re-invent the entrepreneur

re-invent the entrepreneur- Satire only in part  I really do miss my Twinkie-

watching the Hostess Twinkie-- beloved fat producer - disappear, the cheap American version of the haughty eclair- de classe just the way we like it Rich-merica is a lesson for all of us.  The managers of that company will do well, the brands are worth billions, and the venture capital people who came to help the company  appear to have made a lot of money-- only the unionized employes are losing and of course got the blame.  This is not the kind of entrepreneur we need, neither the Hewlett Packard people who dumped the Touchpad- which is still a great machine--we need fighters, people who will stand and fight for something.  Too much give-up in their game and America is not ready to become a nation of paper traders, we still have people who want good paying jobs, willing to work with hands and brainpower...I have seen some.
We lack education and training here, population going brain numb watching Fox Brews, Governments selling out their voters trying to turn them into wage slaves at Walmart--eventually who will be buying that Chinese made stuff- Americans will be either rich and need little or so poor they can only buy little.
We are on a race to the bottom, right wing idiots who are trying to be like Indonesia- with Americans who will work for a free meal and a few dollars per day; clearly they wish to destroy America, Unions who helped build an amazing productivity here - on the hit list--this is the wrong way to treat the people who have fought and died to keep this nation and keep it free.

We need fighters, people who mange as if they will not make more money if the company fails--also we need laws so that they don't make more money when the company fails--who would have thought you'd have to make a rule requiring businesses to try to succeed- but the Twinkie does not lie-- they do that in America now, mange to fail and take a big payday.

Adventures in voting~

I voted the day before election day- last minute really because I run an election precinct for the City on election day and the rules do not allow us to vote where we work--but rather at the assigned precinct-an interference with voting. I went to a local community college and could not park anywhere i could see, I parked near a loading dock under a no parking upon threat of

peril sign--another interference with voting. When I got inside i explained I was an election official and they said-- "take a number" i plead my case to a beautiful Black woman who was running things and she said- "take a number" and batted her lovely eyes--a delightful interference with voting.
So i went to the back of the line where maybe 200 people were in line---waiting for a number--ahhhmeii!!! it was 4 pm and the place was to close at 4 pm so i could not leave-- so I went back to the beautiful Black Lady-- batted my eyes-- " get in line..." Pretty smile too :) So i thought about my car as a woman came to me-- why they always come to me i dont know-- to say she got $500 in parking tickets-- fire lane-- i went to a police woman and explained she said-- "take a number...your car is ok for now"...PHEEEWWW.

 

 OK so i stand there between the nice cop and the Beauty in charge for 45 minutes until they say 0k we gonna give you a number-- i got a number J-21 the next number to be called was B- 1 -50--- so b- c d e f oh crap an ALLNIGHTER!!!!! i was scheduled to be at work at 5:00 am.

 

 So i found a chair opened my tablet played some Brazil music--Milton Nascimento, Daniela Mercury, Elis Regina...I have good tastes in music. Noww two hours have passed and i start talking to a young beauty- she is from Martinique and we talk about Bahia and Black culture here, Brazil, the Caribbean-- she gets emotional when i say no cultures survived outside of Bahia-- dark eyes well up--- she has been waiting since 11:00am--it is now 7:00pm. I gave her a hug as she tells me about Black cultures from Africa here and there--was wonderful--so much passion--it is 8 pm now they call the Martinique Beauty's number-- she says how wonderful to have met me-- i feel a little lonely. 

 

Then the heavens open-- the Beauty who is running the place comes and says you-- come with me-- I cant stop grinning-- she has decided to let the workers go in a few at a time with the people whose numbers are up-- this has a feeling like the Green Mile ya know-- Early Voter Walking-- I am OVERJOYED i get into the voting area and there is the Martinique Beauty- she grins at me-- i get into the voting area and am given a seat in front of a election official-- they make up my ballot but as she does--"we can't let any more workers come in early-- you are the last( and first/only) ones to get in early...IIIII   VVOOOTTTEEE   AM STILL TOO OVERJOYED TO WORRY ALTHOUGH 5 AM COMES EARLY WHEN YOU GO TO BED AT 2 AM WHICH IS WHEN THE OTHERS WOULD VOTE.

