Marshal McLuhan Centennial of your birth. “Go to hell”
Many Universities around the globe are celebrating his prescient theories. Back in the 60ies and 70ies he was writing about where the media was going to take us. I remember those arguments over, “the medium is the message.” Worse than that was his notion, of the “Global Village.” Yes the media was going to turn us into one all embracing society across all man made boundaries. McLuhan was one of the rare thinkers, artists who somehow are able to see the future without any clear consciousness as to how they arrived there.
Back in the sixties, seventies I thought, surely there would be an increase in the number of television sets but never could have foreseen the explosion of the Internet IPods, Mextexts Cellphones with cameras etc. etc. Indeed, in many ways the world is now a village. Here’s where I breakdown with empathy overload.
Back in my own "good old days" I might have read something about a drought in Africa or Asia.That was probably transmitted by the dot dash code of Telegraph and it was surely a week or a month old. Now it’s instant photographs taken with cellphone cameras. Here in front of me on this computer screen are thousands of starving, thirst driven Ugandan women carrying their starving babies to an already overflowing refugee camp in Kenya. Just a sample of the Global Village that is now relentless in its daily story of all the horrific droughts, fires and the monumental disasters being brought on by Global Climate Change. In the old days it was simply Colonialism.
Oh, so you think I’m finished? Not so fast. Here comes the foreclosure, unemployment crisis, collective bargaining crisis in Wisconsin, the abortion fight in Kansas, the Fukushima Nuclear meltdown. Instant pictures of those poor poor old Japanese men and women walking around in a daze, The Haiti earthquake just shows us that forever poverty. Their tent villages just waiting for the next hurricane to blow them away. And yes, my wife insists, that the Polar Bears loss of habitat is the Canary in the Global climate crisis that will do us all in.
On top of all that there’s all the left wing causes threatening me to give them money or we are looking at the “end of days.” How can I take on the Global scene when I’m struggling to hang on to the local disasters? From my empathy bank I have very little left over for the Debt Crisis. That seems so inconsequential when I look at those dyeing mothers and bloated babies in Africa.
In my lifetime I have often confronted the problem, what burning issue of the day should I spend my energy on? The old Marxist solution was to find the link in the socio economic chain that would help to fundamentally change the society. Maybe that’s how I ended up in the Labor Movement? Now my empathy scale sends me all over the place. That could be precisely because we do not have a program to make any fundamental changes in the present system of Market Capitalism.
Could that be what is sending me into an empathy overload crisis? Or is it just Mcluhan’s Global Village?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Repeal The New Deal
Destroy the Obama Presidency!
The more I try to understand what on earth the GOP is trying to do it becomes increasingly clear that they are out to destroy all the Safety Net programs built in response to the Great Depression of the 1930s. As I have indicated many times on this blog that the Tea Party -GOP Gang of 240 (members in the House) also have a very deep hatred of this President and will do absolutely anything to bring him down. That gives the hard right a chance for a double hit. This will be coming to a head very soon as the US approaches the deadline for paying its debts.
Look, in the 1930s there was a critical need to give working people a greater voice in their workplaces and break the grip of the Robber Barons. That gave us the Wagner Act. It assured the right of workers to join a union of their choice. That’s under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana etc. Unemployment Insurance gave laid off workers a weekly stipend to help keep house and home together. Home Relief (Welfare) kept people from being pushed into the streets, (evictions) and made homeless. The Wages and Hours Act required employers to maintain 40 hour work weeks as well as paying overtime for off hours that were worked.
The absolute star in all this legislation was Social Security. Yes it is a tax that all employees pay into during their working life. That guarantees a lifetime income after retirement at age 65. It is not a government handout. The Government is simply the Policy Holder of the retirees money. Unfortunately the Government has periodically snuck into that fund to spend money on such unrelated stuff like the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally there is Medicare. It was added to the Safety Net back in 1965. That was a way to help our citizens make it to retirement without suffering from all the ailments that flesh is heir to. It was a recognition that Health Care is part and parcel of a well lived life.
