DONKEYS UNITE: BRAY

No deal Brexit = Trump deal

For those of you not Anglophile, not Macroeconomic, non-International Foreign Relations types, too frustrated with the current governing political party, or exasperated by all the endless anti-human drama, let me carefully and simply explain what we have just seen in the United Kingdom:

Russia, international power elites and domestic corrupt forces all decided and colluded to accept Moscow’s offer of weaponizing our democracies against the interest of the proletariat majority for which they were best designed.  

The British political scene, after Trump’s false election, left to a hardworking female Minister, Teresa May, a need to attempt to lead the shambolic powers that forced Trump and Brexit on our democracies.

The hamstring that these non-native forces created have deadlocked both nations in socio-political turmoil ever since.  Be clear: Russia loves it!

This left May unable to effectively deal with an impossible situation of panic negotiating a deal for which there was no true mandate or very real will politically.

Rather than Tory’s or Republican’s recognizing a national threat, and responsibly handing power back to the People for further instructions; the selfish principle of absolute power corrupting absolutely has then shown the elected powers the rest of the way, probably just as the Communists designed this anti-democratic process.

May’s dithering, premised upon missing actual national zeitgeist, brought a bad deal that UK government roundly rejected.  If your facts or hypothesis is wrong, then you don’t have a viable theory.  Russia has planted billions if not trillions of misinformations seeds to sprout confusion everywhere.

BREXIT, the British Exit from the very complicated and carefully constructed EU, was a rush job. Logically, if the British people voted on a majority referendum to undue five generations of hard work, blood, sweat, tears and literally world war(s), then it would be logical that their government returns to the people with a full recommendation to implement that directive.  So, in democracy, throwing it to the people, there would have automatically been another vote once Brexit won, and May had a complete process defined, and accepted by Parliament.

But that’s not what happened at all, and that is why Russia loves it.  They tasked a government   with no initiative, without natural logic or rhetoric, to wreck a process that one could argue has been ongoing in Europe since Charlemagne (9^thcentury CE). 

BREXIT is an impossible task, with unreasonable expectations, and sponsored by oligarchic ideas coming from foreign influence about what is best for our domestic citizenry.  It is time to BRAY:

            BRitish stAY

That is also the sound a Donkey makes, and so by now Americans, who would prefer a Democrat, even if they themselves are not a registered Democrat, also are probably ready by now to bray a “Hee-Haw.”

‘Take that Napoleon,’ the Russian counter intelligence officer most possibly said probably hoping we elect even more incompetents.  It’s understandable.

It isn’t that citizens were not expressing themselves, or voting their minds, three years ago, rather that at the margins, an old Soviet program designed to destroy any enemy socio-political system during warfare, was redesigned and implemented in the New Russia against adversaries, if not enemies.

Russia has shown: You only needed to trick about 2% of the populous from democratic nations, in this case either USA or UK population in 2016, and opposite to what Lincoln observed, “you can then fool most of the people.”

And the Communist weaponized democracy plan (from the earnest Cold War around the 60’s & 70’s probably) worked!

Right to Work

So why are our citizens (and the power elites) accepting this Faustian bargain?

One thought is that the “1%” are setting up systemized and semi-permanent destruction of labor, working poor, and the disenfranchised. 

In 2013, I worked in the Bakaan in ND as a back-office manager for a construction company. North Dakota and the state I moved to and have now lived in for five years non-stop, Colorado, have “right to work” laws.

Let’s be clear: This is an Orwellian title.

I eventually sorted out the accounts (receivable / payable) for this company with ~$50MM annual payroll. Right as things began to line up, I was terminated from my department (I was 43 then) by the twenty-something, who had been running the department, my Supervisor, and for no reason given was dismissed.

Without any further information, these last years, I deduced that ‘right to work,’ actually means the right to be fired by the inefficient, corrupt or reckless Supervisor, who you may discover their poor work that will fire them from company, against whom you may actually have more experience, skill, and right to be retained over as the good worker in the Company.  However, under this arrangement, your company has the right to be played by a corrupt actor, and you as a worker have the right to be kept in the dark, permanently, so as to be even further played.

So, really, it’s the right to be randomly fired for no reason without any documentation.  This helps cronyism, corruption, dishonesty, illegality, and general poor management.

Not what you want in the Annual Report of your publicly traded company, is it?  But for mid-sized non-publics this improves their profits, even if it disimproves their quality and business model.

This feature of NO-DEAL BREXIT, preferred by PM Johnson, et. al., and situation in our “Red State” America, is really the right for employers to destroy the labor market in any state where such a priority supposedly exists.  Hence paying lower overall wages in exchange for poorer quality work.

WWII Triumvirate and the Naughty piece of paper

At the Yalta Conference, 1945, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt had the situation at hand, and had to agree to work together to put an end to full-fledged international warfare. For what?Y

So, what you don’t like Hitler, or Nazis, or whatever…. What do we get for helping?

Churchill referred to a ‘naughty small piece of paper’ the three had secretly negotiated, wasn’t declassified until the 80’s.  It gave Russia everything in Europe East of West Germany.  

Roosevelt was satisfied with USA mandatory financial opportunism and participation in rebuilding (Marshall Plan), Spanish claims from victory in 1915 Spanish-American war, and general control of Atlantic/Pacific dominance provided by ‘our’ Panama Canal.

Churchill and UK were given command of everything in Europe West of East Germany.

1960’s – 80’s European Common Market harmonization (also last time wages grew in USA)

As a youth studying WWII, it was amazing to behold the European Common Market, which took decades to coordinate.  

And yet with a simple majority, of less than a majority of the entirety of the UK voters, deciding to trash seventy pus years of careful multilateral coordination, put all that effort in the rubbish bin of history?

In the USA, wages in terms of real inflation have not moved significantly since Regan.

90’s post Communism Unilateralism

The Berlin Wall fell, precisely because the Soviet Union had absolutely lost its mandate from the people (that Communism aspires to represent the People better than any other).

Yet, Berlin, Beijing, and now even North Korea, want the spoils from modern economies of scale, international finance, and mass distribution of the economy and world resources.  That indicates an era that would be inclusive, International, and premised upon capitalistic free trade with reasonable regulatory apparatuses.

We have been the only unilateral power for under three decades and have failed in the USA to truly enshrine our role as liberator of the free world.  Instead, we ran a smash and grab job.  It was so “easy,” we are still in those conflicts 18 years later, and unfortunately like Korea, Germany, and Japan we will have servicemembers of our nation stationed there probably for generations.  That is not peace.

00’s Republican False War

When we were attacked 18 years ago by a dusty bunch of misogynist terrorists, because, well, we were the Unilateral Power.  We had a huge target on our back.

Had Bush the younger only focused upon Afghanistan, left us out from full warfare with Iraq, and instead prosecuted a straight forward conflict with clear goals and objectives, the war ought to be well over.

