Nothing Is Something Sometimes

Reflecting back, I complain a lot about congress doing nothing. But it was recently pointed out to me that the fact that they do nothing means they actually get something done. As oxymoronic as this sounds it is kind of true. They did not act to resolve the fiscal cliff we fell off of, what happened? We got tax hikes and budget cuts. Both of which could eventually lead to a lessening of our deficit. Perhaps these folks are idiot savants. Maybe too we all should do nothing and the problems of the world will resolve themselves....

Comforting Thoughts

Sometimes I get frustrated that no one is reading my insights here. Speaking into the void I feel. (I do envision my many secret followers however.)

Well some relief has come. Now I know I do for sure that I have some readers. So greetings to all of you at the NSA and other assorted government agencies who are following me. You are doing a good job, keep up the good work. And hey, feel free to comment if you want.

It is always nice to know that you have someone to listen. Very comforting actually.

Just A Click Away

How much do you rely on the Internet? It does seem to solve everything doesn't it? There are certainly answers for everything there, just no way to tell if they are correct or not.

Over time we come to rely more and more on the information there for everything from hotels to stay in, to how to cure obscure diseases we cannot pronounce but think we have. There are even programs out there that can balance not only our budget but our countries as well (not a bad idea actually).

What is also the true is that if there is not a ready solution already for some problem, someone is working on an Internet based solution. I can imagine programmers creating peace talk apps that will work on a smart phone (not a bad idea either).

It is a brave new world. It is a wonderful world. Better, happier healthier living through technology. Apart from an increase in carpal tunnel, vision problems, diminished social skills, ganglions, neck pain....

Flat Taxes and Unemployed IRS Agents

I am all for simplifying our tax codes to be a flat rate. You make this much, you pay this much. What is so complicated about that? What would be unfair about that?

How easy it would be. No long forms to fill out, no special interests for some, and not for others to take advantage of.  That would be special!

I am even led to believe this type of tax plan could make more money for our debt ridden government. Hey they could probably save enough to start another war and employ all of the out of work IRS agents as administrators.

Maybe I need to change my meds.

Droning On

When I was kid I used to have build airplane kits. Big paper wings on them and then do remote control flying of them. I usually crashed them and their debris was deposited somewhere it was not wanted. I could never get the knack of it.

I thought of this as I was reading about drones the other day. It was an article about using them to deliver burritos. What a great idea, (take out food delivery drivers take note - your career is threatened). What I thought remarkable is that these planes can fly and land and do stuff like drop burritos on exact GPS coordinates.

Yes I know they are also effective and used to drop bombs to kill people, but then too many burritos could have an adverse effect on your life as well. This is not the point I want to make. What I admire is that folks have perfected the technology I played with so many years ago. I’d like to think of myself as a pioneer in the field of drone development thinking and now drone writing.

There was also at time when I thought flying to the moon would be a crazy idea.

Pith Masks

You gotta wonder about the guy a couple weeks ago who stood up and rambled for twenty plus hours seemingly about repealing the health care act while reading Dr. Seuss. What is the purpose really? Seems like yet another waste of time and tax dollars. I have had enough of our government wasting both my time and money. They do not get it. I propose training for all of them in the art of being pithy and speaking succinctly.

(Then again, maybe we could force them all to wear pith masks that they must speak through. The mask would have a computer chip that would convert their ramble into a few short sentences and then cut them off.)

Of course I know it was a grandstand show for his fifteen minutes of fame among voters in his state. What is sad is that is the sort of thing that voters respect there - rather than actually doing anything. Boy would I like that job. I will not drone on here until next time.

Governmental Darwin

Well we are at the crux of another crisis. Last month it was near war. This month the sequel to the fiscal cliff and government shut down. All of this is good for us right? We need excitement and more stress in our lives right. Well maybe everyone else does.

In the meantime some guy is talking nonsense for twenty plus hours trying to repeal the one act of this Congress that might help us cope, health care. If you have ever been without healthcare you know what I am talking about. No health insurance means more stress and more stress means more likely to have health problems. Vicious circle and very Darwinian. Ironically a lot of those fighting the healthcare act are also probably people who would argue against Darwin.

