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trurl9's comments:
on Reporting The News
Great topic. Can't wait to hear where the conversation takes us. Am I a journalist because I have a journalism degree from a nationally accredited university? Would I be allowed attendance to an executive session if I produced a copy of my diploma even though I don't work for a commercial media company?
The world changes before our eyes as the demarcation between journalist and blogger blurs. Let's start with a definition of journalist:
One whose occupation is to write for any of the public
news media, such as newspapers, magazines, radio,
television, or internet; also, an editorial or other
professional writer for a periodical.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
Definition is vague and catch all. What happens when a blogger tries to protect a source's confidentiality? Do bloggers have rights and responsibilities the same as journalists? The rules aren't clear today I suspect.
What I would enjoy seeing from bloggers and journalists is their statement of purpose. Why do they report what they do? What is their political slant or bias? Do they consider themselves a journalist whose role it is to inform the public in a way that is factual and objective? Or do they consider themselves a blogger whose purpose it is to report what information catches their fancy?
Many good bloggers are uncovering news that "professional journalists" are avoiding or missing. For the current state of the Internet's evolution I prefer to have more eyeballs looking for and reporting relevant news and information.
If bloggers haven't already formed an association, I think they will. I've heard of blogger's insurance to protect bloggers from legal actions brought by well-heeled corporations armed with lawyers who aim to suppress blog-revealed information.
One way to allow for public involvement in executive sessions is for the blogger/journalist to provide a draft of what they will post to the executive committee for their sign off. But there are many details that have to be worked out.
The world changes before our eyes as the demarcation between journalist and blogger blurs. Let's start with a definition of journalist:
One whose occupation is to write for any of the public
news media, such as newspapers, magazines, radio,
television, or internet; also, an editorial or other
professional writer for a periodical.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
Definition is vague and catch all. What happens when a blogger tries to protect a source's confidentiality? Do bloggers have rights and responsibilities the same as journalists? The rules aren't clear today I suspect.
What I would enjoy seeing from bloggers and journalists is their statement of purpose. Why do they report what they do? What is their political slant or bias? Do they consider themselves a journalist whose role it is to inform the public in a way that is factual and objective? Or do they consider themselves a blogger whose purpose it is to report what information catches their fancy?
Many good bloggers are uncovering news that "professional journalists" are avoiding or missing. For the current state of the Internet's evolution I prefer to have more eyeballs looking for and reporting relevant news and information.
If bloggers haven't already formed an association, I think they will. I've heard of blogger's insurance to protect bloggers from legal actions brought by well-heeled corporations armed with lawyers who aim to suppress blog-revealed information.
One way to allow for public involvement in executive sessions is for the blogger/journalist to provide a draft of what they will post to the executive committee for their sign off. But there are many details that have to be worked out.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Finding a New Faith
Thank you TOL for hosting this discussion.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Finding a New Faith
Can you suggest a way for people to gain a sense of stability during this time of emotional discomfort? Perhaps a book you have found useful for grounding yourself?
Buddhism is one of many templates I base my being on, but I've recently worked to remove the labels and baggage I've wrapped Buddhism in. Why label myself as a practitioner of anything? Labels do make conversations more interesting.
I consider Buddhism a philosophy or a state of being more than a faith or religion. I view religion as a hierarchical, human-organized, social and spiritual activity. Buddhism is more like education and illumination.
When I was a youth I determined Christianity didn't make sense for me and I knew this instinctively.
Buddhism encourages me to discover Truth for myself rather than blindly accept what somebody tells me is gospel.
Buddhism encourages me to understand the nature and causes of suffering so I can alleviate them.
Buddhism is empowering and inclusive of everything.
By putting down my affliction with illusion I can focus on being one with the Universe instead of constantly swimming up stream as an individual.
Buddhism is one of many templates I base my being on, but I've recently worked to remove the labels and baggage I've wrapped Buddhism in. Why label myself as a practitioner of anything? Labels do make conversations more interesting.
I consider Buddhism a philosophy or a state of being more than a faith or religion. I view religion as a hierarchical, human-organized, social and spiritual activity. Buddhism is more like education and illumination.
When I was a youth I determined Christianity didn't make sense for me and I knew this instinctively.
Buddhism encourages me to discover Truth for myself rather than blindly accept what somebody tells me is gospel.
Buddhism encourages me to understand the nature and causes of suffering so I can alleviate them.
Buddhism is empowering and inclusive of everything.
By putting down my affliction with illusion I can focus on being one with the Universe instead of constantly swimming up stream as an individual.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Discussing Race on Campus
Affirmative action was developed to provide fairness for those who have traditionally and purposely been denied opportunity. It started as a heavy-handed quick fix and I'm thankful for the jump start.
Having attended both predominately black and white universities, I understand the desire minorities might have to create a place where they can let their metaphorical hair down. It can be challenging for youngsters to assimilate into an alien and sometimes unfriendly environment. It is beneficial to have familiar support as one spreads their wings and learns to fly.
While some whites feel discriminated against due to affirmative action, I empathize with their plight because I've walked many a mile in their shoes already. I don't espouse "let's discriminate against whitey," because it is whitey who has provided me work, education, opportunity, and so on.
But there is still a major divide between blacks and whites. Judging from the few comments here, we don't really want to talk about race because doing so means we're going to have to change more. There is great guilt and denial by whites that slavery and ongoing racism have caused long-term psychoses and hatred in blacks.
I'm frustrated that blacks are slow to throw of their chains of self imprisonment, but I also understand how hard it is to do. If your race has been, and still is, subjugated to abuse, racism, denial, hatred and death, to be a happy and well-balanced contributor to society is anathema to logic.
If I expect blacks to free themselves in a generation or two from their chains of oppression then I know I'm metaphorically spitting into the wind. The damage occurred over 400-plus years, are we realistically expecting things to change within 40?