Okay, now all of these programs are under attack by the Gang of 240 in order to get the Country back to the “GOOD OLD DAYS OF THE ROBBER BARONS.” That was a time when big business totally dominated the economy and felt completely free to do whatever it took to increase the profit take with absolutely no Government interference. In place of the Robber Barons we have the Wall Street Derivative Crooks who just want to play dice with the lives of home buyers, credit card holders, stock purchasers etc. etc. Meet our new Robber Barons.
So the Gang of 240 lead by Mr. Boehner and MConnell meet with President Obama Mr. nice guy. He offers compromises that make my blood boil. They offer nothing, zippo, zero. Obama keeps hoping and dreaming because we are all supposed to be reasonable people.
Yupp, Mr. President that's how it was at Harvard, according to the Marquess of Queens-bury. In this Congress it’s according to the Bloods and the Crips. The President is going to be forced into a real tough stand in the next few days. Here’s what he needs to do to save the 1930s Safety Nets and keep us from defaulting into the abyss.
First and foremost he needs to talk directly with the American people about this coming economic breakdown. He needs to explain how we got here and what he is going to do to get us through it. He must make no deals that sells out all those hard won New Deal measures that we have fought for over the years. They are part of what has made our country the envy of the world. They are a sacred trust. Don’t sell us out. If you do Mr. President in the end you and us will pay a very dear price.
If the Gang of 204 and their leaders Boehner, McConnell just wont budge taking back the Bush tax breaks for the rich here’s what needs to be done. The President goes on prime time television to explain the following to the American people.
”This is your President. As you probably know I have spent the last month in an intense effort to reach an agreement on raising our debt limit. In past administrations this was an automatic congressional activity that you probably never even noticed. Suddenly in my administration the debt ceiling is being held hostage. This is a bald attempt by the GOP to dismantle the hard won gains of everything from Social Security to Medicare. I am not about to let that happen.
Under the powers granted the President by the Constitution I am declaring the Country in a State of Emergency. I am ordering the US Treasury department to increase our debt level so that the United States will not default on its debts as stated in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. These are the powers granted to the President. I would be derelict in my responsibility as the Commander in Chief if I did not carry out my oath of office to uphold the Constitution. We will pay our debts. Good night and may God Bless America.”
The more I try to understand what on earth the GOP is trying to do it becomes increasingly clear that they are out to destroy all the Safety Net programs built in response to the Great Depression of the 1930s. As I have indicated many times on this blog that the Tea Party -GOP Gang of 240 (members in the House) also have a very deep hatred of this President and will do absolutely anything to bring him down. That gives the hard right a chance for a double hit. This will be coming to a head very soon as the US approaches the deadline for paying its debts.
Look, in the 1930s there was a critical need to give working people a greater voice in their workplaces and break the grip of the Robber Barons. That gave us the Wagner Act. It assured the right of workers to join a union of their choice. That’s under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana etc. Unemployment Insurance gave laid off workers a weekly stipend to help keep house and home together. Home Relief (Welfare) kept people from being pushed into the streets, (evictions) and made homeless. The Wages and Hours Act required employers to maintain 40 hour work weeks as well as paying overtime for off hours that were worked.
The absolute star in all this legislation was Social Security. Yes it is a tax that all employees pay into during their working life. That guarantees a lifetime income after retirement at age 65. It is not a government handout. The Government is simply the Policy Holder of the retirees money. Unfortunately the Government has periodically snuck into that fund to spend money on such unrelated stuff like the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally there is Medicare. It was added to the Safety Net back in 1965. That was a way to help our citizens make it to retirement without suffering from all the ailments that flesh is heir to. It was a recognition that Health Care is part and parcel of a well lived life.
Okay, now all of these programs are under attack by the Gang of 240 in order to get the Country back to the “GOOD OLD DAYS OF THE ROBBER BARONS.” That was a time when big business totally dominated the economy and felt completely free to do whatever it took to increase the profit take with absolutely no Government interference. In place of the Robber Barons we have the Wall Street Derivative Crooks who just want to play dice with the lives of home buyers, credit card holders, stock purchasers etc. etc. Meet our new Robber Barons.
So the Gang of 240 lead by Mr. Boehner and MConnell meet with President Obama Mr. nice guy. He offers compromises that make my blood boil. They offer nothing, zippo, zero. Obama keeps hoping and dreaming because we are all supposed to be reasonable people.
