Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: bithers, Chris Kelly, constitution, framers, Huffpost
I just read a great post by blogger Chris Kelly on the Huffpost about the “birther” cabal and the US Constitution. This is the link http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/the-constitution-says-oba_b_249730.html. This is my reply and these are my very quick thoughts on the subject.
Well, if you’re a strict constructionist you have to construe the document strictly. And while the wording is not very clear, it’s strict & it means what it says & you can’t pick which ones to ignore. It is, after all, the Constitution of the United States, which constitutes the law of the land – even if the land was only 13 colonies at the time. We can’t second guess the framers. So get a gun, think about all the CEO’s of the country – eliminate the ones that didn’t qualify in 1788, erase them & go with what you have left. Do not incriminate yourself while doing this & do kick those soldiers out of your house. Don’t be Shanghaied into service; if you screw up, ask for a trial right away & be careful what your sentence is. Make sure it isn’t cruel & unusual. Say what you want, anywhere you want and defend that right no matter what it does, good or bad. AND Everyone Bless America – except God. That’s not allowed.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: 911, Beer, Boston PD, breaking and entering, Cambridge, cane, disabled, disorderly conduct, Driving While Black, DWB, Harvard, Henry Louis Gates, James K. Crowley, police, President, Skip Gates, White House
“On July 16, 2009, (Skip
) Gates returned home from a trip to China to find the door to his house jammed. His driver attempted to help him gain entrance. Responding to a report of a possible break-in, a Cambridge police officer arrested Gates and charged him with disorderly conduct after a confrontation. Prosecutors later dropped the charges.[10] The incident spurred a politically-charged exchange of views about race relations and law enforcement throughout the United States.[11]” Wikipedia.
I have been following the Skip Gates saga since it started; the many twists to the story are fascinating and while I don’t think any “dialogue” of race has been started I do think it’s worth noting how polarized people have become over this incident and for interesting reasons. Here’s one:
I was born in Boston and have lived in Cambridge. It is its own city with its own police force. Having said that- the Cambridge PD are not hired by or from Harvard. I think there are people that imagine that Cambridge attracts a better, more educated kind of cop. In fact, the City of Cambridge draws their police form the same gene pool that Boston PD does. Good or bad – these are local folks for whom the idea of being a cop is a good salary, respect (maybe), a nice pension, medical insurance, overtime, camaraderie, better than a gang and you get to carry a gun. You become the law. Not everyone should become the law.
Skip Gates is a distinguished Harvard professor who lives in a lovely home in Cambridge. He was disabled at 14 and requires a cane to help him walk. He has degrees from Yale and Clare College, Cambridge (UK). He is a Ph.D. His area of expertise is African American Humanities and related fields. His list of honors is a long one.
James K. Crowley is a sergeant with the Cambridge Police and is the responder to the call of a possible burglary in progress at an address that happened to be Gates home. A passer-by called it in.
Did I mention it was broad daylight – around lunch time.
I think everyone behaved poorly; Gates was jet-lagged and Crowley was over zealous. When Crowley established it was indeed Prof. Gates’ home he should have simply said – “sorry – we have to check every call for service” and left. Gates should have cooled his jets. Crowley or someone in the CPD instead called for back-up. He asked Gates to step outside. Gates got really irate and mentioned Crowley’s “momma”. Gates was then handcuffed and arrested for DISORDERLY CONDUCT”.
Let’s review – Crowley has the gun, Gates has the cane, Crowley is overwrought, Gates is furious. A crowd has also gathered. Look at all the police.
NB: Black people do not get treated by the police – in general – the same way white people get treated. This is not Black paranoia – this is experience. Black parents train their kids how to act when pulled over by a cop. Do you imagine white parents do? The main idea is not to get hurt or worse and stay out of jail. We have all heard of Driving While Black. This is a real thing – not a Dave Chapelle sketch. DWB embraces every possible experience Black people could have with the law, even when they are the victim. Deny it, sputter, shake your head. But I been there. And I am not the Black person in the car or store or house.
White folks don’t think this happens at all and Black folks wish it wouldn’t happen so often.