Except, even Obama had to remain for two terms in both Iraq and Afghanistan, because resources were not brought to bear judiciously by his predecessor, goals and objectives too ambitious, diffuse and unrealistic, and no full consensus for war.

In the 90’s, before Colin-Powell nonnerated (-90%) his reputation by selling the war to the UN with fake evidence, he had a military policy that won us the Gulf War— 1. Only go in with an exit strategy! & 2. If you break it fix it!!

Maybe, USA ought to think about being less adventurous, interventionist, and manipulative in matters of the military?

10’s Aftermath

So, now we are trying, very ex-post-facto, to finally fix it?

With no real strategy to exit, then we have yet to exit—it still is the original SNAFU FUGASI.  Had Bush treated Al-Qaeda and the Taliban like Obama did ISIS, then we would be much less involved by now.

Yet, Bush the Younger insisted that we must take Iraq (sigh, yes, for the oil).  This is a hangover from 1948, and the British claims from Empire. There was no real stated cause, justifying further access to those specific Natural Resources.

So, it is no wonder that by now more than half of veteran personnel who had fought in these conflicts consider them foreign adventures, not defensive wars.

2016 Russia

What would you say if Churchill, Roosevelt, or Stalin decided to not punish Germany for Annexing the Sudetenland or invading Poland?

Putin’s Russia has Annexed Crimea and invaded Ukraine, exactly like Hitler (not an ad hominem)!

So, why would they want to disrupt geopolitics? Just to get a pipeline from Crimea to Paris??

Regardless of their endless motives, Russia attacked the US, UK, and lord knows who else by 2016.  We must stop denying this attack has happened.

There is nothing that suggests anything has been cleared up, or that it isn’t still an ongoing situation to be mitigated.

What is a Socialist?

A socialist is someone who believes that although government is formed by people for common defense often with rights of citizenry abrogated, but in exchange additional or improved rights inure to every citizen, without expectation of quid pro quo.

Every government that has had a ‘society’ to be designed, run and supported by the resources of that entity, then by definition is ‘socialist.’  Genghis Khan, Hitler and Stalin employed social-ism when they redirected resources away from normative distribution based on laws of supply and demand--- ONLY!

So, “Socialist,” is more a derogatory term referring in American ‘dog-whistle’ to what would have been McCarthy Communists, not ‘socialists.’

There has been no pure Capitalist system in the world—ever.  And “free-trade” is a myth, because now we know we need to peg price to carbon dioxide production with some taxation, tariff and/or trading system that accounts for industrial pollution rapidly consuming the Earth we know and understand. Therefore, there will never be a rational or logical escape by Society from small “s” socialism.

Gandhi, FDR, and Reagan were also all Socialists.  

It is pretty hard without socialism to defend and/or operate a society without people, or a system to enhance people away from ‘the law of the jungle.’  All societies have always been socialist by definition of the word social.

What is a Communist?

A Communist on the other hand is someone who believes in magic thinking about the world.  Were we developmentally stunted by ages four years old, then Communism might sort of work.  We would be psychologically stuck in the Dependency Phase of our lives.

But by the time we are nine or ten years old our comparative minds deduce that, ‘society is not always in my favor.’  So, we learn discretion, and that pinky promises are rarely kept eternally.

This is the perfect parent theory.  A top down elite fully control production and distribution of resources.  Thanks mommy.

But nanny-state, what color dress should I wear today to my Communist Party?

(Hopefully, I won’t be arbitrarily or capriciously punished or detained for guessing the wrong outfit, today.)

If you ever meet a Communist here is their rhetorical dismissal in favor of liberal democracy:

“So, as a Communist you believe in full faith for the State to determine everything and anything about your life no matter how orderly, arbitrarily or capriciously?”

‘Yes.’

“Ok, so today were giving you a choice, when do you want to schedule your execution?”

The Communist in total faith leaves all sense of responsibility to the state, until such time as the command and control distribute to you your responsibilities.  You said you love pure top down love, so that includes arbitrary and capricious executions of the (potentially very compliant yet vital) citizens.  In this example, it would become that Communist’s responsibility distributed by the state as a citizen to die!

Why “liberal” democracy is worth saving from the 10^thlargest economy?

So, what is a liberal?

A liberal means that you do not believe only the elite have a right to resources, power and access to capital.  Everyone who can take and pay a business loan, ought to be not only allowed to ‘fair consideration,’ but with equanimity to all citizens that they may be better able to deploy capital from the reasonable distribution of such funds.

Everyone who does not believe that a King, Queen or Emperor should make all their housing, employment and/or clothing decisions is then a sort of liberal.  Everyone who also believes that people should be allowed to vote instead of complying with “mandates from heaven,” is then a ‘liberal democrat.’

Show me the American who wished King George’s great grandchildren were running the USA to their whim and fetish, and I will say that citizen may not be a liberal democrat, otherwise…. Now tell that person they cannot vote to have a say, and then they are only a liberal without a vote.

How many Americans do you think want to make that trade with Putin and his people??

Why “Free Trade,’ is preferable to Trade War

Ideally, free trade makes a certain load of sense, but again then you turn twelve years old.  You recognize that people say things that don’t always match their deeds.  So, anyone who is a pure free-trader has a simplistic fantasy of distribution of resources, and is a poor business-person, because of no working knowledge of capitalist competition.

Good, competitive and open markets will always need impartial regulation and neutral enforcement mechanisms, until such time as all people agree to never cheat, steal or swindle one another, ever again.  And then without compunction still choose in perpetuity not to take advantage of the situation, even after the agreement was made.

That is almost the opposite definition of capitalism and sounds suspiciously like the justifications for the Trade War.  Beggar thy neighbor.

Capitalism thrives on opportunitism, I get 90% of resources because I tricked 98% of the people, is not a reasonable long-term method of managing International Macro-economies.

The ideal of Free Trade amongst international partners, rather, is that the starting premise that the negotiation is of mutual respect and fair cooperative distribution of resources between the macroeconomies, simultaneously, to better manage resources including competition.  

No part of that statement seems like there would then follow a righteous recommendation for no rules, regulations nor enforcement mechanisms.

A free-trader is someone who respects wholeset economies of scale and chooses to improve their efficiencies and distribution.  That in practice is the opposite of lawbreaking.

Why Democracy Works

When the zeitgeist of the UK citizenry was reminded of their diminished status, compared to USA and Russia, there was a logical rhetoric, “hey, what about Malta?”

Churchill probably left the meeting and this life imagining that the UK would be at the permanent head of the EU, or other such arrangement.  But 75 years of cooperation and compromise will inevitably stir such fundamental statist greed. Britain as an equal amongst European States created some resentment, probably unconsciously.  

This may only be one of the many spices from the flavor of BREXIT, but it bears out as one potential valid historical avenue of public discontent.

