Friday, October 9, 2009
The Nobel Peace Prize?!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Powers on Politics Questions
There are things that I believe that I shall never say, but I shall never say things that I do not believe.
Hello All: So I told you last time that this was going to be a crazy issue, well…I guess it kind of is, but I’m using it as a way to tell you what I’m working on that is going to be HUGE for next week-hopefully. I’m not really sure how to explain it so I’m going to do my best and hope that you understand. There’s been an idea floating around lately of something called the “Perfect Storm” if you haven’t heard of it yet let me give you the basic definition. A Perfect Storm is a Convergence of Independent events that form an environment (for a moment I saw a bunch of hippies) never experienced before.
I’ve been considering this for a while, and as things keep happening-like what I mentioned last week-I am more and more convinced that we could be facing an upcoming “Perfect Storm”. Because of this belief I’ve thrown myself into a heap of research. To do this I came up with (so far) twenty eight questions that I am looking into. The questions are as follows:
1. What countries are failing?
2. What do they have in common?
3. which countries rely on high oil prices for their economy?
4. Which countries are our enemies?
5. How much disenfranchisement is in America?
6. What is happening on the Southern Border?
7. Who is in charge of Mexico?
8. Is a new global currency possible?
9. Will China buy our debt?
10. What happens if the dollar is ditched world wide?
11. Can other countries get into our “system”?
12. What are current computer threats?
13. What are in President Obama’s presidential Orders?
14. How are global banks doing?
15. What’s all this about rebuilding Babylon?
16. How do we pay for the stimulus plan?
17. What is a Central Banking System?
18. How long can we spend?
19. Are we at or near hyper-inflation?
20. Any significance in the McCarthy trials? (just a nagging thought I’ve been having lately)
21. How did the “New Deal” worsen the Great Depression?
22. How did the Great Depression happen?
23. What is the “Perfect Storm”?
24. Are we nearing “Perfect Storm” potential?
25. How can the “Fed” buy our debt?
26. Is Communism returning?
27. Is President Obama’s dropping approval rating a sign?
These are what I’m looking at so far. I have a feeling that this is either just the mental worrying of a paranoid person (ie-Me), or it is the colors that are going to finish up a frightening painting. I know this isn’t really an issue, but I did want you to know why I am not putting out a great issue this week or until possibly late next week.
I would like to ask that if any of you have any questions that you think correspond to these please send them to me, or if you have some answers to any of these questions your help would be more than appreciated. Let’s be prepared to see what can be dug up, and all have a great week!
Great talking to you all! Thanks for reading!
Chene’
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Powers on Politics Issue Seventeen
To Open: I’m going to go ahead and laugh a little to myself because for a moment there I tried very hard to be formal…just to see what it felt like. Anyway this may just be a huge issue, I haven’t decided yet but there’s a lot to talk about and I don’t know if it can all wait. The articles may be extremely large or they may only be a paragraph or so…like I said it all sort of depends on what I can find as far as information. I’ll try my best though and hopefully we will all be able to learn something. So read on, my friends, and try not to forget your duct tape.
Breaking the Bank: On January 28, 2009 the House of Representatives passed yet another stimulus bill that was not only bogged down with more pork barrel spending and earmarks than pretty much anything we’ve ever seen before but also cost us a grand total of $819 BILLION. Not a single Republican voted for this thing (neither did eleven Democrats) but it was unanimous nonetheless with the Democrats ruling the House. I have a feeling this isn’t going to be the only thing that the Democrats get to shove down our throats, but let’s congratulate our Republicans for standing up to this despite it having been no use. At least they held to their ideals. So here’s what the Bill itself says.
Straight off the top of the bill here is initial summary of what we are to expect in the following pages:
Making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and nation, infrastructure
investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the
Unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes.
I have so many problems with this…I’m pretty sure you have the same ones so I won’t even lecture about it. Let’s keep going. Alright so we’ve got hot off the Bill itself $300,000,000 off to the Agricultural area of the country that is open to them until the year 2010. Except the catch for this one is that none of this can be sent to the Forest Service people for necessary replacement, modernization, upgrades of labratories or any other facilities for workplace safety or mission-area efficiencies. Now, really, isn’t this sort of silly? First of all these people shouldn’t be getting money anyway because it has nothing to do with creating jobs. We’re just handing over a stunning three hundred million dollars! Next the AGRICULTURAL CREDIT INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT is where another chunk of money is going. Here is how it is going to be parceled out:
farm ownership loans, $400,000,000 of which
$100,000,000 shall be for unsubsidized guaranteed loans
and $300,000,000 shall be for direct loans; and operating
loans, $250,000,000 of which $50,000,000 shall be for un-
subsidized guaranteed loans and $200,000,000 shall be for
direct loans.
Again we got our Renewable Energy Incentive Money to which a grand total of $1,600,000,000 will be going to this nonsense! How is this not pork! I’m pretty sure that Obama made a point during his campaign promising he wanted to ELIMINATE earmark and pork spending! I thought we were trying to create jobs and stimulate the economy-this has nothing to do with the economy! And if anyone-I mean ANYONE-whines to me about it creating new cars I’m going to jump on them! This does nothing but further hinder the automotive industry of America, we are falling behind the Foreign auto producers because WE are the ones under restrictions!
But that’s okay because there are a few thing that money from this bill aren’t going to. Here’s your list:
“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used for casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool.”
Well praise the lord-we can pay for everything else in a bill that was meant to be about the economy but if it has anything to do with something fun (yes we might as well have FUN funded in this bill since we are all going to need to be happy somehow when the country collapses) it is totally against the rules.
Before I get upset I’m going to share a final part of this bill…it’s actually quite hilarious in my opinion. Here we go:
None of the funds provided by this Act may be made
available to the State of Illinois, or any agency of the
State, unless (1) the use of such funds by the State is
approved in legislation enacted by the State after the date
of the enactment of this Act, or (2) Rod R. Blagojevich
8 no longer holds the office of Governor of the State of Illinois. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any funds
provided directly to a unit of local government (1) by a
Federal department or agency, or (2) by an established
formula from the State.
Illinois just can’t catch a break! This was too hilarious I just had to show it off…for that state’s sake I hope the guy gets impeached!
Well I’m going to include a link to this bill so you can read the entire thing for yourself since I am pretty sure it would take up way too much space to outline everything in it.
http://readthestimulus.org/hr1_text.pdf
Global Economic Meeting: Yesterday (the 28th) marked the meeting of world leaders who get together to discuss what should be done with the economy and what is going on in everyone’s respective countries. Yesterday one of the keynote speakers had a lot to say. Vladimir Putin stood up and decided to begin ripping into different countries including the United States when he said that: “Today, investment banks-the Pride of Wall Street-have virtually ceased to exist.” When only a year ago it was said that the economy was “Fundamentally stable”. Yet this wasn’t the extent of what he said.
"The pride is gone," said Putin, referring to Wall Street hubris. His own country has fallen hard over the past year, seeing its currency plunge and once massively rich magnates lose billions.
Putin said economists and politicians should always be ready for such a crisis, saying it was as inevitable as the Russian winter.
The crisis differs from the Great Depression of the late 1920s and the early 1930s because it "has affected everyone at this time of globalization," he said. "Regardless of their political or economic system, all nations have found themselves in the same boat."
Further he and his co-keynote speaker from China both made it clear that it was time for a new World Reserve Currency.
Frightening.
New Reserve Currency: More and more it is being suggested that our global currency needs to change. For those who don’t know it is currently the dollar that is used world-wide, yet the problem is that it is no longer backed up by the one thing that gives it real value. Gold. We have been printing money like we are trying to drown ourselves in greenbacks, and there is no end in sight with the new bill being pushed through. However most of the world is beginning to distance themselves from the dollar which is fast becoming naught but worthless. China is quickly deciding that buying our debt is not worth their time and more than once, now, it has been suggested that we move off the dollar and create a global currency.
