The US mainstream media outlets suck. They are pathetic. More proof.
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2012/05/old-media-is-bleeding-out-right-before.html
Friday, May 25, 2012
Feeder Cattle, Oil Industry Giving Us Holiday Sodomy, The VP Crashes, Thank You For Your Service
I'm not sure wtf a feeder cattle is. This I know. It is the only commodity that is not at the bottom end of the years' price range. Geezus. Do not ask God to return you as a feeder cow. This ain't exactly the life of Riley. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeder_cattle
At any rate, the whole commodity complex has been getting crushed as the world realizes that not only is there no recovery- but that a whole lot of contraction and money printing- is taking place. The bankers just can't keep this bus from going off the cliff. It is a worldwide problem and the central bankers, ours especially, are desperately trying everything they can to maintain power, control, and greed. But God love those thieving bastards- I think they are going to get their asses kicked.
Oil prices are at 7 month lows. Back in late November, a gallon of gas was about 40 cents cheaper at retail on average nationwide (3.31) than it is today. This reflects the oil producers, refiners, and retailers who absolutely love to gouge us every holiday season. Of course the run up in oil prices that started in February was completely false and predicated on a bunch of bullshit cooked up and manufactured by countries, governments, oil producers, speculators, retailers and every other player who stood to profit. Apparently they got tired of watching slumping oil prices each winter and decided this year to cook up some bullshit to keep prices elevated. So the sodomy continues.
On Wednesday, the Vice President got involved in a horrific crash. This was not widely reported anywhere. I have exclusive rights to the story.
In Boise, my mother is the Vice President of her homeowners association. This is a group of people who peer out of their windows and raise hell if you paint your trim lavender. Or fix lawnmowers in your garage. You cannot park on the street or have a nasty ass satellite dish poking up anywhere. Residents garden in labcoats and if a leaf so much as lands in the gutter anywhere near your home, you get some sort of notice affixed to your forehead.
At any rate, the Vice President was on her way home from work Wednesday when a lunatic came barreling through a particularly bad merge lane on Broadway Av. in Boise wherein occupants mistakenly think they have the right of way. This caused the Vice President to swerve and get involved in some sort of sideswipe collision. Of course the shitbag who caused this mess- kept going before the Vice President could get a shot off. So it is, I have been trying to talk the VP into getting a new car. Her car, a Mercury Sable, has performed flawlessly for 14 years and has barely cracked 100k. The Vice President travels back and forth to work each day dodging the shitheads, most of the time, who enter that merge lane. It is time the VP gets a new car, something befitting her lofty position which sometimes requires affixing a notice to a ne'er do well's forehead.
Item last. I have told this story before. I always think of it on Memorial Day weekend.
Years ago, I was playing cards in beautiful Pahrump, Nv. Playing next to me was a Vietnam Vet with no legs in a wheelchair. We got to bullshitting and I told him I was a cop (maybe 15 years at that time) and eventually we decided to dine together. After we had finished dinner, I was leaving and as we exchanged goodbyes, he said "thank you for your service." This man with no legs said that to me. It caught me so off guard that I did a Cliff Clavin sort of thing, vapor locked. I'm not even sure I returned the thank you. Well, at least not that day.
I see public service so much differently now. I have heard the leftists rail against war and our soldiers. I have heard the cop haters ad nauseum. That's kind of sad. Try to find something else to hate- like bankers. Even today, I see the well intentioned mentality among the kids who sign up for the military. They believe in service and freedom even if others don't. You don't have to like the wars, or even our government, but what you ought to do is respect the mission and the sacrifice of the men and women who die protecting our freedoms. On a day and weekend reserved for our soldiers, past, present, and future...find a couple of veterans and thank them for their service.
At any rate, the whole commodity complex has been getting crushed as the world realizes that not only is there no recovery- but that a whole lot of contraction and money printing- is taking place. The bankers just can't keep this bus from going off the cliff. It is a worldwide problem and the central bankers, ours especially, are desperately trying everything they can to maintain power, control, and greed. But God love those thieving bastards- I think they are going to get their asses kicked.