It is an ongoing question to the EU governors to demonstrate the great and general value of an united Europe, as opposed to having Europe dispositioned to become, yet again, subject to another Cesar, Napoleon or Hitler.

VOTE

Tell me, what is it called when a Corporation gets a tax break or other government incentive?

That is called ‘socialist redistribution of national resources.’  Otherwise, why does Amazon.com pay low to no tax every year as one of the largest operations?

So, every major and most minor American companies are socialist.  They freely petition, ask and receive resources distributed by the government.  That is capital “S” Socialist!

So, the big game in the USA (less able to say much further about UK) is blame individuals, workers, poor, disenfranchised, and others for state failure, and consider a huge government handout to corporation a capitalist event.  No part of that is not Socialist.

Since, 2008, The Great Recession, we have seen policy set by the elite for their own purposes and end games for the market.  The Economy does good, but how about the workers, downtrodden and disabled who already poured their troth to the nation, their state, city and company on behalf of growth of national GDP?

In 2009, TARP outright saved businesses but was also a greater (a) hand over of National Wealth to private parties, and (b) public transfer of private wealth than that 1917 Russia—very Commie. We nationalized Wall Street failure, and Bank of America is a benefactor from Communist allocation of resources.

We ignore at our very real risk as a (USA) nation the threats deployed and operated to this day against our society.  Enough is really enough!

No matter who you are, no matter what you believe, the most important thing for you to do is to consider all problems in your nation, see what solutions may exist, and vote, every time, for the person who most and best represents your actual interests. The perverse Wisdom of Crowds (corollary, The Masses are Asses).

At the very least, this democracy promises to end these foolish self-inflicted wounds by eventual operation of the vote.  But let’s be clear, everyone who wants you to be able to be fired at will, total worker disempowerment, also doesn’t want you to ever vote in your nation again so that we may still have Russian Troll Farms screwing with national cronyism, nepotism and corruption.

I hope and “BRAY” for our deliverance.

A Modest Proposition

This is my first post since the Trump Administration took over.

I will not reduce this piece in any manner towards the 'ad hominem,' attacking the individual flaws, not a rebuttal to the premise of the opposition, found throughout this nation today.  Remember 'ad hominem' is a fallacy.

We are at a juncture in our nation's life where decisions for the future are now being discussed.  Taxes, Health, and Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness....

To whit:

In my treatise Metaeconomics, I define a non-tax structure of currencies to create a greater and more abundant state of living;

Seven Market Categories each with their own 'Class' of currencies calibrated to each market need.

1. Survival

2. Social

3. State

4. National

5. International

6. Bourses

7. Macrofinance

The premise and conclusion is that we are commodifying the bare necessities of life, and by not having a proper Benefit-Cost structure for everyone to agree to and reference, we inadvertently have put an actual dollar amount to the Earth, humanity itself, and the individual lives of citizens in general.

As such, I now entreat my recommendations to our present Administration.

The above scheme is well too complex for our current governments systems.  That said we need to talk about Milton Friedman's tax proposal the ruling party are now distorting vastly.  That is the little postcards we will be sending in to address nominally our annual tax portion.

I feel the current Congress wants to eat their cake and have it too.  It seems legislators take to tax exemptions like a cat to catnip-- they cant but help to assist their "constituent(s)" in being picked to 'win.'  Government shouldn't be in the business of picking winners and losers!

I. When all loopholes are closed: we only need an across the board tax of 11%, no loopholes across the board, to over-fund the Treasury, and begin to pay down the debt, and balance the budget.  And to be clear this is across the board-- capital gains, passive income, asset transfer, etc.

1.  First tier, and first moneys are tax free!  The first earned annual $15,000 Single, $25,000 Joint, and $250,000 Business are not taxed.

By lifting the burden of the underclass, we will create an operating market that functions freely at the initial or lowest levels.  This ideally stimulates the creative forces to invest in themselves, but does not allow any taxpayer to 'subcontract' to themselves, so as to only declare minimum tax-free income in, say, five different Taxpayer IDs, that still wholly are the account of that prime TIN in order to avoid taxes altogether.

In other words, just as the FDIC insurance only covers banked money up to $250,000, many elite create "Account ladders," where each portion of their cash wealth is held in as many $250,000 bank accounts, as needed, to insure the whole fortune. 

Similarly, business declarations must be transparent-- that is the premise of the postcards.  We already have the means to audit in real time all the electronic transactions (that would include all Federally approved institutions) nationally.  Cash and assets would only be investigated on sums above this initial threshold.

2. Second tier, 10%-  No deductions no loopholes and no 'motivational tax.'  It is in the interest of the State to ensure that every citizen has the freedom and liberty to pursue their specific happiness. The abundant tax breaks are designed to encourage a citizen to (a) buy a home, (b) get married, and (c) have kids.  That is the formula to create more citizens, a natural resource.  The more citizens, the more tax revenue, and so tax breaks have been tinkered with to create the byzantine code extant.

After initial first tier clearance, this second tier would cap at $40,000 Single, $100,000 Joint, and $650,000 Business.

For example:

Ralph Doe made $38,000 in a year, he would only have a "tithe to the state" upon the remaining $23,000-- thus a tax of $2,300-- and Ralph can easily estimate how much to save, every year.  

The Smiths earned $55,000 jointly, and because they could anticipate and easily calculate, they saved to pay the 'tithe;' ($55k - $25k = $30 x .1 = $3,000).

Acme LLC, a small cap C-Corporation, earned $422,000 in a year, and having been granted the first $250k tax-free to do as they need and want, they then earned an additional $172,000 above the exemption ($422k-$250k=$172k x .1 = $17,200). 

Sorry no write offs or loop holes, because when Milton Friedman made the tax simplification argument, it included ending all the bizarre and overly detailed escapes from taxation creating an effective net zero. 

Large cap businesses currently operate with most or all of their tax liability erased by every esoteric tax break currently on the books-- not the nominal 39%.  The savings for larger companies will occur with the redundancy of certain financial specialists they require to staff in order to have the "net zero" tax.

3. Third Tier, 12.5% after second tier and up to: $100,000 Single, $250,000 Joint, and $1,000,000 Businesses, annually.

4. Fourth Tier, 15% after third tier and up to: $650,000 Single, $1,000,000 Joint, and $10,000,000 Businesses, annually.

5. Final Tier, 20% after fourth tier and after fourth tier annual maximums.

All loopholes and favors are closed, except the ability to write off only donations to any 501c3 non-profit organization.  Other 501s, such as political organizations, or any other TIN classes are not "Tax Free," and have to conform to the above scheme.  (Maybe also keep the Mortgage Deduction, [and the State-level taxes] but again that begins the slippery slope of horse trading for more esoteric tax breaks.)

This final nominal 20% should also be tithed upon all capital gains, estate, and transfer taxes above the fourth threshold-- and realize a net TAX CUT OF OVER 25%!

This is just a simple tithing scheme.

