Integrated Man

The Republican Stealth Ticket

Call me crazy, but I have to believe that the Republican Party is only half as dumb as it looks, based on the current crop of personalities masking as Presidential candidates.  If you take them at face value, they all share the characteristic of ego at some multiple of native intellect. None seem to have a credible chance of beating Obama in the general election, even with historic trends portending an incumbent defeat.  At this moment, Obama's chief strength is the relative weakness of his opponents, most of whom will arrive at the convention DOA.

So what if...

It's the Environment, Stupid!

First, let me apologize for the lack of creativity in the title. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then Bill deserves his due.  More to the point, though, is that the original hook of the nineties deserves, indeed demands, to be updated to the new century, with its new priorities.

How do you recycle a culture?

How do you recycle a culture?

We know how to recycle bottles and cardboard and other forms of waste.  But in what bin do you put an entire culture, or the larger part of it?

Let's start with Black Friday.

The Republican Party's Vision of America's Future

As an auditor, I learned early that when a perceived situation seems utterly crazy when judged by expected criteria, it is often because the subject is operating on otherwise rational, but non-standard, assumptions or objectives. Stated more simply, ' crazy ' is a relative judgment.

I have struggled for the past two years to find a rational comprehension of the Republican vision of America's future. I have concluded that the term ' rational '  should be removed from the criteria. That leaves the perception of Republican strategy as a condition best described as ' fog of war ' rather than a coherent statement of policy goals.

So, what is the Republican Party's vision of America's future?

Afghanistan.

Onward

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It's All Illusion

Image is everything.  Or at least 99%, or so it seems.

It obviously worked for Madoff, but the sad truth seems to be that Madoff was just a petty thief compared to our more accomplished operators.

In 2008, September 18, my blog  explored the conditions that have eroded our trust in everything, just as the true dimensions of our financial crisis were beginning to manifest.  We are now three years down the road from those momentous events. And the echos persist.

The False Economics of Fossil Fuels

Reading Bernard Weinstein’s letter in the Time’s November 2 edition, I am reminded that we continue to fail to grasp the failure of our supposedly 'free market system' to effectively price key commodities, if that is in fact its intent, and not merely a philosophical mantra.  Let us begin with the first sentence of Mr. Weinstein's letter:

 “As “Future of Solar and Wind Power May Hinge on Federal Aid” (Energy, special section, Oct. 26) points out, the renewable power industry has become addicted to federal subsidies and probably can’t stand on its own without them.”

We can acknowledge that the renewable energy industry is addicted to federal subsidies at present and for the foreseeable future.  But let us apply Mr. Weinstein’s metaphor of addiction fairly.  Society is addicted to fossil fuel dependent energy.  If we are the junkies, Big Oil and Coal are the pushers.

 

Community

As one of my amusements, I'm a ham operator, N1MVM.  Hams, like other hobbyists, tend to have areas of special interest.  Mine happens to be public service and emergency communications services during disasters and lesser emergencies.  Usually, I participate in low-level events like providing communications support for non-profit fund raising events.  Other of my fellow hams have responded to tornadoes, hurricanes and more severe events that invoke the motto of Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES): "When all else fails"  My call this Friday was to respond to a search and rescue request in eastern Connecticut.

Reflecting on Jobs... Steve Jobs

This tribute is somewhat unlikely coming from me, but well earned by its recipient, though not for the reasons most obviously stated in the news.

First, I mourn Steve Jobs passing as a human being, apart from his accomplishments, his impacts, the externalities of his existence. He is large and unique in my awareness because of all those trappings, but they should not be primary measure of his meaning and value.  Ultimately, he was a human like all of us, born into this life with certain innate abilities and shaped by acquired values that gave those abilities direction and drive.  He was most importantly the embodiment of the potential that all of us possess in varying degrees, but rarely exercise to potential.

Obama Was Right on Health Care

Obama was right to make health care his number 1.2 priority (along with propping up the financial system long enough for it to a) sort itself out or b) subject it to more responsible regulation (neither of which have occurred to date). I recognize that this flies in the face of conventional wisdom as proffered in the business and political punditry. Whatever.

But if you believe that the strength of the private sector, the preservation of jobs, and the control of the long term trajectory of the public debt at all levels are critical, then I would argue unequivocally that health care was and is the single most proactive strategic initiative that Obama could pursue.

Desperately Seeking Hillary

They yearn for Hillary.

" What would Hillary have done ? "

" If only Hillary had won,...."

" Hillary would have..."

Who are 'they'?  Democrats, of course.  And, interestingly, some Republicans.

But she didn't win.  Get over it, and tip-toe back into reality.

And, to help you with that painful exercise, let's take " If only Hillary "  out for a test drive and see where we wind up.