So the other day a woman, whom I know from my area, and I were chatting and the subject of Skip Gates came up and she went off. Like a bottle rocket. And she was specific – she hated Gates; hated his interview on TV with Ethiopian Jews years back when she says he lied about these Jews and hence he was an asshole , a liar and no good. (She is a 60-something Jewish lady who says she’s a Democrat and loves the President). The Cambridge Police, she claimed, were not like other police and were polite and reasonable and they were specially trained to be police in a university area and better than other cops. And Gates lied and he did it. And I just stood there. She was so angry and so adamant that I feigned “gotta go” and went. We were not having what I consider a “chat” at that point.
So what have we learned through all this ordeal – including beer at the White House? Did it become a teachable experience for all of us who swim in this multicultural ocean? I don’t know – I jumped in and got bitten by a shark. I suspect she could have been arrested for disorderly conduct as her voice got louder – but no passerby called 911. Just as well.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: berne madoff, bernie madoff, court, judge, sentence
Bernie Madoff went to court,
dressed in shirt and tie
Just the sight of Bernie there
made the people cry.
Bernie Madoff wanted perks
A shorter sentence, Judge
I know I did a bad, bad thing
But these folks bear a grudge.
The judge looked down at Bernie.
And sent the crowd a look.
He smiled, looked back at Bernie;
As he threw the crook the book.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: Barack Obama, Carla Bruni, designer, figure, First Lady, G-20, jewel tones, Michelle Obama, tall
I love Michelle and Barack Obama. I think their two daughters are wonderful and I am one of the happy people who voted all of them into the White House. Sasha and Malia may be in a goldfish bowl – but the experience ahead of them is going to be so important not only for them but for so many little girls growing up worldwide that it thrills me to think about it. I am proud and happy to be an American in an Obama America. Our president, who has a plateful of nasty leftovers to digest is a good man for this country. He and his wife have a relationship that is both honest and inspirational and should make us all proud. Having said all this – I don’t think Michelle is a style icon.
Michelle Obama – tall and athletic and frankly quite lovely to see, needs to get a good stylist to tweak her wardrobe so that nothing but oohs and ahhs will be heard when she appears. So far it’s not quite right. The G-20 trip had some serious faux pas and I am not sure why. I should say too, that Mrs. Obama brings Princess Diana to mind. And we all watched Diana go through similar missteps as her elegant and breathtaking style finally evolved – too short a time to mature into mid-life – but it did finally let out its own breath. Michelle – starting out a good deal older – should be allowed the same space, yet her time is limited by the immediacy of her position and term limits. I have loved some of her choices but she is clearly not a woman who looks good in anything too frilly or sparkly. Fussy prints do nothing to show us her sleek figure and fabulous energy. Jewel tones age her. As an African American woman she can carry off bolder patterns and bright colors – but the bright colors should not be confused with the Lane Bryant version of jewel tones – those that are frankly designed to busy the eye and move it from a tummy or hip or portentous bosom. Michelle doesn’t need the eye to move anywhere but up and down in admiration. She is quite frankly “built” and she has the shape of a beautiful woman of color – curvy and luscious and refreshing. I think J. Crew and its sister looks are good ones for her. Black dresses, basic shapes and preppy looks befitting an Ivy league woman. I love her shoes in particular – but she needs someone like Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein to kit her out for big events. For daytimes she cries out for cleaner lines, solid colors and lots of warming corals, yellows, good reds and white. Lots of white. Sparkles and spangles belong around her neck and on her ears. Some of her clothes are frankly cheesy looking. Young designers included. Her tall figure is the kind that designers crave and the ones she loves should exalt that height to her advantage. In my opinion there is not much one can wear to meet the Queen that is okay. HRM dresses her age and her bra size and I saw nothing wrong with Michelle’s black and white outfit. I loved the black coat and the chartreuse ensemble she wore was gorgeous. Argyle though, belongs with pleated skirts. That dippy little fuchsia flowered suit was just that – dippy. But to be fair I didn’t love Carla Bruni’s get up either. Our First Lady is clearly a woman with her own idea of what she likes to wear – but since she is dressing for the world, her clothes fall under scrutiny and she could use some help. I suspect she will get it sooner than later and I suspect when she does we will all be trying for the Michelle look.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
When did Africa become a pet shop for celebrities? Oh, I’m sorry – an orphanage for celebrities. Yes, children are dying in Africa from curable diseases and genocide and this is something that should be on the minds of everyone with a heartbeat – but I am wondering when decency will prevail in this country and let women like Angelina Jolie and Madonna know that cruising into an African country and picking out a chum for your other third world babies is not a decent and acceptable thing to do. I am not certain what makes Angelina Jolie tick – but I suspect it is not quite right. Her litter of children (and more to come I’ve heard) hardly seems very different than Nadya Suleman’s – except for the money. I have no clue whatsoever what makes Madonna tick period. And I find her shopping for little black babies offensive in the extreme. Her last acquisition – David Banda – had a father and extended family. None of that transaction seems right – down to her visiting him recently with the kid – who must be confused at this point. Now she returns to Malawi and decides to acquire another little black child who happens to have a grandmother young enough to care for this little girl. Grandma went to court today to explain this to the judge and I hope the judge tells Madonna to get outta town. Fast.