If you're not a racial minority, you might have trouble understanding the "always look over your shoulder" aspect that detracts from a minority person's quality of life. Further, most whites have no idea what it's like to be a minority. I ask that until you have walked many a mile in my shoes, suspend your anger as I have mine. Seek to empathize with those who have walked a different path. Get out of your preconceptions and ask yourself, "What would life be if I were a minority?"
Having attended both predominately black and white universities, I understand the desire minorities might have to create a place where they can let their metaphorical hair down. It can be challenging for youngsters to assimilate into an alien and sometimes unfriendly environment. It is beneficial to have familiar support as one spreads their wings and learns to fly.
While some whites feel discriminated against due to affirmative action, I empathize with their plight because I've walked many a mile in their shoes already. I don't espouse "let's discriminate against whitey," because it is whitey who has provided me work, education, opportunity, and so on.
But there is still a major divide between blacks and whites. Judging from the few comments here, we don't really want to talk about race because doing so means we're going to have to change more. There is great guilt and denial by whites that slavery and ongoing racism have caused long-term psychoses and hatred in blacks.
I'm frustrated that blacks are slow to throw of their chains of self imprisonment, but I also understand how hard it is to do. If your race has been, and still is, subjugated to abuse, racism, denial, hatred and death, to be a happy and well-balanced contributor to society is anathema to logic.
If I expect blacks to free themselves in a generation or two from their chains of oppression then I know I'm metaphorically spitting into the wind. The damage occurred over 400-plus years, are we realistically expecting things to change within 40?
If you're not a racial minority, you might have trouble understanding the "always look over your shoulder" aspect that detracts from a minority person's quality of life. Further, most whites have no idea what it's like to be a minority. I ask that until you have walked many a mile in my shoes, suspend your anger as I have mine. Seek to empathize with those who have walked a different path. Get out of your preconceptions and ask yourself, "What would life be if I were a minority?"
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Central Destinations
George Carlin suggested, and I paraphrase: If we want to get serious about "saving the planet" we need to plow up grave yards and golf courses so we have land to grow food for starving people. Dead people are fertilizer. Golf is an elitist sport in which only the rich participate. I laugh every time I hear this bit because too many people fight for their self interest but not for what might be best for "everything" concerned. Central Oregon doesn't have enough natural water to sustain lots of folk without augmenting the environment dramatically. Do we have to pave over every square foot of the planet because some of us think we need to be fruitful, multiply and create enormous pseudo wealth built on the backs of soma-sucking slaves? I know, I'm heading to Room 101 right now. 2 + 2 is 5. I know the drill....
Winston Smith
Winston Smith
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Fishing for Passion
I used to fish for food until I graduated from college. My entanglements with Buddhism made me think more about the suffering I caused fish. Also, I was concerned about the effect of loss of fish habitat, over-fishing and pollution. I've seen too many nature shows where humans abuse our life support system recklessly.
Today I would fish for food. I have not become "don't eat anything with a face" because plants have "faces" too in my view.
The point is I want to be respectful and thoughtful in action. I'm not going to fish for pleasure when I cause fish pain and fear. I want to be aware of pollution, over-fishing, and making sure we help provide sufficient habitat for fish to thrive.
Today I would fish for food. I have not become "don't eat anything with a face" because plants have "faces" too in my view.
The point is I want to be respectful and thoughtful in action. I'm not going to fish for pleasure when I cause fish pain and fear. I want to be aware of pollution, over-fishing, and making sure we help provide sufficient habitat for fish to thrive.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on
Rather than take pictures of the Gorge, I hike more. This year I've hiked one trail 40 times (so far) so I can observe changes over time. I was surprised to note that many of the lilies orient their blooms north toward the light on the south side of the Gorge.
I'm often surprised because I'll experience a feature I've never noticed even though I've been the same place hundreds of times. Stop, close your eyes, listen to waterfalls and what they say.
I so love the Gorge that if I believed in God, I imagine God creating the Gorge on the 8th day. I moved to Hood River for six years to be closer to one of my favorite places on Earth. Windsurfing on the river has been near mystical at times.
My favorite photos of the Gorge come from a hike on Dog Mountain on a super blustery, foggy, bone-chillingly cold, but achingly beautiful day. I photographed the first wildflowers of the season through the veil of tumbling mist. That day reminded me of tramping through spectacular-vistaed New Zealand. No place I'd rather be.
A favorite photo of the petroglyph "She Who Watches" provides a constant reminder that we must provide better stewardship for the Gorge. In recent years too many insensitive and selfish humans have denuded the scenic beauty we've taken for granted.
[url]http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/060399/petrpix2.html[/url]
I'm often surprised because I'll experience a feature I've never noticed even though I've been the same place hundreds of times. Stop, close your eyes, listen to waterfalls and what they say.
I so love the Gorge that if I believed in God, I imagine God creating the Gorge on the 8th day. I moved to Hood River for six years to be closer to one of my favorite places on Earth. Windsurfing on the river has been near mystical at times.
My favorite photos of the Gorge come from a hike on Dog Mountain on a super blustery, foggy, bone-chillingly cold, but achingly beautiful day. I photographed the first wildflowers of the season through the veil of tumbling mist. That day reminded me of tramping through spectacular-vistaed New Zealand. No place I'd rather be.
A favorite photo of the petroglyph "She Who Watches" provides a constant reminder that we must provide better stewardship for the Gorge. In recent years too many insensitive and selfish humans have denuded the scenic beauty we've taken for granted.
[url]http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/060399/petrpix2.html[/url]
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Discussing Race on Campus
[url]http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/28/blacks_whites_show_prejudices_along_racial_divide/[/url]
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Banking In the Bailout Days
Been with a credit union since the mid 1980s. Wells Fargo treated me and my piddly amount of money like we were a nuisance so I voted with my feet. Wells Fargo charged fees for everything and became customer unfriendly.