What is Right?

Well we it seems we may have averted a war with Syria for the moment. I mean it would have been ironic for our Nobel Peace Prize winning President to lead us into another war in another country in a place most of us know nothing about.

I can understand the need to take a moral high ground, but have to ask why our country does not do more to adhere to the same moral rectitude here in America when it comes to us 99 percenters. Okay I know I'll be lambasted for equating the weapons of mass destruction allegedly used over there with the way the 1% economically put us in our place here ... so I will not say that. I'll simply say it sure would be nice to have our country spend its time and money to provide all of us health care benefits, a higher quality of living, and perhaps deal with the weapons of minimal destruction (assault rifles) that plague our streets over here with the same fervor that they wanted to take us to war. At least for a start. Okay, there is more money to made to made with a good war - I'll concede history has taught has that -and I guess that is what it is really all about - more income inequality.

Isn't it time we fought for ourselves?

A Timely Reminder

War, huh, yeah

What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Say it again, y'all

War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

Ohhh, war, I despise
Because it means destruction
Of innocent lives

War means tears
To thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives

I said, war, huh
Good God, y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing
But a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Ooooh, war

It's an enemy to all mankind
The point of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction

Who wants to die
Aaaaah, war-huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Say it, say it, say it
War, huh
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Say it again y'all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend
That's the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life
It can only take it away

Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it

War, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing

The message is clear and something I wish more people would just get.

A tune covered by The Temptations, The Boss, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood but we all know best the Edwin Starr version.

Mashed Potatoes

"Get in the hole". Is there a more stupid thing to yell at deafening decibels when a golfer tees off on a par 5 hole? Barely, but "mashed potatoes" edges it out for me. Fifteen seconds of fame golf fans hoping to be heard by the nation or world during a live telecast.

Yes these are indeed stupid people with no respect for the game, or free speech. Dignity and respect being both dying values these days, and as they die among fans on a golf course so they ripple up through society into the upper echelons of social, work and political circles.

In the name of free speech I would prefer something more along the lines of someone orating a phrase the way they do in Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, or even better, a Pussy Riot performance. Yes I long for a time when dignity and decorum were broken for a meaningful purpose, not an ego induced meglomania. I long not just for free speech, but free speech that carries our society forward.

False Promises

Following on from my mini tome on "its Only Business", here is the sequel. False promises is a great euphemism for what I want to say for so much of what goes on in our world. Day to day life is replete with false promises from government, business and industry, and people we know. (Backstabbers be aware - we do know you are there). Do I even really need to delineate how many false promises we hear everyday? Hey, our whole society is built for the most part on these false and unfulfillable promises - unless perhaps you are in the one percent.

As we live our life based on these inconsistencies, the mechanisms to continue to delude us to believing them proliferate through the media. We can only help but become delusional about reality - until IT happens. When IT happens though, it does seem we may achieve some clarity on reality. Eyes wide shut to eyes wide open. Thanks Stanley....

Just what is it, it is what it is..... They smile in your face...

You Know, It's Only Business

I love the expression that it is "only business". What a great excuse for terrorizing the psyche of friends, foes, and associates as you ruin (in most cases) their lives. "Your fired",  "Sorry, it's only business."

It is a sad society where something being business justifies almost any and all abuses on others. Yes, dollars are more important than people, and people with more dollars are more important than those with less dollars. (This is why for example when I am cut off by someone driving a Lexus SUV I do not get angry - I know they are more important than me ... But that is another tale I think.)

What I deduce from all of this among many other things is that business has at no point any interest in humanity or people. But then many others have realized this before me. But like you, I am just working for a living, and subject to taking what the dollarmasters are giving.

Shopper Safety

Last time I wrote about my belief in installing traffic lights at the intersection of major aisles within stores of all sorts. The cynical of you caught on that I did not talk about the additional revenue a store might gain by ticketing violators - but I have to say that to do that would be wrong. So no, I do not advocate that. This is simple a safety issue for me.

Along the same lines, I am also recommending that silent policeman be installed in those very same aisles. For those of you who do not know, a silent policeman is another name for a speed bump. Trolley pushers and cart wielders would just have to slow down.