Oil prices are at 7 month lows. Back in late November, a gallon of gas was about 40 cents cheaper at retail on average nationwide (3.31) than it is today. This reflects the oil producers, refiners, and retailers who absolutely love to gouge us every holiday season. Of course the run up in oil prices that started in February was completely false and predicated on a bunch of bullshit cooked up and manufactured by countries, governments, oil producers, speculators, retailers and every other player who stood to profit. Apparently they got tired of watching slumping oil prices each winter and decided this year to cook up some bullshit to keep prices elevated. So the sodomy continues.
On Wednesday, the Vice President got involved in a horrific crash. This was not widely reported anywhere. I have exclusive rights to the story.
In Boise, my mother is the Vice President of her homeowners association. This is a group of people who peer out of their windows and raise hell if you paint your trim lavender. Or fix lawnmowers in your garage. You cannot park on the street or have a nasty ass satellite dish poking up anywhere. Residents garden in labcoats and if a leaf so much as lands in the gutter anywhere near your home, you get some sort of notice affixed to your forehead.
At any rate, the Vice President was on her way home from work Wednesday when a lunatic came barreling through a particularly bad merge lane on Broadway Av. in Boise wherein occupants mistakenly think they have the right of way. This caused the Vice President to swerve and get involved in some sort of sideswipe collision. Of course the shitbag who caused this mess- kept going before the Vice President could get a shot off. So it is, I have been trying to talk the VP into getting a new car. Her car, a Mercury Sable, has performed flawlessly for 14 years and has barely cracked 100k. The Vice President travels back and forth to work each day dodging the shitheads, most of the time, who enter that merge lane. It is time the VP gets a new car, something befitting her lofty position which sometimes requires affixing a notice to a ne'er do well's forehead.
Item last. I have told this story before. I always think of it on Memorial Day weekend.
Years ago, I was playing cards in beautiful Pahrump, Nv. Playing next to me was a Vietnam Vet with no legs in a wheelchair. We got to bullshitting and I told him I was a cop (maybe 15 years at that time) and eventually we decided to dine together. After we had finished dinner, I was leaving and as we exchanged goodbyes, he said "thank you for your service." This man with no legs said that to me. It caught me so off guard that I did a Cliff Clavin sort of thing, vapor locked. I'm not even sure I returned the thank you. Well, at least not that day.
I see public service so much differently now. I have heard the leftists rail against war and our soldiers. I have heard the cop haters ad nauseum. That's kind of sad. Try to find something else to hate- like bankers. Even today, I see the well intentioned mentality among the kids who sign up for the military. They believe in service and freedom even if others don't. You don't have to like the wars, or even our government, but what you ought to do is respect the mission and the sacrifice of the men and women who die protecting our freedoms. On a day and weekend reserved for our soldiers, past, present, and future...find a couple of veterans and thank them for their service.
No Shortage Of Idiots
Rex Nutting.
A couple of days ago, I saw Nutting's graph. I knew it was bullshit but I didn't stop and really look at it. Somebody else did. Nutting claimed that Obama hadn't been spending near the amount of money that people thought he had- and he offered the following graph as proof. Problem is, he conveniently assigned 2009 to George Bush. That was the year of the 1.6 trillion total stimulus and bailout mess...
This is the kind of bullshit we are going to be subjected to for another 6 months. Note George Bush's spending- like it's much better. Stolen from Doug Ross's site...
Yet financial columnist Rex Nutting of MarketWatch tries to portray the president as being downright stingy in a piece entitled, stunningly, “Obama spending binge never happened”:
And here’s the chart summarizing Nutting’s argument:
As the chart indicates, Nutting arrives at that 1.4% number by assigning 2009—when spending surged nearly 20%—to
George W. Bush...
What a lying sack of s***.
A couple of days ago, I saw Nutting's graph. I knew it was bullshit but I didn't stop and really look at it. Somebody else did. Nutting claimed that Obama hadn't been spending near the amount of money that people thought he had- and he offered the following graph as proof. Problem is, he conveniently assigned 2009 to George Bush. That was the year of the 1.6 trillion total stimulus and bailout mess...
This is the kind of bullshit we are going to be subjected to for another 6 months. Note George Bush's spending- like it's much better. Stolen from Doug Ross's site...
