Something to ponder.

One of the most rational voices in media today is Fareed Zakaria.  His world view and intelligent understanding of the complex interactions between people and nations, echo the true spirit of journalism.  

His latest opinion post in the Washington Post reflects the patriotism and pride of citizenship that is only felt by first and sometimes second generation citizens. By the time the third generation rolls around pride in America is replaced by interest in self. It is only when the immigrant's gratitude is fresh in memory that we truly appreciate what we have under the Red, White and Blue.
 
Here's what he had to say:

Liar, liar . . . !

Perhaps you've (Both of you.) noticed that I haven't written anything here since the brilliant Clint Eastwood send-up of the Republican National Convention. I just couldn't beat Eastwood's ironic performance. I've also been really depressed and disgusted at the state of American political discourse.

Well, it's finally got my blood pressure up. The tipping point was the "special interest's" defamation of the "special interests" who are backing proposition 32 in our lovely state of looney toons. One set of special interests claiming that they are not special interests while they blatantly misquote, misinterpret and distort the actual law proposed by the the other "special interests" also claiming not to be special interests. 

Forget the outright prevarications by the major candidates and the various Political Action Committees that back them. Ignore if you will the irresponsible posts on Facebook and the other "social sites". Forgive the racist, and religious blasphemies foisted by zealots on both side of the aisle. It's all part of the new politics of fear and intimidation that have resulted from an out of control culture promulgated by the pandering pundits of the 24 hour news cycle. 

Our only salvation lies in the one thing the American People will not do. That is to read the propositions, get educated on the issues, study the candidates, their records, their promises and their almost daily positional zigzags and then get your ass off the couch and vote. 

The Elimination of Choice

Watching the Republican National Convention is an exercise in ambivalence; Condoleeza Rice with her thoughtful and soul stirring speech, brought me to tears of patriotic pride. Chris Christie demanded a respect for the American People seldom heard from any politician. A respect totally ignored by Ryan. This is a crucial election year (Aren't they all?) and frankly, even though I tilt left, I would have loved to be able to choose a reality based alternative to the inexperienced, star struck current administration.  I thought Mitt Romney might have been that choice, but just as with John McCain, the choice of a Vice Presidential running mate has closed that avenue. Last night Ryan did the exact opposite of the tone set by Christie, he showed the ultimate disrespect for himself and his party by ignoring Christie's admonition to "tell the truth". The Washington Post, not a bastion of liberalism and Obama love, summed up my reaction to both Ryan and his personal ethics in this editorial: "Mr, Ryan's Misleading Speech." I've voted in every election, local and national for the last five decades. This time I may not bother.

Chris Christie - Killer Speech.

Here's Chris Christie's Keynote from the 2012 Republican National Convention. (Full Speech Courtesy of NBC) There are some very important points here including some not very subtle slams at the intractability of Republican Congress and the doctrinaire ideology of the Tea Party. Interesting was the delayed reaction from the delegates at a number of the more non-partisan and apolitical valid visions for America and the denial of the targets of some of his observations. He did not toe the party line, he makes sense expounding basically sound principals of government, it's a damn shame that the Republican Party will, divisively ignore the basic common sense inherent in his comments and doubtless revert to the intractable positions they have taken for the last 46 months. I'm glad it's Romney who's running and not Christie.

Seventy-One Hit, Twelve Dead and Counting

A young friend posted this on Facebook this morning: "Cannot adequately express how DEVASTATED I am that the legend of my generation seems to be shootings and terrorism. what is wrong with this world?"

That heartfelt post got me thinking about the question and contemplating my favorite irritant, "Media and the end of a Civil Society".  I doubt that anyone will disagree that the alleged shooter, James Holmes, was mentally unbalanced, but what are the cultural influences that feed the manifestation of that unbalance?

We've always dealt with random acts of violence and senseless chaos and mayhem, of one sort or another, but with the invention of Television and the subsequent proliferation of instant, mindless and unfiltered (not censured; filtered) daily delivery of horrific images and thoughtless and discourteous human interactions, the slide into incivility and arrogance became accepted.

Violence is part of human nature, it is a protective mechanism which, under mindful circumstances, can be useful, even life-saving. Violence untempered with civility and the recognition of the humanity of our fellow beings leads to the kind of violence to which my friend refers.