I think one of the things that makes folks see Americans in a less than charming light is just this sort of crap. Why doesn’t Madonna – the ultimate nouveau riche – create a foundation to see that these children achieve a good life where they live? Why does she think her entourage existence, her fake Kabbalahist religion and her still wet money are preferable to a child growing up in his or her own country and culture? (If you recall this same garbage existed with Elian Gonzalez years back). She offers a single parent home with two biological children who have no fatherly presence and the little boy whom she bought from his father. A quick trip through any animal shelter should offer her ample opportunity to find needy creatures to love. I simply do not understand it nor do I find it admirable on any level. It is a form of colonialism that I had hoped we had abandoned. Madonna may indeed be a material girl – but children are not traded on any exchange I know of and she needs to knock it off. Now.
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
For Natasha and her sons
In my heart and mind I see the lost boys of Natasha Richardson mourning in a way that only boys of that age can mourn. I saw William and Harry mourn that way. And most of all I see my baby brother mourn his loss when it happened to him. Mothers lost suddenly, unexpected, with no chance to say goodbye. Lost without the chance to save the day and make it stop.
These boys – of this certain age, carry this unique loss all their lives. The future has ended as their own future starts. Their special talents and triumphs bloom harder without the special nurturing that brings them to fruit sweeter and fuller . Their edges – beginning to firm – firm sharper and faster without the softened edges a mother can smooth. Who encourages them to tenderness and caring now? Who wipes the most private and personal tears and embraces the weeping when it comes, no matter when or why? Who feeds the dog or cat let behind no matter how many times they promise to do it. Not every mother merits this special grief – I suspect every mother thinks she does – but those who do are seen in one way or another in every step of their lost boys lives.
The space that stays relentlessly empty lives within the heart and mind of these boys. Part of it dreams of a day when it will all be back to before ; part of it moves between happy memories that inevitably lead to tears of longing and regret. But it never seems to resolve itself. Nor should it. The sadness encourages the memories and the memories allow growth and consolation. Leave them with their mothers forever frozen in time – young and loving – still vibrant and perfect.
Somehow many of them seem to be fair-haired mothers, adding to the those tales of princesses and kisses that awaken even those held hostage by evil spells. But to a son, every mother is that princess and this is the most evil spell imaginable. No kiss will fix it. If only.
So this is how the lost boys mourn and learn, much to soon, to be strong and brave because their mother would have wanted that. Although I am not sure, as a mother, that is what I would want or expect. Little boys driven into manhood by loss and the energy that coping with loss requires. Would I insist that, with it all, they must be brave and manly too. I don’t think so.
At this most grievous moment – give them time; allow them tears; encourage them to remember, because no matter how you cope – they will mourn longer and harder and sadder than you can imagine. Burying their faces into sweaters to find her in the smell; listening to music she loved and still trying to be the little boy they were until that day arrived.
This is the way the lost boys mourn – try to ask nothing more of them. Abandon stiff upper lips, brave macho gestures, holding it in. The silences, the tears, the anger – embrace these boys and rock them and simply let them mourn as only they can.