Yet financial columnist Rex Nutting of MarketWatch tries to portray the president as being downright stingy in a piece entitled, stunningly, “Obama spending binge never happened”:
Of all the falsehoods told about President Barack Obama, the biggest whopper is the one about his reckless spending spree. As would-be president Mitt Romney tells it: “I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno.” Almost everyone believes that Obama has presided over a massive increase in federal spending, an “inferno” of spending that threatens our jobs, our businesses and our children’s future. Even Democrats seem to think it’s true. Government spending under Obama, including his signature stimulus bill, is rising at a 1.4% annualized pace — slower than at any time in nearly 60 years.
And here’s the chart summarizing Nutting’s argument:
As the chart indicates, Nutting arrives at that 1.4% number by assigning 2009—when spending surged nearly 20%—to
George W. Bush...
What a lying sack of s***.
Bloggers, Writers...Use This Tool To Measure The Readability of Your Writing
I stumbled onto this site after reading another writer who had subjected his own writing to this test. It is pretty simple and quick to use. Click on the first link, cut and paste your sample into the box, and submit whatever writing you choose. http://www.standards-schmandards.com/2005/measuring-text-readability/
Interestingly enough, I submitted 15 blogs from my site and a few other bloggers. The ranges were a grade level (5) Knuckledraggin My Life Away (stolen truck block) to a grade level (17) at naked capitalism. My scores were between 7 and 12.
I even submitted an Obama campaign speech (text, obviously) in 2008. It scored at the eighth grade level.
Oddly or not...I liked Kenny's piece the best. Grade level 5. I had a promising future back then.
Interestingly enough, I submitted 15 blogs from my site and a few other bloggers. The ranges were a grade level (5) Knuckledraggin My Life Away (stolen truck block) to a grade level (17) at naked capitalism. My scores were between 7 and 12.
I even submitted an Obama campaign speech (text, obviously) in 2008. It scored at the eighth grade level.
Oddly or not...I liked Kenny's piece the best. Grade level 5. I had a promising future back then.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Obama Appoints Death Czar, Media Ignores It As Per Usual...Maybe Sarah Palin Has a Run In Her Panty Hose
This is a great vid. Sums up the media perfectly.
The Time Cover That Just Won't Die
Classic. Remember Clooney's big fundraiser? Hey Clooney... fuck you.
Throwing Out Obamacare...Chop Chop
Yesterday, I was doing the annual insurance review with my agent. She is a good looking blonde gal with big boobs. I always arrive early.
At any rate, we stumbled onto the health insurance question. I told her quite simply that I was waiting for the Supreme Court to throw out Obamacare. Then the health picture would be less cloudy. She asked me if I was sure that was going to happen. I responded with laughter.
Can you imagine the pent up demand of 40 or 50 million people that have no health insurance and are sitting idly by while waiting for this monstrosity to take effect? Like me?
What Obamacare and all health plans hope to do, is capture healthy plan participants- strip away their premiums- and deliver that dough to unhealthy people, care providers, and big pharma. Of course they scoop off a big profit for themselves. Health care before Obamacare and after- is the purest form of socialism ever conceived on our soil.
Here's the rub- the part that liberals just can't comprehend. We can't afford this. Period. Forget all those bullshit arguments about what is fair, or right, or just. Forget about the fact that Dear Leader will look stupid. Forget that it is unconstitutional. All of that matters not. It will bankrupt us.
Let me say one last thing. If you pass a law that will not take effect for three years- you have no business passing that law. Period. If you pass a law then allow political cronies and business allies to opt out- the law is no good. Obamacare is just so wrong on so many levels. It is simply theft.
Can you imagine the millions of type II diabetics coming to term in the same decade that the biggest demographic- the boomers are looking for free health care- while expecting smaller demographic groups with reduced wages to pay the freight? Oh yea, that pencils out.
It would be very hard to find a way to fuck up health care anymore than it already is in this country. Obamacare accomplishes that.
So the Supremes have heard the arguments. How many months will it take to render their opinion? Let's hope it's sometime sooner than the first Wednesday in November.
At any rate, we stumbled onto the health insurance question. I told her quite simply that I was waiting for the Supreme Court to throw out Obamacare. Then the health picture would be less cloudy. She asked me if I was sure that was going to happen. I responded with laughter.
Can you imagine the pent up demand of 40 or 50 million people that have no health insurance and are sitting idly by while waiting for this monstrosity to take effect? Like me?
What Obamacare and all health plans hope to do, is capture healthy plan participants- strip away their premiums- and deliver that dough to unhealthy people, care providers, and big pharma. Of course they scoop off a big profit for themselves. Health care before Obamacare and after- is the purest form of socialism ever conceived on our soil.