As our economy recovers and consumer spending increases, these are ideas we should implement for all of our safety. If we are unwilling to regulate guns and those who shoot and kill shoppers and others with them, perhaps we can at least protect ourselves with less intrusive government policies such as these being implemented.

Signals in Store Aisles

I am reviewing a proposal to install customer guidance systems (CGS) in larger stores. Basically this means signals and stop signs where aisles meet to prevent people from running into one another. Great idea I think.

I witnessed a near collision the other day in a Walmart between a very focused wheel chair person and an intent motorized shopping cart driver. Visions of personal injury, lawsuits, and people impoverished or bankrupt from the ensuing medical bills. How can America not afford to implement these CGS's in every major store in the land? A guidance system will certainly cut down on the near misses at major aisles and all of the repercussions. 

I guess you know how I will vote.

We can now bring pocket knives on planes. That is progress in the right direction don’t you think? Whomever made this decision must work for Swiss Army. 

Now that we can though, I will need to know if I can bring on a fork so I can eat my airline meal in style. I cannot wait to stick one of those utensils into a chicken Kiev or similar meal and have it spray my seat mates with hot butter. I own a dry cleaner you see. America is just great.

Oh wait, airlines do not serve food anymore. Greatness again impeded.

Bang Bang

Time to ponder again. Although pondering does not convey the current urgency that seems so pervasive these days. No I have not confused urgency and idiocy, but I can see why you might think I had. I may have to admit that idiocy no longer ires me as much as before. Perhaps I just expect it - and I do actually. As Dylan wrote so long ago...

Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your mouth

Blowing down the back roads headin' southIdiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth

You're an idiot babe

It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe 

That about sums up my feelings after reading that the desire for gun control is waning in the Senate and in the court of public opinion. Next will I be reading that we all need our own assault weapon so we can forestall terrorist attacks at sporting events?

Fly Me

I am sitting here in the airport and a a little short on time. You see I was counting on the FAA guys to be on furlough thanks to the sequester, but for once congress acted and got that sorted out - they are all apparently back to work - and my flight is not delayed. Great news! Anyway with no delay I can get on the plane right away and be off how nice, but dear readers no time to write this post.

Oh they are calling my name....back in a minute.

Well, seems I have been bumped for some VIP congressman needing to get home.

Coincidence. I think not.

The Kids Allowance

I hold back on paying people when they do not perform as expected. I also cut the kids allowance when they have done something that I am not happy about. Call mean mean spirited, but I have always thought promises should be adhered to and persons paid when they do a good job. Would you pay a plumber who comes out to fix a leak and is unable to do so because he cannot decide how to do it? Or how about an indecisive handyman? I am pretty sure you would not.

This brings me to our current Congress. and government. They want me to pay them for not performing and not making decisions. Actually they seem to want our money for their blustering about and posturing about this and that but doing nothing. That sort of behavior would see me cut the kids allowance, so why not Congress? You just wonder if we cut off their money if they might just start to get things done. Okay, call me a dreamer.

No I am sure we will all (or most of us) send in our tax payments so they can rest assured they get another year to do nothing. What a great job for them, and a very real reason why I think we are just being screwed.

Ah, the Taxman.

Time is Not Money

They say time is money. Well I have been experimenting with concept and I can definitively say that sitting around and doing nothing with one's time does not increase the amount of money one has. In fact, there is more time to spend it, so you have to actually be more frugal.

So with this empirical evidence in hand - time does not result in money - I feel obliged to not only let all of you know this, but also our dysfunctional friends in Washington. They are wasting not only our time but also our money by sitting around and not sorting out the fiscal issues we face.

I accept the the fact that they did nothing in the past and have done nothing so far this year but delay, because they too were under the delusion that time is money. I say it again, time does not accrue money, wasting time costs money.

I may have to officially announce my openness to consider a position with the Fed and also to perhaps accept any forthcoming Nobel Prize nominations for debunking this particular myth.

Also just for you cynical ones out there, yes I know you are there - I did not get paid any money for sitting around and figuring this out. So I "Ain't Wastin Time No More" my friends...