II. Trump Care (ACA)

Here I provide a simple testimonial;  The ACA saved my life.

I have been recovering my health since 2009 when I began experiencing what was diagnosed as Arthritis.  When I finally got ACA health care in 2014, I was allowed my pre-existing conditions to be treated, I began to successfully manage symptoms I would have died of probably by 2016 without healthcare.

It turns out I have been in chronic pain via fibromyalgia much of my life.

By creating a safety net for all citizens, we increase the Potential Energy of the Economy (promising intrinsic future GDP).

Health is critical.  I have argued in my last post extensively.

By allowing our overseas competition to fund free health care we compete with an implied reverse tariff against us.  By insuring their citizens, they relieve businesses of cost burden to carry Employees.

Further, if we just simply eliminate the age requirement for Medicare, and wrap the Federal Employee Insurance (that Congress and Federal Employees have), and the VA System in to the folds of Medicare and Medicaid, most citizens would be able to rid themselves of illness and diseases to improve our productivity.

This leads to one of the most serious issues for the general benefit and health of our citizenry: Environment.

III. Reconcile Environmental and Economic policies.

I am totally saddened by the situation in Japan of Fukushima.  The robots died within minutes of contacting the radiation pit spewing radioactivity into the Pacific Ocean and destroying our fisheries.  Not to mention Garbage Island.

We are at a juncture where if we fail to act and coordinate amongst ourselves as humans on this earth, Mother Earth will shake us off-- in 100, 1000, or 10,000 years-- at the rate we are going how much longer do you assume we can last?

The natural resources are being opened up to industry, and regulations are being diminished, destroyed and dumped like a bad habit.

Climate Extremity deniers have failed to prove their premise now for forty years!  Data regarding man-made carbon increases was first uncovered in the 1960's from a military surveillance in Hawaii.  By the 1980's James Burke appeared throughout the Western world attempting to explain the probabilities and ramifications of our unchecked growth.  In the 1990's Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., created the words, "thermodynamic system," in an earnest appeal to the public to help comprehend our situation of overall increasing temperatures.  By, 21st century, Vice-President Gore further explained that our ignorance is costing us RIGHT NOW, very dearly.

Which helps us to arrive at International Relations.

IV. The World occurs with or without us.

1. Environment: The Paris Accord has been the result of decades of International Negotiations-- Kyoto, Doha, and Paris-- representing monumental achievements of Diplomacy.

Our failure to embrace the completion of the International realization that we as a species have very little time to have any say in what world we leave the next seven generations is abysmal. This is no surprise to the "woke folk," including the 99.9% of Scientists that agree we are facing a Monumental Challenge as a species.

The people who doubt "Global Warming" have a point.  Earth still has winter.  But Snow (winter-- a Season, not a climate) doesn't disprove what is best termed Climate Extremity-- hurricanes needing a Category 6 level?  (Remember basic science: where if a molecule is heated the energy excites [expands], and that is how every day we boil water for coffee, tea, etc.-- hence oceans providing increasing water to the excited storms.)

2. Diplomacy: The 'talking tough,' emphasis on conflict in the International arena is a fools errand.

In my book (available as second draft [still haven't corrected the indexes]) Metaeconomics, I define Perpetual or Constant (k) Warfare (W).  Perpetual Warfare (kW) is impossible to sustain and is NOT STABILITY.  History bears this out over and over.

War makes profits.  It devistates the underclasses.  And it also destroys our Terra Firma upon which we succor.

V. Conclusion

We are simultaneously the Oldest Democracy, yet one of the younger nations.

In my various travels abroad, I have heard repeated many times the opinions that we are viewed as an Adolescent by the International community-- picking on the weakest Nuclear Power (NK), but also cozying up to the closest rival (Russia) and Bully.  We must shake off this juvenescence!

Until we can recognize the simultaneous pulls of on the one hand providing guidance to other democracies by best example and primary superpower, while on the other having the humility to learn from ancient nations (France, Japan, etc.), we will not be followed as a world leader within the International Community.

I hope we Americans can make something work to address all of the above.  But I wont be surprised if I am further ignored.... that's Okay, because I am pushing neither "Like," nor "Ignore" on my Social Media radar. Life is more subtle and complex than the simple binary matrices we prefer, just because it fits in our head.

In this day of instant gratifications, immediate knowledge, and mass sub-culturalism (where people only listen to what agrees with their world view, as opposed to facts of concrete reality) we must comprehend that facts, factors, and proven (amongst all the sciences here we reviewed, economic) theory should be respected, observed and obeyed.

I am not going to go for another 30 years with the elites arguing that 'trickle down economics' operates within the mechanics of economy, is somehow to the benefit of all, and good economic and social policy (lest we compare the environmental disasters we are regularly carrying out in this grand open chemistry experiment).

So 'snapoutofit' and create reasonable by-partisan laws with clear-eyed leadership, please.

4 years of low hanging fruit

Obama gave a somewhat inspired if not entirely exciting State of the Union.

The key notes I heard that I will hold him and the Democrats to account for in 4 years:

1. End the War
2. Universal pre-school
3. Access to benefits / retention of Obamacare-Social Security-Medicare
4. Improved Veterans Benefits
5. Active measures to improve the economy by improving Energy Independence and the Environment.

It is mostly on this last point that I will speak;

a. Tax Reform equals Environmental reform.
b. End subsidization of archane technologies and established players, back to investor of first and last resort.
c. Support STEMs in Education.

a. By closing loopholes in a conscientious and clear manner, there will no longer be a dispensation for making profit at all costs (where the environment takes the burden as resource and resolution).

Although not as clearly defined by the powers-that-be, the need for reform has a throughput onto the ideas introduced by Schumacher as Small is Beautiful. becomes that ecosystem and ecological thinking is in effect environmentally correct long-term economic development.

Obama was dancing at the edge of this thinking without removing any of his obvious commitments to the Corporate System.

However, a clever tax system will try to become clever by half playing "lets make a deal."  The second step to truly resolving the Environmental equation for Cost-Benefit-Analysis is for holistic and conscientious Tort Reform.  That is a hot potato in the Do Nothing Congress Part II we are effectively beginning to witness (although I am open to being wrong-- see Sequestration).


b. Corn Ethynol, Oil, and Fracking are all subsidized, although science clearly puts them in the back of the Carbon efficiency line (would that they list in order from most to least carbon efficient).  That carbon efficiency in conjunction with time for development (with unlimited resources) should inform what priority to grant and burse the otherwise limited resources dedicated to Energy and Technology.

As mentioned, the investments by the people for the people are best as first and last resort-- like radio and other experimental technologies the US government and the people have been the ones who "built the railroad," not the tycoons who then scooped up and organized for profit the activities.

Hopefully in four years we will have sensibly realigned subsides so that the only thing big oil is getting is small relief for the retooling of extant refineries to become clean, non-polluting, and carbon efficient.


c. All other social concerns aside, and with the full-throated support of the scientifically true "first five," as we call early childhood development, education and care in California, the next step is to raise a generation not afraid to do math, believe in science, or be transparent in their actions as citizens.