 

 I got out at 8:30 in my car speeding the wrong direction on interstate 94,  i turn around at the next overpass and am home listening to Latin Cha-cha- cha all the way-- wondering if there is any Salsa dancing after the election on Tuesday--4 hours to vote-- i voted-- even voted for marijuana--well I think I was wishing i could have had some while waiting for 4 hours ;)-- we all could have used some - imagine what the purchase of munchies could have done for the local economy-- Bored Voters Spend Billions on Cheetos...hdm

— at Wayne County Community College, Eastern Campus.

Conserve this!

Satire- well my way of saying it is humor but is all true and sooo very wise ;0

I saw an advert for a Conservative group vowing to fight on after the elections, fighting to put business leaders in charge of guiding our nation…they were quite serious…

Leave our future to Entrepreneurs...are you out of your F***ing mind!

I watch so many apparently bright people join libertarian and conservative movements with the idea that government is a Great Satan and we must purify our society by abandoning public policy and turning over our nation to the private sector-- hmmm

Lets see  Private Sector,  I think these were the same guys who invented chattel slavery as a fast way to billions( aka kidnap, rape and murder, and working humans like an animal into an early grave). They even imprisoned their own children in slavery--some were our Founding Fathers. James Madison, once murdered 30 men who tried to escape from captivity, was later elected President-- well, as my non slave descendant friends often remind me-- it was legal to rape,  kidnap, and murder  then, ahhhhmeeiii--

I can find no evidence anywhere that the marketplace governs with wisdom, if an idiot has billions-- judging by the last elections there are a lot of them here-- and if there is a little profit in it- game on! For example: burning oil, then we will burn a lot of it, heat the globe to the point that only the billionaires will be able to afford clean air, water, and a reasonable life expectancy.  The social side of things I guess would be left alone, unless there were a profit in it-- brides for sale, young boys...ummm.   You see, every evil we can imagine has been connected with uncontrolled greed.  So what is it that draws these apparently bright minds to the conclusion that government and taxation are the path to destruction--  well, what is being Conserved here?.  I mean this brand of freedom is like 4th Century Athens-- a man on a hill speaking  nobly of freedom and sacrifice-- while a slave stands next to him holding a goblet of wine. It was a Golden Age of Freedom indeed where Six of Ten were slaves.

In the election cycle just past we saw the effects of warm air around the globe- and even in the face of a 500 mile windstorm people said--it could have been caused by something other than climate change.  Well, it is no longer rational to say that-- we have changed the air-- warmed it. We will do even more so now because so much ice has been lost that the sun will warm much more of our ocean surface-- and the sun btw has awakened from a long period of low energy emission.  Sooo are we ready for constant war, for policies that make enemies of every darker skinned nation or group, are we really ready to kill people who want a different form of government than our DOLLAROCRACY, and what of the nearly criminal activity that many rich people have engaged in to get those billions-- friendly bankers, derivatives trades, influenced bond and securities ratings-- and the same people who rated junk bonds and liar loans as AAA rated paper  have down rated the US government?  I mean -- dont they get it-- we can raise trillions any year we choose just by getting them and their Corporation Peeps to pay their fair share of taxes!!

Anyway, as flawed as the judgments of political leaders, as deep and deadly their mistakes have been, as corrupt and partner-friendly their use of our military and assets-- they are but fleas on the ass of a running dog compared to the devastation an uncontrolled private sector can bring. By this  I mean: do you really want to see the USA taken over by vulture capitalists, ripped apart and sold to high bidders? I'm sure there would be a lot of profit in it(--) I mean the nuclear arsenal and drones alone must be worth a few bucks(--)just sayin'...hdm

Election post-script

There is an end to a long campaignand while the Candidate of my choice prevailed in the contest of votes;it is only a step- vital one- towards an unfinished agenda, and a process
of national growth. The energy that was invested in the campaign, thelong hard look we have taken about progress and lack thereof-- of thevast opportunity and the seemingly meager steps we have taken. My conclusion is simple- we owe to ourselves, our children, to the sacrifices so many have made- to do better- to rise above the flood of dismal pettiness that has replaced our true purpose- toward a more perfect union- an opportunity based society.

