. In either event, the city is gone.
The cow is forgiven.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Holiday
at the
Second Chance Ranch
It is like Brigadoon, a mythical city that appears only once every one hundred years. Somewhere, on a mountain side in the Rockies, this city appears once every 364 days on July 4. A tent goes up to display the impressive buffet. There are pork roasts, pulled pork, and barbecue ribs. There are fruits and vegetables, baked beans, cole slaw, chips and salsa, and bananas foster for desert. There is beer of every description, wines, and sangria. Many kinds of bread including corn bread were beckoning. The massive wooden table on the outdoor kitchen patio is the central gathering place. There is a table with an umbrella ten feet off the porch for more private conversations, although nobody really ever had any.
The weather was cooperative, with a slight afternoon shower to cool things down a bit. Scheduling for this event was well timed, with the rain coming at the conclusion of the dinner. A “nicely done” salute to our hosts, Mark and Karen.
And then there were the people. There were all kinds of interesting people. Though the people were from different walks of life and occupations, they all had one thing in common, one common thread. They all did their own thing. Everybody knew what they wanted and were living life accordingly. People who do their own thing are something you don’t find very often. Most people do what they need to do to make a living. These people all seemed to do what they wanted to do to make a living. This is a very unique approach, and yet, everyone there seemed to have caught the fever long ago. Most importantly, everyone seemed very happy with their choice.
Eric restores houses and rents them out. Things are a little tight with the current Depression but, he was optimistic and at ease with his soul.
Frank works on cars and does his own work on the weekends. You can tell from talking to him that he is a skilled man and a happy man.
Larry works as an electrician. He seems to be a very happy guy.
Bob, who has a shop, was there too. So was his Burmese Mountain Dog. The dog was neurotic. Bob was not.
Bill and Liz were there too. Liz drives too far to work. I told her to write a book.
Carol and Jim (that’s me) were there. Carol is an artist. Carol told Jim (that’s me) to write a book.
Joe and Carmine were there. They are Mark's and Carol's parents and the father in law and mother in law of Karen and me (Jim). AND, they are the most optimistic people you could ever hope to meet. No matter what challenges life sends their way, they find a way to turn the lemons into lemonade. They also wrote the book on living life on their terms.
Even the turkeys showed up. They walked around well to the back of the yard, near the ridge that overlooks the valley through which the road winds. The valley road takes you to the turn-off road on the right which climbs up the final one hundred and fifty yards toward the “Second Chance Ranch,” the Brigadoon of Colorado. While the absence of a shoulder and the mild drop-offs on the right side might make a city slicker skittish, this road is standard and mild fare for mountain people. The rain a day or two before had washed much of the road further down the mountain. They had to scrape the mud flows together and push them back into place higher on the hill to shore up the road so it would be ready for the next storm. Good job, too!
The house is unique, and beautifully crafted. It is one of those places you see in those magazines where people proudly show off their dream homes. This house will land in one of those magazines soon. Keep an eye out for it. (Well, don’t literally keep an eye out for it. If you do, you only have half the chance of seeing it. You don’t want to miss it, do you?)
Of course, there were a few friends we didn’t run into. No bears or mountain lions showed up. The skunk that made himself at home under Mark and Karen’s home was long gone. He gave more than his “two scents” worth before he left.
No deer were around. That’s because Regis periodically escorts them off the property. Gets the deer mad too, and, they give Regis an earful. Doesn’t bother Regis because he’s deaf.
The Humming Birds were nice. You get a little tired of the same songs all the time, however.
Then there were the birds living in the nest they had built in ceiling of the outdoor kitchen. They didn’t seem to mind the humans sitting directly below, and the humans didn’t seem to mind the birds perched directly above. The birds were feeding their young in the nest. The teeny little American flags on the side of their nest were a nice Fourth of July touch. Very classy.
Wow! I hope they invite me next year. Maybe then I’ll remember all of the names of the great people I saw at the Second Chance Ranch on the Fourth of July.
Jim Wharton
copyright
at the
Second Chance Ranch
It is like Brigadoon, a mythical city that appears only once every one hundred years. Somewhere, on a mountain side in the Rockies, this city appears once every 364 days on July 4. A tent goes up to display the impressive buffet. There are pork roasts, pulled pork, and barbecue ribs. There are fruits and vegetables, baked beans, cole slaw, chips and salsa, and bananas foster for desert. There is beer of every description, wines, and sangria. Many kinds of bread including corn bread were beckoning. The massive wooden table on the outdoor kitchen patio is the central gathering place. There is a table with an umbrella ten feet off the porch for more private conversations, although nobody really ever had any.