Upon joining a credit union I wrote letters to congressional representatives because big banks sought to derail the fledging credit union movement. Fortunately the big banks were unsuccessful. Haven't been to a big bank since the mid 1980s except for rare occasions.
One useful service my credit union provides is shared-branch banking. I lived in another town for awhile but I was able to conduct banking at a member shared branch. Two completely different credit unions shared a common banking interface to perform seamless transactions with my existing account.
Upon joining a credit union I wrote letters to congressional representatives because big banks sought to derail the fledging credit union movement. Fortunately the big banks were unsuccessful. Haven't been to a big bank since the mid 1980s except for rare occasions.
One useful service my credit union provides is shared-branch banking. I lived in another town for awhile but I was able to conduct banking at a member shared branch. Two completely different credit unions shared a common banking interface to perform seamless transactions with my existing account.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Mind the Cap
Complex issue. On one hand when a consumer is injured by negligence there should be recompense.
On the other hand, the cost of negligence is passed on to consumers, and the health care industry becomes more averse to providing care because the specter of malpractice makes them paranoid.
While I don't believe in caps, I don't believe in "sky-is-the-limit" awards either. Compromise is required.
Perhaps the health care industry needs to be modified so that fewer mistakes are made. A relative was in the hospital for the last month of her life and I was astounded that the nurses worked 12-hour shifts. Tired and stressed nurses and doctors make mistakes.
With the complexity of patient cases and the number of patients per nurse, I gained tremendous empathy for nurses and doctors who have to keep all the patient balls juggled in the air. Plus, they have to tolerate relatives of patients who are in emotional distress.
Generally, health care professionals try and do an excellent job but maybe we need to provide them a less stressful work environment with better checks and balances to insure patient safety. Fewer mistakes will insure less malpractice and should decrease health care costs.
On the other hand, the cost of negligence is passed on to consumers, and the health care industry becomes more averse to providing care because the specter of malpractice makes them paranoid.
While I don't believe in caps, I don't believe in "sky-is-the-limit" awards either. Compromise is required.
Perhaps the health care industry needs to be modified so that fewer mistakes are made. A relative was in the hospital for the last month of her life and I was astounded that the nurses worked 12-hour shifts. Tired and stressed nurses and doctors make mistakes.
With the complexity of patient cases and the number of patients per nurse, I gained tremendous empathy for nurses and doctors who have to keep all the patient balls juggled in the air. Plus, they have to tolerate relatives of patients who are in emotional distress.
Generally, health care professionals try and do an excellent job but maybe we need to provide them a less stressful work environment with better checks and balances to insure patient safety. Fewer mistakes will insure less malpractice and should decrease health care costs.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Discussing Race on Campus
Last night I reaffirmed for the umpteenth time that it is Obama's responsibility to calculate the risks and benefits of his run for president. I visualize Obama's safety as I acknowledge that life is neither safe, sacred or guaranteed. The pursuit of Freedom and Justice will never end. I wonder how many George Fox students empathize with the effigy hangers? How many find the hanging abhorrent, stupid and counter to so-called Christian, indeed human, values? Is the number of "bad actors" in society increasing? We tend to believe it is a minority of people who make life worse for the majority, but I wonder whether the number of rotten apples is decreasing, increasing or holding steady? My gut tells me our society's polarization is book ended on the right by zealous fundamentalists. Can you distinguish between religious fundamentalists in America from those in the Middle East or Africa?
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Financial Crises Past and Present
Are you saying that Vanguard Energy Fund (VGENX), for example, has invested in CDOs? I assume that any company owned by a fund could invest their money in CDOs such that there is an indirect exposure to the fund.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Financial Crises Past and Present
Are there such "experts"? Take the complexity of CSOs (combined debt obligations rearranged to form combined sewer overflows) that no one understands. So-called experts created these mechanisms so they could retire early and watch Rome burn from the sidelines.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Financial Crises Past and Present
Recent financial crises have a general similarity: human emotion caused great turmoil. Warren Buffett and the best investors discuss the importance of investing in solid companies without undue emotion.
Our "free market" system is built on cycles of boom and bust and is not free. The market is manipulated by greedy players. So perhaps we should take control of the market, smooth its ups and downs, so we can have confidence that we can reach future financial goals without undo heartache.
- Replace huge single points of failure (large financial institutions that have recently collapsed.
- Replace government and corporate employees who are ethically, morally and fiscally corrupt.
- Reintroduce effective and toothsome regulations free of loopholes that enrich fat cats.
The goal is to smooth out the dramatic ups and downs in our boom-to-bust economy. What's funny is that many lay people recognized long ago that the economy is sick. Where were the so-called experts then? Maybe the experts are not as competent as we have been led to believe.
Until we have more integrity, we need to control the horizontal and vertical of the economy. Let's not pretend that free market, trickle down economics works when it obviously does not.
Our "free market" system is built on cycles of boom and bust and is not free. The market is manipulated by greedy players. So perhaps we should take control of the market, smooth its ups and downs, so we can have confidence that we can reach future financial goals without undo heartache.
- Replace huge single points of failure (large financial institutions that have recently collapsed.
- Replace government and corporate employees who are ethically, morally and fiscally corrupt.
- Reintroduce effective and toothsome regulations free of loopholes that enrich fat cats.
The goal is to smooth out the dramatic ups and downs in our boom-to-bust economy. What's funny is that many lay people recognized long ago that the economy is sick. Where were the so-called experts then? Maybe the experts are not as competent as we have been led to believe.