It is not the government that will lead the inevitable democratization of truth, rather it is the people.  Let's pay teachers what they are due for tending the most valuable natural resource we have, isn't it time?

I didn't hear a "socialist" argument as the Republicans over the decades are fond to label, rather a proactive agenda on education that accepted truths (like global warming) where for whatever reason the less than 1% of scientists disagree with the issue writ large (does climate change exist?).

A fact-based reality based education system will, informed by all the sciences and technologies, force a fundamental zugzwang by the Federal in favor of the local education officials-- and that is something I have heard every republican quick on the "commie," or "Socialist," trigger belly ache for power to rest in the local not Federal powers where education is concerned.

Yet, it was Bush II, who forced the random test driven multiple choice idiocracy called "no child left behind."

Incentivize the collaboration in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with new and existing public-private relationships by also having the principles found in STEM, logic, and reason inform the process and development of this completely new world of education, knowledge, and technology, and any disadvantage from the retooling of our outmoded educational system (writ large) will fall away very quickly once children are given the access to tools already available-- just not very widely at time of publication.

Lets see if reason will spread like a disease in the next four years, or will we continue to appear as a gorilla chasing its tail to the rest of the world?

How Cataclysm is Reality Check

The Disaster in Japan, presently mounting towards becoming something we will only hope to determine in a couple of months could be at least worse than Three-Mile Island and probably not as bad as Chernobyl; that is the Nuclear (Environment [Energy {consumption/scarcity} Economy] Health) Situation.

The Disaster in Japan is an example of the force of the oceans, a vivid recreation of the Indonesian Tsunami, but with the million dollar yachts, middle class houses, and video cameras slushing about everywhere—all floating together equally: that the reality TV, media, yet very real Safety Preparedness issues brought front and center for the World to see.

The Disaster in Japan was also a Massive Series of Earthquakes. Three Disasters in one, and all of them begging questions. Fundamental questions that I am confident the Japanese Society, and the World with which they have built tremendous store of good will, interdependence, and fair trade can answer the questions being asked by this Natural Disaster.

To come back to simplicity, the tragedy shows beggar, rich man, and thief all equally were swept away. All died, and were spared only according to natural forces – not perceptions or falsehoods held by society. Chaos, and randomness. DONATE TODAY!

We can use this crisis soon to be molded into opportunity to better understand our Society, too.


The first question begged, Nuclear, asks us to truly have Utilities, states, and corporations acknowledge that we are currently (this includes everything from Climate Change to Household cleansers, and includes everything else we make) conducting a real-time open ended chemistry experiment with our environs and habitat for which we rely upon sustenance. I have complained very loudly in my book Metaeconomics on the subject of incorrect assessment of lifetime costs and benefit-cost analysis in resource valuation.

The second shows us that seven generations thinking (planning for 7 x 30 = 210 years in advance) is required to address the engineering challenges of Reality posed by the forces of nature, and made worsening of those disasters.

Home itself as physical object is impermanent. So, any disaster in, near, or by the home becomes a scientific and engineering issue. At the extreme end, we have to be conscious also of our massive garbage and waste streams, and thus reusability, recycle-ability, biodegrability, etc.

For example: Is it too much to ask to buy a washing machine that your grandkids could inherit (still operational)? Or imagine you could use parts from your washing machine to replace parts to fix by hand (using simple tools) your futuristic vacuum? That the broken part can be sold for scrap to the local hardware store for re-smelting?

On the other hand, living spaces are designed to ideally (looking at older cultures than ours in Modern USA) last a similar 210 years... or many, many more!

Japan has the opportunity to unleash the resources to create an actual place where they find their best and brightest technological possibilities. Entire new, green, and safe communities can arise by direct result of the response by the question being begged.

Maybe there is hope for Nuclear Safety, but clearly like Deep Sea Oil Drilling, like Trickle Down Economics, and a parade of other less than flexible ideas we have recently witnessed self-destruct (or at the very least flies in ointment canisters -- if not fact based proofs against them) in our times.

Finally, to be specific and real in my example, the idea of a California Coastal Commission has been the obvious joke in my experience (and many others) in real estate, architecture, engineering, planning, design, and other professional experience. Saying CCC in many circles is short hand for bureaucratic nightmare and red tape.

However, by looking at the scope of the challenge now before our friends in Japan, we can see clearly why certain agencies do exist for betterment of common good issues like health, safety, environment and planning. We may however need to streamline, and make efficient this series of systems and conflicting agencies.

So, we should mirror our friends as they rebuild their infrastructure, help them in doing so, and use the massive economic requirements to upgrade and refurbish our crumbling infrastructure system.

• In these next years, the friendship between our nations and the connection and spirit of kinship can only become that much stronger by the real challenges and questions Mother Nature has now asked of all human societies around the world.

Republished: The Ten Healing Reasons for Hemp Legalization

Endorsement: VOTE YES ON PROP 19 - #Prop19

(Originaly Broadcast on K.A.O.S. 89.3 FM in 1994)

Hemp, Cannabis Sativa, termed Maihuana or Marijuana by 1930's "yellow journalists," is possibly the most versatile plant product, which can be grown by humans.

The following shall allude to hard facts and evidence, without exceeding the bounds of these, and without harking directly upon said truths in a statistical manner.

Cannabis species have been coincidentally developed to serve humanity throughout the ages, have fortified historical societies in all matters of evolutionary progression, and shall lightly be referred to hereafter, as such.

The purposes of this article is to appropriately direct attention to the pertinent sequential argumentation in favor of the disbandment of laws which outlaw the Cannabis species.

I pray that I have served well.


First Reason: Air.

Next to Papyrus, Hemp is one of the oldest paper products utilized by humankind, tree forests have been overdrawn from, and have been relegated to the higher role of species resource banks.

The depletion of mature trees has caused a twenty to one-hundred year deficit in the oxygen cycle in terms of total potential (oxygen/carbon ratio). The poisoning of seas and oceans is strangulating the algae, plankton, and other sea weeds, which compose up to 70% of our oxygen supply. These are common facts.

The ability of Hemp species to easily grow in marginal and fertile soils alike, can, in principle, compensate partially for current oxygen cycle deficits by converting otherwise non (low) oxygen interactive bioregions into fixing nitrogen into soils, while creating oxygens.

The cycling, and break-down, of polluted air and soils, on lands otherwise fallowed out as "contaminated," is expediated when Hemp is set to meadow on these. Hemps have rapid cycles, bearing seed annually and semi-annually, and therefore process at proportionate rates of consumption. Of course the products raised on soil are characteristic to the soil, and, thus, are not recommended for use, until soil has mended.


Second Reason: Soil.

