After watching around 40 minutes of clips from the Democratic debate last night, I would offer four observations:
1. Joe Biden's denial of anything 'wrong' with his son and the Ukraine business....probably was true. On ethics of Joe in the deal-making, yeah....Joe's ethics are fairly tainted. He did a decent job to explain his piece, but it's a one-star minute of chatter.
2. Warren's explanation on how money comes out of thin air for "Medicare for all"? The wealthy and corporations will be the tax target, which she says in blunt language. Will the wealthy and corporations simply pass this cost along to the regular consumer? Yes. She avoided that topic, but regular people will pay for the cost factor....whether they like that idea or not.
3. The 'criminal in the White House' quote.....over and over? What charges? Surely by now.....almost three complete years in the White House, you could have forty Democratic lawyers-pretending-to-be-political figures rig up charges. Yet, it's mostly just hot air and theatrical stuff.
4. Winner of the evening? Probably Warren, with Beto and Mayor Pete clobbering each other over 'courage' being the real laugh of the evening.
Personally, I'd prefer to halt the whole debate thing, and just end the torment on Democratic voters. Admit Warren is the only potential candidate for the primary season (still 120-plus days away). Get on with it.
Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
DNA Story
If you up a Pacific map, gazing at the northern coast of Australia....there above it are these islands....literally thousands of them, from Papa New Guinea to Tonga. This region is referred to as 'Melansia'...which mostly means in the local terms....land of the black people (generally describing the darker color of the tribal groups).
So there's theory of how they came to be there, and the idea revolves around African people who somehow sailed eastward, across the Indian Ocean area, and later into this tropical paradise. Time frame? 40,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Some people suggest that if you go past the 12,900 year frame, the water levels were 300 feet less than they are today, and most of the islands existed as a land mass, rather than a island mass.
So why bring up this topic?
On my DNA business from two years ago, there's two groups at the bottom of the scale, which are a .1-percent each situation for me.
One group was the Melansia group, and the other an Indian-Pakistan group. So, you are start looking at 100,000 years ago, and ponder upon the idea that some ancestor didn't walk out of Africa....he probably floated out in something....making his way to what was India, and part of his group continued on....heading to Melansia, and the other main group settled in India. And at some point, they migrated westward into Russia and the Nordic lands.
It's an interesting travel story, and you have to wonder how well the guy planned for the trip, or if this were one of those 'lets see where this path leads us' situations.
So there's theory of how they came to be there, and the idea revolves around African people who somehow sailed eastward, across the Indian Ocean area, and later into this tropical paradise. Time frame? 40,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Some people suggest that if you go past the 12,900 year frame, the water levels were 300 feet less than they are today, and most of the islands existed as a land mass, rather than a island mass.
So why bring up this topic?
On my DNA business from two years ago, there's two groups at the bottom of the scale, which are a .1-percent each situation for me.
One group was the Melansia group, and the other an Indian-Pakistan group. So, you are start looking at 100,000 years ago, and ponder upon the idea that some ancestor didn't walk out of Africa....he probably floated out in something....making his way to what was India, and part of his group continued on....heading to Melansia, and the other main group settled in India. And at some point, they migrated westward into Russia and the Nordic lands.
It's an interesting travel story, and you have to wonder how well the guy planned for the trip, or if this were one of those 'lets see where this path leads us' situations.
Sunday, 13 October 2019
The Worst Ethics and Correction to Bad Ethics That I Ever Witnessed
I could probably write a 300-page book over ethics and it's destructive capability, but I'll lay out this 50-line story which I think drives home the problem and the corrective mess it can trigger.
Three decades ago when the Berlin Wall came down....the city of Berlin decided that the three airports in use at the time....simply weren't up to the dynamics approaching. So they decided that Tempelhof would immediately close, and they'd focus all efforts on building the 'mega-airport' (ready in roughly 12 years) and close the two remaining airports a year or two after that point. On paper, it made sense.
So they opened up the bidding. The city had the basic plan and they needed a company to build/operate it. Two groups would come into play.
The two groups, using various corrupted means (probably to include bribes along to different elements of the political spectrum in Berlin)....came down to the end. One was declared the winner, and one the loser. An appeal occurred. A judge stepped in, and found that the city really didn't do an good ethical job of deciding the winner. No one was arrested, but the winner/loser thing was thrown out.
After this, these two groups met privately. Neither wanted to focus on corrupted matters to do a second bid. Instead, they did this rather odd thing.....they threw out the book on bad ethics, and simply combined the bid as one single group. A win-win by most standards.
The city? All shocked. They couldn't imagine any idiot would figure out the game and cut bad ethics totally out of the bid.
The city tosses the bid process, and instead choose to build on their own.
No, they didn't hire competent managers for the project. No, they didn't inspect by the book. 2011 came....the project was said to be finished. It wasn't finished.
Literally thousands of things were screwed up. The list went on and on. Escalators were ordered, delivered and ready for installation.....then the team would discover that the top section went three to four feet above the actual top floor. Or you'd have electrical cable laid out with no identifying markings for x-or-y circuits.
Ready to go in 2020 (9 years after the original date)? Maybe. Another two or three billion spent by then? Probably.