The weather was cooperative, with a slight afternoon shower to cool things down a bit. Scheduling for this event was well timed, with the rain coming at the conclusion of the dinner. A “nicely done” salute to our hosts, Mark and Karen.
And then there were the people. There were all kinds of interesting people. Though the people were from different walks of life and occupations, they all had one thing in common, one common thread. They all did their own thing. Everybody knew what they wanted and were living life accordingly. People who do their own thing are something you don’t find very often. Most people do what they need to do to make a living. These people all seemed to do what they wanted to do to make a living. This is a very unique approach, and yet, everyone there seemed to have caught the fever long ago. Most importantly, everyone seemed very happy with their choice.
Eric restores houses and rents them out. Things are a little tight with the current Depression but, he was optimistic and at ease with his soul.
Frank works on cars and does his own work on the weekends. You can tell from talking to him that he is a skilled man and a happy man.
Larry works as an electrician. He seems to be a very happy guy.
Bob, who has a shop, was there too. So was his Burmese Mountain Dog. The dog was neurotic. Bob was not.
Bill and Liz were there too. Liz drives too far to work. I told her to write a book.
Carol and Jim (that’s me) were there. Carol is an artist. Carol told Jim (that’s me) to write a book.
Joe and Carmine were there. They are Mark's and Carol's parents and the father in law and mother in law of Karen and me (Jim). AND, they are the most optimistic people you could ever hope to meet. No matter what challenges life sends their way, they find a way to turn the lemons into lemonade. They also wrote the book on living life on their terms.
Even the turkeys showed up. They walked around well to the back of the yard, near the ridge that overlooks the valley through which the road winds. The valley road takes you to the turn-off road on the right which climbs up the final one hundred and fifty yards toward the “Second Chance Ranch,” the Brigadoon of Colorado. While the absence of a shoulder and the mild drop-offs on the right side might make a city slicker skittish, this road is standard and mild fare for mountain people. The rain a day or two before had washed much of the road further down the mountain. They had to scrape the mud flows together and push them back into place higher on the hill to shore up the road so it would be ready for the next storm. Good job, too!
The house is unique, and beautifully crafted. It is one of those places you see in those magazines where people proudly show off their dream homes. This house will land in one of those magazines soon. Keep an eye out for it. (Well, don’t literally keep an eye out for it. If you do, you only have half the chance of seeing it. You don’t want to miss it, do you?)
Of course, there were a few friends we didn’t run into. No bears or mountain lions showed up. The skunk that made himself at home under Mark and Karen’s home was long gone. He gave more than his “two scents” worth before he left.
No deer were around. That’s because Regis periodically escorts them off the property. Gets the deer mad too, and, they give Regis an earful. Doesn’t bother Regis because he’s deaf.
The Humming Birds were nice. You get a little tired of the same songs all the time, however.
Then there were the birds living in the nest they had built in ceiling of the outdoor kitchen. They didn’t seem to mind the humans sitting directly below, and the humans didn’t seem to mind the birds perched directly above. The birds were feeding their young in the nest. The teeny little American flags on the side of their nest were a nice Fourth of July touch. Very classy.
Wow! I hope they invite me next year. Maybe then I’ll remember all of the names of the great people I saw at the Second Chance Ranch on the Fourth of July.
Jim Wharton
copyright
Saturday, April 11, 2009
No Faith in Science
No Faith in Science
Thousands of years ago, two cave men were wandering around pondering the meaning of life. They suddenly found themselves falling, falling ever more rapidly, through a gigantic hole which had suddenly opened beneath their feet. Unfortunately, they had inadvertently happened upon a meandering high velocity/time warp/black-hole. Quite abruptly, their precipitous (and very scary) fall ended. They found themselves sitting on a sloping pile of rocks supporting two long, shining slivers extending far into the distance. “Uga wuga da boogo meexi noc fi,” said the first cave man. (Translation-Hey, we’re sitting on a sloping pile of rocks with two long, shining slivers extending far into the distance.”) “Yup,” said the second cave man. (Translation- Yes.) “Noko yi yi vrun bi,” said the first cave man. (Translation-I think we have traveled into another time) “Yup,” said the second cave man. (Translation – “Yes.”)