Until we have more integrity, we need to control the horizontal and vertical of the economy. Let's not pretend that free market, trickle down economics works when it obviously does not.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Opera's New Day
Don't be confused by my language. I write to annoy, amuse and elucidate. I don't condemn American culture for being what it is. I'm not judging it either even though my words will signify otherwise. Hopefully everybody pursues their bliss in whatever form it finds.
American education has been dumbed down and designed to create worker bees who are easy to victimize. As a result Americans have a diminished capacity to think and appreciate life (and art) critically and deeply. We tend to ?think? with our naughty tingly parts.
Technology has replaced deeper understanding. Instant gratification makes washing dishes by hand an unbearable torture in which one finds liberation only in death. (An oblique nod to McLuhan's "The Media is Massage".)
Grew up listening to art-inspired parents rave about opera. I thought they'd taken a bender as they listened to Italian caterwauling for two hours, but they really dug it. How did my parents know so much and I knew so little? Some things about parents are inexplicable.
Mom said, "Learn the opera's story and the emotion in the music will make sense." Whatever, mom. Then I studied music for 12 years, took some literature courses in college, and I began to appreciate my mom's wisdom. My appreciation for sophistication and complexity began to blossom.
So if opera is to be appreciated you've got to introduce it into the schools and media during kindergarten provided you can get adults to buy off. Get rid of creationism and teach opera. Further, it would help if Americans learned three or four languages to build a basis upon which to appreciate opera.
Opera is about life and death. There are useful moral and ethical tidbits on offer. Opera can be educational to the open minded (elitist, liberal, over-educated snobs.)
Opera is loaded with tragedy, social satire, irony, dark humor and sex. If you're jealous and kill your lover because you suspect them of cheating, but they are actually faithful, tragedy ensues. So don't kill your lover unless you catch them cheating!
In American culture Rock rulez; not sophisticated Jazz or Blues upon which Rock is based. (I've often heard Americans relate Jazz to Opera in terms of noise to escape from with the fight or flight mechanism.)
Everything Americans tend to enjoy is condensed into a hammer blow. Our entertainment tends to be easily "grass-pable" like the weed smoke in Pineapple Express. Our society cherishes being dumb and unsophisticated like pigs smeared with lipstick rutting in the slop of our moral decay.
In general, We Americans don't care about anybody else's culture (many of which are the basis of our own.) We throw out that which is five minutes old by habit. In general, we're a bunch of dumb ashes who rely on simple, easily digestible, monosyllabic messages fed to us by Big Brother.
Snarky and snobbish disdain and contempt with American culture's general lack of sophistication aside, I recognize that Americans love that which is edgy, new and charged with attitude. But Attitude is ersatz. Substance and Subtlety are the building blocks of the Universe.
My friend took me to Ariadne auf Naxos in Seattle a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. I didn't realize how starved I was for something containing "culture" that wasn't yogurt. Also enjoyed the subtitles. I could follow the story and that helped tremendously.
But I'm sad that even though I'm partially German, I've never lifted a finger to learn the language. My American laziness belches soot on my patina of perfection.
American education has been dumbed down and designed to create worker bees who are easy to victimize. As a result Americans have a diminished capacity to think and appreciate life (and art) critically and deeply. We tend to ?think? with our naughty tingly parts.
Technology has replaced deeper understanding. Instant gratification makes washing dishes by hand an unbearable torture in which one finds liberation only in death. (An oblique nod to McLuhan's "The Media is Massage".)
Grew up listening to art-inspired parents rave about opera. I thought they'd taken a bender as they listened to Italian caterwauling for two hours, but they really dug it. How did my parents know so much and I knew so little? Some things about parents are inexplicable.
Mom said, "Learn the opera's story and the emotion in the music will make sense." Whatever, mom. Then I studied music for 12 years, took some literature courses in college, and I began to appreciate my mom's wisdom. My appreciation for sophistication and complexity began to blossom.
So if opera is to be appreciated you've got to introduce it into the schools and media during kindergarten provided you can get adults to buy off. Get rid of creationism and teach opera. Further, it would help if Americans learned three or four languages to build a basis upon which to appreciate opera.
Opera is about life and death. There are useful moral and ethical tidbits on offer. Opera can be educational to the open minded (elitist, liberal, over-educated snobs.)
Opera is loaded with tragedy, social satire, irony, dark humor and sex. If you're jealous and kill your lover because you suspect them of cheating, but they are actually faithful, tragedy ensues. So don't kill your lover unless you catch them cheating!
In American culture Rock rulez; not sophisticated Jazz or Blues upon which Rock is based. (I've often heard Americans relate Jazz to Opera in terms of noise to escape from with the fight or flight mechanism.)
Everything Americans tend to enjoy is condensed into a hammer blow. Our entertainment tends to be easily "grass-pable" like the weed smoke in Pineapple Express. Our society cherishes being dumb and unsophisticated like pigs smeared with lipstick rutting in the slop of our moral decay.
In general, We Americans don't care about anybody else's culture (many of which are the basis of our own.) We throw out that which is five minutes old by habit. In general, we're a bunch of dumb ashes who rely on simple, easily digestible, monosyllabic messages fed to us by Big Brother.
Snarky and snobbish disdain and contempt with American culture's general lack of sophistication aside, I recognize that Americans love that which is edgy, new and charged with attitude. But Attitude is ersatz. Substance and Subtlety are the building blocks of the Universe.
My friend took me to Ariadne auf Naxos in Seattle a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. I didn't realize how starved I was for something containing "culture" that wasn't yogurt. Also enjoyed the subtitles. I could follow the story and that helped tremendously.
But I'm sad that even though I'm partially German, I've never lifted a finger to learn the language. My American laziness belches soot on my patina of perfection.
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Time to Bail?
Hope you've brought your cattle gun ;)
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Time to Bail?