I dare ask you all what you think will happen when the dollar is no longer the big “buck” as it were, and if you think that we can handle something like that…I feel that you are dead wrong. Even Putin and his fellow Chinese Keynote speaker urged that the dollar is out dated and that it was time to switch over. Unfortunately there is nearly no information on this, however I am adding another link to this so that you can take a look at what Ron Paul from Texas has to say about this.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul358.html
In Closing: Alright so I decided to leave off some of the other topics until next week. I think three pages worth of information is a good standard to have going. Not too much information, and it leaves me with something to talk about next week. This will go out today (the 29th) and I will see you all again next week at probably the same time. Thank you very much!
Chene’
Monday, January 12, 2009
Hello Everyone: Well despite running late-Again-I’m feeling quite cheery actually. Things are actually beginning to work out. Alright I know I promised you all that something good would be coming, and I think something good is, but I don’t think it will be like what you might be prepared for. I want this issue to be dedicated to different points of view so I just sent the message out to all sorts of people asking them some key questions that most people are faced with on a daily basis. What I want to do is dedicate this issue to their answers. Maybe I’ll add my own commentary in as well…I don’t know just going to go with the flow. Hopefully this is an educational issue and you all can see what other people think. Oh, and though they probably will never read this I would like to thank EVERYONE who participates in this with me, you are helping other people and I appreciate that. So without further ado here are what others think.
People’s Opinion:
This is what I sent out so that I could get some answers:
I'm going to pose some questions and those who answer this will be featured in my personal political newsletter. If you answer I will promise that I will not be derogatory, rude, crude, or otherwise and will respect your opinion. I just want to show some variety.
1. What political group do you consider yourself affiliated with?
2. Who would/did you vote for in this Presidential Election?
3. Where do you stand on Healthcare?
4. Where do you stand on the War in the Middle East?
5. Where do you stand on drilling for oil in the US?
6. Where do you stand on illegal immigration?
7. What do you think should be done about the economy?
Thanks for your help, I hope to hear from some people!
Chene'
Reilly Schladt (St. John’s College MN):
1. Libertarian, although I am a registered Republican.
2. McCain, although I didn't vote for him in the primary.
3. Needs deregulation, not nationalization.
4. Get out.
5. No restrictions should be placed on a landowner's right to drill on their own property, and all state owned land whether it can be drilled or not should be sold.
6. Everyone has the right to buy, use, or move through any piece of land with the permission of its owner, and violence used by the state to stop them is unjust. In other words I'm in favor of foreign borders which are as open as the borders between the states of the US.
7. A radical dismantling of state power. The elimination of The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department would be a start.
Kalub Spendlove:
1. What sort of political group do you associate yourself with? (ie Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democrat, Progressive)
2. Who did/would you vote for as President this election?
3. What is your stance on the economy?
4. What is your stance on the war in the Middle East?
5. What is your stance on drilling for oil?
6. What is your stance on Healthcare?
Republican
well i would have voted for mitt romney but he dropped out.
i think that people are being quite stupid really. the problem isn't that stock is bad or houses are bad its just that people are buying too many things on credit and not paying them off. too many fines and not enough real money to pay them off. it will turn around when people get the picture. and it won't ever get any worse than the depression.
when i hear people talking about us just getting oil out of the middle east they don't know about the other stuff that is happening. and if we were getting oil out of there then we would be getting oil for even less than we are now. and it isn't getting oil that is the real problem its refining it. we don't have enough refineries. sorry got off topic. i support the war in the middle east and to be truethful it isn't a war. it is more of a police action that the UN didn't have the intestinal fortitude to do itself. i support the war, and we are doing it for a better cause.
yes drill for oil. the earth was made to be used for the betterment of mankind so use it. the earth has more land than people think. drilling will solve some of the problem but like i said before we need refineries.
health care should not become socialized. thats all i have to say. because i really don't know much. just socializing it would hurt us even worse. it already is partially sociallized. people that go into a public hospital are required to be treated even if they don't have insurance.
Because I Can: Alright I’m not getting much cooperation with people-I’m sure their busy-so instead I’m going to do something that should be equally interesting. I’m going to show you a bit of point-counterpoint that I do while playing on a site called Minkey. What I’m going to do is take an opinion that I’ve held a discussion on and put the entire discussion up here so that you can see how others think. It’s just a faster way of doing what I wanted to do in the first place. Alright try to enjoy this-oh and if you think I made a bad point, or want to make your own point please message me either on Facebook, e-mail me, or comment on the blog. Thanks!
Opinion: Israel said it wants peace, how come?! –They didn’t do anything for peace, but they make war, kill, blood.
What I said: Ah! you people drive my crazy! Israel did NOT start this fight over in Gaza-stop saying they did! Do you know what happened? Have YOU done YOUR research? How come an eighteen year old can figure this one out and adults cannot! The peace treaty that was between Israel & Palestine expired on the 19th or 16th (sorry I can't remember which) and as soon as it did Hamas-yes Hamas!-started attacking Israel. Israel decided not to be cowardly and fought back, hmm...yeah totally cold blooded I suppose it's wrong for someone to decide to protect their people! People stop simply picking up an idea that is tossed around by the media and throw it up on Minekey as though you could really be offended by something that you know nothing about. Do some research! (Needless to say I was kind of annoyed)
Rebuttle: see how many people die from Gaza and how many die from Israel and you will know who have the right to Israel every day, killing many people defenseless Is this the way to protect their own people, in your view protect their people and who started the war
Me Again: Now wait a minute, you are still saying that Israel dropped the bomb first. They didn't Hamas attacked them-THEIR people! As soon as the peace treaty was expired on the 19th of December it was as though it was open season for Hamas who began launching Qassam rockets over the border into Israel. I don't really understand what you think Israel should have done, should they have sat on their hands hoping that if they cowered in their homes that the attacks would stop? It doesn't make sense, what would you do if someone started shooting at say your kids? Would you go hide in a closet hoping that it would all just go away? Besides this Israel has been attacked many times before and Israel gives in to the demands of the other people, THEY bend to make the other person happy. Well finally Israel is standing up for themselves and as soon as they do everyone gets upset and calls them TERROISTS! That doesn't make sense, why are those who defend themselves the terrorists? It's like the kid on the play ground being bullied finally throwing a punch and being suspended while the bully goes to therapy-use your common sense!
I hope this wasn’t too hard to read, the person I’m arguing with doesn’t speak too clearly…anyway let’s look at another issue.
In Closing: Well this wasn’t a total failure as far as an issue and idea goes…you at least get to see what a couple other people think…including someone who thinks very contrary to how I do. But once again I am late because I forgot to post this last night…to which I again apologize for my severe lacking in long-term attention span. Anyway I hope that we could still enjoy this issue despite the obvious failures in it. Thanks everyone!
Chene’
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Powers on Politics Issue XIII
ISSUE XIII
There are things that I believe that I shall never say, but I shall never say things
I do not believe.
Happy New Year: Yeah! It’s a new year with a new president nearly in the White House, and the USA is about to see what exactly it was they were voting for. Now I know some of you are pretty sure who you were voting against, but I’m sure that President Elect Obama will give us a few surprises yet.
With the new year comes our (because without someone reading this why should I keep typing it?) Powers on Politics newsletter and hopefully it doesn’t go anywhere. Trust me I don’t think that anyone but us selected few even know it exists-so we’re probably safe. Hopefully I can continue to come up with new things to type about…or at least a certain someone will keep giving me things to discuss. With that firmly in mind let’s begin this the first issue of Powers on Politics of 2009.
Ice Age Coming: Breaking news has just been made up in my brain! Everyone has to know what’s coming and I believe it’s my job-like it was Al Gore’s job-to let you all know. A new Ice Age is about to cover the earth! Indeed this catastrophe is already occurring outside my very window! There is snow and ice everywhere, and the sun is only barely managing to peak out of the thick cloud cover. What’s worse is that all the trees have lost their leaves, and crops are no longer growing! People I’m not just making this up, this is serious. Scientists are saying that the polar ice is thickening more than it ever has before, and that this has been the coldest winter on record in many places all over the world! There is only one solution for this problem!
Everyone turn on your vehicles in the driveway and let them idle for an hour, run through your houses and begin turning on appliances and just leave them plugged in! We have to combat this, if Al Gore is correct we have literally non-polluted ourselves out of Global Warming and are now heading to the extreme in the other direction. In order to stabilize the climate we are going to have to begin to take the opposite extreme measures every other day. Today we’ll turn on everything and pollute, tomorrow we’ll save gas and make sure that toaster is not stuck in the wall! With your help I know we can prevent the ultimate demise of our planet, so stand with me for Global Stabilization!