Posted by voolavex in common sense, despicable, guilt, immigration, Jews, kosher, Pets, Social Issues, talmud, torah.
I was recently writing an email to a family member regarding the Middle East War in Israel and as I wrote some cold thoughts came to mind that I had not addressed before. Troubled times call for fierce examination. Troubled times make people point fingers and assign blame. Sometimes I think the simplest truth can explain the most complex problem. I kept getting a zetz* from some annoying truths that begged for air. As a humane gesture to my kishkes** I started letting them out. They are my own truths – but they may zetz you too. They are not very likeable – but they do ring true. See what you think.
Bernard Madoff and Aaron Rubashkin are two of the worst things that have happened to the Jews since Pharoah’s armies got grounded. The two of them feed into the worst depths of Anti-Semitism and serve that end as examples of what people who (check one) mistrust, hate, avoid, slur and or revile the Jews, see as a benchmark of the entire Jewish tribe (except the one you know and he/she is a really nice person). And why wouldn’t they? The name for what Bernie Madoff did is affinity scam. Taking advantage of your own to establish credibility and then keeping at it until you are either caught or die. Underlying the entire con is the knowledge you personally know it’s is wrong, illegal, lies and misery for your victims. You know this when you start and you it know when you give it up, die or get caught. I would say that essentially it is driven by greed no matter how you slice it. This is the man for whom the term Greedy Jew was created. And in this troubled time this is the man who may have slowed; maybe even stalled the engine of the world. And because he used his Jewishness to this end he merits every bad name one can call him. Bernie Madoff is NOT good for the Jews. His money is treyf*** and so is every penny that may have been touched by him. Think of Bernie as a pig disguised as a lobster pretending to be a matzo ball.. Before you even work your way through to the “others” who got shafted all 163 pp of them (which I have read) find the Jews. The ones who lost big. These are what “others” will label “Stupid Jews”. Bernie Madoff is not good for the Jews. By the time one gets to the others it hardly matters who they are in terms of ethnicity. The blood libel has been revived and some stupid, greedy Jew did it. This makes me livid and is going to take a long time to fix . Why isn’t every Jew vocally enraged by this man and what he has done? Not content to go in head again first at the deep end let’s move along to the next question. What does Aaron Rubashkin have in common with Bernie Madoff? Greed.
Aaron Rubashkin and Agriprocessors ignored Jewish law and screwed the Jews. Aaron and his family deny every single allegation and for this he is even more of a problem for the Jews. He exemplifies the slur “Those lousy Jews will do anything to make a buck”. Because that is precisely what he did and would have kept on doing if he had not been caught. Close friends of mine excuse him and tell me he has done so much good that he cannot have done what the law says he did but I don’t think prior good acts exonerate him. It’s like saying some Jew hater loves dogs. I love my friends and therefore I won’t argue with them but we disagree. Rubashkin is guilty of another kind of exploitation that was so specific to the Jews that it is disgusting. It’s not bad enough he exploited illegal and underage workers to work in his kosher meat factory. He is accused of breaking federal laws and religious law by his slaughtering methods and factory conditions and by doing so has made questionable every mouthful of kosher meat every observant Jew has bought under his aegis. This meat has been chewed and swallowed. Is it treyf? Part of the problem as I see it is in the entire behavior of Rubashkin and his cohorts. As with Madoff – they knew and they did it anyway. If you cut corners on one thing – where do you stop? And he did it in violation of Jewish law. He violated a mitzvah. He is a goniff, a hypocrite and betrayer. This makes me livid and is going to take a long time to fix . Why isn’t every Jew vocally enraged by this man and what he has done?
I don’t care if my meat is kosher and I am not observant but those who are deserve better than this. You might ask what happens if these folks ate the meat. Nothing except it is morally indefensible and therefore causes mental anguish among ****landsmen who have placed enormous trust in this product. If you recall how outraged we were in this country about the tainted dog food and baby formula – there is no difference. And the first tainted food was PET food. Think about it and get angry and let people know you’re an angry Jew.