We will not likely  succeed should bitterness become our objectives, rivalry in politics our goal-- we are a great part of a greater world, and by the blessing we have been given of wealth and strength - we have a great obligation to rise to the level of  an un-matched potential for good in the world.
We can put ourselves back to work - jobs for those who want them- opportunities for those with talent and ambition to seize them-- by the lessons we have learned as we have had to face our faults-our bigotry, our ignorance, our small mindedness- we can be so much more, if we allow ourselves to be the Big and Inclusive America, we can fall into our shadow should we remain the small and petty America- divided by conflicts over ideas that are insignificant to the great common interests in growth, opportunity, justice, clean air and water, sustainable food and energy.  I have seen in many ways a deep and abiding love of country,  concern for the disadvantaged;  a unity of purpose to make a better place for our children.

Divine Winds

History and legends tell of two incidents when the nation of Japan faced certain defeat by invasion and the enemy armada was destroyed by storms-- the armadas of Kubla Kahn-- and the storms that intervened to save them were called Divine Winds(kamika ze).  The word became infamous later in WWII as Kamikaze, there it was the last gasp of a defeated nation; an incredible choice to squander its youth in a vain attempt to extend a certain defeat.  This was a man-made divinity and it failed.

 I think of this now as a great storm seems to crush some parts of my country-- places I have lived and think of as my home-- and I do not think it is a Divine Wind.  There is suffering and loss of life and we should all send our prayers to those affected and any efforts we can make to help. No, it is the impact of this storm that speaks a lesson to me-- how the sophistications, and dedications to profits and business so quickly recede and lose significance when the land on which we stand disappears beneath roiled ocean waters and flood. When our systems fail, power gone, underground and above ground networks lost to unstoppable surge of tides; it is then we are reminded of the need each of us has for others. The need for help in dire times, when we cannot be saved by wealth or false pride--or the sense of superiority which none of us has earned.  Yes, it is the Divine Wind that sweeps away pettiness and we realize it could be us in the water or our child-- reaching for a rope, reaching for life itself--hoping for a Divine Wind....hdm

Politics of tanning- (a political satire)

I just saw coverage of Romney[ yes, that little Mitt!] on Univision and-- my first reaction was- he has painted himself brown!!!!, i mean if regular Romney saw this brown Romney walking into his house at night-- there might be white flight!

His whole neighborhood might be in white flight.
It was disturbing at one level but really i was laughing until my tummy 
ached ohh for the love of the 47% this man truly is the worst campaigner i have seen.
 

Now, Romney has previously campaigned as the white guy who appeals to voters who really want to see a white male in the Presidency, I speak to many each day who express that view but usually in much more subtle ways than Romney who- as we know- no one ever asks for his birth certificate[ they do ask for his Goddamn tax returns though!!!].

I give Romney his due: he did a great job of picking wealthy parents, who were themselves 47% folks on welfare at one stage of their lives- and like nearly all of the 47% people contributed in vital ways to our nation- military service( oops Romney dint build that one); raising a family despite hardships( Romney dint do that one either, thanks to Dad and Mom and that silver spoon in his....uhh); helped make a family and community strong by paying their fair share of taxes right out of their paychecks( Romney CLEARLY has not done this, he changed his income from INCOME to INTEREST to cut his taxes in half, and paid when he damn well pleased--if ever!!).

Ahh the pale Mitt is a clever one and the tan Mitt tried to cover it up, but the people listening and watching on Univision saw through the make-up...tsk tsk underneath it all is a man who would be President ONLY because the US should be run by people like himself: pale billionaires, MEN who think they are superior because they have earned it all by themselves...by their inheritances( see they don't even thank their Mom's who really did build that!!) They just believe they should rule-- after all, they got rich the old fashioned way, they were born to it...hdm

from delusion to illusion

i watch with a sense of disbelief- that a man as apparently shallow and willing to mislead the public is the nominee of a major party for the highest office.  I then realize that this is clearly not an accident, that the billions of dollars invested in this man is for some reasons- important to someone.  I can only guess since i would not invest the price of an Internet postage stamp i that campaign (that was humor, there is no Internet postage stamp but there should be one- to retire the deficit- 1/10 of a cent on commercial mailings- would also put an end to spam as we know it).  I watched the man- as if it were a bad actor hamming it up on the stage- speaking something about- "you didn't build that"  as an insult to...ahhh so dismaying- the spectacle, lying to the public and living the lies.