Do you see how silly this is? How ridiculous I just sounded for all of two paragraphs? I hope you were all rolling your eyes begging for me to stop this nonsense, but I was actually demonstrating something. I took things that I’d heard on the news-things I saw outside my very own window and blew them out of proportion. Does that sound familiar? For those of you who do still believe-or did believe-or whatever in Global Warming did any of this sound familiar? Or was I missing the graphs? I could add some in. But I won’t…it’s just utter silliness. What we are trying to accomplish with this little article is to prove the stupidity with more stupidity. If I can show you something, or tell you something the same way that someone like Al Gore does and you look at it and say… “What is wrong with you?” Why should you not be doing the same thing with him? Just an experiment I wanted to hold, and I hope we all learned something.
p.s-If any of you would like to tell me what you thought of this-or what you were thinking when I started this article I’d love to hear reactions. Please and thank you!
Gaza Strip Conflict: I’m sure that everyone who has heard even a smallest trace of news has heard that there is a big fight going on in the Gaza Strip between Israel and these guys Hamas. I’m going to try my best to explain a bit of what’s going on. This explanation may well take up enough space so that there are only two topics here in this issue, but to me I think it’ll be worth it.
First we need to know who Hamas is. Though I hate to say it I managed to find the most basic and unbiased information on Hamas on Wikipedia, so I’ll quote them but I highly encourage you to go make sure the facts are straight-what I’ve gone through between Wiki and other sites seems to be right together. “(حماس Ḥamās, an acronym of حركة المقاومة الاسلامية Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamat al-Islāmiyyah, meaning "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni paramilitary organization and political party which holds a majority of seats in the elected legislative council of the Palestinian National Authority. [1] Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Canada,[18] the European Union,[19][20][21][22] Israel,[23] Japan,[24] and the United States,[25] and is banned in Jordan.[26] Australia[27] and the United Kingdom[28] list only the military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization. The United States and the European Union have both implemented restrictive measures against Hamas on an international level.[19][29]”
So correct me if I’m wrong but these guys don’t sound like the nicest individuals on the face of the planet if there are this many people who have them noted as Terrorists. Next let’s all be clear-there has been a conflict between Palestine and Israel for many hundreds of years. The reasons just date back centuries, and I don’t really care about those so much because they only tell us what I can sum up considerably faster. These two groups Hamas (the extremists of Palestine) and Israel do not like each other.
Next we have to begin with what sort of kicked this whole thing off. Apparently there was a cease fire agreement between Israel and Palestine that lasted for six months-I’m sure it basically said what you would believe any cease fire agreement would say. You don’t shoot at me, I don’t shoot at you…we all live and grudgingly leave one another alone. However this cease fire finally came to a close this last December 19th. It was at that point that Hamas attacked. They started launching Qassam rockets over into Israel. Well this wouldn’t fly with the Israelis who retaliated…and thus it all began.
The airstrikes called “Operation Cast Lead” are designed to dissuade Hamas and other militant groups from continued attacks on Israel said the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Though he admitted that it was “likely to take time”. Israel just doesn’t plan to lay down and die in this case.
The biggest problem besides the attacks going on between themselves and Hamas seem to be that they are getting limited support from other world leaders. A man by the name of Shlomo Gazit remarked that he didn’t believe that the airstrikes were an effective military exercise, and others such as President Bush have expressed their wishes that the two would come to a renewed cease fire agreement and live in peace. However on a side note, and probably of no consequence to anyone at all…Obama hasn’t said a single word about what he thinks about the conflict. I couldn’t imagine what’s keeping him from voicing an opinion (perhaps too busy getting bare-chested shots of himself taken while skipping through ocean waves?).
This conflict has lasted just over two weeks total and neither side looks willing to make a compromise. Israel has been aiming primarily for targets known to be occupied by Hamas, while Hamas just keeps launching rockets over to Israel. Basically it’s a big bloody mess over there. Let’s hope that we get a good solid resolution…though in my opinion Israel is totally in the right here.
Many Apologies: I know, two pages of discussion and only two topics. I’m lame. I realize, but since Christmas I’ve listened to virtually no radio and so I don’t know what news to go investigate because I’m not hearing any. I’ve checked some of the News Websites in hopes of digging up something worthwhile for everyone but you’d be surprised at how slow things are right now…at least what’s being readily reported. Let me promise you that by next Thursday at the latest I will have your stories, and I promise to make the issue at least four pages long with at least four stories present. I will get the news somehow! Thanks for your patience and I hope that you still enjoyed the issue. Thanks everyone!
Chene’
Monday, December 29, 2008
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!: I am going to start off by apologizing to everyone that this hasn’t come out earlier, I’ve been extremely distracted and I promise that it won’t happen again. As of next week I will be on schedule-though I cannot guarantee that my stories won’t be totally obscure since there’s next to no good news going on.
Second I want to wish everyone an albeit late but very Merry Christmas, and I hope everyone spent some good quality time with their family. Then I want to say Happy New Year!
Third I want everyone to know that I’m changing location from Gunlock to Roy Utah where I’m going to be living with my mom again. I’m currently (at the age of eighteen) preparing to get my license, and then my first job! I’m very excited about that, I’ll finally be a worth while part of society! Then once I’ve got enough money earned up I’ll get an apartment and put myself through college-let’s just call it my New Year’s Resolution.
Fourth I hope that we have some fun this year, and that despite my air-headedness this little newsletter keeps it’s feet and that I do it for a long time to come because I love being able to express my opinions and have at least someone out there hear them.
Fifth…I had a fifth…I don’t know where it went…Oh! Obama, a big congratulations to Obama who will be inaugurated this coming month. Good luck to him, and let’s be ready to stand up when he needs us-so long as we never lose our values in doing so.
That about sums it up for my little greeting, so let’s get up and running for this-the twelfth-issue of Powers on Politics!
Now Isn’t That Special: In search of news to discuss here I went to Fox.com hoping for something that I could sort of get started with. Well I believe I’ve found just the thing-and it’s even Christmas related!
On of the Top Stories on Fox is entitled: Hot-Dog Eating Champ Falls Short of Fruitcake Record. Then it has a picture of this guy Takeru Kobayashi stuffing his face with fruitcake. Poor guy was off to the races to break a 2001 world record in fruitcake eating by having to consume 4lbs 10ounces of the dreaded stuff in only ten minutes. Unfortunately the little Japanese guy finished at a whole two ounces short of the intended goal. Apparently density was a factor. Now I personally have never tried fruitcake (which doesn’t mean you need to send me some) but I have seen it and I know that if you throw it at someone you could probably kill them. With that limited information I would like to tell Mr. Kobayashi this-of COURSE density is going to be a problem! Your insides are probably going to be turned to stone! Stick to the hot-dogs, sir, but just don’t ask what’s in them. (There’s a mistake I won’t ever make again!).
To finish this story off I’d just like you to know that I am the one who brings you the best of the news…without a doubt you could not have gone on living without hearing this story.
In Case You’re Freaking Out: Alright I just received an e-mail at yahoo from my grandmother. I could have sworn someone was going to go into conniptions. I opened it and found myself quickly outraged. The e-mail explained that the new One Dollar coin that was just released has had the words “In God We Trust” scrapped from it completely. It was urging everyone to refuse these coins if they were given to you (I’d refuse them because they were stupid) so I looked into the matter. I Googled it and found that there were plenty of news stories saying the same thing, so I went to my mom. I told her what I had heard and she brought out the coin and took a good look at it.
After a thorough inspection of the coin she noticed engravings along the edge of the coin on the side. There it was, “In God We Trust” sitting close to “E Pluribus Unim”. Needless to say we were both relieved.
So for those of you who have either heard rumor of this, received a similar e-mail, or could possibly get this information from someone else. No, the phrase is not wiped from the coin just moved. I’m sure it has to do with a lack of room on the coin, so they just put it where it was less noticeable because of the lack of space. No need to get your “unders in a bunch” as my mom would say.