Suddenly, there was a bright light in the distance at the end of the shining slivers. The light grew bigger and bigger and a distant sound of thunder increased in volume until it became earsplitting. The light and thunder roared by them as they cowered terrified and face down, screaming into the rocks against which their faces were firmly pressed.
The sound of thunder became less and less as it moved further away from them. Then, all was quiet. Abruptly, they were once again picked up by the meandering high velocity/time warp/black-hole and thrust back into their own time.
“Wa noc ex ti vlibt ku ci nik?” asked the first cave man. (Transaltion-Should we tell the others what happened?) “Nope,” said the second cave man. And, by the way, can you speak English? I’m getting tired of translating.
“Sure thing,” said the first cave man. “But, why can’t we tell the others?”
The second cave man replied, “Because the scientists will never believe us and they will hold us up to great ridicule.” The first cave man then replied, “You’re right. And that would cause us great annoyance and displeasure.” “Yup,” said the second cave man.
So the cave men never told the rest of the cave people that they had crashed through a time warp and landed in another time and found themselves sitting on the side of a railroad track just as a train passed. The fact that they did not tell anyone about this amazing experience is very important. (Translation: Yac ta li yu teo ai mip mip.) Oh, wait, I don’t have to translate from English back to “Cavemanian.” Sorry, my civility got in the way.
There is a key problem with science and their revered “scientific method.” No, no. My civility is not the key problem. Rather, the fact that the cavemen refused to tell the rest of their contemporaries about their astounding experience is the key problem. “Why?” the scientist might ask. Except they really won’t ask because if they even bothered to read this at all, they would have tuned out well before this point and already have retreated back to the safety of their outmoded “scientific method.”
But, come back and read further, Mr. Scientist. Don’t be afraid just because you’ve never seen a train. Can’t you understand, it’s about the mathematics of the whole thing? Things or events that you perceive as fantastic, superstitious, unbelievable, un-verifiable, outrageous, etc really may have occurred or exist. Think about it. Why have people reported these same things over and over down through time, even before history was ever written? And, in answer to the “Why?” in the above paragraph, if people don’t report facts, the world is deprived of the knowledge of these events and the even greater knowledge which could be uncovered by studying the initial events.
Conspiracy theories, supernatural experiences, miracles, UFO’s are often true. Do you really think Lee Harvey Oswald killed President Kennedy using a rusty rifle with a mis-aligned sight, with a shot that even an F.B.I marksman could not replicate? And, how did a piece of the curbing, which the F.B.I. quickly confiscated, fly up and cut a man’s face when the shots were fired? And, how did the “magic bullet” which hit Governor Connally in the arm and Kennedy in the throat and head, and ricocheted off the curb, end up on Kennedy’s stretcher looking as if it had never been fired? Why did Jacqueline Kennedy record a set of tapes regarding the assassination which are not to be listened to or published for fifty years?
How can the sighting of a massive (a mile wide in many reports) metallic disc (UFO) directly witnessed by thousands of people in several states be discounted? How can the sighting of military planes pursuing the object, again seen by thousands of people, be denied by the military? The military later stated it was mistaken and that several planes actually were operating in the area.
Supernatural experiences are so frequent that most people accept them as a fact of life. But, of course, science does not. But, how many millions of people have “seen ghosts or experienced some supernatural phenomenon?”
“Miracles” have also occurred so often that most people also accept them as a fact of life. But, of course, science does not. But, how many miracles have occurred over time?
In conclusion, there are two very important points.
1. The mathematics of the incredible number of rational, intelligent people who have experienced extraordinary and unexplainable events and sightings precludes the possibility that any other rational, intelligent person would discount the validity of at least some significant percentage of these occurrences.
2. But, then, once again looking at the mathematics, how many other extraordinary and unexplainable events have never come to the attention of anyone because those who witnessed them are afraid “they will be held up to great ridicule” to quote the cave man? Further, how many reports of these types of occurrences have been lost over time and will also never be known?
The mathematics don’t work in favor of science. On the contrary, the out-dated “scientific method” not only comes up very short but, in actuality is the security blanket for a small group of very afraid people to hide under.