We're not that long, as beings, off of all fours. As societies  emerged and the competition for resources increased and we formed extended family units, tribes, to ensure our survival. Tribes led to territorial imperative and thus the dehumanization of those of other tribes, cultures, races and attitudes.

We dehumanize because it's easier. It's easier to call someone an asshole than to empathize with what may be causing that behavior. It's easier to dehumanize than to accept someone's differences as we wish them to accept ours.

This dehumanization manifests itself in the absence of courtesy and acknowledgement, the disappearance of the simple civilities of "please" and "thank-you", "if you don't mind" and "may I?".  

We dehumanize all Middle-Easterners as "terrorists". All African-Americans as "lazy", all Latinos as "illegals." All Poles as "dumb" all Irish as "drunkards". Get the idea?

All kids, have always played war games, whether they've been fighting with sticks or acting out militant motion pantomime as in mock sword fights.It's part of our nature. Today those games take on a frightening reality with the addition of the electronic devices of our generation and thus the dehumanization, violence and takes on a fantasy aspect that transfers to our relations with actual people.

These games, the violent cartoons, the blood and mayhem newscasts, the plethora of bloodthirsty, demonic maniacal movies and Television shows are not the cause, they are the reflection. They are a mirror of our attitudes not the initiator. They reinforce our innate need to separate to protect ourselves and our turf. Our source of survival.

So what is the answer? It starts at the moment of birth with a loving, nurturing parent who views the newborn as a whole human being, an independent being that deserves respect and affirmation of sovereignty.

  

That may not be the magic panacea for all of society's ills, but it's a damn good start.

Whatever Happened to Journalism?

I started my career in broadcasting when radio was less than a quarter century old; when major markets had only three or four television stations and those of us who were lucky enough to find our way into the media were just trying to figure out what the "one-eyed monster" was all about. We were inventing television and redefining radio as we went along. We had studios equipped with one or maybe two black and white cameras, and if we wanted to change lenses we did so on the air. There was no audio or videotape, no satellites, no 24 hr "news cycles" and no cable. If you wanted to record something you actually cut an acetate record or used Craig Curtis' new technology called Kinescope.

We, plunged forward with an idealism and intellectual integrity that, at best, could be called naive.

Of this we were sure, news was sacrosanct. When we went on the air we were journalists in the tradition of the newspaper columnists, writers and reporters who preceded us and from whom we learned. Broadcasting was taught in the journalism classes in both High Schools and College. There were no talking heads, no anchors filling time interviewing other anchors who echo their opinions. When there was a difference of opinion among qualified experts and guests, nobody tried to shout each other down with half truths and hyperbolic bullshit. We treated our audience and ourselves with respect. 

Today, when I force myself to sample what purports itself to be news, either local or on cable, I am heartsick. No matter where you look it's the same fear mongering, chirpy, over made-up chipmunks and concerned faced silver haired and tonged anchors mouthing endless platitudes aimed at convincing us that something "could've' happened except for the fact that they themselves are on guard and on the scene.

Now, why this harangue? Because last night I watched the first episode of HBO's new original drama "THE NEWSROOM".  From the opening Jeff Daniels monologue, aimed at an anchor to be, through the evolution of the program it is obvious that  Aaron Sorkin the producer/writer, is fed up with the state of broadcast news and is willing to say so in no uncertain terms. Check it out, so far it's an honest attempt to comment on the cynical underestimating the intelligence of the American audience, the disappearance of broadcast journalism and what might be a way to bring it back.

We STILL don't learn shit from history

Part 2.

The following is from Democratic President Harry Truman, while on a cross country campaign tour in 1948. On September 19, Truman said: "You stayed home in 1946 (referring to the mid-term Congressional election) and you got the 80th Congress, and you got just exactly what you deserved. You didn't exercise your God-given right to to control this country. Now you're going to have another chance."  

Then on September 20th: "Understand me, when I speak of what Republicans (The 80th Congress) have been doing. I'm not talking of the average Republican voter," Truman told the twenty-five thousand people spread across the lawn of the State Capitol at Denver.