I was irritated after hearing about the bailout. No details but a rush to do something. What happened to an economic system where the weak companies are weeded out? I emailed my senator:
Dear Senator Wyden:
I'm disappointed, angry, cynical and have no confidence the $700 BILLION financial bailout plant being rushed into action will work.
I've read your statement and I agree with its content. There are so many things wrong with this plan that it must not be passed in its current thoughtless form.
1.What are the plan's details?
2.How will tax payers be protected or benefit?
3.Will the plan actually fix the problems?
4.How will accountability, integrity, transparency be incorporated into the plan?
5.Why is there so much hurry to pass a complex and critical plan when financial experts have known for a long time that the American economy has been resting on a foundation of sand, obfuscation and deception?
What can we do to fix our government and corporations so they work right?
My stock portfolio has not improved appreciably since 9-11. It's extremely difficult to find reasonable employment. Everything is more expensive. And our problems are mounting.
I resent that rich, privileged, Wall Street and government insiders have earned excessive salaries and golden parachutes but are not held responsible for their excessive risk taking with others' money.
Thank you for doing what you can to restore sanity to our way of being. Good luck. Let me know if I can help. The last eight years have been a nightmare and I'm ready to change course.
Bob
re: Wyden Issues Statement on Administration Proposal to Address Financial Crisis
Dear Senator Wyden:
I'm disappointed, angry, cynical and have no confidence the $700 BILLION financial bailout plant being rushed into action will work.
I've read your statement and I agree with its content. There are so many things wrong with this plan that it must not be passed in its current thoughtless form.
1.What are the plan's details?
2.How will tax payers be protected or benefit?
3.Will the plan actually fix the problems?
4.How will accountability, integrity, transparency be incorporated into the plan?
5.Why is there so much hurry to pass a complex and critical plan when financial experts have known for a long time that the American economy has been resting on a foundation of sand, obfuscation and deception?
What can we do to fix our government and corporations so they work right?
My stock portfolio has not improved appreciably since 9-11. It's extremely difficult to find reasonable employment. Everything is more expensive. And our problems are mounting.
I resent that rich, privileged, Wall Street and government insiders have earned excessive salaries and golden parachutes but are not held responsible for their excessive risk taking with others' money.
Thank you for doing what you can to restore sanity to our way of being. Good luck. Let me know if I can help. The last eight years have been a nightmare and I'm ready to change course.
Bob
re: Wyden Issues Statement on Administration Proposal to Address Financial Crisis
posted 4 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Cops, Laws and Videotape
Benefit of videoing police in action is there is another record of whether police do their jobs legally and safely. Citizens gain some leverage in the "my word against the policeman's word" context.
Drawback occurs if a citizen videoing police obstructs the police's ability to do their job.
Frankly, I have a love-hate relationship with surveillance technology. I feel it infringes my desire for privacy and to be left alone.
On the flip tip, as a resident of color in northeast, and in the back of my mind, I want witnesses if I get pulled over by Portland police because they have been heavy handed or deadly on occasion. I purposely go out of my way not to attract police attention but I wish I didn't have to think about that.
Low level paranoia and fear is part of the unresolved race issue. People of color end up looking over their shoulders which creates permanent tension, animosity and ambivalence toward police. This negativity ends up being counter productive when considering the next point.
Police have a tough job because many citizens are trouble makers and can not be handled with kid gloves or candy canes. Our society's civility and personal responsibility have eroded such that we have thousands of police to keep us safe from, well, ourselves.
My experiences with police have been positive overall. I think police in a few Oregon small towns have ticketed me to "meet their quota", but I view that as tough luck on my part because I haven't gotten caught every time I've violated the law. It's a wash.
Citizens talk about their rights but they are not quick to take up their responsibilities for the safety and well being of others. Police can't do it all and citizens have to do their part.
Drawback occurs if a citizen videoing police obstructs the police's ability to do their job.
Frankly, I have a love-hate relationship with surveillance technology. I feel it infringes my desire for privacy and to be left alone.
On the flip tip, as a resident of color in northeast, and in the back of my mind, I want witnesses if I get pulled over by Portland police because they have been heavy handed or deadly on occasion. I purposely go out of my way not to attract police attention but I wish I didn't have to think about that.
Low level paranoia and fear is part of the unresolved race issue. People of color end up looking over their shoulders which creates permanent tension, animosity and ambivalence toward police. This negativity ends up being counter productive when considering the next point.
Police have a tough job because many citizens are trouble makers and can not be handled with kid gloves or candy canes. Our society's civility and personal responsibility have eroded such that we have thousands of police to keep us safe from, well, ourselves.
My experiences with police have been positive overall. I think police in a few Oregon small towns have ticketed me to "meet their quota", but I view that as tough luck on my part because I haven't gotten caught every time I've violated the law. It's a wash.
Citizens talk about their rights but they are not quick to take up their responsibilities for the safety and well being of others. Police can't do it all and citizens have to do their part.
posted 4 years, 8 months ago
view in context
on How to Recession-Proof Central Oregon
Cassandra2 put it more succinctly than my unfettered rambling. I'm smeared with ideas so I'll drop them here for consideration, attack and improvement.
How do we make Oregon recession proof? We need to create jobs here. Simple. Short term. But won't work long term.
We earthlings need to develop a more sophisticated and harmonious outlook of ourselves and the world. Allow me to waste some of your time by taking a closer look at more fundamental problems we face.
What good is recession proofing Central Oregon if the rest of the world is aflame?
Hello? Global climate change. Something appears to be going on that's affecting everybody. Do we know with certainty what that "something" is being caused by?
Perhaps our rapacious, thoughtless, arrogant abuse of Earth is going to present us with some "challenges" like extinction.
I get the impression that people who will vote for McCain and Palin will do so because they've hacksawed their heads off at the base of their necks.