Science embraces only what it thinks it can explain. Direct observations of events by witnesses don’t ever count unless they are backed up by some rationale according to their obsolete and anecdotal “scientific method.” No matter how huge the number of witnesses to an event may be, scientists find their own comfort in their universal rejection of “eye-witness” and experiential occurrences. No matter how frequently a phenomenon has taken place, even if it was over thousands of years and experienced by millions of people of different times, places, cultures, people with religious beliefs or not, science rejects anything that is not “concrete” or “tangible” in its “considered opinion.
If scientists are so smart as they think, why can’t they answer two simple questions.
1. If all life, as they propose, came from a single molecule, then, where did the molecule come from?
2. On a slightly larger scale, if the universe came from a single mass smaller than a baseball and everything started with the big bang, as they propose, who made the single mass and who lit the fuse?
That’s actually three questions instead of two. But, at least, I admit my errors.
Finally, why would we ever trust any “body of knowledge” which cannot explain either one of the smallest things (a molecule) known to man, nor the largest thing known to man, the universe itself?
Look Spot. See the train.
Copyright
James Wharton
Thousands of years ago, two cave men were wandering around pondering the meaning of life. They suddenly found themselves falling, falling ever more rapidly, through a gigantic hole which had suddenly opened beneath their feet. Unfortunately, they had inadvertently happened upon a meandering high velocity/time warp/black-hole. Quite abruptly, their precipitous (and very scary) fall ended. They found themselves sitting on a sloping pile of rocks supporting two long, shining slivers extending far into the distance. “Uga wuga da boogo meexi noc fi,” said the first cave man. (Translation-Hey, we’re sitting on a sloping pile of rocks with two long, shining slivers extending far into the distance.”) “Yup,” said the second cave man. (Translation- Yes.) “Noko yi yi vrun bi,” said the first cave man. (Translation-I think we have traveled into another time) “Yup,” said the second cave man. (Translation – “Yes.”)
Suddenly, there was a bright light in the distance at the end of the shining slivers. The light grew bigger and bigger and a distant sound of thunder increased in volume until it became earsplitting. The light and thunder roared by them as they cowered terrified and face down, screaming into the rocks against which their faces were firmly pressed.
The sound of thunder became less and less as it moved further away from them. Then, all was quiet. Abruptly, they were once again picked up by the meandering high velocity/time warp/black-hole and thrust back into their own time.
“Wa noc ex ti vlibt ku ci nik?” asked the first cave man. (Transaltion-Should we tell the others what happened?) “Nope,” said the second cave man. And, by the way, can you speak English? I’m getting tired of translating.
“Sure thing,” said the first cave man. “But, why can’t we tell the others?”
The second cave man replied, “Because the scientists will never believe us and they will hold us up to great ridicule.” The first cave man then replied, “You’re right. And that would cause us great annoyance and displeasure.” “Yup,” said the second cave man.
So the cave men never told the rest of the cave people that they had crashed through a time warp and landed in another time and found themselves sitting on the side of a railroad track just as a train passed. The fact that they did not tell anyone about this amazing experience is very important. (Translation: Yac ta li yu teo ai mip mip.) Oh, wait, I don’t have to translate from English back to “Cavemanian.” Sorry, my civility got in the way.
There is a key problem with science and their revered “scientific method.” No, no. My civility is not the key problem. Rather, the fact that the cavemen refused to tell the rest of their contemporaries about their astounding experience is the key problem. “Why?” the scientist might ask. Except they really won’t ask because if they even bothered to read this at all, they would have tuned out well before this point and already have retreated back to the safety of their outmoded “scientific method.”
But, come back and read further, Mr. Scientist. Don’t be afraid just because you’ve never seen a train. Can’t you understand, it’s about the mathematics of the whole thing? Things or events that you perceive as fantastic, superstitious, unbelievable, un-verifiable, outrageous, etc really may have occurred or exist. Think about it. Why have people reported these same things over and over down through time, even before history was ever written? And, in answer to the “Why?” in the above paragraph, if people don’t report facts, the world is deprived of the knowledge of these events and the even greater knowledge which could be uncovered by studying the initial events.
Conspiracy theories, supernatural experiences, miracles, UFO’s are often true. Do you really think Lee Harvey Oswald killed President Kennedy using a rusty rifle with a mis-aligned sight, with a shot that even an F.B.I marksman could not replicate? And, how did a piece of the curbing, which the F.B.I. quickly confiscated, fly up and cut a man’s face when the shots were fired? And, how did the “magic bullet” which hit Governor Connally in the arm and Kennedy in the throat and head, and ricocheted off the curb, end up on Kennedy’s stretcher looking as if it had never been fired? Why did Jacqueline Kennedy record a set of tapes regarding the assassination which are not to be listened to or published for fifty years?
