I was watching a debate(?) on guns.If the participants would have had access to guns,I think they would have shot each other!They almost came to blows but,fortunately,that's a little too personal.
As I watched ,I also thought that it's a big mistake to assume that most gun owners or purchasers are responsible,law abiding citizens.Just look at our elected officials and their propensity to abide by the law.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Crazy
NRA members(leaders) say that mental health takes precedence over the prevalence of firearms in gun violence.None of those speaking out in support of guns seems particularly stable.HSBC laundered money for drug cartels and committed numerous other serious crimes but we won't or can't prosecute.AIG stockholders are suing the US because they think their bailout was too costly; and we don't want to regulate anybody.Are we all crazy?I think that none of us is mentally stable enough to own a gun!
Friday, January 11, 2013
NFL ref strike
The NFL referee strike reveals some things about unions and strikes.The general public usually knows little about the businesses and workers and issues involved in a strike.But the public knows about football.This strike shows us what a union can do and why strikes occur.
How would refs be treated without the union?How were they treated before they unionized?I always think back to the '50's and '60's when talking about unions(when they had strength).Since sports related unions are relatively new,this strike is similar to strikes then.It reveals why unions were beneficial to workers and why group action was needed to counter exploitation.
The first thing that is revealed is that union workers are usually better than non-union workers.It's not easy to simply replace the workers.Also apparent is the propensity for companies to run roughshod over workers,especially corporations or a conglomorate of owners(NFL)-pay them as little as possible,allow no benefits or as little as as it takes to keep the workers(usually because of unionized competitors),pick and choose workers with no regard to descrimination,favoritism,etc.
The NFL strike allows us to look at potential employer greed and their disregard for employees.We've seen examples of this disregard as unions have declined and are eliminated.Employers are very good at exploiting public opinion.They do it with reverse psychology.They publicize benefits that their employees have that others don't as if they don't deserve them...and the public responds as if they don't deserve them.Instead of thinking that they should have the same benefits,they sympathize with the employers-illogical,but that's what happens.You'd think that they would want a union and those benefits,but it seems to work in reverse-crazy.
The NFL strike ended because the replacement workers couldn't replace;not unusual,but much more visible because it's the NFL.As I stated before ,union employees are usually better,simply because union protection allows them to gain experience.
Unions aren't perfect,but they're necessary to counter employer exploitation,discrimination,and greed-especially greed .employees should benefit from company success and the only way to do it is with organization.Without it almost all profit goes to managerial salaries and bonuses.
Unions are necessary!The NFL strike is an example.
How would refs be treated without the union?How were they treated before they unionized?I always think back to the '50's and '60's when talking about unions(when they had strength).Since sports related unions are relatively new,this strike is similar to strikes then.It reveals why unions were beneficial to workers and why group action was needed to counter exploitation.
The first thing that is revealed is that union workers are usually better than non-union workers.It's not easy to simply replace the workers.Also apparent is the propensity for companies to run roughshod over workers,especially corporations or a conglomorate of owners(NFL)-pay them as little as possible,allow no benefits or as little as as it takes to keep the workers(usually because of unionized competitors),pick and choose workers with no regard to descrimination,favoritism,etc.
The NFL strike allows us to look at potential employer greed and their disregard for employees.We've seen examples of this disregard as unions have declined and are eliminated.Employers are very good at exploiting public opinion.They do it with reverse psychology.They publicize benefits that their employees have that others don't as if they don't deserve them...and the public responds as if they don't deserve them.Instead of thinking that they should have the same benefits,they sympathize with the employers-illogical,but that's what happens.You'd think that they would want a union and those benefits,but it seems to work in reverse-crazy.
The NFL strike ended because the replacement workers couldn't replace;not unusual,but much more visible because it's the NFL.As I stated before ,union employees are usually better,simply because union protection allows them to gain experience.
Unions aren't perfect,but they're necessary to counter employer exploitation,discrimination,and greed-especially greed .employees should benefit from company success and the only way to do it is with organization.Without it almost all profit goes to managerial salaries and bonuses.