A hypothetical meadow growing on marginal, contaminated, or poor soil will not only extract and break-down toxins form both air and soil, but will fix nitrogens at similar rates as a legume while building humus.

Humus is essentially the most biologically active element, which composes soil as we know it.

Hemp when cultivated into soils, or left to rot, not only improves the soil by adding humus, but the roots of many Hemp varieties have the capability of rooting three to ten feet, or more, into the earth. This action loosens many strata of soil layers, fixing nitrogen therein, setting down pathways for water percolation to occur, and thus extracting otherwise locked-up minerals and elements towards the surface. When left to rot, vital microbial activities can occur as deep as the roots set.

With all these factors put into consideration, it is evident that Hemps are a vital agricultural option in the process of soil activation, restoration, and purification. Especially, when one considers the density that Hemp as a monoculture has the capability tto provide in conjunct with many varieties having two, three, and four season fruition capacity. This is one dynamic crop to enhance soil tilth!


Reason Three: Water.

When water percolation rates are increased, soils improved, and vegitation masses, hence transpiration, are increased, or improved, the water cycle is facilitated in manifold ways.

In the scenario where a soils rate of percolation, water table depth, and purity are increased, as in my "contaminated meadow" scenario, water that falls on the land is purified by the percolatory actions, depth improved retention, which in turn produces a complex effect on the water cycles as a whole. Suffice it to say, that waters lodge in the purer soil for longer amounts of time improves water quality.

In areas where land was destroyed by settlement, disasters, or other natural occurrences in which desertification has progressed, when high density crops are procured, the effect of mass transpiration, the breathing of many plants, stimulates winds, attracts humidity, and thus when humidity condenses creates rain. There is no direct evidence to say Hemp will increase rainfall.

However, many Hemp varieties have been reported to successfully cycle with less than ten inches of rainfall and no regular irrigation annually. Hemps are a vital tool in the prevention of desertification worldwide!


Fourth Reason: Fire.

At present, the species homo sapiens is faced with the realization that a lack of carbon dioxide recycling, where carbons are held in check by plant species, is increasing the overall temperatures of our common Earth's functioning.

There is the further problem posed by our contaminantions depleting our tertiary ooxygen cycle, called the Ozone layer, which provides deflection of ultra-violet, among other, spectrums of solar radiation. As I write this article (1994), I believe we have only twelve percent of hard ozone remaining, with the capacity to restore seventy-percent of this ancient shield.

Hemp can reverse these effects by acting as a scaffold forest. The primary cause of this effect is removal of trees, poisoning of waters, and pollution of air supplies. Hemp fields, where nothing else might grow, will increase our oxygen supply, and thus create tertiary oxygens for the increase of our common ozone layer. Hemp will fix nitrogens and hold carbons at a more rapid pace than a forest, but if this is occurring on lands on which no forest is predominant, for whatever reasons, this will be a real improvement. All of this occurs, while poisons are broken down, and forests re-grown -- a scaffold towards common healing.


Fifth Reason: Insects.

Without insects the Earth is dead. This is common agricultural knowledge.

Insects are among the most misunderstood creatures on this planet, yet their evolutionary capacities are extraordinary.

We are slow to realize that the more poisons we throw at a species the more resistant that species becomes. This lack of acknowledgment of the Darwinistic reality of evolutionary progression, has led to penicillin resistant virus strains, virtually immune insects and rodents resistant to our poison traps.

The Native Americans would plant half their crops for the tribe, with a similar or equal proportion of crop for the spirits of nature.

It is thus that I propose the extreme regulation of poisons, in conjunction with mass planting of Hemps on marginal, contaminated, and/or poor soil as offerings for the insects that they become fat-- less resistant.


Sixth reason: Birds.

Within the aforementioned proposal is the inherent understanding that species avian would also gain substantially from these scaffold forests.

Hemp seeds are second only to the soybean in protein content, and are high in what is called healthy cholesterol. This means that as food stuff, the seeds of cannabis species are very popular among avians, or birds.

The procurement of such masses of Hemp, where human activities are limited or restricted, would create huge encampments for all manner of songbird.

The primary deficit to this is in the case of soils being restored from toxins, in which case measures would be required to prevent the addition of these toxins into bird cycles. Hemp fibers make strong, durable, biodegradable netting, and thus might serve this end, too.

The increase in bird populations would stimulate other aspects of the food chain, and simultaneously keep the increased "fat insect" population in check.


Seventh Reason: Starvation.

There were several organizations founded throughout the nineteen-sixties, seventies, and even eighties, which sought to alleviate world wide "hunger," or what I am calling starvation, by some targeted date-- commonly in the Twenty-First Century.

I believe this goal is still possible if the following steps were implemented;

The saturation of marginal lands leaning towards desertification with Hemp Seeds, that able populations might harvest leaves for greens and half of seed harvest as food, with the other half sent back to earth with the stocks for subsequent harvest. Regional collectives might best accomplish these goals.

Hemp plant matter is a healthful animal feed for green eaters, and the seeds are excellent for both plant and seed eaters alike. This is true of humans as well, and thus higher efficiency occurs when human directly eat the Hemp vegetable.

Starvation would be prevented particularly when distribution of supply is facilitated, and so far as I see it, is the real geo-political cause of "hunger."


Eighth Reason: Economics.

It is estimated, were Hemp legalized, over ten thousand industries would be created! Further, it is assumed that the Hemp plant has over fifty-thousand production possibilities.

Hemp can be used as paper, plastic, fuel, rope, fiber, resin, pulp fiber for building products, cloth, food, medicine, and so much more!

Taxes generated by the regulation, licensing, and envigoration of commerce created by Hemp legalization would create a virtual rekindling of the industrial revolution.

The small-farm economy would be revitalized, every paper mill shut down in the past twenty years could re-open, entire houses could be built with Hemp products alone, ships could be fabricated entirely out of Hemp, and clothing made from Hemp would last much longer.

Medical research would be free to find relief, and potentially lead to the curing of diseases, such as, but not limited to, glaucoma, cancer, and HIV/AIDS.

The de facto number on cash crop of the Pacific West could revitalize, stimulate, and expand our legitimate economy, if "legalization" were enacted.


Ninth Reason: Faith.

According to the bible, "And the Earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind; and God saw that it was good." (Gen 1:12)

Also, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." (Pro 15:17)

With these two quotations much speculation can occur, but it appears evident that no human was meant to outlaw the growth of any plant under our common husbandry.

The first Christians, in the Hebraic traditions, were known to have utilized cannabis for spiritual meditations.

In fact, cannabis has been used for this similar, or same, spiritual purpose wherever it was able to grow, for millennia.

Why, now, do we assume ourselves superior, in the exclusion of one of the most vital and powerful crops available to humankind?

I believe the answer is as simple as the biblical notion of greed.

If we as a society are to "not bear false witness" upon an agent of the Earth, then we must avail our guilt in the case of Hemps. The power of big oil, and corrupt government caused the outlaw of cannabis in America.