How can the sighting of a massive (a mile wide in many reports) metallic disc (UFO) directly witnessed by thousands of people in several states be discounted? How can the sighting of military planes pursuing the object, again seen by thousands of people, be denied by the military? The military later stated it was mistaken and that several planes actually were operating in the area.
Supernatural experiences are so frequent that most people accept them as a fact of life. But, of course, science does not. But, how many millions of people have “seen ghosts or experienced some supernatural phenomenon?”
“Miracles” have also occurred so often that most people also accept them as a fact of life. But, of course, science does not. But, how many miracles have occurred over time?
In conclusion, there are two very important points.
1. The mathematics of the incredible number of rational, intelligent people who have experienced extraordinary and unexplainable events and sightings precludes the possibility that any other rational, intelligent person would discount the validity of at least some significant percentage of these occurrences.
2. But, then, once again looking at the mathematics, how many other extraordinary and unexplainable events have never come to the attention of anyone because those who witnessed them are afraid “they will be held up to great ridicule” to quote the cave man? Further, how many reports of these types of occurrences have been lost over time and will also never be known?
The mathematics don’t work in favor of science. On the contrary, the out-dated “scientific method” not only comes up very short but, in actuality is the security blanket for a small group of very afraid people to hide under.
Science embraces only what it thinks it can explain. Direct observations of events by witnesses don’t ever count unless they are backed up by some rationale according to their obsolete and anecdotal “scientific method.” No matter how huge the number of witnesses to an event may be, scientists find their own comfort in their universal rejection of “eye-witness” and experiential occurrences. No matter how frequently a phenomenon has taken place, even if it was over thousands of years and experienced by millions of people of different times, places, cultures, people with religious beliefs or not, science rejects anything that is not “concrete” or “tangible” in its “considered opinion.
If scientists are so smart as they think, why can’t they answer two simple questions.
1. If all life, as they propose, came from a single molecule, then, where did the molecule come from?
2. On a slightly larger scale, if the universe came from a single mass smaller than a baseball and everything started with the big bang, as they propose, who made the single mass and who lit the fuse?
That’s actually three questions instead of two. But, at least, I admit my errors.
Finally, why would we ever trust any “body of knowledge” which cannot explain either one of the smallest things (a molecule) known to man, nor the largest thing known to man, the universe itself?
Look Spot. See the train.
Copyright
James Wharton
Sunday, April 5, 2009
PATHETICO
PATHETICO
SHUT UP! Just Shut Up! If you can’t say anything reflecting just a slight hint of intelligence, just a faint scent of reason, just a whispered utterance that you might get it, then Shut Up! Having long ago given up the hope of finding anything even remotely resembling brilliance in the greatest majority of our elected leaders, CEO’s, etc, and the concurrent reporting of their idiocy by the equally idiotic mass media, I find myself absolutely exhausted from searching for even a pretense of mediocrity. Is there someone out there who deserves even a “D-”? Is there a news organization that can actually report substance instead of stupidity?
There has long been an absolute understanding, not a perception, mind you, but a firm acceptance by what is commonly known as the “field force” of the organization, whether it be a corporation, the military, or the government, that “headquarters people” are generally idiots. Furthermore, even if by some weird, perverse, aberrational violation of the “Peter Principle,” someone is put in charge that actually does “get it,” at a minimum, that person still can never understand what is really going on in the “field.” Therefore, even if that person is not an idiot, he or she never really understands the “real world facts” of the actual situation from a “boots on the ground” perspective.
To support my premise, I have listed just a miniscule sample of recent idiocy in a copyrighted “Duh Report.” This report is a small list of some “non-leaders and those situations being addressed by other “non-leaders” whom and which are too stupid for words to describe.
“The Duh Report”
1. The federal and local governments’ handling of ILLEGAL immigration. What part of “illegal” is not understood by governments and “illegals”? Don’t come here. Ship them back. Problem solved.
2. Profiling Hispanics in the enforcement of immigration laws. As one person wrote, “If you want to pick peaches you don’t go to an apple tree.” Pick peaches on the peach tree. Problem solved.
3. General Motors can operate with a union when the competition cannot. Regardless of the moral and emotional issues related to the existence of a union, a company cannot be competitive, and therefore viable, unless its costs are in line with all other companies it competes against. Break the union. Problem solved.