Unions are necessary!The NFL strike is an example.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Night Reverie-a poem
Thoughts and sounds and sights sublime
That mingle and merge,impressions that rhyme;
A corona that unknowingly deceives
And a tempered cacophony that receives
And provides a paradox of highs and lows
That make me grow and believe-
All that and more to much avail
While simply leaning on a rail!
That mingle and merge,impressions that rhyme;
A corona that unknowingly deceives
And a tempered cacophony that receives
And provides a paradox of highs and lows
That make me grow and believe-
All that and more to much avail
While simply leaning on a rail!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Worthy or Not
If hard work deserves the highest pay,would it go to wall street executives?Watch some dirty jobs shows.Is intelligence the determining factor?Even presidents have IQs barely above average.What does and should determine wealth?It's definitely not readily apparent in the U.S.Is morality a factor?Perhaps someone would warrant decent pay to examine the factors-desired and actual.Should we aspire to achieve the desired?
Tax cuts
All of the conversations about the Bush tax cuts baffle me.Isn't the primary concern about personal income taxes?If only the upper rates are allowed to expire(35% to39%),why is this made so complicated?Personal income taxes don't affect business,do they?Even sub S corps end up at personal.Why the concern over increased business taxes?From what I've read ,business taxes are not affected.The accounts mention estate taxes,capital gains,and dividends(all with little consequence).It appears to me that we are talking about personal income taxes on individuals making $250,000 or more?How does that affect business taxes or jobs?It doesn't,but why do even the proponents of expiration allow statements to that effect go unchallenged?Are they not sincere?
We get the same bullcrap with social security and medicare;Lies go unchallenged.Why?
What amazes me,is that tax decrease advocates say that we won't gain by allowing increases,but we'll lose a lot if we do.I don't think that it works that way!
We get the same bullcrap with social security and medicare;Lies go unchallenged.Why?
What amazes me,is that tax decrease advocates say that we won't gain by allowing increases,but we'll lose a lot if we do.I don't think that it works that way!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Voter I D
Is voter ID passage inevitable?Probably.Is voter ID necessary?Probably not.The electorate is pretty honest relative to elections.The real problem is getting them to vote at all.It's much easier to deter them.Most dishonesty originates with the politicians and that's where voter the ID question originates.Everyone knows that the object is to deter voters.
The Pioneer Press claimed that 1000 felons voted in a previous election.They can in many states.Can you envision a felon jeopardizing his status simply to vote?That claim is pretty ridiculous and obviously a deceptive argument.It would be more reasonable to question why a felon can't vote.
The potential voters with no ID or precinct or district issues will probably vote for IDs;consequently,it will probably pass.After passage,anyone that must inconvenience themselves,in any way,will simply not vote.This deterrence will continue to work until a constituent really wants to vote.I don't see that happening until we have real campaign reform.When money doesn't control politics and anyone can run for office,if that ever happens,perhaps more constituents may want to vote.If they could have a real representative to vote for,that could inspire a desire to vote.Then voter ID could be more than a deterrent.Until then,even more power to money.Wouldn't it be nice to be governed by leaders and representatives that actually reflected the constituency?
The Pioneer Press claimed that 1000 felons voted in a previous election.They can in many states.Can you envision a felon jeopardizing his status simply to vote?That claim is pretty ridiculous and obviously a deceptive argument.It would be more reasonable to question why a felon can't vote.
The potential voters with no ID or precinct or district issues will probably vote for IDs;consequently,it will probably pass.After passage,anyone that must inconvenience themselves,in any way,will simply not vote.This deterrence will continue to work until a constituent really wants to vote.I don't see that happening until we have real campaign reform.When money doesn't control politics and anyone can run for office,if that ever happens,perhaps more constituents may want to vote.If they could have a real representative to vote for,that could inspire a desire to vote.Then voter ID could be more than a deterrent.Until then,even more power to money.Wouldn't it be nice to be governed by leaders and representatives that actually reflected the constituency?
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