Alms for the poor, Alms for the poor

At the moment every manufacturer and financial organization is going cap in hand to their respective governments asking for a handout. Just some greenbacks to keep the wolves from the door.

What criteria should we use when dispensing this emergency funding?

I'm thinking really of the big North American auto manufacturers who are crying out for help. If they don't get the funds they ask for, the earth will collapse upon itself and we will lose all civilization as we know it. But why should we give money if you are making a product that consumers don't want? Why should we give you money when your workers all have sweet heart packages in regards to pay and pensions? An article in a magazine recently stated that over $1500 is added on to the cost of North American cars just so the companies can cover the workers sweet heart deals. By way of a contrast - Asian cars have simply about $350 added into the cost of the car to cover wages , pensions etc...

So you're building large gas guzzling behemoths in an age of high oil prices, for a consumer who is focusing on quality of product and overall fuel economy. You're over paying your workers to the point where they are hurting your company. Is it entirely possible that the people running these companies don't have a clue how to run a business? And if they can't run a business - which their current situation clearly indicates, why would we give them more money?

I know that there are lots of other businesses and industries that rely on the auto manufacturers to survive, but that is no reason to bail them out. If the product they are selling is substandard to the competition, and not focusing on consumers needs why bail them out? Economic Darwinism - survival of the fittest.

If the North American companies go down - there will be some tough times true, but we will come out the other side stronger and more stable, because the resulting business will have good management and good products. They have been forced to adapt to survive. There is a reason we don't see any dinosaurs around. North America car manufactures need to change their way of doing business or they will go the way of the Triceratops.

Trampling worker to death on Black Friday

What does it say about our society that we will trample someone to death just so we can take advantage of a sale? I'm referring of course to the overnight stock clerk who had the misfortune on Black Friday of opening the doors at the Walmart in Valley Stream NY.

There are several layers to this tragedy as I see it. The first and most obvious one, is the simple fact that supposedly law abiding citizens felt the need to put others at risk for a store sale. I don't care how good the sale is - it in no way justifies taking a life. Whoever said "Money is the root of all evil" Is not wrong at all. It is the same unseen driving force that makes superpowers impose their rule over small oil rich countries and "Joe Plumbers" trample people to death. The value of a human life to our fellow citizens is less then the cost of a Plasma TV. That very mindset is concerning.

The second layer of this tragedy is as follows; The US is in the onset of a depression, factories are closing down, people are losing their houses - watch the US news and you will be convinced that this will be the end of civilization as we know it in no time at all. I doubt that the US is going the way of the Wooly Mammoth anytime soon, but its' citizens are so ignorant of their "impending doom" that they continue to spend their way to the poor house. Soon people wont be able to afford a house to put the 52 inch Plasma TV in. The road to hell is not paved in good intentions, rather the road to hell is paved with credit card slips and 0% financing offers.

Either the TV is lying , and we know that is likely not the case, or the sheeple are blissfully ignorant and continue to walk to the gallows with their sweaty hands clutching their high tech purchases. Ahh America.

Bla Bla Obama

So the peons have stopped celebrating the recent appointment of their chosen one - Barack Obama. Part of me feels sorry for them. Do they not realize that their situation is not likely to change with Obama in the White House? The real power in the government is not the President or the Senate but big business and the lobbyists. The President is just a puppet that is paraded out to make speeches that benefit big business and big money.

If you wanted to run for any office, one of the requirements that is needed is deep pockets. This money will come from supporters and big businesses who know you will push their mandate if you get elected. Big business does not like any new age radical thinkers but rather the old tried and true candidates that supports - big business. They support their own.

Black people seem to think that with Obama being a "brotha" things will change for them. Alas I fear nothing will change. Obama comes from a privileged background - see the above comment regarding the necessity of deep pockets when running for government. With these deep pockets and privileged existence comes a lack of understanding for the "common man" , an inability to relate to the family that relies on food stamps to live. Having money allows you to distance yourself from the vast sea of unwashed masses.

The situation in the US is grim with the two wars draining their coffers dry, the credit fiasco and corporate bailout all putting more strain on the current financial resources of Uncle Sam. These situations have not changed, and will not go away with the out pouring of "feel good" sentiments that are present after Obama was elected. Barack has a tough row to hoe - millions of his brotha's are expecting access to the promised land now - but the shuttle bus to the promised land currently is not accepting American money....

So say hello to the new boss - Barack Obama - same as the old boss

USA - Superpower on the ropes

So if we digest the tripe that the US government is dispensing about the current financial crisis we would think all is well...Not so fast Charlie.
I'm not an economist by any means, but I do understand one simple principal - if you are spending more then you are making - you will go broke. End of story - simple really. Let's look at a few factors that are effecting the US Economy.

WAR - yes being at war tends to make lots of money for the companies producing armaments and high powered laser guided bombs, but does the government make any money from war? Take a look at the Cost of War page that outlines the amount of monies being spent, and how that monies could be applied to areas of national interest. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are draining Uncle Sam's coffers with no end in sight.

The American ideal is that anyone can have anything they desire. Sounds reasonable enough. But how does the "average American" pay for everything they desire when their company just moved to Mexico, and their bank just went under from giving out too many bad loans? Where before the almighty credit card was the answer - throw it on my plastic - now that too is not a viable solution. Minimum payments have to be made on credit cards - and how do you pay the minimum when your company just moved to Mexico and their bank just went under from giving out too many bad loans? Do you see a pattern here?