If he believes what he is saying then he may be delusional since in most regards he has spoken these same ideas as his own articles of faith.  If he lying then he does it poorly, Ronald Reagan was much better- he would croon " nuclear war" in that sonorous baritone and people supported build 10,00 new nukes when we needed -none.  Reagan's wars were little things- dress rehearsals really.  Romney's war would be big- biggest in history- and would likely exceed the hundreds of thousands lost in Iraq because we may never find such easy pickings in the world anywhere again.  His initial foray was to get the US in a War with Israel against Iran- possibly two nuclear powers.
Ryan as VP means less delusional theories from the ticket, and more illusions- the sleight of hand that convinces people that the rights they have must be sacrificed for the common good, but the common good is defined as helping the rich keep their money, avoid taxes. Speaking as one who would likely benefit, i say this is larceny after thrust-- putting a burden where it least belongs.  There are privileges in this society such as buying and selling derivatives. A market that is early as big as the rest the economy.  One trader recently earned $3 Billion in one year.  There is a great way to raise revenues without taking Grandma's pension-- tax an activity that we limit to a privileged few who are making an un-Godly profit from doing nothing but passing paper back and forth from one friendly bank to another- betting for example that the economy will loose more jobs than it gains this year--or that mortgage failures will increase, housing will fall--then there is my other favorite- the spammer fee.  See-- with a little creative thinking we can increase revenues, educate our children, give food to hungry children,  reduce our deficit and not steal from the most vulnerable-- something we gave them for a lifetime of doing just what we asked of them.

Democracy Lost

We of such strength, mocked by voices of fear, instilling greater fear.  We are shackled by a changed past, captive like the bound man - stumbled Blind in Gaza- the loss of a vision, an acuity of faith in tomorrow.  We have let ourselves become trapped in the mix of love and hatred, greed and scarifice, wisdom and narrow sight, the melange of America.
Oh America, you were never perfect always though perfectly human.  In an era of unbridled greed you stole lives from Africa made an industry of kidnap and rape, enslaved for no reason except greed- Africa bled into you and you became richer in ways you did not then know.  Then you raised smokestacks and invitations to war- island of freedom born in blood,only to turn to live by blood money; even to this day.
You have helped put the world up to its neck in bullets and watch with subdued curiosity when parts of it begin to drown; we are Godfather of armies of child soldiers, the patron saint of warlord theocracies.  When hurt so badly, when our towers fell; we exorcised a small demon by a great trough of wealth--where the war machine fed until it was glutted; we shook the world because we trembled in fear, and would hear nothing but fear.  Even until the sweet song of freedom re-echoed from the courage we had kept, even as tyrants and terrorists fell to justice.

Now, there is yet the grim reckoning of the skin trades-- "leaders" hatching plots to close the doors to freedom to the Brown and Black south, open doors to a new North Atlantic crossing where the sun kissed its children more gently--so sad. To deny learning and opportunity to our children, to balance the equation of skin-- have we not yet  learned, the life within is the gift not the wrapper...

There is a Democracy found in the turned pages of history, it was not born with America, Founders did not trust their people, their partners in the revolts; Democracy was found in Shay's Rebellion, in the ante-bellum noise of rattled chains and prayers; in the blood given for freedom denied by rich to poor.  Democracy that has now been lost to a culture of dinosaurs, big devour little, strong consume the weak. Wither the America found in the winds of change that came from last breaths of heroes, gone to the auction block in the marketplace of gold and greed.

There is hope against even the most overwhelming enemies- hope despite the obedience of so many to such false prophets as these: a current batch, a plague- disciples of selfishness.  A democracy is a web of reliance, upon self, upon others, upon an innate and shared sense of justice.  A recognition that life is precious and fleeting, in its every part a unique opportunity to expand possibilities into a better world for everyone. That we have lost it is a source of sadness and fuel--for a more determined reach, a more solemn grasp-- for all that we know can be taken from us, if we allow, if we fail to stand for the principle of unity--that in unity we are greater than any can be alone.