Giving bigots a reason to use ethnic slurs is not good for the Jews. I think it is okay to be angry and vocal about both these men and what they have done. I think Jews should be outraged and say so. Nothing excuses them . Finding Bernie and Aaron outside the pale doesn’t do anything but say that you find this behavior unconscionable for everyone and especially the people that were targeted. Bernie Madoff is not good for the Jews. Aaron Rubashkin is not good for the Jews. We should all be much angrier than we appear to be.
* zetz = poke ** treyf/treif = not kosher ***kishkes = your gut ****landsmen = your co-religionists.
Comments are welcome but I will delete anyone using the term – self-hating Jew – just so we are clear.
Posted by voolavex in common sense, guilt, health care.
Nadya Suleman is beginning her journey to fame down the yellow line in the snow with passengers. If this were the early 20’s she’d have already set her sights on Ringling Brothers and joined the circus side show by now. She missed her decade and her destiny I guess. She is here and now, and because we know the world spins forward, her own public dog and pony show has yet to reach its apex. And let’s face it; it’s hard not to watch. So let’s talk about that.
First. I seriously doubt grandma Angela Suleman is blameless in this situation, but I can also say from an age standpoint she surely did not want babies in her late 50’s. Six kids under 7 works for some people; usually the very religious or the very rich. The litany of things Nadya has done over the last 8 years; degrees, school, worker’s comp, cosmetic surgery makes me wonder how she had time to get pregnant. Seriously – being pregnant all the time is hard work. Ask anyone with a bunch of kids.Two or three of these crumb snatchers seem to have spectrum disorder. That’s not easy to handle. Most autistic kids need extra time and attention. Because I don’t know where they fall in the birth order I can’t say whether she knew about the health matters and should have thought twice before going on. She went on anyway. She had octuplets.
Second. A long time ago I nannied 4 little boys in a house just like the Suleman’s abode . If I am not mistaken theirs is a 3 bedroom, one bath with a garage, on a lot the size of a postage stamp. In my case, 4 little boys under 11 slept in one bedroom in bunk beds with a crib for the baby (who was two). Both parents worked full time and I lived in and was paid weekly. The dad was ex-military so once a month they went to Long Beach and stocked up at the Navy commissary. No welfare. No food stamps. All boys with appetites and needs. The big outing for all of us was the DAV thrift store. Apparently Nadya’s big outing is the fertility clinic. In between classes, pregnancies and plastic surgery. So what comes into my mind is something is amiss.
Third. Leaving the lower portion of her body (aren’t you glad) – there is the question of her alleged plastic surgery. I am kind of surprised there have no before photos of Nadya floating around. She looks pretty fake to me. And she is no Angelina Jolie. It looks like cheek implants and probably lip puffer. And it looks fairly recent. (I would love a blepharoplasty for under my eyes. Ain’t gonna happy. Just saying). I did notice she also has a nice French manicure – no clue what the current cost is on that – but say $30 a month. Ten half gallons of milk. I see a tummy tuck and bosom revamp in the future somewhere in the windmills of her mind. We’ll see.
Fourth. I am pro-choice. I am not pro-choice on the state’s nickel. I do not believe these innocent children are a gift from God – I believe they are exploited children with a severely disturbed mother.
Fifth. As it appears she is already in the welfare system, I would go a step further and make all these hapless kids wards of the state until it can be determined she can care for them. Can you feed six kids on $490 a month (plus WIC)? I think $120 a week is a stretch for six kids. What is the quality of life for these kids? Begging for donations on a website while taking state funds sounds like wanting many bites of the apple -say about 14. It also sounds a little bit crooked.
Sixth. What about Dr. Kamrava? You can look him up at the Medical Board of California. His record seems blameless. I suspect that’s gonna change. But other than losing his medical practice or some other nasty fate – what does he care and why should he.? Thus far nothing about IVF seems to require moral or practical advice. In the words of Tom Lehrer, singing about Werner Von Braun “Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down; that’s not my department says Werner Von Braun.”