Yupp, Mr. President that's how it was at Harvard, according to the Marquess of Queens-bury. In this Congress it’s according to the Bloods and the Crips. The President is going to be forced into a real tough stand in the next few days. Here’s what he needs to do to save the 1930s Safety Nets and keep us from defaulting into the abyss.
First and foremost he needs to talk directly with the American people about this coming economic breakdown. He needs to explain how we got here and what he is going to do to get us through it. He must make no deals that sells out all those hard won New Deal measures that we have fought for over the years. They are part of what has made our country the envy of the world. They are a sacred trust. Don’t sell us out. If you do Mr. President in the end you and us will pay a very dear price.
If the Gang of 204 and their leaders Boehner, McConnell just wont budge taking back the Bush tax breaks for the rich here’s what needs to be done. The President goes on prime time television to explain the following to the American people.
”This is your President. As you probably know I have spent the last month in an intense effort to reach an agreement on raising our debt limit. In past administrations this was an automatic congressional activity that you probably never even noticed. Suddenly in my administration the debt ceiling is being held hostage. This is a bald attempt by the GOP to dismantle the hard won gains of everything from Social Security to Medicare. I am not about to let that happen.
Under the powers granted the President by the Constitution I am declaring the Country in a State of Emergency. I am ordering the US Treasury department to increase our debt level so that the United States will not default on its debts as stated in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. These are the powers granted to the President. I would be derelict in my responsibility as the Commander in Chief if I did not carry out my oath of office to uphold the Constitution. We will pay our debts. Good night and may God Bless America.”
Friday, July 15, 2011
S'Mores Very First Taste
Their yearly visit, son, granddaughter.
Our time is filled with love.
Allie a young lady searching
Fred a man of music both
Ocean swimmers from the midlands,
That is Madison of the recall wars.
Merrily, we cook talk eat talk and then?
Outa nowhere, on a moonlit deck
Moonbeams danced on the rippling water.
“Granpa, ever had S’Mores?” What’s that?
S’Mores brigade steps in for action.
Quick, to market we must go for S”mores!
Fred’s on the fire, Allie's marshmallow chef
Kate’s the graham cracker chocolate girl.
Here it comes “Grandpa get ready.”
A very first S’Mores bight. “Oh my God.”
A taste concocted in heaven. Definately
“Want Some mores S’Mores. By jove”
How’d this camper miss it? Got to know.
Ahaa who invented S’Mores?
1927 Gramps at 10 no S’more’s
Hurray for the Girl Scouts.
Finally something I could love
About those namby pamby goodie too shoes
In they’re cute little uniforms.
Invented those sin-full, sin-full
Sin-full Yeah give me more S’Mores.
Good luck in Wisconsin, ya win you get S’M---------.
Love youall Grandpa
(Don’t forget to bring S’M------)
Our time is filled with love.
Allie a young lady searching
Fred a man of music both
Ocean swimmers from the midlands,
That is Madison of the recall wars.
Merrily, we cook talk eat talk and then?
Outa nowhere, on a moonlit deck
Moonbeams danced on the rippling water.
“Granpa, ever had S’Mores?” What’s that?
S’Mores brigade steps in for action.
Quick, to market we must go for S”mores!
Fred’s on the fire, Allie's marshmallow chef
Kate’s the graham cracker chocolate girl.
Here it comes “Grandpa get ready.”
A very first S’Mores bight. “Oh my God.”
A taste concocted in heaven. Definately
“Want Some mores S’Mores. By jove”
How’d this camper miss it? Got to know.
Ahaa who invented S’Mores?
1927 Gramps at 10 no S’more’s
Hurray for the Girl Scouts.
Finally something I could love
About those namby pamby goodie too shoes
In they’re cute little uniforms.
Invented those sin-full, sin-full
Sin-full Yeah give me more S’Mores.
Good luck in Wisconsin, ya win you get S’M---------.