The Right Votes

As a child I marched to get rid of State laws that stopped Black and poor people from voting- primarily in Southern States- Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia come to mind .  Now it is Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida  but the idea is the same- take Black and poor voters off the voting rolls and  Republicans  win-- in the case of those States add up to virtual certainty in November for Romney.   I have endured one stolen election in recent years when Bush lost to Gore but the Florida votes were not properly counted and the next thing you know we have 2 wars, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and a few trillion $ wasted in the process-- so these election laws matter.  Romney has this way it seems, to buy the election is bad enough, but to take away the vote from American citizens: including elderly people,  combat veterans, or families that lost their children in our wasteful wars - if they can't produce an official ID-  seems heartless but more to the point reflects a profound unworthiness to lead a Democracy.

Michigan in the Red

There are effectively no more local elections in Michigan, the Governor has seized power to wipe them out, to vitiate them under the illusion of a financial emergency.  Yes, the emergency -- need not even be real, or severe, or even proven- just declared. 

There are essentially no limitations or procedural protections in the law sufficient to withstand the bald and unprincipled use of power. Now, it is true that all localities are legally created by the State or Commonwealth, and in law the principle applies that the power to create is inherently the power to destroy-- however, there is an higher level of Government and it too has the power to create legal relationships with the cities, counties-- the Congress has done so for most of our national existence. Grants, contracts, civil defense- all have more and more obtained federal-to- city status.  These contracts can effectively be changed in fundamental ways by the power grab in Michigan and are completely subject to being undermined by mere political preferences- we have seen the plan for Republican hostility to Federal dollars even when the people NEEEED  the programs and jobs they bring-- such as high speed rail lines in Florida, for that matter light rail lines in Detroit. There is also the weight of time itself, Detroit has been here a long time, longer than the State in a sense,and the people had a contract with the Federal and State government that precious fundamental contract of a Democracy-- that nothing as important as their vote would be taken away without extensive due process-- that there would be some severe reason for doing so.  So let us look, what is so severe that the people of Detroit must be deprived of the government they have chosen-- well it is a "financial emergency"  as a creature of the State, the State has an obligation to  endorse that debt crisis or consider the damage done by a municipal bankruptcy. 

But on a deeper level, some troubling questions arise: 
what is it about the Detroit voters that caused the "emergency"?  
For that matter - what did the elected officials do to cause the emergency?--
did they force the automakers to move overseas?-
did they trigger the housing market collapse?--
or did they cause massive unemployment? 

The remedy of taking over a local government needs to be related in some way to the cause of the problem-- let's say the root cause of the financial problem may be an inequitable distribution of tax and public revenues attributable to the a Detroit area by the State itself, the Governor and the State legislature-- lets say they cut budgets and unfairly redistributed revenue--or just cut the budget because the Koch Brothers said  DO THIS.  Lets say the allow insurance companies to wreck the local economy by harsh and discriminatory policies. Or lets say there is a gross underestimation of the economic value of Detroit as a regional economic hub.

Finally, was the takeover needed even if a financial emergency in some real and legally sound definition  did exist-- is it more than a need for money subsidies or reforms--ahh, there is the bigger prize-- can some group suppress the vote in Detroit enough to put Michigan in Romney's column in the fall-- yes it is possible-- just emergency yourself into forcing the Detroit Department of Elections into a condition of four hour waiting lines for the election in November and you will  

put  the entire State Michigan into the Red

Tell Don't Ask

The so-called Conservative Right, the self described soul of the Republican Party has given the best political issue yet to the Democrats and President Obama- IT IS their social agenda. Instead of Don't ask , don't tell- (that strange deal with being Gay as if being gay was just discovered instead of being as old as people)- this is some Republicans telling the rest of us:  DO AS WE SAY, WE KNOW HOW YOU SHOULD LIVE YOUR LIFE.

They want to tell us to give up sex until we marry, that we must only love someone of the opposite sex and the same race; they want us to accept that white men are often frightened of dark skinned people and should have the right to shoot anyone who frightens them; and they want us to generally accept that women should be subservient to the men in their lives.  They also believe that the federal government is the root of all evils and that war is the solution to any problems that frighten a Nation of White  men.  This is so much like the 50's when the cities experienced White flight- now is White fright, and integration, busing, and Women's Lib showed that the country was truly going to the dogs.  The problem with all of this is simply- who are these jerks who think they ought to tell anyone else how to live the one life we have been given; I mean: when I want to worship someone i get down on my knees and pray.

