Friday, September 12, 2025
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Your Power
Trust your own feelings, experience and senses. Don't allow others to tell you what is real or not real. Despite what dear leader Donald says the economy is sputtering. Tariffs are an added expense, full stop. That added expense will indeed be passed on to you and me. Other countries do not pay tariffs, consumers do. All the tariff drama creates uncertainty and business does not like uncertainty. There will be no rush to rebuild a great manufacturing base here in the USA. Let's be clear, those days are gone. What the politicians will not tell you is automation has replaced most jobs now, not just cheap overseas labor. With the rise of artificial intelligence, more and more jobs will be replaced by machines. Longing for a mythological past will only exacerbate our problems. We are going to need new leadership with a focus on solving real problems and the long-term future. Lies and propaganda can only go so far. Your power lies in learning how to recognize fact from fiction.
Something that sounds too good to be true usually is not true at all. Check around. Whatever you do, don't rely on one source of news. Find out about the same story from as many different points of view as possible. It is only going to become more and more difficult to discern fact from fiction as time goes on. All of us will have to learn to find our own honest and reliable sources for news. The lines between fiction, fantasy and reality will only become more opaque as AI created content becomes more realistic. Our best defense is to question everything.You can trust a source but don't forget to verify it with another source or better yet sources.
One of the first questions you should always ask is “Why are you telling me this?” Who benefits and who does this hurt should be your next questions. Don't allow those in power to suddenly change the subject or engage in what aboutism. We are not talking about what's so and so did way back when, that's irrelevant. We must collectively hold their feet to the fire. It is also important to remember whatever is in the news may only be serving as a distraction. In other words, what is not in the news that should be and why? Again, who benefits? Always be skeptical of breaking news.
In a new cycle driven by profits and not truth where views and clicks drive advertising dollars accuracy often gets sacrificed for first. An outrageous or sensational story should immediately be treated with skepticism. Check back on that story after several days to get an idea of what really happened. Also, take a break. Authoritarian types thrive on your endless attention and exhaustion. It is a good idea to look away from time to time. Your power lies in deciding what is important for you and letting the rest go by the wayside. Don't let the relentless lies, propaganda and posturing wear down your resistance. Our current mess was not created in a day, nor will it be solved in a day. Think long term and pace yourself accordingly.
Friday, September 5, 2025
Good News 9.5.2025
Meet Flamingo, the missile that brings European Russia within Kyiv’s range
Good news for Ukraine.
Congress Restores Some Funding for International Food Aid
A small step in the right direction?
Most Trump tariffs are not legal, US appeals court rules
Will this hold?
Due process for all!
Good happenings!
Saturday, August 30, 2025
On Nazis and MAGA
For a while now many have been comparing contemporary American politics to the Nazis. While it is wise to understand warnings from history, it's also important to keep in mind what has changed. Sure, you can make some basic generalizations about broad strategies like scapegoating, demonization of the media and loss of due process. Those are all certainly important things to keep in mind as we move forward. Nonetheless, I think it's also important to understand what's different now. Let's consider three things that are not the same: population and demographics, instant mass communication and 200 years of democratic government. There are probably more and this is to get the discussion going on how history will not repeat itself.
In the early 1930s, Germany's population was around 67 million. Most were Germans along with a handful of minority groups. The culture was very homogeneous. That's very different from the US population of the 2020s. We are a nation of around 340 million. While the main language used here is English, there are hundreds of other languages spoken here from all over the world. There are a wide variety of different cultures here in the US: Amish, Mormons, Latino, Cajun along with dozens of immigrant communities. This only scratches the surface. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant, we are a very diverse nation. Now let's add a new layer, modern mass communication.
The days of newspapers, theater newsreels and radio news are all but gone. We now have the double-edged sword of instant mass media where anyone with a cell phone can broadcast events as they are happening. The state no longer has a monopoly on the narrative. And let's not forget ubiquitous surveillance cameras almost everywhere now. That makes it harder to hide things. Yes, we do have a mass media that has consolidated around five large corporations but let's not forget the numerous independent people and organizations reporting and commenting on news. While it is not impossible for lies to pass as truth, I think it is much more difficult now. That's why it's a good idea to not take a so-called breaking story as the truth. Be patient and check back in a day or two to get a better feel for what really happened. But that's a discussion for another time. Overturning 200 plus years of democratic government is a tall order for a four year presidential term.