Tenth Reason: Earthly Salvation.

The Earth, as we know it, would be resuscitated to a state, which resembled, "how we found it," that our progeny might be less encumbered by the legacy of our industrial forbearers, were the actions, parallel, or equal, to the ones I have alluded to in this article, taken.

The Ozone cycle might be revitalized by the addition of what I have termed Hemp Fields; the "greenhouse effect" might be staved off were what I call Scaffold Forests implemented; soil and air would be detoxified; and all Life cycles would be benefited by these strategies.

Were marginal lands planted up world-wide, distribution of the protein-rich Hemp seed facilitated, and water cycles improved through land reclamations, then mass starvation could potentially be alleviated.

The experimentation of anti-desertification on lands where desertification is pending, is also one of the possibilities with Hemp.

The restoration of our economy, now considered relatively unified world-wide, and the creation of innumerable jobs is potential in the legitimization of the Hemp species and products.

The illegalization of Hemp is an effort not worthy of continuing, due to the outstanding circumstances that humanity now faces.

(Origially written for ISBN-- Independent Student Broadcast Network)

BP Aftermath

Knock wood that there will only be an absolute minimum of oil spilt hereafter from the Deep Water Horizon Disaster.

That said, a quick reckoning, and I think the Obama Admin got this right:

My assumptions-- A leak of 80K BBL per Day with a straight line 1% reduction over 86 days to define the various captures, ruptures, and miscillaneous unknown variables (unless BP would like to submit the actual data, instead of somehow going from 1000BBL to 5000BBL to as much as 80000BBL per day-- I feel this method is fair); The fine is $4300 per barrel per day that such oil remains uncleaned;

What we come up with is just about $20BB as of today... BP you better get to cleaning!

(Here is my worksheet [sorry it didn't come out that great, but gotta go]:

Days BBL/dayTOTAL BBLs in MM gal Fine in $MM TOT Fine $BB
1 80000 80000 3.36 $344.00 $0.34
2 79200 159200 6.69 $684.56 $0.68
3 78408 237608 9.98 $1,021.71 $1.02
4 77624 315232 13.24 $1,355.50 $1.36
5 76848 392080 16.47 $1,685.94 $1.69
6 76079 468159 19.66 $2,013.08 $2.01
7 75318 543477 22.83 $2,336.95 $2.34
8 74565 618042 25.96 $2,657.58 $2.66
9 73820 691862 29.06 $2,975.01 $2.98
10 73081 764943 32.13 $3,289.26 $3.29
11 72351 837294 35.17 $3,600.36 $3.60
12 71627 908921 38.17 $3,908.36 $3.91
13 70911 979832 41.15 $4,213.28 $4.22
14 70202 1050033 44.10 $4,515.14 $4.52
15 69500 1119533 47.02 $4,813.99 $4.82
16 68805 1188338 49.91 $5,109.85 $5.11
17 68117 1256454 52.77 $5,402.75 $5.41
18 67435 1323890 55.60 $5,692.73 $5.70
19 66761 1390651 58.41 $5,979.80 $5.99
20 66093 1456744 61.18 $6,264.00 $6.27
21 65433 1522177 63.93 $6,545.36 $6.55
22 64778 1586955 66.65 $6,823.91 $6.83
23 64130 1651086 69.35 $7,099.67 $7.11
24 63489 1714575 72.01 $7,372.67 $7.38
25 62854 1777429 74.65 $7,642.95 $7.65
26 62226 1839655 77.27 $7,910.52 $7.92
27 61603 1901258 79.85 $8,175.41 $8.18
28 60987 1962246 82.41 $8,437.66 $8.45
29 60378 2022623 84.95 $8,697.28 $8.71
30 59774 2082397 87.46 $8,954.31 $8.96
31 59176 2141573 89.95 $9,208.76 $9.22
32 58584 2200157 92.41 $9,460.68 $9.47
33 57998 2258156 94.84 $9,710.07 $9.72
34 57418 2315574 97.25 $9,956.97 $9.97
35 56844 2372418 99.64 $10,201.40 $10.21
36 56276 2428694 102.01 $10,443.39 $10.45
37 55713 2484407 104.35 $10,682.95 $10.69
38 55156 2539563 106.66 $10,920.12 $10.93
39 54604 2594168 108.96 $11,154.92 $11.17
40 54058 2648226 111.23 $11,387.37 $11.40
41 53518 2701744 113.47 $11,617.50 $11.63
42 52983 2754726 115.70 $11,845.32 $11.86
43 52453 2807179 117.90 $12,070.87 $12.08
44 51928 2859107 120.08 $12,294.16 $12.31
45 51409 2910516 122.24 $12,515.22 $12.53
46 50895 2961411 124.38 $12,734.07 $12.75
47 50386 3011797 126.50 $12,950.73 $12.96
48 49882 3061679 128.59 $13,165.22 $13.18
49 49383 3111062 130.66 $13,377.57 $13.39
50 48889 3159951 132.72 $13,587.79 $13.60
51 48400 3208352 134.75 $13,795.91 $13.81
52 47916 3256268 136.76 $14,001.95 $14.02
53 47437 3303706 138.76 $14,205.93 $14.22
54 46963 3350669 140.73 $14,407.88 $14.42
55 46493 3397162 142.68 $14,607.80 $14.62
56 46028 3443190 144.61 $14,805.72 $14.82
57 45568 3488758 146.53 $15,001.66 $15.02
58 45112 3533871 148.42 $15,195.64 $15.21
59 44661 3578532 150.30 $15,387.69 $15.40
60 44215 3622747 152.16 $15,577.81 $15.59
61 43773 3666519 153.99 $15,766.03 $15.78
62 43335 3709854 155.81 $15,952.37 $15.97
63 42901 3752756 157.62 $16,136.85 $16.15
64 42472 3795228 159.40 $16,319.48 $16.34
65 42048 3837276 161.17 $16,500.29 $16.52
66 41627 3878903 162.91 $16,679.28 $16.70
67 41211 3920114 164.64 $16,856.49 $16.87
68 40799 3960913 166.36 $17,031.93 $17.05
69 40391 4001304 168.05 $17,205.61 $17.22
70 39987 4041291 169.73 $17,377.55 $17.39
71 39587 4080878 171.40 $17,547.77 $17.57
72 39191 4120069 173.04 $17,716.30 $17.73
73 38799 4158868 174.67 $17,883.13 $17.90
74 38411 4197280 176.29 $18,048.30 $18.07
75 38027 4235307 177.88 $18,211.82 $18.23
76 37647 4272954 179.46 $18,373.70 $18.39
77 37270 4310224 181.03 $18,533.96 $18.55
78 36898 4347122 182.58 $18,692.62 $18.71
79 36529 4383651 184.11 $18,849.70 $18.87
80 36163 4419814 185.63 $19,005.20 $19.02
81 35802 4455616 187.14 $19,159.15 $19.18
82 35444 4491060 188.62 $19,311.56 $19.33
83 35089 4526149 190.10 $19,462.44 $19.48
84 34739 4560888 191.56 $19,611.82 $19.63
85 34391 4595279 193.00 $19,759.70 $19.78
86 34047 4629326 194.43 $19,906.10 $19.93 )

The Shame of Big Oil

Here is the rhetorical question: Imagine if you will the Blob from the 1950's movie of the same title, and it was sweeping the streets removing only the gas stations, refineries, offices, and production facilities of every oil company that existed in five states.