They perceive they will receive lower taxes and the continued ability to buy cheap stuff from Walmart. They think the U.S. military will protect them from the Evil Doers not on Wall Street as we rot from the inside.
Our cultural, political, ethical, educational and financial values are atrophying as we adopt the screaming me-mes. "Me, me, me, me first, me good, me strong, you suck, we crush you now." We behave as if the U.S. is some freaked out, post-modern Hulk.
But we're terribly frail and can easily be made to fight against each other. We're already fighting for scraps. The level of political polarization in the U.S. shows we are closer to black and white uncivil war than achieving the healthy shades of gray for which America is renowned.
What's the problem with having an intelligent, slippery, sophisticated president who might actually be able to get something positive done here and abroad? Why are we afraid of smart and potentially more ethical people? The new guard is always young and will make mistakes, but I don't see any particular disadvantage compared to the mistakes the old guard are making.
Do you like stupid people? I'm scared of stupid people who currently occupy lofty places. This is extremely dangerous. Nuff said.
In the U.S. we are slow to acknowledge that some government and taxes are useful for our self preservation and continued success. Highways and infrastructure cost. Government programs cost. It's arguable, but we receive some benefit from our tax dollars as much as we hate to part with them.
I started reading books by Chalmers Johnson, *Sorrows of Empire* and *Blowback*, and realized we have way too much of our country's budget invested in military support of our economic desire to rule the world for the benefit of the select few.
Yes, I'm cynical, I can't help it. We still have too many poor folk for me to be impressed with our progress of providing freedom and democracy to the fuzzy wuzzies.
I'd prefer to see the U.S. get out of the military business. Sorry Lockheed, Boeing, Martin Marietta, etc. I feel less safe after 9-11 than ever. Russia's getting all grumpy again, and we've got all manner of folk saying mean (but true) stuff about us. We've lost our way. We've lost our credibility and integrity as a beacon of freedom and opportunity. (Yeech!)
Have any of you considered that America might be suffering PTSD after 9-11? We are so shocked that we're making stupid, boneheaded mistakes now. I hadn't thought of that until recently.
Anyway, America should feed people good food instead of killing them with remote controlled drones. How well is what we're doing today working? We're locking ourselves in instead of locking the Evil Doers out.
If one studies enough history, one will conclude that many of the terrorist problems we face, we created for ourselves long ago. Through clandestine activities America has abused and interfered with so-called sovereign nations. A nation can't be sovereign if America invades it financially and militarily, right?
For example, we started shipping good-paying U.S. manufacturing jobs overseas in the 1970s, and we thought we'd kill a few birds with one stone in the process.
One, we'd indirectly protect our environment (sort of) if we let China do our dirty work for us. The recent Olympics was terrifying in terms of seeing China's environmental degradation on the telly. China's pollution drifts across the Pacific and settles in the great Pacific Northwest. How ironic.
Two, we'd reap the benefit of cheap goods because Chinese workers don't receive good wages. Oh yes, a few Chinese have been lifted out of dire poverty to minimum wage poverty. It's a start. Props to China.
Whether direct or indirect, America has consciously spit on others and now the chickens are returning to roost in the form of the Taliban, Al-Quaeda, name_your_extremist_fundamentalist_Koolaid_drinkers here.
I'm still reeling from shock that 43 had the temerity to ask, "Why don't they like us?" It doesn't seem logical for the the oppressed or f**ked over to appreciate or love their oppressors does it?
Okay, this is a long winded way of saying that American might and sovereignty is built on a foundation of sand. Our survival requires that we deconstruct the strip mall of our broken dreams.
We can no longer afford Hummers in every garage and Fillet Mignon in every pot. That illusion died along time ago because it was never sustainable to begin with.
Picture if you will: a Hummer-driving hockey mom, smearing lipstick on her pit bull's lips as she runs a red light while texting to an oily fat cat in Houston. There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall, that's my soul up there....
There are too many people on Earth for our current level of know-how, resources and jobs to support. Earth could probably support 12 billion knuckleheads if we were more knowledgeable, sophisticated, sensitive, and much less war like, but fortunately we aren't that clever.
There are too many people living in the desert Western United States. There are too many people living in Central Oregon where water is already scarce. Less rain, smaller glaciers run in direct opposition to increased population and more swimming pools in Central Oregon.
Okay, I'm so far off base now that I won't mind if you delete this, but let me offer this. How about we give up on the idea that there is such a thing as a "free market". Holy mackerel, what a pile of baloney.
There is nothing free about our economy because as we've just seen, it's manipulable by everyone from everywhere. We've got short sellers, naked short sellers, blind high siders, options callers, derivatives dorks, and freaks of Wall Street like Cramer.
So instead of suffering the slings and arrows of a few clever market manipulators why don't we focus on a controlled economic plan that sanely addresses the fact that the U.S., Europe and Japan have too much stuff that needs to be redistributed to those who don't have enough. This is what we're essentially doing anyway, kicking and screaming.
Rich countries must purposely stop consuming so much stuff so those resources can be used to help others ameliorate poverty, disease, hopelessness and fundamental lunacy.
I don't care whether you call it socialism, democracy, communism - we control the economy. We're the people who created this stupid thing. We all talk about the fact that we're compassionate, caring, blah, blah, blah. Meanwhile we lock ourselves into the gated communities of our self delusion and hypocrisy.
So Oregon could develop clean industry. Instead of sending raw logs over seas, Oregonians could produce finished wood products here. Don't we have the brains and capability to build clean/green industry?
Could we grow sustainable hardwood forests here? How about green housing plants useful for producing new medicines?
We have brain power here (going to waste) that will show us how to reduce the amount of electricity we consume while we're building out clean renewable energy. We need to upgrade the electrical grid to accommodate wind turbines.