Here's the rub- the part that liberals just can't comprehend. We can't afford this. Period. Forget all those bullshit arguments about what is fair, or right, or just. Forget about the fact that Dear Leader will look stupid. Forget that it is unconstitutional. All of that matters not. It will bankrupt us.
Let me say one last thing. If you pass a law that will not take effect for three years- you have no business passing that law. Period. If you pass a law then allow political cronies and business allies to opt out- the law is no good. Obamacare is just so wrong on so many levels. It is simply theft.
Can you imagine the millions of type II diabetics coming to term in the same decade that the biggest demographic- the boomers are looking for free health care- while expecting smaller demographic groups with reduced wages to pay the freight? Oh yea, that pencils out.
It would be very hard to find a way to fuck up health care anymore than it already is in this country. Obamacare accomplishes that.
So the Supremes have heard the arguments. How many months will it take to render their opinion? Let's hope it's sometime sooner than the first Wednesday in November.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Bankers Reduced Facebook Earnings Estimates, Forgot To Tell Everyone But Their Best Clients
In the new America, bankers are above the law. Witness the latest atrocity and absolutely know...that the government won't do a fucking thing. They had this administration co-opted from the beginning.
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/facebook-bankers-secretly-cut-facebook-revenue-estimates-middle-133648905.html
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/facebook-bankers-secretly-cut-facebook-revenue-estimates-middle-133648905.html
Monday, May 21, 2012
Welcome to the Ineptocracy!
From a ZH commenter comes this latest gem which defines our ineptocracy- perfectly.
*_Ineptocracy_****(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least
capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers*  |
JP Morgan Getting It's Ass Kicked, Losses Mounting, Now Believed To Be 6 or 7 Billion
You just know the losses are understated. Bankers can't tell the truth with a gun to their heads. That's why the original losses from Dimon's own mouth were given at 2 billion.
Let me shed a tear for these banker pricks. http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/18/markets/jpmorgan-loss/index.htm?iid=Lead
Last week, I read a story about Jamie Dimon getting his annual 20 million dollar pay and bonus package from the board- this while losing billions.
This is what I think the board should do. Fire Dimon. Hire me. I can lose far more money that Dimon can and I will do it for half the salary. I'm a bargain.
Let me shed a tear for these banker pricks. http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/18/markets/jpmorgan-loss/index.htm?iid=Lead
Last week, I read a story about Jamie Dimon getting his annual 20 million dollar pay and bonus package from the board- this while losing billions.
This is what I think the board should do. Fire Dimon. Hire me. I can lose far more money that Dimon can and I will do it for half the salary. I'm a bargain.
Institutional Investors Now Unloading Fadebook
The greatest stock scam of the year.
A company with puny earnings, with no real future earnings visibility or growth, with no barriers to competition- had a stock offering issued at 38 bucks. It is down 5 bucks today as those highly valued clients- the ones that get access to hot offerings- try to unload this stock upon the hoi polloi with no access on Friday. Fuckers, I hope they choke on it.
In other news, Fadebook Captain Zuckerberg got married the day after the IPO. That way, years from now after his new wife has had enough of his shit, he will be able to chop up his 100 billion or so that much easier...I hate it when people refer to fleecing the general public, or preserving wealth at the expense of what is supposed to be love...smart. I guess by those standards, I will never be smart. Oh well...http://finance.yahoo.com/news/zuckerbergs-post-ipo-wedding-smart-022814575.html
Wow. I am predicting Fadebook under 20 bucks a share by years end. Very easy money. Just like shorting Bank of America at 20. Or Countrywide at 38. Heh.
They won't let you short it today though....http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-21-21/shorting-federal-facebook-notes-are-not-allowed-today
A company with puny earnings, with no real future earnings visibility or growth, with no barriers to competition- had a stock offering issued at 38 bucks. It is down 5 bucks today as those highly valued clients- the ones that get access to hot offerings- try to unload this stock upon the hoi polloi with no access on Friday. Fuckers, I hope they choke on it.