      "Nobody knows better than I that man for man, individually, most Republicans are fine people. But there's a big difference between the individual Republican voter and the policies of the Republican Party. Something happens to Republican leaders when they get control of Government.

      Republicans in Washington have a habit of becoming curiously deaf to the voice of the people. They have a hard time hearing what the ordinary people of the country are saying. But they have no trouble at all hearing what Wall Street is saying. They are able to catch the slightest whisper from big business and the special interests."       

Sound familiar?

We don't learn shit from history!

Years ago I did a radio interview with PBS Program Host and Historian David McCullough. His monumental biography of Harry S. Truman had just been released in paperback and I was lucky enough to catch him for a chat. The book, Truman, is over 1,100 pages and took more than 10 years to compile and write. I didn't have time to do more than a quick scan before the interview, but at that time I was blown away by the meticulous detail of both the man and his Presidency, including the political machinations and divisiveness between the sitting Democratic President and the Republican Congress. (You've just guessed where I'm going with this.) A couple of weeks ago, perhaps out of guilt, I picked it up and started reading. 

The parallels between 1947 and today are shocking. Just as shocking are the reversed partisan politics between the Bush administration and his equally recalcitrant Democratic Congress. The only thing lacking to make the comparison perfect is the fact that Truman didn't have to deal with the 24 hour cable news cycles and instantaneous and uneducated media bias of Fox and MSNBC and their ilk. Now what's the point of all this?  It's to recognize the almost divine intervention of some sort of higher power in the framing of the United States Constitution. Administration after administration from John Adams on has faced the exact same resistance and partisan bickering as did Truman, Bush and Obama. And yet, through crisis after crisis, military conflicts, economic disasters, 2 world wars and a usually incompetent Congress, the United States and our abused and battered representative democracy has survived. 

Customer Service (AN OXYMORON)

I'VE JUST WASTED THREE HOURS ON-LINE AND ON THE PHONE TRYING TO:

A. Book a flight using United Mileage Plus Miles (Nope)

B. Use United Mileage Plus Miles for an Upgrade on Star Alliance Partner Air Canada (Nope)

C. Acquire a New Chase Sapphire Credit Card, website problems (Nope)

D. Talk directly to Chase Sapphire without going through Chase Mileage Plus (Nope)

     Cannot access Sapphire without going through Mileage Plus Portal (Nope)

E.  Apply on-line for a Capitol One Venture Card (Nope)

F.  Deal with 5 Capitol One website time-outs including an application verification time-out (Nope)

G. Make sense to the Filipino Capitol One Representative before he disconnected the call (Nope)

H. Convince the second Capitol One Filipina Representative that the first Filipino Representative had said that my application was approved (FICA Score over 800) 

and finally I've got a rewards credit with Miles I can actually use (Yes)

Now, I've got to go take my Blood Pressure Med's.

NO WONDER THE 99% IS SO ANGRY AND IT AIN'T GONNA GET NO BETTER FOLKS! 

Our Demopublican Government

Well it's silly season and the giant poobahs have taken up the cudgel, mounted their media steeds and are charging at each other with vicious abandon. Ho Hum.The only good thing about this Presidential Election is that it will be over November 7th.

(Click the picture for the full story)

Smiley with an Idiot Twist

Thanks to my good friend, Photoshop Wizard and fantastic Photographic Artist Klaus Lange for the new Smiley which I will use gratefully when appropriate. For a real treat, visit Klaus's website;  The Astonishing Beauty of the Sides of Ships You'll be amazed at what you sea.

You Discourtous Bastard!

How can you breathe with your head that far up your ass?

There are a few words and phrases that have dropped out of the vocabulary of the baby boomers and their spawn.

Notably absent are; Please, May I, and Thank You.

No where is the latter more absent than behind the wheel. 

If you question this conclusion, try this little Amygdala activating experiment. Next time you're on the road, yield the right-of-way, it's easy. Let the asshole who's tailgating you pass you. Stop for the idiot who just stepped into traffic from between parked cars. If you're on a two lane side-street pull to the right to let the massive pick-up truck coming at you at 50 mph, pass you. Let that teen in Mom's SUV, back out of that driveway, while putting on make-up with one hand and Texting with another. Or, the best one is to try to change lanes by using your turn-signal, watch the adjacent drivers adjust their speed to prevent your progress.