There is a deeper problem to all of this, the Arizona Syndrome- where Whites feel the shrinking power of their disappearing numerical majority, and the fact that logic and reason have decimated the White voting bloc.  We are no longer a nation of White Men. It is too difficult now to convince women they need a man to control their lives, it is impossible to convince young people that being selfish helps their country, it is totally out of the question to get many normal people to trust big business after they have seen their assault on our jobs( gone overseas to low bidders); home equities ( the housing crisis and credit crisis); wars for Republican profits ( i mean how else can you explain Iraq-- that a group of thugs with box cutters exposed our miserable leadership and therefore we spent 3 Trillion dollars and 8 years at war) They still control the money and have invented a game only they can generally play- trading derivatives-  one Hedge Fund Manager earned $3 Billion one recent year- while we cut schools and teachers, and trash pickups, and healthcare, and food to the hungry, housing for homeless---ahh what would Jesus say..? or Budha? or Muhammed? or Bubba the local homeless Vietnam War vet now begging under a bridge? (probably saying Ohh myyy Jesus!)

We are not the first country to have a weird Right Wing attempt to take over a society, and like the others ( oh, say Germany with Hitler, Brazil during the military dictatorship) there is a corp of deep pocket wackos who are using a political party to advance interest which i think arise straight from their frustrated sex drives--well i am giving a great deal of credit which may not be due-- they may simply be more or less insane or power mad.  The point is that they want to control behavior- who sexes whom, who decides to give birth, who marries whom, what kinds of sex, whether she submits to a man or not.  They are not content to wage wars, destroy lives around the globe, convert mankind's few opportunities for progress into bloody venges and revenges( is "venges" a word?- should be, anyway...how can you have re venge without first having a venge).

We live in a golden age- glad captives of a time when the globe can be easily embraced. It can be further embraced by a global pollution, excess of automobiles, carbon fuel burning, ocean trashing, woman bashing, rule by petty dictators and machine guns every goddamn place! OOOORRRRR it can be embraced by progress such as the incredibly rapid adaptations to computers, the internet, smartphones--technology puts us to the lie when we say we cannot change,  fundamentally change-- we already have, and in record times:  what maybe 10 years for the embrace of the internet and maybe 7 years for the embrace of the smartphone technology.  Wireless communications mean we don't have to wire-grid and pave-over the world in order to industrialize enough to feed and employ our swelling masses.

This is a Golden Age of opportunity for social Greening, progress on the things which deeply trouble our societies- on a global basis- water, food, the safety and equality of women- putting an end to war, creating productive capacity to give business and careers potentials to millions more ...it is in our busy little hands. Hands which can turn palms up in surrender or grab something we all know is true--the moment to realize we are what we do; and we can be so much more than we now do.

Filibuster

  Howard made this comment on an article about the use of filibuster

howard moore • the traditional use of Filibuster was viewed as a rare and an extreme measure. Perhaps the more famous instances involved issues like the moral abyss of slavery some of the incredible political compromises made to destroy millions of human lives and enrich a few others. Hindsight makes that choice clear - not so clear are such contemporary issues as- the so called family values, or a woman's right to control her body and reproductive process. So there may indeed be issues so vital that one Senator would feel compelled to halt all business until a certain result might be achieved. In an era of less flexible calendars, a filibuster could limit the work of a term, and recess powers come into play. The Senate has changed perhaps it is only nostalgia to think it was different, the late Senator Byrd spoke of it often as an article of faith, the comity among colleagues, respect given even to a bitter division. When i worked in the Senate as a young lawyer, i remember Senators Biden, Jacob Javits, Williams, Ted Kennedy, Claiborne Pell, Byrd, Stafford, Sam Nunn...perhaps my nostalgia but they were larger caliber people than those we have in this era-- and that is the difference, too many now simply owe their place to financial downpours from business lobbies and seem to stand for nothing else. In their hands, the filibuster is a way to appoint biased judges, start a war for profits, cut aid to poor and needy to lavish rich contributors. These are smaller people and the ageless tools of a great Democracy become like toys in the hands of mischievous children-- including the filibuster, the Thermopylae of a sometimes great deliberative body. HD Moore