In other news, Fadebook Captain Zuckerberg got married the day after the IPO. That way, years from now after his new wife has had enough of his shit, he will be able to chop up his 100 billion or so that much easier...I hate it when people refer to fleecing the general public, or preserving wealth at the expense of what is supposed to be love...smart. I guess by those standards, I will never be smart. Oh well...http://finance.yahoo.com/news/zuckerbergs-post-ipo-wedding-smart-022814575.html
Wow. I am predicting Fadebook under 20 bucks a share by years end. Very easy money. Just like shorting Bank of America at 20. Or Countrywide at 38. Heh.
They won't let you short it today though....http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-21-21/shorting-federal-facebook-notes-are-not-allowed-today
Sunday, May 20, 2012
A Huffpo Summary
Gawd help me, there are only three pre-requisites for reading shit on Huffington Post.
First you must be a flaming liberal that believes that nothing is more important than fantasy and availing yourself of responsibility and turning it over to the state. Secondly, you must lead the kind of narcissistic and superficial life that finds articles on Huffpo enlightening. And thirdly, you must avail yourself of any intelligence or common sense- that amount which may elevate you to some level beyond that of a tapeworm.
Then settle in for a good read. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/20/sleep-sex-mattress_n_1528972.html
Go find a kitchen counter or a staircase. Find something to write about. Is this what you people find interesting? A discussion about mattresses? Geezus, you people are fucking morons. No wonder we got Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama. Now Romney or Obama. It all makes sense, doesn't it?
First you must be a flaming liberal that believes that nothing is more important than fantasy and availing yourself of responsibility and turning it over to the state. Secondly, you must lead the kind of narcissistic and superficial life that finds articles on Huffpo enlightening. And thirdly, you must avail yourself of any intelligence or common sense- that amount which may elevate you to some level beyond that of a tapeworm.
Then settle in for a good read. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/20/sleep-sex-mattress_n_1528972.html
Go find a kitchen counter or a staircase. Find something to write about. Is this what you people find interesting? A discussion about mattresses? Geezus, you people are fucking morons. No wonder we got Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama. Now Romney or Obama. It all makes sense, doesn't it?
The Sunday Collage- From That Comes This
It was an interesting week.
On Tuesday, I started buying silver again. I didn't buy any gold this week. On Thursday, the slaughter in the precious metals complex stopped. We found an intermediate bottom.
I am in amazement. Some of the most worthless instruments on the planet, the US dollar and US bonds (both of which are debt instruments) are still being bought and referred to as "safe havens." These items are of course- promoted by bankers. Items of value, with limited supply and no counter party risk, were being sold as though they are worthless. When the banking elite have been shaping your perception all of your life- does it not in fact become reality? I think so, at least until the whole paper ponzi scheme crashes which I think is imminent. By imminent- I mean soon.
I have a love- hate relationship with Facebook. For many years, I avoided FB like the plague. I saw no real value to it. However, my father of all people, had it. Since he lived in the boondocks two years ago, I figured it might be a reasonable way to communicate with him. As it turns out, dad left the boondocks and is now living 100 miles east of me. I have never used FB to communicate with him. Maybe once.
Facebook reminds me of high school- in between classes. That's when you made plans with friends, figured out who was doing who, and got a glimpse of everyone else. Maybe some gossip. Facebook is regressive. The people in my life, that are no longer in my life, are no longer in my life for a reason. I am not particularly curious about many of those folks- at least not those who were never really friends to begin with. I am not the least bit interested in hearing someone brag about their kids, their recent cruise, or how smart or successful they think they are. All of that self initiated back patting- I find quite narcissistic. I absolutely detest FB's relationship thingy. That is truly a childish feature and really not anybody's business. I do use FB to find pictures of people in the news. It's a great locating and picture obtaining device. I also use it to keep in touch with "real friends." These are people who I miss, who for reasons related to love and work, have drifted away. I am cool with that.
Facebook as an investment is an entirely different story. It has no real means to generate a lot of revenue. There are no barriers to entry or competition even if it does find a way to separate people from their money. Never have I seen anything so over hyped as this thing. Like it's some necessary or useful element of our lives. Facebook is completely disposable. At it's IPO issue price of 38 bucks, I figure it was over priced, given it's earnings, by about 35 bucks. Really. I think FB will become one of the greatest wastes of money ever. Our version of Holland's tulip bulb craze. Twitter is more promising.