See if any these sub-amoeba, shit grovelers raises a hand or even smiles a thank you for your consideration.  

If this pisses you off as much as it does me, let me know by commenting below.

You don't have to be Jewish

An American Jew in London

An American Jew was shopping on Piccadilly, in London. He entered the posh gourmet food store, Fortnum & Mason.
 

A salesman in a Morning Coat - with tie and tails - approached and asked, “May I be of service to you, sir?”

“Yes,” replied the customer, “I'd like a pound of Lox.”

“Sorry, sir,” answered the cultured salesman, “Do you mean Smoked Salmon'”?

“Okay, a pound of Smoked Salmon.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes, a dozen Blintzes.”

“I believe you mean Crepes.”

“Okay, a dozen Crepes.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. A pound of Chopped Liver.”

“You are probably referring to Pate'.”

“Okay,” said the customer, “a pound of Pate', and could you deliver this Saturday? “

“Sorry, sir,” said the salesman, “We don't schlep Chazzerai on Shabbos!”

 

Tesla: Misinformation Redacted

 

The Ultimate Geek 

(Rollover Link)

 

 

 

 

Read it and learn, read it and weep.

Auntie Meg

In 2010 Auntie Meg Whitman spent over 322,000.000.00 to win the Governor's race in California. While running for governor, Whitman emphasized three major areas: job creation, reduced state government spending, and reform of the state's K-12 educational system. She argued that it is best to start only a few things and finish them, instead of starting a lot of things and finishing few of them. In case you don't remember, Jerry Brown whipped her to a fair-thee-well.  

Smart move California!

Wicked Whitman went on to the Board of Hewlett Packard and, on the promise of revitalizing the PC division, she was appointed CEO in September of 2011.

Last week, speaking at the Global Influencer's Summit 2012 conference in Shanghai, Whitman said: " . . .    HP will increase investment in research and development, streamline corporate processes, and invest in its employees’ growth, . . . I’m so proud that ours is a company based on hardware, and HP will keep investing on hardware.”

Today, Whitman announced the potential elimination of 25,000 Hewlett Packard jobs. Due to the fact that the company’s PC sales are dropping as consumers favor tablets, such as Apple Inc.’s iPad, and it has been slow to adapt to the shift toward cloud computing, away from the IT services Hewlett-Packard provides. Hardware, I don't think so.

Her first promise in the Gubernatorial campaign was job creation, oh, really? This is the same Meg Whitman who was on Bain Capital's Founder; Mitt Romney's National Finance Team. She learned well at the feet of His Mittness.  
I repeat, "Smart move California!"

(Click Pictures to Enlarge)

Oh my God!

The end of the middle-ages marked the beginning of the Renaissance and a new era of scientific, cultural and religious enlightenment. A major factor was the commissioning of monumental structures and theological artwork to serve as the media of the time. No peasant, living in a mud hut, could doubt the existence of an all powerful deity when faced with the opulence and architectural excesses of the times. Even the most jaded of modern observers is struck breathless upon entering St. Peter's Basilica in Rome or the Cathedral at Chartres.  

The only words one can utter upon first seeing such exuberant affluence are: "Oh, my God!" and that was the idea. The gold gilding, the soaring marble columns, the massive domes and the heavenly light filtered through the acres of Stained Glass are truly awesome.  Only God could have amassed such wealth. 

"Oh, my God", were the first words out of my mouth when I first entered the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Dale Chihuly's spectacular free-form "Fiori Di Como" is a heavenly sight to rival that of any Renaissance visage.

What do the Churches of the Renaissance have to do with the pleasure palaces of Vegas? To my mind; they are both religious Icons. 

Both represent the driving force behind organized religion of their time, the acquisition of  money. 

(Click Pictures to Enlarge)

The Facebook Fantasy

This is the week that Facebook launches its IPO, an Internet Gold Rush the likes of which we haven't seen for at least a couple of months. The Facebook IPO is projected to give the company a market cap of at least $100,000,000,000.00, for those of you who are numerically challenged, nine zeros before the decimal point equals One Hundred Billion Dollars. That's more than McDonald's, Disney, Fluor, Kraft Foods, American Express, Boeing, Visa and FedEx to name just a few, not to mention the plethora of "Large Cap" Companies like Microsoft, General Electric and Wal-Mart.  Shades of the '90s  Dot-Com boom.