GE and Google are getting together to push for upgraded electrical delivery. Google already has a data center in The Dalles, so Central Oregon could leverage development ideas with Google.
Instead of putting up tilt-wall warehouses on farm land, let's do organic, environmentally friendly, high tech agriculture to feed Oregonians and the world. Hydroponic green houses with recycled water. Lots of sunshine in Central Oregon. Oregon could develop the most comprehensive agriculture system in the world. People always need good food to eat.
It would be neat if Oregon became an intellectual, educational, haven hub for nurturing humanity. As the challenges of climate change and overpopulation increase, Oregonians should strive to become more sophisticated in terms of their skills and world knowledge.
Central Oregon could be home to agricultural, medical, technical schools. Maybe not full scale universities, but schools that fit specific needs of Central Oregon, Oregon and the world.
With lots of sunshine, Central Oregon can host giant solar arrays and locals will maintain and evolve them.
This is a start. I'm too distracted to continue. Trying to listen to NPR and contribute to TOL is making me all cattywumpus. Time to set down my digital quill in favor of some sunshine and metaphorical Schnapps.
As surprised as 43 is about ?Why they don't like us,? I'm more taken aback by our polarized short sightedness. We need a Columbia River Crossing like we need cork-sized holes in our foreheads.
Short term solutions won't work any more. We need to step back, take many deep breaths and some yoga too, and we need to thoroughly dig into what it's going to take for humans to continue living on this third rock from our closest sun.
I know we're compelled to act quickly and locally, but our quick actions are creating unforeseen consequences. Let's not "ready, fire, aim" critical solutions for Oregon as we have been. We need to solve our fundamental as well as short term problems.
Thank you for your consideration. Cheers.
How do we make Oregon recession proof? We need to create jobs here. Simple. Short term. But won't work long term.
We earthlings need to develop a more sophisticated and harmonious outlook of ourselves and the world. Allow me to waste some of your time by taking a closer look at more fundamental problems we face.
What good is recession proofing Central Oregon if the rest of the world is aflame?
Hello? Global climate change. Something appears to be going on that's affecting everybody. Do we know with certainty what that "something" is being caused by?
Perhaps our rapacious, thoughtless, arrogant abuse of Earth is going to present us with some "challenges" like extinction.
I get the impression that people who will vote for McCain and Palin will do so because they've hacksawed their heads off at the base of their necks.
They perceive they will receive lower taxes and the continued ability to buy cheap stuff from Walmart. They think the U.S. military will protect them from the Evil Doers not on Wall Street as we rot from the inside.
Our cultural, political, ethical, educational and financial values are atrophying as we adopt the screaming me-mes. "Me, me, me, me first, me good, me strong, you suck, we crush you now." We behave as if the U.S. is some freaked out, post-modern Hulk.
But we're terribly frail and can easily be made to fight against each other. We're already fighting for scraps. The level of political polarization in the U.S. shows we are closer to black and white uncivil war than achieving the healthy shades of gray for which America is renowned.
What's the problem with having an intelligent, slippery, sophisticated president who might actually be able to get something positive done here and abroad? Why are we afraid of smart and potentially more ethical people? The new guard is always young and will make mistakes, but I don't see any particular disadvantage compared to the mistakes the old guard are making.
Do you like stupid people? I'm scared of stupid people who currently occupy lofty places. This is extremely dangerous. Nuff said.
In the U.S. we are slow to acknowledge that some government and taxes are useful for our self preservation and continued success. Highways and infrastructure cost. Government programs cost. It's arguable, but we receive some benefit from our tax dollars as much as we hate to part with them.
I started reading books by Chalmers Johnson, *Sorrows of Empire* and *Blowback*, and realized we have way too much of our country's budget invested in military support of our economic desire to rule the world for the benefit of the select few.
Yes, I'm cynical, I can't help it. We still have too many poor folk for me to be impressed with our progress of providing freedom and democracy to the fuzzy wuzzies.
I'd prefer to see the U.S. get out of the military business. Sorry Lockheed, Boeing, Martin Marietta, etc. I feel less safe after 9-11 than ever. Russia's getting all grumpy again, and we've got all manner of folk saying mean (but true) stuff about us. We've lost our way. We've lost our credibility and integrity as a beacon of freedom and opportunity. (Yeech!)
Have any of you considered that America might be suffering PTSD after 9-11? We are so shocked that we're making stupid, boneheaded mistakes now. I hadn't thought of that until recently.
Anyway, America should feed people good food instead of killing them with remote controlled drones. How well is what we're doing today working? We're locking ourselves in instead of locking the Evil Doers out.
If one studies enough history, one will conclude that many of the terrorist problems we face, we created for ourselves long ago. Through clandestine activities America has abused and interfered with so-called sovereign nations. A nation can't be sovereign if America invades it financially and militarily, right?
For example, we started shipping good-paying U.S. manufacturing jobs overseas in the 1970s, and we thought we'd kill a few birds with one stone in the process.
One, we'd indirectly protect our environment (sort of) if we let China do our dirty work for us. The recent Olympics was terrifying in terms of seeing China's environmental degradation on the telly. China's pollution drifts across the Pacific and settles in the great Pacific Northwest. How ironic.
Two, we'd reap the benefit of cheap goods because Chinese workers don't receive good wages. Oh yes, a few Chinese have been lifted out of dire poverty to minimum wage poverty. It's a start. Props to China.
Whether direct or indirect, America has consciously spit on others and now the chickens are returning to roost in the form of the Taliban, Al-Quaeda, name_your_extremist_fundamentalist_Koolaid_drinkers here.
I'm still reeling from shock that 43 had the temerity to ask, "Why don't they like us?" It doesn't seem logical for the the oppressed or f**ked over to appreciate or love their oppressors does it?