Last item. I had dinner with my cousin-in-law, Jason, this week. I love Jason. Jason spends his time trying to help others. I admire that mainly because that is what I like to do. Helping others does not mean making money by exploiting them either. I work with the un-exploitable. In my past life we used to call them judgement proof kinds of people- if you know what I mean.
At any rate, Jason brought up the topic of human pain and suffering in sort of a religious context. Why does a power greater than myself find pain and suffering necessary? That is something I have often thought about. I thought about it more- after we parted company mid week.
I have always viewed pain and suffering as teaching tools. In other words, we learn from pain and suffering. We learn from human anguish. We don't learn so much from life when it is going smoothly. In fact, when we are happy we think that is the way life is supposed to be. Of course that is bullshit. Life is just life. We should be enjoying all of it. I don't learn much of anything when life is going smoothly. Mostly I feel gratitude which is not something I feel when things are going badly. But I cannot find gratitude without the existence of pain and suffering. They are necessary. Life delivers depressed people. People who are born with illness and disease. People who die way too young. People born to some crack addict on state assistance. So we know that we don't all get the same shot. Is life somehow that unfair? And if it is, why?
I don't believe life is unfair. In fact, I don't think life has a damn thing to do with what is fair or unfair. Rather, I believe we all have a journey that never ends. That this life is just a segment of a much larger, much longer journey. There is a real danger to thinking that you know it all. Or what is tangible here is the only truth. That somehow our very limited perceptions are always correct. The truth is- until we die- we don't know the truth. We don't even get a glimpse of it. So we speculate, we set up religious and atheist camps, we fear. We wonder why people are forced to suffer, to wither away, to die. We observe all of that pain and suffering. We find ways to mitigate it. We work very hard to avoid it. We consider euthansia. We hope that when we go- we go quickly. And from all of that intense pain and suffering- we learn. We learn about the human experience. We learn to be compassionate and caring, or not. We learn to be loving and strong- or not. We learn to be grateful and forgiving- or not. We become role models for others or we do not. Others will be watching and they will learn from us. Either how to, or how not to, deal with pain and suffering. From all of that intense emotion we either grow- or we do not.
I have learned far more in life from pain and suffering than I ever have when things were going well and I was happy. Pain and suffering are opportunities for growth. You grow when you can embrace that concept. I don't think most people get that. Some folks see life as some miserable chore. They don't really believe in God yet they blame God when things go poorly. They act and behave as though they have no responsibility. That is their journey. I am very grateful for the journey that I am on. And having said all of that...
I am reminded of Father Des, who while delivering a sermon in a complete alcoholic blackout shortly after rotator cuff surgery, stated that there is no pain in the world that cannot be cured with vicodin and wine. A sermon which he was reminded of days later while waiting to check out in a grocery store line by someone in attendance that previous Sunday. Father Des was completely humiliated. He learned, through emotional pain, to quit drinking that day. We found each other because of that incident and a couple of other divinely fortuitous acts. Des found the courage to tell me that story which I of course dutifully laughed about- as he spoke of it in the gravest sense. I think that pissed him off. Father Des passed away quickly in the middle of a Wednesday mass a month or so later. The kind of death we all hope for. I learned a lot from Des. In fact, from all of that pain and suffering, I learned how to be truly happy. From that comes this.
On Tuesday, I started buying silver again. I didn't buy any gold this week. On Thursday, the slaughter in the precious metals complex stopped. We found an intermediate bottom.
I am in amazement. Some of the most worthless instruments on the planet, the US dollar and US bonds (both of which are debt instruments) are still being bought and referred to as "safe havens." These items are of course- promoted by bankers. Items of value, with limited supply and no counter party risk, were being sold as though they are worthless. When the banking elite have been shaping your perception all of your life- does it not in fact become reality? I think so, at least until the whole paper ponzi scheme crashes which I think is imminent. By imminent- I mean soon.
I have a love- hate relationship with Facebook. For many years, I avoided FB like the plague. I saw no real value to it. However, my father of all people, had it. Since he lived in the boondocks two years ago, I figured it might be a reasonable way to communicate with him. As it turns out, dad left the boondocks and is now living 100 miles east of me. I have never used FB to communicate with him. Maybe once.