I hope you will all send this along to everyone, if anyone, you know who is freaking out about this so that the issue can be immediately cleared up and erased from the public’s mind.
Besides Obama isn’t in Office yet-we aren’t Socialist yet either. Just getting close.
Rush Strikes Again: Oh my gosh. I don’t know if anyone else is going to find this headline funny, but those who are listeners to Rush Limbaugh will like this story.
“An offensive, racially tinged song entitled Barack the Magic Negro has become an issue in the battle for the leadership of the Republican party.”
For those who don’t know this song is a spoof by a man named Paul Shanklin (hope I spelled that right) who does political farce songs that are aimed to entertain. However it seems to get some people worked up. What happened in this case was that a republican that was higher up in the party sent Shanklin’s new CD entitled “I Hate the USA” to his buddies as a joke. I’m sure some of them appreciated the joke, and enjoyed the CD but others of the Republican party got all uppity about it. “It isn’t funny,” quoted one of them. He was extremely offended apparently and thought that making fun of Obama was wrong.
Lighten up people! It’s a joke, it is meant as a joke, Rush is always repeating that it’s a joke, that the whole point is to invoke laughter. Why do we have to be so politically-freakin’-correct? It isn’t necessary, and it’s ridiculii (doubly ridiculous)! Listen here’s the deal. Barack Obama is not even black, he’s of Arabic decent. And as for the fact that the title of the song has the word “negro” in it, they aren’t being rude, crude, or otherwise so let’s just let it go.
Besides people are going to say things that not everyone want to hear, and let’s all (instead of getting all upset) just smile and understand the joke. We should all be dealing with each other better than that.
Besides “Barack the Magic Negro” is a HILARIOUS song-one of my favorites!
Lame: Can I just be honest…I know this issue was kinda lame…but there’s been a VERY slow news day! I swear I will come up with something for next time. This was just sort of the…random fun issue. Right? Did anyone else have fun? I did. That makes at least one of us, huh. Well in any case I swear I’ll get something nice and meaty for next time. Just bear with me people! Thanks a ton, keep reading, and have a great New Year!
Chene’
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Powers on Politics Issue Eleven
Powers on Politics
Issue XI
There are things that I believe that I shall never say, but I shall never say those things that I do not believe.
Hello: Hi everyone, glad to be getting onto the next issue of Powers on Politics with a little bit of renewed vigor-well at least with some actual facts to base my rantings off of instead of going by pure memory-which I might add is kinda hard. Fun, but hard. This week I have no idea what I’m going to talk about so it will probably end up being anything that strikes my fancy-that’s a warning to everyone out there. I suppose that isn’t much different than what usually happens, but you know…I feel I should at least give everyone ample warning in case they decide they aren’t interested in randomness. Which leads me to also note that in the randomness we might be having another history lesson, I don’t know…haven’t decided at this point, but let’s put it as a definite probably. Any of you out there who are allergic to history (I actually think it was “against my religion” at some point…) may freely extract themselves from situation when it arises. Other than whatever I come up with to discuss I’ll also-as mentioned in the end of the last issue-be telling you about going to get my book signed by Glenn Beck. It was intense. That’s basically the jist of the situation then, I guess, so let’s all have a good time! Enjoy!
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 (Dec. 7, 2008): Sixty seven years ago today Japanese fighter pilots attacked Pearl Harbor bringing the United States into World War II.
As has been the pattern with America entering wars we were attacked first, which left FDR with little choice but to enter the Second World War. Japan had been waging a war with China since 1937 and was running out of oil and other raw materials, and they were no longer getting them shipped in to them. Because of this Japan turned its attention to the oil and mineral-rich East Indies and Southeast Asia threatening to begin a war in the Pacific.
By November 1941 none of the U.S officials who knew that there were imminent attacks aimed by the Japanese at the Indies, Malaya, and even perhaps the Philippines had any idea that an attack would be launched on our own soil.
Pearl Harbor was easily reached by aircraft carrier force and it was this way that the Japanese Navy would attack. Unbeknownst to the U.S the Japanese had been secretly moving a carriers toward the base. At 8am on the 7th of December the base was attacked, and within just a short time five of eight battleships were sunk or sinking. Most everything on the base was destroyed including the lives of 2400 Americans and not long afterward Japanese planes eliminated most of the American air force in the Philippines, and the Japanese landed in Malaya.
I just wanted to remind everyone about what happened that day, sometimes it just isn’t worth forgetting.
For more information please visit: www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm
Meeting Glenn: Saturday the 6th of December (which is today…I’m writing it now so I don’t forget anything…hopefully) Glenn Beck came down to Utah to do a book signing for his tour. The location was Layton Hills Mall inside the Deseret Book store. He was to arrive at noon and spend an hour there signing books. Because I was going to be unable to go to his concert due to my little sisters Sage and Autumn getting baptized (Congrats girls!) this opportunity to just receive his quickly scribbled signature on my book while I stood a foot away was more than this fan could handle it seemed. However to make it even more interesting my mother and my good friend Gypsy told me to give to him the first issue of Powers on Politics just to show him what I’ve been up to (you know…attempting to inform anyone who reads this). I told my mom that “that would be a great idea” even if it made me feel almost sick thinking about handing my little newsletter over to The Mr. Glenn Beck so that he could read it, and she printed it out for me with the added bonus of what I did in memoriam of September 11, 2001 (this almost embarrassed me more than giving him the first issue itself).
Now to be clear, for the past month or so (since I’ve known I’d be going to this) I’ve been insanely excited about it, I mean how many people actually get to meet someone like Glenn Beck in person (tons I know, maybe it should be rephrased as “how many people like ME get to see someone like Glenn Beck)? He’s so cool after all. Therefore the wait for this day was long and arduous to say the least and it was truly beginning to kill me the past couple days as I really began to stress over nothing but handing over my newsletter. I had to rationalize with myself that the worse thing that could happen was that he saw it as ridiculous and threw it in the garbage can-a scenario that would take place where I was not present and would never know. But there was also the fact that I am nothing but a kid giving my negligible opinions to a man who hosts his own radio talk show that is the THIRD most listened to show in America…no pressure at all right? Riiiiiiight.
Finally today came and I was picked up by my mother and we headed out to Layton at about 10:30am and arrived just after 11am. We didn’t have the best place in line, or so we originally anticipated before the rest of the line came and people were literally throughout the entire store, into the mall itself, and then finally back out the outside door of the mall. Due to our early arrival we, of course, had to stand for what seemed like an eternity. That eternity got just a bit longer when we were told that he was going to be fifteen minutes late. But that was okay, so long as somehow I got to see him in person-even if my book didn’t get signed.
At long last 12:15pm came and he arrived. He entered the bookstore through some super secret entrance and stood up on what I guess was a chair (I was too far back to see) only to address all of us in the store. For about five minutes he just talked to everyone; thanking us for coming and telling us that he knew that we understood what he’s been talking about then asking us to pray for each other and his family and he would do-and is doing-the same in return.
Then he disappeared from view and the line began to move, rather rapidly to my utmost surprise. Before I knew it I was just about three minutes away from him, and as I stood there I again admitted to my mother that I wasn’t sure that I could actually give him the first issue of the newsletter. Her reply was simple “if you don’t I will” and it was more than enough to persuade me that it was up to me to do this. At long last my mother was next in line with me behind her. The person ahead of us moved and my mom’s book was given to Glenn who took it signed it and handed it over to another person who would give it back to her only after Glenn had a chance to shake her hand. As she walked away he caught sight of her Boston Red Sox jacket and suddenly engaged her in a quick conversation. “Are you from Boston?” I was shocked, he was so busy and yet he still took even that moment for his question, my mom to tell him that she used to live there, and for him to reply quickly before turning to me shocked me.
As I said “turning to me”. My book was given to him and he shook my hand, which I did quickly and extremely nervously as I tried to remember the way I’d rehearsed giving my issue to him. (I’m not a psycho fan-girl or anything, just so we’re all clear, but I was seriously meeting one of my heroes face to face…I couldn’t believe it!) Words nearly failed me but I managed “you inspired me to do this” as I handed the newsletter to him. He smiled, took it, thanked me and said that he would read it on the bus. That was all before I was handed my book and shooed on so that the next person could have a turn. Though it was truly amazing to me, it was so cool just to have him say that he would read it and (to me) sound sincere when he could have just as easily told me that he was too busy.