Seventh. Back to Grandma Suleman. While I am not an advocate of physical abuse of any kind – someone should have knocked some sense into her only child about 13 kids ago. Or got her a couple of pets. Grandma is either a door mat, mentally disturbed ( genetic maybe), stupid or is on some sort of guilt trip whose bill has come due. She blows hard about “not taking care of the kids anymore” but I seriously doubt she will go into the Witless Protection Program and get outta’ dodge. If she is counting on media pay-offs; Nadya may hit the jackpot by selling her life and kids to some tab (like the Dionne’s). Nadya however doesn’t seem to believe in the trickle down effect. I doubt Grandma will see a penny.
Eighth. Who is the father? Does Nadya know? Does the dad know? I seriously question the motives and thinking of rich baby collectors like Mia Farrow and Brangelina but one thing may be said – they have plenty of money to behave as they do. Nadya Suleman is not going to be “Mother of the Year” this year or any other. And sadly, in the big picture – I doubt the law, the state, her parents or anyone else can do much about it. Watch this space.
*The name of this post comes from a tomato paste commercial jingle for Contadina . by Stan Freberg from 1956. It went: “who put eight great tomatoes in that little bitty can?”
www.lewrockwell.com. I shouldn’t have to explain further.
Dayenu
January 1, 2009
Posted by voolavex in Social Issues.
Tags: Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Jews
They wanted Gaza. They got Gaza. Dayenu. Every shred of Israeli everything destroyed by Israel for Gaza. Chaos in Gaza ensued. Election time and the Gazans went for Hamas. No government was formed. No diplomatic exchanges took place. Israel denied Gazans access to Israel. Gazans were upset. Hamas went berserk. Shots were fired. Egypt sealed its border. Dayenu. They built tunnels to Egypt. But they wanted Gaza. They got Gaza. They got Hamas. Hamas’ mandate is to kills Jews. The citizens of Gazan can starve, die and go to hell. Killing Jews is the purpose of Hamas. Why doesn’t anyone see why Israel and IDF are defending themselves against mass murderers, terrorists and religious fanatics with arms. Do you think 9/11 was okay? Then you need to defend Hamas. A leader was killed – too bad; so sad – he killed Jews and went to Paradise. He must be soooo happy. I know I am.
Posted by voolavex in Politics & Religion, Uncategorized.
Tags: bailout, bankrupt, Bean pies, broker, Brownie, Bush, CEO's, Detroit, drving smug, granite counters, Hank Paulson, hedge funds, HGTV, houses, Hummers, hybrid, Katrina, Middle Class, Ratan Tata, Shabazz Bakery, the bailout, Three Card Monte, Wall Street
We all have watched with a sort of sickening amazement as the economy hit bottom in the last few months (years?). I keep thinking of things that shouldn’t be surprising and yet people can’t seem to get a grip on some of them.
Houses. Back when house loans were being hawked like bean pies on every corner* – why on earth did anyone imagine a person with no money, no credit history, no ability to read the fine print (and in fact – who does?) should get a house? How did that concept become a good idea? I didn’t think it was a good idea but I have never wanted to own a house – nonetheless, uncounted numbers did and do and so they sold their soul to the devil, signed the ARM and got a chance to live in their car. Didn’t a little bell go off and say – this cannot be right? And people didn’t just go for little sheds – they wanted those big ugly tract homes with the wrong proportions and the wrong doors for their family of 4 or 5. I blame HGTV for that part. Flip That House, Flop This House, granite counters, work islands, hardwood floors. THE GREAT ROOM. Get real. Bigger and uglier is not always the way to go. Which came first – the big, ugly house, or the features that go with? Those dream houses are bad dreams and aftermath is a nightmare. It is hard to weep for folks too thick to say – whoa – too good to be true – but maybe it isn’t. It could have been me no matter what I believe inside.
And Detroit. Didn’t they see it coming? I did. I drive a really great used car. One owner; pristine, cheap and good on gas. I can even fit a baby seat should I need one and a dog crate – which I won’t. And this is L.A. – no one has sneered at me yet – but I have been pushed off the street frequently by morons in SUV’s texting and talking. The SUV’s are gas guzzlers and the phone use is just dangerous – I love the phones but if you’re going to text while driving – why can’t I do the NY Sunday Times crossword when I drive? Car lots are overflowing with unsold cars. How many can you drive at once. And why does the Miami-Dade CSI team need those Hummers? Maybe if the Big Three and their minions had worked harder at making cars and and less time patting each other the back we might actually know someone who’s driven a Ford lately.