Facebook reminds me of high school- in between classes. That's when you made plans with friends, figured out who was doing who, and got a glimpse of everyone else. Maybe some gossip. Facebook is regressive. The people in my life, that are no longer in my life, are no longer in my life for a reason. I am not particularly curious about many of those folks- at least not those who were never really friends to begin with. I am not the least bit interested in hearing someone brag about their kids, their recent cruise, or how smart or successful they think they are. All of that self initiated back patting- I find quite narcissistic. I absolutely detest FB's relationship thingy. That is truly a childish feature and really not anybody's business. I do use FB to find pictures of people in the news. It's a great locating and picture obtaining device. I also use it to keep in touch with "real friends." These are people who I miss, who for reasons related to love and work, have drifted away. I am cool with that.
Facebook as an investment is an entirely different story. It has no real means to generate a lot of revenue. There are no barriers to entry or competition even if it does find a way to separate people from their money. Never have I seen anything so over hyped as this thing. Like it's some necessary or useful element of our lives. Facebook is completely disposable. At it's IPO issue price of 38 bucks, I figure it was over priced, given it's earnings, by about 35 bucks. Really. I think FB will become one of the greatest wastes of money ever. Our version of Holland's tulip bulb craze. Twitter is more promising.
Last item. I had dinner with my cousin-in-law, Jason, this week. I love Jason. Jason spends his time trying to help others. I admire that mainly because that is what I like to do. Helping others does not mean making money by exploiting them either. I work with the un-exploitable. In my past life we used to call them judgement proof kinds of people- if you know what I mean.
At any rate, Jason brought up the topic of human pain and suffering in sort of a religious context. Why does a power greater than myself find pain and suffering necessary? That is something I have often thought about. I thought about it more- after we parted company mid week.
I have always viewed pain and suffering as teaching tools. In other words, we learn from pain and suffering. We learn from human anguish. We don't learn so much from life when it is going smoothly. In fact, when we are happy we think that is the way life is supposed to be. Of course that is bullshit. Life is just life. We should be enjoying all of it. I don't learn much of anything when life is going smoothly. Mostly I feel gratitude which is not something I feel when things are going badly. But I cannot find gratitude without the existence of pain and suffering. They are necessary. Life delivers depressed people. People who are born with illness and disease. People who die way too young. People born to some crack addict on state assistance. So we know that we don't all get the same shot. Is life somehow that unfair? And if it is, why?
I don't believe life is unfair. In fact, I don't think life has a damn thing to do with what is fair or unfair. Rather, I believe we all have a journey that never ends. That this life is just a segment of a much larger, much longer journey. There is a real danger to thinking that you know it all. Or what is tangible here is the only truth. That somehow our very limited perceptions are always correct. The truth is- until we die- we don't know the truth. We don't even get a glimpse of it. So we speculate, we set up religious and atheist camps, we fear. We wonder why people are forced to suffer, to wither away, to die. We observe all of that pain and suffering. We find ways to mitigate it. We work very hard to avoid it. We consider euthansia. We hope that when we go- we go quickly. And from all of that intense pain and suffering- we learn. We learn about the human experience. We learn to be compassionate and caring, or not. We learn to be loving and strong- or not. We learn to be grateful and forgiving- or not. We become role models for others or we do not. Others will be watching and they will learn from us. Either how to, or how not to, deal with pain and suffering. From all of that intense emotion we either grow- or we do not.
I have learned far more in life from pain and suffering than I ever have when things were going well and I was happy. Pain and suffering are opportunities for growth. You grow when you can embrace that concept. I don't think most people get that. Some folks see life as some miserable chore. They don't really believe in God yet they blame God when things go poorly. They act and behave as though they have no responsibility. That is their journey. I am very grateful for the journey that I am on. And having said all of that...
I am reminded of Father Des, who while delivering a sermon in a complete alcoholic blackout shortly after rotator cuff surgery, stated that there is no pain in the world that cannot be cured with vicodin and wine. A sermon which he was reminded of days later while waiting to check out in a grocery store line by someone in attendance that previous Sunday. Father Des was completely humiliated. He learned, through emotional pain, to quit drinking that day. We found each other because of that incident and a couple of other divinely fortuitous acts. Des found the courage to tell me that story which I of course dutifully laughed about- as he spoke of it in the gravest sense. I think that pissed him off. Father Des passed away quickly in the middle of a Wednesday mass a month or so later. The kind of death we all hope for. I learned a lot from Des. In fact, from all of that pain and suffering, I learned how to be truly happy. From that comes this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)