I’m sure nothing will come of my giving him the first issue of Powers on Politics, in fact I’m sure I’ll always wonder what he could have possibly thought about it, but for just that moment I could not have cared less, because I knew that he would at least read it.
Auto Czar: I know what you are thinking-what the heck is a Czar? That my friend is a simple question, and I shall give you a quick answer. Czar –noun 1. An emperor or king. I know what you’re now wondering…we have a car king? Sounds like the title of some auto lot with that annoying salesman who wants you to buy the most expensive car on the lot. Unfortunately it isn’t that at all, though there are some similarities. This auto czar is going to be the answer to Congress’s problems with the Big Three because it is an individual who will be able to-in essence-control where and how the loaned $14 billion dollars is to be spent. But that won’t be the extent of the auto ruler.
This all time ruler of the auto industry shall be appointed by his highness President Bush (I might actually start calling him that…it kinda makes me want to cry…or laugh…I can’t decide) to make sure that someone doesn’t screw up the spending of this doled out $14 billion. We don’t need another financial bailout fund complication where the money they made us fork out went to something entirely contrary to what we were told it went to! No-sir-e-bob! But wait, it gets better, this czar (for some reason every time I type this word I hear the Budweiser “Real Men of Genius” voice) will also get the power to force Detroit automakers into bankruptcy (weird how that’s where this should all be going anyway) in the spring-if and only if-the “haven’t cut quick deals with labor unions, creditors, and others to restructure their businesses and become viable”. I’m going to suffer from a hemorrhage…I really am…I don’t-good Moses-I can’t even begin to put into words my anger at this fool move. Bloody LABOR UNIONS! We have to bend down and kiss the shoes of THOSE PEOPLE?! Why, they shouldn’t even be doing half the things they are doing! However, that won’t happen because (where’s my liberal voice inside my head…oh-wait-there it is!) “Chene’ you can’t cut out the unions, they keep the workers safe, they make sure rights are kept by the employees!” If I didn’t enjoy arguing with this voice in my head so much I’d have it evicted. Uh-uh-uh little voice, wrong again! The labor unions were designed to protect the worker, but that isn’t what this is all about, you are trying to sneak out of sight of the REAL issue! These unions are a big reason why the auto industry is having the problems that it is! Unions make it possible for the employees to retire, be continuously paid pension (a LARGE pension), if someone gets laid off then they can choose to move to a different company or if they don’t want to then they can still get paid! We’re paying people for sitting at home and eating TWINKIES! Moving back to the subject at hand….
Unfortunately there are law officials who wish that this so called “czar” could have even MORE power! "The car czar that they put in this bill, first of all, doesn't have a lot power -- has a lot of ability to suggest things -- but doesn't have enough power to cause the restructuring," said Sen. John Ensign, R-Nevada, who opposes an auto bailout and would prefer to see the companies in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Not enough power, not very much power? Are we looking at the same thing here Senator Ensign? I don’t think so because to me it looks like this here czar is going to have the run of the auto industry with the flick of his finger-sort of like the bloody Secretary of Treasury has but to say that “his will be done” and the whole system will jump!
As for this complaint about having to purchase vehicles from bankrupt businesses…I can only ask…so what? “Chene’ no American wants to buy a product from a bankrupt business!” Oh, really, I seem to disagree. In fact if you recently purchased a plane ticket-you know earlier this year, you were probably flying with a bankrupt business. Just because a business is bankrupt doesn’t mean they suddenly stop producing their product, and it certainly doesn’t mean that their product is suddenly eradicated from everyday life. The argument is just another way to skirt around the issue, especially because it’s such a flawed argument in the first place. Come on people we aren’t in high school debate, hit me with some real negatives!
“If the bill becomes law, the car czar will be required to have expertise in economic stabilization, financial aid to commerce and industry, financial restructuring, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. The czar can also employ, appoint or contract with others who have similar expertise.
Jack Young, founder of Jack Young Personnel Services Inc, an executive search firm that recruits senior level candidates for the automotive industry, said that's not a bad start for a job description. But he said the czar also should have a deep understanding of the automotive industry.”
Alright now this detailed description of what a car czar needs to know gives a little hope-you know the kind of tiny flash of momentary light in an entirely black room. They could at least get a capitalist for this gig-right? Wrong. You know who Young thinks is the one and only one who can pull this off? (Find some sharp object to hit your head on…you’ll need it) The one and only Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg! Wait…where are the cheers…I can’t hear any…in fact all I can hear is the sound of my throwing my arms in the air and thinking “we’re so going to hell in a hand basket”…really, really loudly. Michael Bloomberg, well I guess. He already has the Czar thing covered since he’s now officially in his third ILLEGAL term as mayor (without elections), but other than that I don’t see why his name hasn’t been laughed at, the piece of paper crumpled up, and then lit on fire. (I have a small candle torch if anyone wants to borrow it).
There is one extra ray of sunshine in this ridiculous story though…not that it counts for much. There are a few Republicans left out there who oppose it completely…basically it won’t stop this thing from being passed on Monday (that’s the scheduled day of our big step forward further into Socialism…I encourage you all to mark it on your calendars) but at least you know that there’s someone at the least PRETENDING to want America to stay free. Lately that’s all you’re going to get.
Bye Y’All: That’ll do it for this issue, not much I know…but I think you’ll like next issue. Just so everyone knows the day the issue will be released weekly is now officially changed to Wednesday and or Thursday-at least until I have to change it again. Let’s just suffice it to say there will at least be one a week. Hope everyone’s having fun, and if you have a Facebook account look for my new Group called Powers on Politics-I’d love to see you there! Thanks y’all!
Chene’
Works Cited:
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Powers on Politics Issue X
Hello: Ah, we meet again! Or at least I’m hoping I’m not just talking to myself…. Alright I have to get this off my chest. Last week I think I royally screwed up the roman numeral nine and turned it into an eleven…I’m just inattentive that’s all. Anyway besides that I also want to note that I have no idea when you will get this issue…we are having some computer problems the likes of which my parents believe that I can fix just because I "know computers better". I would like to take this moment to notify them that I don’t know anything. I know how to mess around until something happens-for good or ill. So in all likelihood I’ll make the problem worse than it already was. Oh-and I would like to apologize to all of you who may get this and the last issue together in a single e-mail…my e-mail is being funny as well. Why does everything I touch break?! Oh, and finally because I have no internet access I’m just going to be doing an opinion piece this week, maybe I’ll even throw in some fun stories about nothing in particular as I struggle to come up with something to fill at least four pages. On that note…enjoy-and beware!
Hi Mom…I Broke the Toilet…: I know that everyone is afraid of what I’m about to say…mostly because it has the words "Toilet" and "Broke" in the same sentence. Worry not, I’ll stay VERY clean.
Once upon a time it was Wednesday the 26th and I was home alone with my sisters Ashton, Sage, and Autumn. We were having a rockin’ good time doing…nothing. Alright we were bored, so we decided to play Apples to Apples and then after lunch we watched Igor on the computer. It was during this time that I made the error that I feared would have me strung up and quartered by my loving mother. Here’s why. I broke the flusher (for lack of a better term) of the toilet. Don’t ask me how-all I know is that it snapped apart and I suddenly became a plumber as I hurriedly sought to find a solution to my problem before I had to actually tell my mother that I had broken the toilet.
I removed the lid from the top of the toilet and looked in at the assortment of doodads and thingamabobs and realized that not only did I break the outside of the "flusher" but also the inside and I was without a clue on how to go about fixing it. Here’s where panic began to set in.
Hesitantly I exited the bathroom and stood at the top of the stairs. "Uh-Ashton…I, well I sort of…uhm…broke the toilet." Now at the age of a day under 13 my sister’s immediate reaction went something like- "What?!" Followed closely by a considerable amount of laughter then a simple "mom’s going to kill you" statement that did nothing to calm my nerves.
"What do I do? I have to tell her?"
