In a very busy schedule I devote some time and effort to a blog for which I receive no monetary remuneration. Why?
I have a degree of knowledge and experience in some of these areas. My intent is to share the resulting, hard won perceptions on matters I consider important. Others have different backgrounds and differing perceptions.
Admittedly, I derive a measure of satisfaction from providing viewpoints that readers might not otherwise consider. The blog has received as many as 577 visits on a single day. I value each and every reader.
Sadly, I have only two readers who are inclined to provide feedback on a regular, or irregular, basis. These two are highly prized. They are not prized because they always agree. I am a true iconoclast. If someone agreed with me on every matter, one of us would be unnecessary.
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I saw thousands of sheep on my recent trip to the Highlands of Scotland. Most were just grazing on the hillsides. A few were being herded, by border collies, men or both.
If I had more time I would have stopped and asked them if they really wanted to be herded to the slaughterhouse. They, of course, didn’t get to pick their leaders.
I had thought we were different. I thought we picked our leader November last. Apparently I was mistaken.
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The CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, claims that he is doing God’s work. Has God retired? Is God not upset with Lloyd for causing his 401K to tank?
Wouldn’t you like to get a peek at God’s portfolio? Such gems of wisdom from one of the Masters of the Universe generates lots of questions.
If Goldman Sachs’ own stock is down 27% and they helped put the global economy in shambles, just why are they giving each other record bonuses? Did the Keystone Cops get bonuses?
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You have been sold down the river. So have we all.
We need to differentiate between healthcare reform and tinkering with health insurance. Yes, there is a difference. The entire burlesque these past few months has revolved around the tinkering.
A handful of congressmen offered HR 676, Medicare-For-All. That represents reform. All of the rest of our political entertainment has been farce and sleight of hand.
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In her gentle and succinct manner, Cheryl took me to task for my last post. To quote, “Who are you and what have you done with Crawford.”
I did respond in the comment area but felt the need to explain more fully. Her objection didn’t specify one aspect, so I intend to address each of the matters in its own, separate post.
There were four points: Afghanistan, healthcare reform, the economy and a strategy to get from the present sorry state to solving these problems. First, let’s explain the problem of Afghanistan.
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It appears the leader is being led.
Obama has kicked out Paul Volcker, the closest thing to a sane voice on his team of economic do-dos.
He is reportedly sending 40,000 more of our young to be wasted in Afghanistan. He long ago abandoned any pretense of leadership or backbone in the farcical pursuit of healthcare reform. And he expects sane people to support his every capitulation to the financial, health and military oligarchs?
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Please don’t be offended by the graphic. I am just offering to lead you through a little bit of a jungle where even the self-proclaimed Tarzans are lost.
There are many others out there that insist you put your trust in them. They are dangerous in their hubris.
They are either economists or other putative experts on the economy and finance. Most are ignorant self-serving whores. Their education on the subject is basically bounded by the farcical works of Ayn Rand.
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On my trip to Scotland, a mistake by the GPS gave me a few minutes of pure ecstasy.
This incident came to me totally out of the blue. Well, actually it was pitch dark. There is no way I could have anticipated it. It instantly changed my mood.
I was frustrated. I was upset. I was angry at a piece of electronic gear. I was blaming some faceless techie for daydreaming when he should have been concentrating on his job. It was costing me an hour and a half in arriving for a much needed appointment with the first part of the next bed and breakfast.
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I‘m back from Scotland. The country was heaven. The arrangements left much to be desired.
On the Thursday prior to departing on my trip I spoke on the phone with one of the ladies at the agency. I was told that they would be mailing me a cell phone, a GPS and a booklet listing 340 Bed & Breakfasts that would take my vouchers. As I was leaving early the next day, I said that wouldn’t work. She said they would get those items to me, presumably when I arrived in the country.
Well, they mailed them to my home. They arrived on that Saturday.
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I am going on a little trip. This coming Saturday I will be off on the first leg – to North Carolina. I depart from New York on Sunday.
It has been some time since I last visited Scotland; 1971, in fact. I lucked out and left the States the day after Nixon allowed the Dollar to float. No one had any idea how much it was worth relative to any other currency. It was a time ripe for ripoffs.
I exchanged some pocket money at Kennedy Airport prior to departure – a ripoff. Luckily, the Royal Bank of Scotland had a branch in the airport at Prestwick. It turned out to be about the best rate available anywhere. Later, we learned that the biggest gougers were the American hotels in London.
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