Not too bad for a company whose product is you. Not too bad for a company that does not recognize Dynes and Ergs.

And, that is the dilemma. This country was built on the principal of reward for production. Make something tangible that serves a real need and you are rewarded for your efforts and so is society as a whole. Create a useful product and you produce both primary and secondary jobs which fuels the economy and feeds our citizens.

Now, what we create are illusionary products and ephemeral wealth, or don't you remember the real estate riches of just 6 years ago, the Dot-Com bust of 2,000 or  the Silver Bubble of the late '70s. Facebook is not an Apple or a General Electric, nor is Linked-in, Groupon, Zynga, Angie's List or Carbonite. 

The point is that creating wealth out of Zeros, Ones, Greed and hope is a Temple built on a foundation deeply grounded in quicksand.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid!

The Voter's Handbook came today and along with it a flurry of Robo-Calls and the mailbox smells of political flack.  The TV and Radio Commercials have already started with their half-truths and gross misrepresentations. So if you're bogged down in the increasing swamp of Election Manure,here's my suggestion. Follow the money! Look for the funders. 

Every political ad, whether broadcast or print must identify the sponsor. Often it's an innocuous sounding committee like: "American's for Jobs" (Unions), "Californians For A Cure" and "Californians Against Out Of Control Taxes" (Both Big Tobacco) listen to the tags and then read the voter's handbook. These bastards are tricky, take 29 for instance. There's a Doctor saying she's against smoking. Nothing wrong with that until she says that the cigarette tax will not spend one cent on treating cancer. What she doesn't say while damning the research that Prop 29 will fund is that a large portion of the revenue will be invested in programs designed to curtail smoking. Maybe that's why the $$$$$ come from Big Tobacco.  

Who pays for the ads is more important in deciding for what and whom  you vote than the promises of the ads themselves. Since practically no one reads this blog anyway, let me add, that I will not vote for anyone who robo-calls me.

Shades of the '60s

I promised yesterday that the co-opted Occupy Movement would piss me off today, but I'm not alone. One of my most rabidly progressive friends posted on FB this morning that she was fed-up as well, so my reaction is somewhat vindicated. What do you think? 


 Occupy Occupied

Tech Support the Old Fashioned way.

One of life's true joys in trying to make sense to an offshore Tech Support technician. In call centers around the world, banks of semi-literate folks consult countless computer monitors programed with FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) answers to which are readily available on the web. These brain dead robotic drones are trained in the art of feigning expertise in the hope of deflecting countless frustrated callers begging for help with what is known in the industry as "ID10T" problems.  Here's a little video that put's it all in perspective:

A Disturbance in the Farce

I'm discovering an interesting thing about blogging, it takes a certain amount of psychic energy to feel the need to share your thoughts. Either the recognition of an uplifting sight or event, which makes for a saccharine syrupy post, or the more usual adrenaline rush which comes from some disturbance of your serenity. I read a couple of Blogs regularly and am amazed at the fictitious issues and the level of discontent that the writers must conjure up in order to create entries. I know that conflict sells soup and controversy is the life-blood media, but gee, maintaining that level of pissed-off-edness is just enervating. 

I'm sure that if the wannabe anarchists, who have usurped the Occupy label, try to close the Golden Gate Bridge, or create some other adolescent chaos tomorrow I'll be re-energized. But today, life is serene and I aim to keep it that way. 

San Francisco Geopolitical Map.

At last, a graphic representation of the Bay Area.

Now you can pick your residence in concordance with your personal obsessions. Rational thinking no longer needs be part of the process.

Immigration Tango, 'er Tangle

Some things are more complex than they seem.

Sustainability: Unclear On The Concept

I was at my favorite auto repair shop which will remain nameless to protect their anonymity.  At the counter was a tennis clad trophy bride. 