This single question became the theme of the day. Between myself and Ashton we set about-after we stopped laughing (yes I too finally saw the humor in the situation…I mean seriously… I broke the toilet!)-figuring out how to break the news to my mother. Of course there were a myriad of ways all a little more entertaining than the last, and all excluding coming right out and telling her.
"So Mom, you know that toilet that is in the kids bathroom? Yeah, it’s sort of under construction." or "Mom-oh boy we’ve been doing so much today! We watched Igor, played Apples to Apples, ate lunch, I broke your toilet, we played hide-and-seek, now we’re playing on the Game Station (that’s code for X-Box)." Or the popular "Hi mom, yeah Ibrokeyourtoilet. Huh? What? What did you say? Toilet? What are you talking-broke?! What Toilet?" Unfortunately I had a firm belief that this would only leave to more trouble so I resigned to tell the truth. This is the way THAT conversation went.
"Hi Chene’."
"Hi Mom."
"Whatcha doin’ girl?"
"Just hanging out."
"How’s everything going over there?"
"Mostly good." (this is where I try to break it to her softly)
"That’s good. What are you doing?" (This is where I don’t think she really understood what I was trying to do.)
"We played, ate, hung out-you know."
"Sounds like things are good."
"Mostly."
"Mostly?" (Here’s where I have to confess my sins and pray that you can’t get dismembered over the phone.)
"Well…I sort of…broke the toilet." (Here’s where I cringed)
"Broke the toilet?"
"Uhm…yeah the flusher thing broke off…when I was…."
"Too much information Chene’! How did you break it?" (Somehow her voice was more incredulous than anything else)
"I don’t know…I just did."
"Can it be fixed?" (This is where I get really scared)
"I don’t know…." (This is where I don’t admit that I’m pretty sure that I ruined the toilet)
"*Sigh* Alright, nobody goes in there." (Oh my gosh, I’m totally still alive!)
In the end a new piece was found and it was a simple install for my step father.
Oh-before I wind up this story I just remembered…when I did my little autopsy of the toilet the inside broken piece had sunk to the bottom of the toilet and at this point I had admitted my sin to Ashton and Sage and Autumn who all came running in to see. After a moment of debating over if it was possible to fish the piece out with chopsticks Ashton had to dive her hand into the water…no one wanted to give her a high five afterward for some reason.
I guess what I want to impart on everyone is this…apparently when you break the toilet…or rather the "flusher" you can get a replacement part quite easily at ACE Hardware for about six to eight dollars.
Punished for Patriotism: On the 23rd of November an event on Fox occurred that I had been waiting on for the space of a month and a half. The special premier of 24 season seven. I’ll go ahead and tell everyone at this point that I am a HUGE 24 fan and was dying to watch this particular episode. Well I did watch, and I did enjoy, but when it ended I was again left with a familiar distaste towards the show.
As is custom, it would seem, Jack was being attacked by not only the terrorists but he was being assaulted by the government that he had for so long given everything to protect. Apparently he had fled the United States (this explanation is for everyone who didn’t watch-shame on you-so that you are up to speed) looking for the freedom that had been taken from him by those government officials who were none too pleased with his methods of protecting his country-and saving the utter annoyance his little girlfriend (whose name both eludes me, and that I purposefully forget…ps-I hate that character) from the Chinese.
Unfortunately Jack can’t even escape from the U.S government even in Africa (I can’t remember which part but suffice it to say it was a more northern country). They came after him with a supina that he refused to take, and the man who was trying to get him with it wasn’t going to do anything about it because he was a wimpy little man. That was until Jack had to save a bunch of little boys and the only way they could get into the embassy was if Jack Bauer accepted the supina and was taken back to the United States.
This is where my problem with the show comes about. Jack Bauer has sacrificed EVERYTHING (yes I know it’s just a T.V show) and every time he gets attacked by the government. For instance at one point, he was captured by the Chinese who tortured him for an extended period of time only to be retrieved by the United States government to be used as a sacrifice for something else. I don’t think that Jack Bauer (the fictional character who is BETTER THAN CHUCK NORRIS-sorry it’s an argument I have with my brother) deserves to be attacked when he is nothing but a Patriot who does what he does to protect the country, to protect the people in the country. He is one of those "real" heroes that you can get behind, yet the way the government on the show treats him is the same as the real United States treats our heroes.
Think about it, take Compean and Ramos the two border guards who did their job only to be imprisoned because someone didn’t like it. These two men shot and killed an illegal immigrant who was smuggling drugs into the country.
Border Agents are constantly fighting a war on the Mexican border, a war on drug trafficking. As a result of this war the Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar has said that "there have been 1,982 incidents where Border Patrol agents were assaulted." Agents have responded to these sorts of incidents by using deadly force 116 times, with 144 agents discharging their weapons during these 116 incidents. In these instances Aguilar has reported that "13 assailants died as a result, and 15 incidents ended with the assailants being wounded." All of the 144 agents have been formally investigated and Compean and Ramos are the first ones to be attacked by the United States Justice system like this.
For doing what they do Compean and Ramos will be receiving 11-12 years in federal prison, how is this right? How can we do this to these two men who spend their time guarding us from people who come across this border that could wish to do harm to us?
American soldiers are viciously attacked by our politicians-and even our Presidential Elect who has accused them-our United States Soldiers- "Air raiding villages and killing civilians"! These are the men and women who are fighting for us-for me and you! They are laying down their lives for OUR FREEDOM and what do we do-attack them!
Since when was it a sin to be a hero, to be someone who is willing to stand up for our rights, our values? Why do so many of our leaders, and even citizens attack those who do the right thing; punish these people for it? We cannot do this, people, we cannot simply allow this to continue, and I hope that we can all do something to show those heroes that exist in our country, our states, our cities, our tiny hometowns that we appreciate them even if it is only walking up to your local police officer and thanking them for everything they do for you. We have to do this, because OUR heroes are being attacked, destroyed, and discredited. That, my friends, is wrong.
War For and Against God: Most only recognize that there is a war AGAINST God, but I recently realized there’s actually a small-and equally wrongful-war FOR God. We all can easily recognize those who are against God, they wish to keep the Ten Commandments out of the court houses, they want to remove the words "Under God" from our Pledge of Allegiance, and eradicate "In God we Trust" from our currency. These are all easily noted, but what many haven’t heard of is the war for God.
There is one currently happening here in Utah, and it truly stuns me. There is a man by the name of Chris Buttars a Republican Senator from West Jordan who wants to see "Happy Holidays" stricken from all retailers in the state. Instead he would have "Merry Christmas" adorning every sign and come out of the mouth of every cashier who checks out your groceries. Buttars has said "the majority of Americans celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday because the United States is a Christian Nation."
There is so much in this statement that is flawed, so much of it I disagree with. The majority of Americans do celebrate Christmas (if we didn’t why would we be trampling people trying to get into Wal-Mart?), but that in no way suggests that the United States is a Christian Nation. The United States was built up in the idea that there was a God, yes that is true you can see it from the Founders who believed that the writing of the Constitution came from Divine Providence, but that in no way means that the U.S is solidly Christian or completely supports only Christian ideals. This country supports all manner of religions so long as they do not infringe on the law or rights of other individuals, but for Buttars to simply shoo away other religions is ridiculous.
It seems to me that what Buttars is going for is to bring the people closer to God, but what he is really doing is alienating everyone and destroying the true meaning of Christmas. We all know that this meaning is in no way attached to how we greet someone during the holidays. In fact if it was I’m sure we’d all be going to Hell because I’m pretty sure I’ve said "Happy Holidays" to many a person. If he wants to be on his silly "Quest for Christianity" he should tell everyone to start helping out people in need, to go volunteer, encourage people to serve each other, but not force anyone to do anything just because it makes him feel like he’s getting brownie points at the end of the day. Besides taking away the stores right to free speech is against that little thing called the CONSTITUTION! I don’t care what it’s for, you still can’t do it.
Just let us all remember, that if the little war that’s being fought-regardless if it’s for or against God-if it takes away the rights of those who don’t agree then it’s wrong. And not very God-like.
Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers: There is a day in every year that absolutely frustrates the heck out of me. It comes after one of my favorite days of the year-the day that I get to eat as much as I want with a smile on my face and with the knowledge that as soon as I digest my fifteenth helping I’ll be moving on to dessert. Black Friday. What a ridiculous day this is! The one day of the year when it is okay for people to act like (as my brother so eloquently put it) barbarians! Every year it is the same thing. People getting trampled and killed because a bunch of bargain crazed women rush the stores hoping that they will be the first to get an X-Box or Wii for their greedy little kids for Christmas!
Oh I want to smack those people! They make innocents like me never want to set foot out of my house on that day of the year and head to my local shopping center for fear of getting mauled by beastial hordes of pheromone-hyped gift-obsessed women! Why is it suddenly okay for people to act this way just one day out of the year when any other time they would be taken to jail and charged with something, yet that doesn’t seem to happen here.
This year it was a man who was trampled and killed in a Wal-Mart and a pregnant woman who was also trampled so badly that it caused her baby to be killed. Though despite this no one can be charged because there were to many mad women (and I’m sure men aren’t completely irresponsible in this either) in the mob to press charges; no one knows who did it…I think it was a group effort personally.
So, in closing I would like to tell all of those psycho women that they are ruining what this Holiday Season is all about, as well as taking lives and destroying lives in some cases. Instead why don’t you just stay at home, shop online, and leave the Black Friday shopping to those who are civilized enough to handle it.
Until Next Time: I am so glad that you took the time to read this issue even if it wasn’t overly informative and more of a random rant. Before I go I have to tell you at least one thing I can guarantee to be in the next issue-what it was like to stand in line to get my copy of the Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck signed by him…and how scary it was to hand him my first issue of Powers on Politics and hope that he didn’t just laugh at me. Until then my friends, I hope we all have a good next week!
Chene’
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Powers on Politics Issue XI
New Week: New week people and not an entirely new stack of problems but you know…we’ll still talk about them. Before we do, however, I would like to issue an apology to everyone because I will not be discussing the one world currency problem as of yet…I still need to get in the mood to depress myself. Hopefully we have some fun in this issue, though, because I’m trying to choose some good things to talk about. To begin with we are going to focus on the upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving and I’m going to attempt to tell you the true story-not the crap that you learn in school about the retarded (heck yes I just said that word!) pilgrims and the thoughtful Indians who got small pox in return for their kindness (that story is so touching isn’t it? Brings a tear to my eye-and syphilis to countless numbers of Indians (that’s right I’m calling them Indians-and I’m making a parenthetical notation within a parenthetical notation-just breaking all the rules today!)). On that high note I hope you enjoy what is to come.
The Real Thanksgiving Story: Apparently everything you’ve heard in school about Thanksgiving is wrong-who’da thunk it for that price…. Let me guess you were told that the Pilgrims had nothing when they landed at Plymouth Rock and were starving because they were physically and mentally inept to help themselves so the kind and caring Indian people (whom we later diseased, and abused) brought all of their goodies over and everyone celebrated happily ever after…THE END.
WRONG! Welcome to the real story, and there’s even an economic moral to it as well (aren’t you lucky, here I’m promising to tell you a nice story and then I go in and throw politics into it…that’s just how good I am)
In 1623 the Pilgrims all sat down for a bountiful feast thanking god for bringing them out of an earlier famine and giving them an amazingly bountiful crop that year. What had caused such a drastic change, you may be asking yourself, well Governor Bradford’s diary-an elder of the Puritan colony-tells us the story.
Upon arriving the Pilgrims decided that they were going to do things completely different from what England had been instituting. They abolished private property, and decided to live in a collectivist community where rewards were drawn from the group effort. Every part of life was done as a community job, and the hope was that the result would be great prosperity and “brotherly love”. That was the last thing that came from their little experiment.
“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing of community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard (I’m not the only one who uses the word-see!) much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labor and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense. The strong…had no more in division victuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labors everything else, though it some indignity and disrespect unto them.
And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it. Upon the point all being to have alike, and all to do alike they thought themselves in the like condition, and one as good as another; and so, if it did not cut off those relation that God hath set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take off the mutual respects that should be preserved amongst them…Let none object this is men’s corruption, and nothing to the course itself. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in His wisdom saw another course fitter for them.”
For the space of two years the harvest failed to produce enough food to feed everyone in the community and many starved and died from famine. Faced with this the elders gathered and decided that if something didn’t change then they would surely die. Instead of committing themselves to disaster it was decided that all property and fields would be split up and given to each family as their own. Whatever they grew was theirs, whatever they produced was theirs, and if there was excess then they could use it to trade to their neighbors for something else.
Suddenly the sloth, envy, and resentment were replaced by Industry, effort, and joy. In fact the bounty of that year was so great that they began trading amongst the Indians in the forest. In November 1623 they held the now famous feast to celebrate their accomplishments and invited the Indians over to share in thanking God for the bounty.
So remember that we are not only celebrating the things we are thankful for but we are also celebrating industry and the triumph of capitalism and the spirit of enterprise in America!
HAPPY THANKGIVING
www.fee.org/thanksgiving
For more information or your own copy of the True Story of Thanksgiving.
Somali Pirates: Not quite the Jack Sparrows of our time the Somali Pirates have taken a Ukrainian ship 200 miles off the coast of Somalia last Thursday and only want “just money”-the self proclaimed leader Sugule Ali informed a New York Times writer by the name of Jeffery Gettleman.
If you haven’t heard this story yet then get ready for something you were probably not prepared for. After hijacking the freighter Faina they found to their huge surprise that there were arms on board (I’m going to interject here…OF COURSE IT HAD ARMS ON BOARD!) Really the plan didn’t seem too thought through when Sugule said “We just saw a big ship. So we stopped it.” (brilliant) Apparently their desire to get money is not quite unfounded with this ship because the worth of the weaponry on board is estimated at about $30 million. Apparently there is also another reason for this whole take over, maybe (if you are an enviro-hippy) “to stop illegal fishing and dumping in our waters.” OH MY GOSH! People, why are we this way, why is it so acceptable for these sorts of acts occur just because it’s in the name of “the earth”?! Currently I’m getting this information out of the New York Times website, and the article is entitled “Somali Pirates Tell Their Side: They Want Only Money” Oh, is that all? I-wow-I feel terrible…how could I just simply think that these pirates were doing wrong when in fact all they wanted was some extra cash? You know what, I’m going to take this chance to apologize to the pirates…. Give me a break people! This is wrong, it’s just like that dumb whale show on Animal Planet that follows a bunch of “whale lovers” around as they go and attack the whaling ships out in the ocean because they disagree! Why is this suddenly so acceptable? We cannot allow this to go on, it is WRONG to promote this kind of behavior and even violence against others just because we don’t agree, or believe the same things that someone else does.
Alright now that we’re past my little “come on people!” moment let’s get on to something that’s sort of funny. The pirates-as reported on www.bloomberg.com are reducing their desired ransom payment to $25 million. I believe the original answer was somewhere around $35 million. What makes me laugh about this is that the 2 million barrels of oil that are on the ships alone are worth $110 million…I don’t know if it’s just me but…they’re kinda shooting a little low aren’t they? Asking only about a quarter of what their booty is even worth? Definitely no Jack Sparrows. Oh well…I’m sure that we’ll figure this one out eventually….
All I Want for Christmas is a BIG Bailout: I believe this is the theme for American businesses for Christmas 2008. Starting in September (I believe…or was it August?) the government has become the big Sugar Daddy for American businesses. So just who has had a bailout…well there’s Wall Street, Fannie, Freddie, Banks, as of today (11/24/08) Citicorp (which includes Citibank, and Citigroup), television stations are beginning to feel like they deserve one, and then the Auto Industry. Now I don’t mean to be a downer, but what makes this worse is that the Government is feeling EXTREMELY giving. Although the Big Three have not been officially given the bailout money that they desire, yet, but that’s just because the Democrats don’t want to take the imminent fall for handing it out. In fact Nancy Pelosi told them quite sternly that they’d have to have a plan before she’d be willing to “show them the money”. Furthermore the democrats who had promised that they had an agreement with the republicans (sound familiar to anyone?) actually didn’t have any such thing so they had to cover their tracks. (Darn Republicans, making life so hard for everyone else!)