The Office of the President does not have that kind of power. He or she cannot simply dissolve the legislative branch and the judicial branch. So-called executive orders are not writs of a king and can be challenged and overturned. Elections are not run by the federal government but rather the States. Gerrymandering can only get you so far and as we are now seeing can be countered by the opposing party. Texas and California are redrawing their election maps in a bid to see who controls the US House come 2026. When the Republicans lose, they will of course jump up and down crying election fraud! Unless they have actual evidence, the courts will not play along. Trump and his sad band of ghouls are becoming more and more unpopular by the day. Elections still matter, at least for now.
There are other differences as well such as Germany having to pay massive war reparations and suffering from hyperinflation. That said, the warning from history should not go unheaded. Democracies indeed can become authoritarian. The current regime is doing catastrophic damage to the US and it will take years if not decades to undo. Take heart in the mass protests we are seeing all across the country almost every weekend. Remember, democracy dies only if we choose to let it.
Friday, August 29, 2025
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Monthly Subscriptions and Other Ripoffs
The greedy by design corporations are no longer content with a one and done sale. They are always on the hunt to find new ways into our pockets. Remember these cats are legally bound to maximize profits above any other consideration. A clean environment is cool and all unless it interferes with their bottom line. Can no longer drink your water? We can sell you some! So no worries, our profits are up! Our workers can no longer afford to eat well or see a doctor, that's a sacrifice we are willing to make in the name of profit. Greed is literally built into our system. Most likely, it will get worse before it gets better. More and more things are becoming a subscription. Quality is being sacrificed on the altar of prophets. I'll share a cautionary tale. What does the future hold? A new path into our pockets has been carved, subscriptions.
Subscriptions are not a new idea. There have been newspaper and magazine subscriptions going back many many decades. There are subscriptions to almost everything now, store subscriptions, TV packages, NFL football games, our smartphones and of course internet access are all available for a low low monthly fee. Insurance premiums for health, home and auto all work on a similar plan, maybe just spread out a little more. Friends, you know it's getting bad when you have to subscribe for features in the new car you just bought. Do you really want to use those heated and cooled seats? You can for a low monthly fee. How about navigation and roadside assistance? Don't worry, the fees can be bundled into your car payment for your convenience. Now there are even apps that track your subscriptions and let you know if you are not using them. Why do I have a sinking feeling that it's another subscription? But wait! The rip offs are not done yet.
The idea of a product lasting several decades or more is over. Let's find the lowest amount of time possible between buying a new product and its replacement. $38,000 for a new car? I think that's the average price here in mid 2025. Let's make it last about 3 years. 10 or 15 years is just too long to wait for another sale. Hey, the banks make money and the car companies make money while you get more and more debt! What good is a warranty if the product is terrible to begin with by Design?
I know a full-time wheelchair user who has to have a gel cushion to prevent bed sore-like abrasions forming. He told me they used to last around a decade or so before needing to be replaced because of leaking. Fortunately for him, they had a lifetime warranty. So around every 10 years he would get a new one. This is no longer the case. Now, he's lucky if they last a year. Sure, they still have the same lifetime warranty but that's little comfort while the wheelchair user is stuck waiting for a replacement. Moving more cushions is more important. I'm sure somehow or other, these guys are getting paid to move more. I could go on and on about cars that are always in the shop (under warranty) are also a headache. I'm sure you can think of numerous other products that are not what they used to be. No, I don't want to return to the past. I just think quality is not too big of an ask.
This short-term bottom line thinking is not a long-term solution to anything. Long ago, we mastered the art of building clothes washers, refrigerators, cars and numerous other products that would last. Making everything disposable it's not only bad for the environment, it is also bad for the economy in the long run. The debt bubble will burst and as usual the poor will be the ones holding the bag. Who we vote for matters not only in politics but also with our dollars. Take some time and do your homework.
This Vid got me thinking...
Why EVERYTHING Feels Like a Scam Now
Friday, August 22, 2025
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