How much money would the oil industry collectively spend to stop the Blob? How fast would that private action (without any help [or probably permission] from the Government-at-large) be done?

Now, if instead of "blob," we read massive uncontrolled oil gusher; we replace the streets with the Gulf of Mexico; and instead of oil companies we read: every fisherman, much of the tourism, a lot of recreational dollars, and the future health of millions of people-- not to mention the immense and incalculable devastation to our aquatic creatures and ecosystems-- we must wonder.

Is it not in every oil companies interest to assist in solving this problem ASAP so as to be able to have opportunity at future access to public waters?

As for BP: It was different to hear within the first days of this tragedy, that BP will honor all reasonable economic claims. That said, sending claimants out to help with the clean up and containment without proper safety (equipment, training, resources, etc.) is in some ways worse, because then they shall have several claims as a class action: (1) economic, and (2) health.

It seems there will probably be many levels of costs for BP, Halliburton, et. al.: (A) immediate, (B) long-term, (C) Criminal claims, (D) Civil penalties, and (E) future opportunity costs.

I also want to make the statement that this situation is not as advertised or spun, "Obama's Katrina." Bush got a four day notice, and if memory serves did nothing for an additional four or so days. When he did it was to reassure people, as opposed to acknowledge the tragedy. That tin ear populism was what created (along with catch phrases like, "heckuva job Brownie,") the sink hole of political legitimacy for Bush.

Pubs and haters praying for this to suddenly be Obama's Katrina are going with the old 'argumentum ad naseum,' again, but more startling is their admission that in this (and on several other issues like the economy) matter their last leader with a fully stacked Pub Congress flubbed on issue after issue. I think with the foot falling and the Tea Parties it is clear that the Pubs havent gotten out of circular firing squad formation quite yet....

This situation was precipitated by the Bushies, and the only problem I have with Obama (Administration) is that they did not catch the paper tiger collusion between MMS and Big Oil before it came to this.

So, now as far as I am concerned, we the people must ask the oil companies to verify and prove the statements they made in writing to our governmental bodies in order to acquire permits. If they claim this situation happens only once every 30 years, then they must show they have what it takes to either improve techniques and/or possess the technological wherewithal to mitigate even the slightest damage to our public lands and natural resources.

As far as I am concerned, even the fishermen are missing the bigger picture: they should not just ask for a years wages, or another job... What about charging wholesale prices for every pound of shrimp, dolphins, fish, crabs, clams, crawdads, mollusk, etc. that has been "eaten" by this blob; and what about all the future costs for the billions of creatures that have been aborted in this man made catastrophe facilitated by a chain of fools.

Finally, it is hard to write this knowing I am on track to have to fill up at the gas station in about a week. We are all conspirators at some level of this tragedy, but imagine how much this will cost the tax payers total. It is probably a very incalculable number like say $208,972,340,000.00, just to pick one out of the hat. We have dozens of these rigs out there. If we would just spend that $208,972,340,000.00 x 12 to facilitate electric cars, improved clean technology, solar, and wind, then would we not be in this mess when the next one is due in thirty years or less?

The New Plague

Ahh... 1346. It was not really the best of times, but probably could be in many ways the worst of times. Europe was attempting to shudder off the dark Ages, but that would come in another 200 years or so!


In the meantime, the process of mass animal domestication and production techniques had brought a bevy of diseases into the fore to attack the immune systems in the rural areas, and if that didn't travel past city walls, inside most cities the streets in these population centers served as open sewers!


Once sick, people would pray for you, doctors would make potions to calm your humours, and in extreme desperation you could get a barber to let some blood if the mercury tincture the doctors prescribed didn't work... What backwards times!


Unfortunately, in the intervening 663 years or so, we humans haven't seemed to learn our lessons very well!


(A) the process of mass animal domestication and production techniques had brought a bevy of diseases into the fore to attack the immune systems NOW: H1N1, H5N1, et. al.


(B) most population centers served as open sewers! If we consider that we know that toxic chemicals are analogous to "waste" back in the 14th Century; Then why have we out-moded labelling of toxic chemicals used daily, allow these and industrial chemical to be released in our water, air, and lands, and literally have a garbage island floating in our oceans killing food resources we rely upon?


(C) people would pray for you, NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT... I guess-- other than not too much has changed.


(D) doctors would make potions to calm your humours, NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT... I guess-- other than not too much has changed.


(E) in extreme desperation you could get a barber to let some blood
NOW: Except it is the Doctors who actually cut you up.


(F) if the mercury tincture the doctors prescribed didn't work NOW: Instead of various quicksilver and herbal tinctures we have chemical therapy, and other methods to poison the patient back into health.


Lets be clear, I am stating that (I) we are spewing poisons into our environment that (II) directly or indirectly lead to the creation of Cancer and other diseases, and (III) our medicine is confounded searching for remedy and cures (obviously the last 600+ years has seen dramatic improvement in medicine [which is a very good thing that we are doing our best to mitigate the situation] however for the point made here we are still attempting to cure symptoms as opposed to causes of illness). Yet if we confront the source of our problems (equivalent to underground sewage, sewage treatment, regular washing and bathing, and certain sanitary practices helped solve the Black Death), maybe we would have fewer, less virulent, and less aggressive strains of the modern version of disease we have been carrying through our human history?


Barring my Meta-behaviouralists social modification approach, we need to raise funds to assist our researchers, doctors, and practicianers to discover cures for these diseases.


So, as you can see in the upper left-hand corner of my Blog, there is a place for you to donate to the LLS. I am a member of Team In Training. Please act now to donate what you can: I am running the half marathon, so a $25 donation today works out to less than $2 per mile! THANK YOU.


My friend survived non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was a pre-teen; My brother died at age 36 from an aggressive metastasisized prostate Cancer that used as one of its tactics treatment developed by LLS; and now I learn that my childhood hero Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a rare form of blood borne Cancer.


To complete the puzzle of my adamance and disgust with the very existence of this disease called Cancer (which is really a wide array of diseases that have similar attack strategies against the healthy human body), I learned the day of my last blog that my sister has stage three breast cancer-- she is only 38!


In a prior post, I suggest we declare war on Cancer, and now I am no longer waiting for the politicians, or anyone else for that matter to do so... to quote the Bard, "Out Damn Spot!"