Love youall Grandpa
(Don’t forget to bring S’M------)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Climate Change & the Immigrant Crisis
As the planet rockets headlong into climate change the immigration issue will continue to heat up. We can see the beginnings in what is presently happening in Europe. I had hoped to have an old friend in London due this piece but alas he has become unavailable. Don’t know why? But as you get to 94 years strange things happen that you may not be able to account for. Anyway I will do me best with what I have left.
After WW2 there were severe worker shortages in many European countries. That resulted in what became known as The Guest Worker Programs. Germany a country of 81 million people there are now 3.5 million Turks. Early on it was assumed that these Guest workers would turn out to be exactly that “Guests.” A guest is supposed to be just that. Someone who comes for a time and then goes back home. As of now these guests have seemed to have overstayed their welcome and many of the locals want them out of there.
In 2010 Angela Merkel Prime Minister of Germany said, “Germany as a multi cultural nation has failed.” So what happened? As long as there was a low unemployment rate nobody seemed to care to much. Once the economy began to slow guess what? The Neo Nazi skinheads began to rag on the Turks, “who are taking our jobs.” Germany is simply an example of what is beginning to happen all over Europe. France 23% of French citizens are product of immigrant parents. A million West Africans came there through Spain and Italy. Now with a 9% unemployment rate the old fascists are accusing the immigrants of “stealing our jobs.”
In the UK. United Kingdom ie Britain there are whole towns that have become majority Muslim. That wonderful old image of “Merry Old England” is rapidly fading to what it is becoming. A very small little island with a critical human density problem. It turns out that England with it population of 54 million people is the second most densely populated country with 660 people per square mile. Germany 500, France 300 and USA has 69 people per sq. mile. (This is probably the heart of American exceptionalism.) Malta is number one in population density and the UK is number 2. France, Spain the Netherlands as I indicated are all not far behind. The key issue for all the European countries is how large a population can the land support?
This is the fundamental question asked by concerned environmentalist? With arable land, potable water, fisheries all being impacted by climate change how can the planet feed, clothe and shelter the rapidly growing population? The short answer is, it cannot. Hence the the immigration crisis that has already begun. The best we can now hope for is that some accommodations can be made as the Brits. are trying to do. The alternative is what the Danes have done and the French are probably not far behind in TRYING yes just TRYING to close their borders. Now about the US.
Of course if you remember our extremely low density figure you might conclude that we don’t have a problem. Wrong. We have a problem with demagogues who are increasingly signaling out Mexican immigrants as being responsible for our economic mess. In Arizona we have Militias who have taken over control of the borders.That's an old right wing strategy of blaming the victim for the crisis. That takes the heat off the real culprits the Wall Street Bonus Boys. They are back having the same old fun with derivatives that gave us the present economic meltdown. The real tragedy for the Planet is the failure of the political leaders to heed the warnings of the environmental scientists. I am sad to report, it includes our very own President.
It is going to take some kind of critical smash up somewhere to wake up the world to the grim reality the future is facing. To many people in lands that cannot support them. That's the coming crisis of immigrant hordes coming across borders in search of food shelter and clothing. Just as basic as that.
After WW2 there were severe worker shortages in many European countries. That resulted in what became known as The Guest Worker Programs. Germany a country of 81 million people there are now 3.5 million Turks. Early on it was assumed that these Guest workers would turn out to be exactly that “Guests.” A guest is supposed to be just that. Someone who comes for a time and then goes back home. As of now these guests have seemed to have overstayed their welcome and many of the locals want them out of there.
In 2010 Angela Merkel Prime Minister of Germany said, “Germany as a multi cultural nation has failed.” So what happened? As long as there was a low unemployment rate nobody seemed to care to much. Once the economy began to slow guess what? The Neo Nazi skinheads began to rag on the Turks, “who are taking our jobs.” Germany is simply an example of what is beginning to happen all over Europe. France 23% of French citizens are product of immigrant parents. A million West Africans came there through Spain and Italy. Now with a 9% unemployment rate the old fascists are accusing the immigrants of “stealing our jobs.”
In the UK. United Kingdom ie Britain there are whole towns that have become majority Muslim. That wonderful old image of “Merry Old England” is rapidly fading to what it is becoming. A very small little island with a critical human density problem. It turns out that England with it population of 54 million people is the second most densely populated country with 660 people per square mile. Germany 500, France 300 and USA has 69 people per sq. mile. (This is probably the heart of American exceptionalism.) Malta is number one in population density and the UK is number 2. France, Spain the Netherlands as I indicated are all not far behind. The key issue for all the European countries is how large a population can the land support?