Okay, this is a long winded way of saying that American might and sovereignty is built on a foundation of sand. Our survival requires that we deconstruct the strip mall of our broken dreams.
We can no longer afford Hummers in every garage and Fillet Mignon in every pot. That illusion died along time ago because it was never sustainable to begin with.
Picture if you will: a Hummer-driving hockey mom, smearing lipstick on her pit bull's lips as she runs a red light while texting to an oily fat cat in Houston. There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall, that's my soul up there....
There are too many people on Earth for our current level of know-how, resources and jobs to support. Earth could probably support 12 billion knuckleheads if we were more knowledgeable, sophisticated, sensitive, and much less war like, but fortunately we aren't that clever.
There are too many people living in the desert Western United States. There are too many people living in Central Oregon where water is already scarce. Less rain, smaller glaciers run in direct opposition to increased population and more swimming pools in Central Oregon.
Okay, I'm so far off base now that I won't mind if you delete this, but let me offer this. How about we give up on the idea that there is such a thing as a "free market". Holy mackerel, what a pile of baloney.
There is nothing free about our economy because as we've just seen, it's manipulable by everyone from everywhere. We've got short sellers, naked short sellers, blind high siders, options callers, derivatives dorks, and freaks of Wall Street like Cramer.
So instead of suffering the slings and arrows of a few clever market manipulators why don't we focus on a controlled economic plan that sanely addresses the fact that the U.S., Europe and Japan have too much stuff that needs to be redistributed to those who don't have enough. This is what we're essentially doing anyway, kicking and screaming.
Rich countries must purposely stop consuming so much stuff so those resources can be used to help others ameliorate poverty, disease, hopelessness and fundamental lunacy.
I don't care whether you call it socialism, democracy, communism - we control the economy. We're the people who created this stupid thing. We all talk about the fact that we're compassionate, caring, blah, blah, blah. Meanwhile we lock ourselves into the gated communities of our self delusion and hypocrisy.
So Oregon could develop clean industry. Instead of sending raw logs over seas, Oregonians could produce finished wood products here. Don't we have the brains and capability to build clean/green industry?
Could we grow sustainable hardwood forests here? How about green housing plants useful for producing new medicines?
We have brain power here (going to waste) that will show us how to reduce the amount of electricity we consume while we're building out clean renewable energy. We need to upgrade the electrical grid to accommodate wind turbines.
GE and Google are getting together to push for upgraded electrical delivery. Google already has a data center in The Dalles, so Central Oregon could leverage development ideas with Google.
Instead of putting up tilt-wall warehouses on farm land, let's do organic, environmentally friendly, high tech agriculture to feed Oregonians and the world. Hydroponic green houses with recycled water. Lots of sunshine in Central Oregon. Oregon could develop the most comprehensive agriculture system in the world. People always need good food to eat.
It would be neat if Oregon became an intellectual, educational, haven hub for nurturing humanity. As the challenges of climate change and overpopulation increase, Oregonians should strive to become more sophisticated in terms of their skills and world knowledge.
Central Oregon could be home to agricultural, medical, technical schools. Maybe not full scale universities, but schools that fit specific needs of Central Oregon, Oregon and the world.
With lots of sunshine, Central Oregon can host giant solar arrays and locals will maintain and evolve them.
This is a start. I'm too distracted to continue. Trying to listen to NPR and contribute to TOL is making me all cattywumpus. Time to set down my digital quill in favor of some sunshine and metaphorical Schnapps.
As surprised as 43 is about ?Why they don't like us,? I'm more taken aback by our polarized short sightedness. We need a Columbia River Crossing like we need cork-sized holes in our foreheads.
Short term solutions won't work any more. We need to step back, take many deep breaths and some yoga too, and we need to thoroughly dig into what it's going to take for humans to continue living on this third rock from our closest sun.
I know we're compelled to act quickly and locally, but our quick actions are creating unforeseen consequences. Let's not "ready, fire, aim" critical solutions for Oregon as we have been. We need to solve our fundamental as well as short term problems.
Thank you for your consideration. Cheers.
posted 4 years, 8 months ago
view in context
on 72 Far Superior Topics
Oh yeah, this one's eating me. What gives people the right to bring their dogs into public places like stores, work, restaurants, etc? When did humans become so frail that they need their pet with them 24/7 everywhere they go?
I was at Safeway the other day and almost stepped on a lady's micro-chihauhau. Couldn't see the cute little thing because he may have been four inches tall. If I hadn't seen the descending leash that dog would have been road grill.
Can't people leave their pets at home or in their well ventilated cars? What if someone is allergic to or doesn't like dogs? I don't want dog hair (or worse) on my fruit and vegetables. Hypothetically: her dog stops, drops, and rolls in something objectionable. She picks him up all lovey and stinky. Then she handles the broccoli without washing her hands. Uugggghh!
Yeah, I know, humans without pets don't wash their hands either, but let's start by banning the over-anthropomorphization of pets. That would be a good non-Sizemore initiative, yes?
I was at Safeway the other day and almost stepped on a lady's micro-chihauhau. Couldn't see the cute little thing because he may have been four inches tall. If I hadn't seen the descending leash that dog would have been road grill.
Can't people leave their pets at home or in their well ventilated cars? What if someone is allergic to or doesn't like dogs? I don't want dog hair (or worse) on my fruit and vegetables. Hypothetically: her dog stops, drops, and rolls in something objectionable. She picks him up all lovey and stinky. Then she handles the broccoli without washing her hands. Uugggghh!
Yeah, I know, humans without pets don't wash their hands either, but let's start by banning the over-anthropomorphization of pets. That would be a good non-Sizemore initiative, yes?
posted 4 years, 8 months ago
view in context