It’s getting to the point where we’re spending several million dollars every day on bailouts for this failing organization, or business, and all the while it seems that the American people are just giving up on trying to fight this. There is just the angry murmuring of those who feel like they are being slighted. I don’t know how, but someone needs to stand up to these people and tell them that we are going to let every business that is begging for a bailout to go the way of the Titanic and sink. If you don’t like the way Capitalism works-leave. Maybe for Christmas I can have my own bailout…I can think of a few books that I could buy with it.
‘Till We Meet Again: With three issues discussed and me being terribly late in releasing this particular issue (though I think a good excuse is that I wanted to bring you the story of Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving is a pretty well spun tale) it is time for me to say adieu. I promise that I will be on time next week, I’ll stop lazing over my issues and get things accomplished-this is my promise! Until next time everyone, I hope that you had an enjoyable read!
Chene’
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
There are things that I believe that I shall never say, but I shall never say things that I do not believe.
Howdy, Howdy, Howdy: Hello my friends (ooh, that sounded like John McCain there for a moment), hope that you are doing good. Alright as promised in the last issue-as tiny and pathetic as it was-we are going to be covering a slew of new news that has been thrown together, but is completely related (cue Twilight Zone music). I don’t believe that anyone on the news is talking about this stuff, I know the radio talk show hosts are, and so for those who aren’t able to listen-or choose not to-I want you to be able to be informed. Just as a quick note this issue WILL have a works cited column because I didn’t get much information from the links on my blog. I hope that everyone is able to read this and understand what I’m trying to say…because this stuff is kind of intense and it is confusing, but I’m going to do my best to explain it to you. It is my hope that you enjoy. So…here we go!
S’all About the Oil: It’s the truth. All of the problems we are facing affect the oil, and next to no one is telling you this. This is a complicated tangled web that is being weaved so I am going to do my best to unravel it a little bit. To begin with we have to look at the why question. Why is the price of oil falling? Is it because we are drilling, beginning to produce our own oil? Could we possibly have gone into ANWAR and into the Gulf now that the restrictions have been lifted by Congress? Yeah-no. The reason oil prices are coming down at such a consistent rate is because consumption has gone down around the world because there is a global economic crisis occurring and people can’t buy what they can’t afford. Which brings us to another question that should be asked. Who-who is in charge of all of this oil?
The truth might just scare you if you do not know already. The list of who has the oil is fairly large so I’m going to narrow it down considerably.
If we are in anyway confused by what is said here let me clear it up for you. It’s telling you that
But returning to
This isn’t half of the story, however, where things really begin to get interesting are in a whole other NPR article written by Jackie Northam entitled Geopolitical Alliances Shift with Rising Oil Prices. “The soaring price of oil has a profound impact on relationships between nations that have the valuable commodity and those that don't.” This statement says it all, and gives us a little insight because it was written this summer as well. What I’m trying to get you to glean from this is that clearly, as previously stated, certain nations flourish under the high prices, but when things begin to get stingy for them they hit hard times. No nation is going to simply sit there and allow themselves to go through economic turmoil without trying to fix it (unless you’re the
We all know the basics of what happened in the Georgian Russian conflict.
They aren’t alone in holding all the right cards.
I guess you can enjoy the low oil prices, I mean really I can’t help but be happy when I see them fall, but don’t forget to listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head that is warning you to watch your back.
O.P.E.C: Who wants to mess with the price of oil? OPEC does! That’s right as mentioned in the previous article there are countries who are pissed that the oil prices are falling and they are demanding that it comes to a close. What’s worse is that OPEC is listening and President Bush isn’t doing a thing about it! Here’s what happened.
In an article released October 16th of this year written by Jad Mouawad he discusses what is going on with OPEC. Now OPEC had announced that it was to hold an emergency meeting regarding the plummeting oil prices the following week after this article was written (I’d give you the date but I’m too lazy to figure it out right now so I’ll let you do the hard work of counting seven days from the 16th). Apparently the problem was that petrol execs and oil producers were a nervous wreck because of the declining oil prices because they believed that this sudden decrease in price-it was sitting at $70 a barrel at this point-would “undermine the stability of the energy markets.” The problem was with the price up to $147.27 a barrel in July then suddenly back down to $70 only a few months later the market in oil wasn’t exactly what one would call “safe” and no one was willing to try and invest long term. That’s where OPEC decided to step in. With it’s meeting originally planned for Nov. 18 it had to quickly reschedule when it became obvious that some higher-ups were starting to get antsy all over the world. As the Iranian oil minister, Gholamhossein Nozari, said “ "I think the low price is a real damage to the future of production."
I think the low oil prices are a damage to YOUR future Mr. Minister, because
What really bothers these people is the fact that with oil prices jumping and falling as they are there has been less of a desire to use the product from people who simply could not afford it, therefore the consumption slowed…wow I feel like this is déjà vu…. Basically it’s all the OPEC people who want to make a profit in the coming years and want everyone happy getting together. Now I’m not saying that they should not receive profits, but they should not get together and stick it to us just because they are upset at what oil is doing. What may be even worse is that a HUGE crunch is predicted on the not-too-far future. With prices falling it is predicted that people will begin mass consuming and a price surge will occur. When this happens the big wigs foresee too much need for not enough production.
That isn’t even the real kicker to this story though. Watch how different stories begin to intertwine….
The drop in prices has already created problems for oil producers, who have become accustomed to high prices.
In
Weird…sounds so familiar. Sounds to me like OPEC is out to make everyone happy except the American people who most greatly benefit when prices are low. No one is really listening to us though, and I don’t think they will any time soon.
Here’s what happened at that meeting (oh, it was on the 24th of October…just so everyone knows). The meeting convened in
I. R. Iran: 199,000
U.A.E.: 134,000
This is basically the end of the article basically…well other than this will all be managed by a big committee that no one actually cares about. Personally I don’t like this, cutting the amount of oil that is available to nations is doing nothing but putting a greater squeeze on us. In the end I think this is going to do more harm than good…but we’ll see I guess. Hold on for the ride my friends!
Since this oil thing is beginning to give me a headache…so we are going to move on to something equally happy….
The
Before World War I began
Unfortunately it was to get no easier. When
The capitalist tendencies were still strong, however, with people working hard and knowing that in the end things would get better. Yet prices continued to double even into 1922 with things like milk going from 7 marks to 16. People were upset and slowly an underground economy began to emerge as the citizens tried to stick it to their tax collectors. Soon it became apparent to the citizens that the mark wasn’t what was valuable anymore and they began purchasing real goods such as pianos, diamonds and safe real estate. As value of things increased with the cost of each item banks hurried to fix the problem-for some reason no one saw anything wrong with it (if this is sounding familiar…you are one of the few sane people in this country).
The reason this wasn’t put to a stop was because of how fragile the government after the assassination of Walter Rathenau the foreign minister. By now the French had also come into
Finally a group of German industrial combines by the name of Krupp, Thyssen, Farben, and Stinnes decided that the best way to fix the economy was to bring down the value of the mark. To do this marks had to be printed quick and in a large amount that would cause inflation. Now that the printing press was in full swing it was suddenly very hard to stop. Soon prices were skyrocketing so fast that the menus in restaurants could not be reprinted in time. Even the presses began to fall behind with the demand of marks until individual states and cities had to issue their own money to their citizens.
Eventually those who had been trying to back their wealth up with goods searching out anything such as soap and hairpins until the country was reduced to outright thievery.
To save themselves having to carry around huge wheelbarrows full of money a new mark was invented the “Rentenmark” which was equal to one billion old marks. "I remember," said one Frau Barten of
With everyone having given up on the economy it became a simple thing for Hitler to exploit with “diabolical talent.” No one was surprised anymore by the outrageous prices, or the growing problems that were blossoming all around them. People who had worked hard their entire lives were left on the street, and widows who depended on their husband were destitute. Pearl Buck, an American author described what it was like to be in
"The cities were still there, the houses not yet bombed and in ruins, but the victims were millions of people. They had lost their fortunes, their savings; they were dazed and inflation-shocked and did not understand how it had happened to them and who the foe was who had defeated them. Yet they had lost their self-assurance, their feeling that they themselves could be the masters of their own lives if only they worked hard enough; and lost, too, were the old values of morals, of ethics, of decency."
Chene’