Hybrid cars. I really want one for the obvious reason. I can’t afford one but it hasn’t stopped me from wanting one. People who do have them however have not been elevated to the Communion of Saints for their purchase. Driving smug is as dumb as the texting thing – you can’t really do it well. Hybrid owners drive smug. It totally negates the good thing the car represents. I am growing to hate the drivers while still loving the cars – that is some sort of Christian thing I do not understand.
Wall Street. Didn’t anyone read The Bonfire of the Vanities. Watched Wall Street? Yes you did. Three Card Monte artists in power ties and striped shirts. Short sales, puts, calls, brokerage, pork bellies, metals, in-is-der trading? I knew about this years before there were computers. We had separate phone just for the broker – at home. When every call to your broker was a chance to buy more dog stocks because the broker’s pitch was so alluring. Hedge funds (I still am not sure what they are but it cannot be legal). And while you bought – they bought and they spent and you paid and they lived large and you spent and they did not regulate themselves (as Alan imagined they would ) and now you may see them in front of Bloomingdale’s (Lex Ave doors) playing Three Card Monte for real. Your pension plan. Don’t even go there. You do not want to see it.
Bankrupt stores. Stores that sell cheap crap at inflated prices. Too many stores that sell cheap crap at inflated prices. Too many folks who are going broke trying to lure underpaid, overworked humans in to buy the cheap stuff. I want to blame China. It’s hard not to blame China but it’s not all China’s fault -in fact I should blame the vendors not the makers because we order it and they create it and we palm it off as “collectible” or “hot and “must have”. So while I am distraught for the many “Big Box” stores that are biting the big dust – didn’t they suspect something? In many cases I would say good riddance to cheap rubbish but the loss of jobs is what keeps me from too much Schadenfreude. I don’t think the loss of the giants will actually be so bad though – we may stop the imports from the outsources and try to make it here.
The Middle Class. Somewhere along the line the term “middle class” has become a filthy thing to be called. But it’s about the same as being a real person – and real is good. But no one wants to be middle class. Why not. Because you can’t be middle class and be a celebrity? You can be no class and be a star (No talent too). You lack importance? To whom? Here’s a clue – it’s not that important. You don’t want to be the underclass (which is actually the lower class in terms of income – most people do try to escape that) but why not middle class? Because in terms of cash flow you are just an Earth tad above the working poor and Space tad below the Very Rich. Yet you can have a high functioning brain and skills and be middle class. A real person. We pretend there is no class stratification in this country but it’s a lie. But in this country we confuse money with class. So we have a term for it – Nouveau Riche. Class is a state of mind that is okay. Politeness, good manners, speaking well (but not pontificating) and having a sense of style and taste gives you a classless sort of class – even dead broke. People who read for pleasure have class. Informed people have class. Black folks use a perfect term for it: “the way you carry yourself”. That is real class – middle class – and it’s not a bad thing. I would rather be known for the way I carry myself than for my bank account and what it buys. At this point in time – we, of the middle class have been around enough to be old money. One does not have to be to the manner born – it’s just a good idea to know what the manner is and learn from it. And enjoy being middle class. Real. We are the engine that runs the world. Even the president-elect says so.
.
Ratan Tata– If you don’t recognize the name – check Wikipedia. He shows us how the concept “Good thoughts Good Words Good Deeds” has actually worked for hundreds of years in a still developing country. He is very wealthy. I do believe he did not set aside his beliefs to get that way.
The Bailout. Hank Paulson should change his name to Brownie. His handling of the so-called Bailout is being handled about the same way Brownie handled Katrina. Someone please take the money away from Hank..
There’s more – but this is enough today What do you think?.
*The sale of bean pies by well dressed, polite young men on street corners still exists and I respect it greatly. That it exists only in certain areas is a statement about many other things. If you have a chance, though, buy one. Can’t find a corner – try a Shabazz Bakery.
Voolavex 