This is the fundamental question asked by concerned environmentalist? With arable land, potable water, fisheries all being impacted by climate change how can the planet feed, clothe and shelter the rapidly growing population? The short answer is, it cannot. Hence the the immigration crisis that has already begun. The best we can now hope for is that some accommodations can be made as the Brits. are trying to do. The alternative is what the Danes have done and the French are probably not far behind in TRYING yes just TRYING to close their borders. Now about the US.
Of course if you remember our extremely low density figure you might conclude that we don’t have a problem. Wrong. We have a problem with demagogues who are increasingly signaling out Mexican immigrants as being responsible for our economic mess. In Arizona we have Militias who have taken over control of the borders.That's an old right wing strategy of blaming the victim for the crisis. That takes the heat off the real culprits the Wall Street Bonus Boys. They are back having the same old fun with derivatives that gave us the present economic meltdown. The real tragedy for the Planet is the failure of the political leaders to heed the warnings of the environmental scientists. I am sad to report, it includes our very own President.
It is going to take some kind of critical smash up somewhere to wake up the world to the grim reality the future is facing. To many people in lands that cannot support them. That's the coming crisis of immigrant hordes coming across borders in search of food shelter and clothing. Just as basic as that.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
"Dee Women is Smarter:
Old Calypso Song
First, a humble apology for my rush to judgment in the Strauss Khan affair. Certainly something happened at that fancy Hotel, Not exactly as she described it. Yes I was over influenced by looking through the prism of my “class struggle” glasses. The rich against the poor. I have been struggling with that defect all my adult life. Will keep working at it. On to the next blog.
This started out with observing the newly decorated male. I call it the “MOUTH CHIN BEARD” I first began to notice it on television especially amongst Pundits from consultants to college professors. Then movie stars, young business types especially those nerds in the cyberspace world. That sent me to Carlos the Tunisian who owns my local barbershop. He has a library of Men's Magazines.
In going through Complex, Details. Men's Fitness, ESPN. Esquire, GQ. and lots more. (Not including Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler as that’s a whole different porn category. Been around a long time.) I was struck with how similar this new breed of men's Magz are to the Women's Magazines that have been out there forever. What’s new in this men's world is the perfumes and the emphasis on style. Yes, men now need “accessories,” scarves, belts, rings, bracelets etc.
So, what’s going on here?
I need to digress for a moment to go back to May 1977 when the Harvard Business Review published an article I wrote called “Two Women Three Men on a Raft.” It was about an Outward Bound trip down the Rogue River. Based on my experience on the raft I suggested that men were not about to rollover and let women assume the males traditional positions of power. That article became a Print Out Best Seller. As a result it was republished in 1994 17 years later. At which time I agreed that women had made progress in achieving positions of power in the business world but were still far from the men.
There is now a whole new variable that has come into play that has changed the dynamic. That variable, is the elimination of much of our basic manufacturing industry. This is the world that was dominated by men from the bottom up. It was also the world of the traditional husband Breadwinner. He arrived home for dinner as a hero who was working in the mine, factory or mill to guarantee his families future. “See the USA in a Chevrolet” raise the kids send them to college. That was the creation of what we ended up calling our “great middle class.”
In this new Service Economy women are rapidly moving into key positions. Brawn is no longer a factor as it was in traditional manufacture. In this new economy it is strictly nerdy brain work. Hence my Calypso song. When I was growing up we had two Mens Magz. Popular Mechanic, Popular Science. In those Magz. a real man had big biceps that let him kick ass of any guy who tried to fuss with his gal. They also taught how to make and fix things. Out of Popular Mechanics I made a boat. To big to get out the door, Uncle Zegfried, was kind enough to take the door jam out. We took it to City Island. Indeed it floated.