4. The term General Motors executive. Here is an oxymoron. Horrendous numbers of “non-executives” are responsible for their outrageous failure to address massive operational problems, epidemic un-satisfactory executive performance, refusal to build high quality, saleable automobiles and trucks, and blatant arrogance and stupidity. Fire them all and put in new blood. Problem solved.
5. The “Volt,” General Motors’ “green car” at $40,000, is not saleable to the mass market. Who can afford a $40,000 car? The Volt won’t save General Motors and the “non-executives” of this non-competetive behemoth have bet the company on this disaster on wheels. Make an affordable “green car”. Problem solved.
6. The United Nations is in-effective. This especially pathetic organization has repeatedly failed to effectively address mass starvation, genocide, regional wars, nuclear proliferation, and terrorism. The most powerful countries must re-structure that organization and add some teeth. Problem solved.
7. Bernie Madoff and the rest of the Wall Street CEO criminals should be lynched. The punishment is not for the money they stole but for the thousands of lives they have ruined with their greed. Even more importantly, they should be lynched for “financial terrorism.” Under George Bush’s non-leadership (a blank stare on stupid face with an arrogant smirk), the thieves of Wall Street have accomplished every terrorist’s dream. They have tremendously weakened the country which will encourage every un-washed, un-educated, Third World dictator to challenge the United States. (North Korea’s missle launch, Iran’s nuclear policy). Take all their money and lynch them. The Chinese would and do execute business criminals. (At least vindication is achieved for the victims, which are all of us.) Problem solved (as well as it can be).
8. Failure of the United Nations, the squabbling Europeans, the covert Russians, the militarily, politically, and industrially aggressive Chinese, to address nuclear proliferation. At what point will Israel pre-emptively strike Iran and what will be the consequences? At what point will the United States be forced to strike North Korea and what will be the consequences? At what point will China attack Taiwan and how will the United States respond? The most powerful countries (above) must establish nuclear proliferation as the number one priority. It’s only a matter of time and the clock is ticking fast. Problem solved.
9. The Stock Market is incompatible with 401ks. There is no effective retirement vehicle in existence on a mass scale. Black Swan’s alone make this premise a no-brainer. Establish Social Security with higher pay-ins and later pay-outs as the national retirement security vehicle. Problem solved.
10. Prescription for Republicans: 1. Shut Up! 2. Shut Up!! 3. Shut Up!!!. Then, en masse, go to the Himalayas. See a guru. Do penance for the next hundred years for the sins of your non-leader George Bush. The party of “NO.” Shut Up! Problem solved.
11. Governors who turn down the federal stimulus to pay un-employment benefits and to support education. They play politics while their citizens suffer because they have no jobs. Education stimulus funds are refused which then helps to ensure that the next generation is ignorant and just as un-employable. Re-call these governors and then kick their asses. Problem solved.
12. The treatment of women and the notion that women are not equal to men in many Third World Countries. Women and men are equal. Get over it. Problem solved.
13. CNN and Fox News is another oxymoron. What do female “newscasters” with their bare legs exclaiming their only bona fides (Who knows for what?) and their lip gloss imprints on the camera lens (and thus across my television screen) have to do with “news”? These women “newscasters” and their equally clueless male counterparts have absolutely no credibility. Turn off the television and watch the grass grow. Problem solved.
14. “The Field force” is all knowing and all wise. Put them in charge. All problems solved.
Copyright
James Wharton
SHUT UP! Just Shut Up! If you can’t say anything reflecting just a slight hint of intelligence, just a faint scent of reason, just a whispered utterance that you might get it, then Shut Up! Having long ago given up the hope of finding anything even remotely resembling brilliance in the greatest majority of our elected leaders, CEO’s, etc, and the concurrent reporting of their idiocy by the equally idiotic mass media, I find myself absolutely exhausted from searching for even a pretense of mediocrity. Is there someone out there who deserves even a “D-”? Is there a news organization that can actually report substance instead of stupidity?
There has long been an absolute understanding, not a perception, mind you, but a firm acceptance by what is commonly known as the “field force” of the organization, whether it be a corporation, the military, or the government, that “headquarters people” are generally idiots. Furthermore, even if by some weird, perverse, aberrational violation of the “Peter Principle,” someone is put in charge that actually does “get it,” at a minimum, that person still can never understand what is really going on in the “field.” Therefore, even if that person is not an idiot, he or she never really understands the “real world facts” of the actual situation from a “boots on the ground” perspective.