 

The conversation went like this:  Yuppie: I'm thinking about buying a Prius, the Mercedes S550, Lexus SUV and the CLK 550 Convertible are all gas guzzlers. After she left I chuckled and asked; "Two Mercedes' and a Lexus and she's worried about gas?" The service manager said; "Don't forget they also have a Jaguar." A lesson in social responsibility if I ever had one.

"Homeland Insecurity" 2

Here's what the former head of the TSA has to say about the agency today, courtesy of MSNBC: We're doing it all wrong!  

The interesting thing is that even though he acknowledges the system sucks, the solution is more staff and more money. Did I hear you say "rabbit hole"?

46:33 on Hold

Just spent over 46 minutes on hold with the DMV till they disconnected the call. Best part was listening to the most infuriating, badly edited music loop I've ever heard, interrupted only by the reassurance that my call was important and would be answered by the next incompetent robot they could scrounge up from the unemployment office. Would have been faster to go to an office, but the 411 I need can only be accessed by phone. It is now an hour later and still no call back. Have to go take my Blood Pressure Meds. BULLSHIT! 

Addendum: In all fairness, actually, the young lady who called back after 90 Minutes was quite pleasant and competent. Gave me the final bit of information I needed in seconds. Two and a half hours of wait time for 30 seconds of data. Oh, well.

 

"Homeland" Insecurity

We've all been through the indignity, disrespect and petty demagoguery of the fiction called "Homeland Security". That Bush era, post 911, make work, fear enducing program, designed to infuriate even the most passive among us. Just as with some of the WWII, citizen participatory programs designed to remind us of our patriotic duty, the TSA is a reminder that we must all genuflect to the "war on terrorism". Think about the economic impact of the TSA; hundreds of thousands for high-tech screening machines, R and D in scan and sniffer technology, thousand upon thousands of high paying low skill jobs and their secondary spin-offs, including the shark-fest of a carnivorous, paranoia inducing media. Now, with real unemployment near 15% the Pres' doesn't dare bank down this minimal job creating program even though it's a screaming fraud. Really, you say? Well consider this; one well placed charge can derail a hundred car railroad train in an instant. When's the last time your id was checked, your baggage screened or your asshole probed when traveling by rail? Oh, I guess "terrorists" don't know about trains. See the cigar and brandy bloated congressmen all in a row? Toot, Toot!

(Click Image to Enlarge)

Pay Attention

Fair Warning!

(Click Photos to enlarge)

I do remember some things about the '70s. At least I think I do. Remnants of Golden Gate Avenue. The BASS Poster is a one-off that someone either in Seltzer or Bill's office made to commemorate the partnership. Bill's Marketing Manager, my friend Zohn Artman gave it to me for some reason or other. I don't know where I got the Kelly/Mouse Dead Poster but, I know I didn't spend New Years 1973 at Winterland.
(Click Photos to enlarge) 

I found it. Particularly appropriate while listening to my second least favorite personality on my most favorite radio station. 
(Click Photos to enlarge) 

I'm usually an early adapter, number 122,122 on Linked-in, one of the first on Gmail, #239 with a Fastrak, so why did I wait so long to start a Blog. I guess I'm getting old and didn't think the Blogosphere was anything but a cosmic muffin. Having spent a life in Media I should have harkened back to the posts on the sign-posts that defined our early mass communications. So, now with ego in full blossom, here's my blog and who gives a damn?

The hypocrital rant.

Many years ago a genius curmudgeon loudspeaker designer named Paul Klipsch handed out little yellow lapel buttons emblazoned with the one word; Bullshit!. Paul was referring to fact that most loudspeaker designs were marketing driven and derived from a zero gravity environment in contravention of the basic laws of physics.  If Paul were alive today he would might well be commenting on lack of integrity, the deterioration of honest discourse and respect for the laws of human interaction in the media. From the the 24 hour cable "news" stations to the blogosphere to the politics at the heart of our nation, the agenda seems to be which errant adolescent can pitch the biggest, loudest and most self serving tantrum. Our culture seems to be driven by a form of attention deficit disorder; "If I don't get enough attention, I get disordered". Even as I write this I am aware of the need to be aggressive and controversial to capture your attention and shamelessly gather readers for this blog.  BULLSHIT! Now, where did I stash that little yellow button now that I need it again?