In February of 2010 I wrote a blog about women being a majority of the workforce and its implications. Well I now believe the new male is part of this evolution. With women assuming the role of breadwinner where does that leave little ole me? It’s in this new Labor Market where both spouses are working women ofttimes making more than the guys. So, what we may have going on here is role reversal. Now I readily admit that guys really can’t compete with the excess of cleavage style now so prevalent in our culture. Though some of those Men's Magz. had some pretty big genital lumps. No, that will never compete with cleavage.
Ahaa, I said to myself that's what all that hair around the mouth and chin is about. Men making a fashion statement, “me still he man even though I don’t lift nothin or make nothin like men used to.” The male is becoming the Peacock, pardon the pun. Just struttin around lookin and smelling pretty and sure hope that very successful women in banking notices him. And yes,” look at the trouble I’ve gone through with this fancy mouth beard and even some real narrow sideburns.” As Gilda Radner use to say, “ain’t I cute.”
First, a humble apology for my rush to judgment in the Strauss Khan affair. Certainly something happened at that fancy Hotel, Not exactly as she described it. Yes I was over influenced by looking through the prism of my “class struggle” glasses. The rich against the poor. I have been struggling with that defect all my adult life. Will keep working at it. On to the next blog.
This started out with observing the newly decorated male. I call it the “MOUTH CHIN BEARD” I first began to notice it on television especially amongst Pundits from consultants to college professors. Then movie stars, young business types especially those nerds in the cyberspace world. That sent me to Carlos the Tunisian who owns my local barbershop. He has a library of Men's Magazines.
In going through Complex, Details. Men's Fitness, ESPN. Esquire, GQ. and lots more. (Not including Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler as that’s a whole different porn category. Been around a long time.) I was struck with how similar this new breed of men's Magz are to the Women's Magazines that have been out there forever. What’s new in this men's world is the perfumes and the emphasis on style. Yes, men now need “accessories,” scarves, belts, rings, bracelets etc.
So, what’s going on here?
I need to digress for a moment to go back to May 1977 when the Harvard Business Review published an article I wrote called “Two Women Three Men on a Raft.” It was about an Outward Bound trip down the Rogue River. Based on my experience on the raft I suggested that men were not about to rollover and let women assume the males traditional positions of power. That article became a Print Out Best Seller. As a result it was republished in 1994 17 years later. At which time I agreed that women had made progress in achieving positions of power in the business world but were still far from the men.
There is now a whole new variable that has come into play that has changed the dynamic. That variable, is the elimination of much of our basic manufacturing industry. This is the world that was dominated by men from the bottom up. It was also the world of the traditional husband Breadwinner. He arrived home for dinner as a hero who was working in the mine, factory or mill to guarantee his families future. “See the USA in a Chevrolet” raise the kids send them to college. That was the creation of what we ended up calling our “great middle class.”
In this new Service Economy women are rapidly moving into key positions. Brawn is no longer a factor as it was in traditional manufacture. In this new economy it is strictly nerdy brain work. Hence my Calypso song. When I was growing up we had two Mens Magz. Popular Mechanic, Popular Science. In those Magz. a real man had big biceps that let him kick ass of any guy who tried to fuss with his gal. They also taught how to make and fix things. Out of Popular Mechanics I made a boat. To big to get out the door, Uncle Zegfried, was kind enough to take the door jam out. We took it to City Island. Indeed it floated.
In February of 2010 I wrote a blog about women being a majority of the workforce and its implications. Well I now believe the new male is part of this evolution. With women assuming the role of breadwinner where does that leave little ole me? It’s in this new Labor Market where both spouses are working women ofttimes making more than the guys. So, what we may have going on here is role reversal. Now I readily admit that guys really can’t compete with the excess of cleavage style now so prevalent in our culture. Though some of those Men's Magz. had some pretty big genital lumps. No, that will never compete with cleavage.
Ahaa, I said to myself that's what all that hair around the mouth and chin is about. Men making a fashion statement, “me still he man even though I don’t lift nothin or make nothin like men used to.” The male is becoming the Peacock, pardon the pun. Just struttin around lookin and smelling pretty and sure hope that very successful women in banking notices him. And yes,” look at the trouble I’ve gone through with this fancy mouth beard and even some real narrow sideburns.” As Gilda Radner use to say, “ain’t I cute.”
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