To support my premise, I have listed just a miniscule sample of recent idiocy in a copyrighted “Duh Report.” This report is a small list of some “non-leaders and those situations being addressed by other “non-leaders” whom and which are too stupid for words to describe.
“The Duh Report”
1. The federal and local governments’ handling of ILLEGAL immigration. What part of “illegal” is not understood by governments and “illegals”? Don’t come here. Ship them back. Problem solved.
2. Profiling Hispanics in the enforcement of immigration laws. As one person wrote, “If you want to pick peaches you don’t go to an apple tree.” Pick peaches on the peach tree. Problem solved.
3. General Motors can operate with a union when the competition cannot. Regardless of the moral and emotional issues related to the existence of a union, a company cannot be competitive, and therefore viable, unless its costs are in line with all other companies it competes against. Break the union. Problem solved.
4. The term General Motors executive. Here is an oxymoron. Horrendous numbers of “non-executives” are responsible for their outrageous failure to address massive operational problems, epidemic un-satisfactory executive performance, refusal to build high quality, saleable automobiles and trucks, and blatant arrogance and stupidity. Fire them all and put in new blood. Problem solved.
5. The “Volt,” General Motors’ “green car” at $40,000, is not saleable to the mass market. Who can afford a $40,000 car? The Volt won’t save General Motors and the “non-executives” of this non-competetive behemoth have bet the company on this disaster on wheels. Make an affordable “green car”. Problem solved.
6. The United Nations is in-effective. This especially pathetic organization has repeatedly failed to effectively address mass starvation, genocide, regional wars, nuclear proliferation, and terrorism. The most powerful countries must re-structure that organization and add some teeth. Problem solved.
7. Bernie Madoff and the rest of the Wall Street CEO criminals should be lynched. The punishment is not for the money they stole but for the thousands of lives they have ruined with their greed. Even more importantly, they should be lynched for “financial terrorism.” Under George Bush’s non-leadership (a blank stare on stupid face with an arrogant smirk), the thieves of Wall Street have accomplished every terrorist’s dream. They have tremendously weakened the country which will encourage every un-washed, un-educated, Third World dictator to challenge the United States. (North Korea’s missle launch, Iran’s nuclear policy). Take all their money and lynch them. The Chinese would and do execute business criminals. (At least vindication is achieved for the victims, which are all of us.) Problem solved (as well as it can be).
8. Failure of the United Nations, the squabbling Europeans, the covert Russians, the militarily, politically, and industrially aggressive Chinese, to address nuclear proliferation. At what point will Israel pre-emptively strike Iran and what will be the consequences? At what point will the United States be forced to strike North Korea and what will be the consequences? At what point will China attack Taiwan and how will the United States respond? The most powerful countries (above) must establish nuclear proliferation as the number one priority. It’s only a matter of time and the clock is ticking fast. Problem solved.
9. The Stock Market is incompatible with 401ks. There is no effective retirement vehicle in existence on a mass scale. Black Swan’s alone make this premise a no-brainer. Establish Social Security with higher pay-ins and later pay-outs as the national retirement security vehicle. Problem solved.
10. Prescription for Republicans: 1. Shut Up! 2. Shut Up!! 3. Shut Up!!!. Then, en masse, go to the Himalayas. See a guru. Do penance for the next hundred years for the sins of your non-leader George Bush. The party of “NO.” Shut Up! Problem solved.
11. Governors who turn down the federal stimulus to pay un-employment benefits and to support education. They play politics while their citizens suffer because they have no jobs. Education stimulus funds are refused which then helps to ensure that the next generation is ignorant and just as un-employable. Re-call these governors and then kick their asses. Problem solved.
12. The treatment of women and the notion that women are not equal to men in many Third World Countries. Women and men are equal. Get over it. Problem solved.
13. CNN and Fox News is another oxymoron. What do female “newscasters” with their bare legs exclaiming their only bona fides (Who knows for what?) and their lip gloss imprints on the camera lens (and thus across my television screen) have to do with “news”? These women “newscasters” and their equally clueless male counterparts have absolutely no credibility. Turn off the television and watch the grass grow. Problem solved.
14. “The Field force” is all knowing and all wise. Put them in charge. All problems solved.
Copyright
James Wharton
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