I'm in Canada so I'm looking at this from a different perspective then Americans . But we as Canadians have our lips latched tightly onto Uncle Sam's teat for us not to be effected by this current economic "downturn". If we look at history there has never been a country or civilization that has been able to stay a Superpower forever. Look at what happened to the Romans - seems in modern society we feel that we are immune to the pitfalls that happened previously in history. We're too smart for that to happen to us. Well look out your front window because it is happening right now. The changing of the guard.
When a superpower starts to fail so to, does the consumers confidence. Maybe we need to start another war to distract the sheeple? Hmm Iran is on the agenda maybe we'll just move it up a notch or two.....

The Emperor has no clothes.....

Don't Taze me bro...

Thou Shalt not Speak.....


I'm sure by now everyone has seen the video of the student meeting the business end of the taser gun. Ahh God Bless America Home of the Free????

If you are one of the few living in a cave with no internet access - the student was asking John Kerry questions at a forum and he asked the question if it was true that Kerry was part of Skull and Bones with his friend George Dubya. It was at that point the police came in - restrained the student and tasered him. Take a look on Google or You Tube to see for yourself what is happening in your backyard.

Conversations have been had on the net on whether this was pshyc ops conducted by the government.Step outside the lines and ask questions that we don't want asked and you see the results - pain and suffering. Be a well behaved sheep - eat what we give you, sleep when told to and don't think - and you will not be harmed in anyway.

Even if it was not a psych ops - what does it say about the government when you can't speak out for fear of getting arrested and /or tasered? Let you draw your own conclusions.

I have said before that there is not that much difference between George Bush Jr and Hitler. I think Bush just has better marketing people....

You cannot speak out against him or question his leadership. He is murdering civilians just like Hitler - he is not sending them to any camps - rather his troops indiscriminately shoot into crowds or have a cruise missle stray off course. Take a look on Google and see how many Iraqi civilian deaths and injured there have been. Is it not true that one way to conquer a country is to beat down the civilian population?

Remember It's all about the crude dude...... Oh Sorry what I meant to say was Thanks to George Dubya for crushing the forces of evil and making the world a safer place for us to drive our SUV's

Saddam to Bush - Billion Dollars to make me go away.....

Well, well, well, isn't this interesting. Seems like Saddam before he was so unceremoniously turfed - and subsequently hanged - made George Dubya an offer - Pay me 1 Billion dollars (Yes Billion with a B) and I'll slither off into the sunset.

There may be some controversy about this offer now, as 1 Billion dollars is quite a saving compared to what the US and their ragtag band of supporting countries have spent so far in this Middle East quagmire, to say nothing about the needless deaths on both sides.

Read more here: (copy and paste link in browser)

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23414014-details/Saddam+asked+Bush+for+%241bn+to+go+into+exile/article.do

Anyone up for war with IRAN?

In his continuing effort to control the middle east good old George W has a bee in his bonnet about Iran being the next threat to global security. The same type of threat that Saddam was with his Weapons of Mass Destruction? Oh scratch that we never found any WMD and most people have forgotten about that collosal stumble by the US on the world stage. Best we don't bring it up again.

Iran seems bent on threating Israel - "wipe them off the map" and all sorts of rheatoric is spouted regularly by the Iranian leaders. Well if you have not figured it out yet - anytime someone gives Israel a dirty look - Uncle Sam has to flex his muscles. My question is what exacetly does Israel have on Uncle Sam to make them do the dirty work. Could it be a picture of Uncle Sam in a compromising position with a donkey? Any time Israel gets threatened America sticks their nose into the fray.

With the rheatoric and sabre rattling continuing and the tension escalating - it is only a matter of time before George launches a pre-emptive strike to save mankind.

I just hope that if/when they launch the pre-emptive strike they put a little more thought into their battle plan and exit strategy then was used in Iraq.

And speaking of Iraq - what troops and men exacetly does the US have available to fight a war with Iran?

They seem to need all the help they can get in Iraq right now.

Best that Uncle Sam does not bite off any more then he can chew. Iran has a formidable military that has not been hampered by any sanctions.

Anyone want to place bets when it all goes down????? You know it's coming, it's simply a matter of who strikes first - the US or Israel?

Place your bets......

BLACKWATER? F***ing Murky water more like it...

Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere, and if you are , have you seen Osma? - most people should be aware of the controversy that has arisen in regards to private security firms and how they are used by the US Military in Iraq.

Private security firms do not have to adhere to the same rules and regulations that an organized military force has to adhere to.

Can you say Loop Hole?

Seems that Blackwater - currently the most infamous of the US band of private hooligans has a much higher incident rate then the military themselves. Their mandate is shoot first, ask questions never.

Now does anyone still remember L Paul Bremer - the former American Administrator who came into the picture after the main combat was complete in Iraq? Well one of the first piece of legislation he issued was a decree that granted immunity to American military and civilian personnel from criminal prosecution in Iraqi courts.

Can you say Loop Hole?

So this basically says that the Iraqi courts cannot prosecute the US military or US civilians!!! - Take a minute to digest this and the implications....

We have a invading army - and supporting admin staff - destroying the country, the people and the infrastructure and they cannot be prosecuted by any laws that the country has in place - what is that all about!!

No wonder the Iraqis are pissed off.

Don't worry though - Condelezza will ensure that with every Blackwater patrol there will be a member of the "Bureau of Diplomatic Security" riding with them to ensure everything is kosher. Kind of like leaving an AA member in charge of the beer tickets.....

And does anyone else notice how these "policy adjustments" all come about as a result of some scandal or another that has leaked out. The military does not seem to be very good at policing it's own but does that really surprise anyone???

I'm sure Condelezza's solution can only help - (tongue planted firmly in cheek)