But all of this bad ethics.....led onto more bad ethics, and you compromised the reputation of German skilled labor. And for what?
Ready to go in 2020 (9 years after the original date)? Maybe. Another two or three billion spent by then? Probably.
But all of this bad ethics.....led onto more bad ethics, and you compromised the reputation of German skilled labor. And for what?
ISIS to Surge Back Up Now?
No.
I sat and read through various idiots who wanted to hint to you that ISIS will come back in Syria, after the American military leaves. There's a problem with this 'hint'.
First, they would need money from their former capitalists who were funneling them the money before. For some odd reason, I don't think these people exist anymore.
Second, the funny support that they got from various Saudis in the background? I would suggest that this war in Yemen, and the problems with Iran....now consume their interests.
Third, for ISIS to make a comeback....they need manpower. Between what Assad, the Russians, the Syrian Army, and the US did....there's a whole bunch of them buried six feet down or sitting in Syrian prison camps. Getting folks all hyped-up in Europe for another round of recruitment? No, I wouldn't count on that.
Finally, for good recruitment.....you need some success story out of the past five years in Iraq and Syria. Is there anything that you can openly brag about?
So no, I don't see ISIS making much of a comeback. They'd need to retire the 'brand', and open up a whole new vision of their sales job.
I sat and read through various idiots who wanted to hint to you that ISIS will come back in Syria, after the American military leaves. There's a problem with this 'hint'.
First, they would need money from their former capitalists who were funneling them the money before. For some odd reason, I don't think these people exist anymore.
Second, the funny support that they got from various Saudis in the background? I would suggest that this war in Yemen, and the problems with Iran....now consume their interests.
Third, for ISIS to make a comeback....they need manpower. Between what Assad, the Russians, the Syrian Army, and the US did....there's a whole bunch of them buried six feet down or sitting in Syrian prison camps. Getting folks all hyped-up in Europe for another round of recruitment? No, I wouldn't count on that.
Finally, for good recruitment.....you need some success story out of the past five years in Iraq and Syria. Is there anything that you can openly brag about?
So no, I don't see ISIS making much of a comeback. They'd need to retire the 'brand', and open up a whole new vision of their sales job.
Saturday, 12 October 2019
A Short Thirty Year Story
Back in 1992, some business folks analyzed things in the Americas, and noted that Venezuela was now classified as the third-richest nation (out of 35). Oil, natural gas, tourism....were all booming.
Five years later, an amazing thing happens.....the Ford F150 pick-up picks up purchase steam, and is the number two vehicle purchased in Venezuela.
You could have sat there and grinned...being a resident of Venezuela, and felt that life was getting a lot better. The middle-class was growing, and things looked great.
Around 2001/2002, the word 'inequality' starts to be used by various political groups. There's unfairness being discussed by the public.
Around twelve years would pass, and now you have opposition political leaders arrested or detained on a weekly basis. The country is in turmoil. The economy is wrecked, and just getting enough toilet paper for daily use....is a big deal.
Within three years of that point, the Constitution is suspended, and elections, while discussed, are a forbidden action.
'Equality' now? It's a pretty sure thing.....everyone is now equal, and living in a third-world country....suffering economic woes, and everyone agrees that they made it as equal as possible. No one wants equality now, but they can't find the way back out of this maze.
Kinda funny to think how it was in 1992, and how far things have fallen.
Five years later, an amazing thing happens.....the Ford F150 pick-up picks up purchase steam, and is the number two vehicle purchased in Venezuela.
You could have sat there and grinned...being a resident of Venezuela, and felt that life was getting a lot better. The middle-class was growing, and things looked great.
Around 2001/2002, the word 'inequality' starts to be used by various political groups. There's unfairness being discussed by the public.
Around twelve years would pass, and now you have opposition political leaders arrested or detained on a weekly basis. The country is in turmoil. The economy is wrecked, and just getting enough toilet paper for daily use....is a big deal.
Within three years of that point, the Constitution is suspended, and elections, while discussed, are a forbidden action.
'Equality' now? It's a pretty sure thing.....everyone is now equal, and living in a third-world country....suffering economic woes, and everyone agrees that they made it as equal as possible. No one wants equality now, but they can't find the way back out of this maze.
Kinda funny to think how it was in 1992, and how far things have fallen.
Me and the Pronoun Crowd
First, let me be honest and just admit up front, there are a hundred pronouns that tend to be accepted in the English language. Even 'whoever' and 'whom' fit within the pronoun listing of the hundred. To quickly assemble a thought for a stranger, you go to that hundred....assemble your sentence structure, and prepare to receive their comeback, which hopefully will make sense and resolve your problem or question.
But then you walk into a room with a gender-maxed group....say seven of them. Each different from the other. Basically, I don't know them, and in my case....dealing with strangers....I really don't want to get into some hour-long introduction phase where I need to know their personal issues and emotional woes.
In this case, I need to convey a comment and resolve a issue. I'm going to the standard hundred pronoun list. The minute you stop or hinder me on my problem or question....I'm discarding you as an effective answer-person. I'm going to the next person. And I'll repeat that if necessary.
For me, it's simple....I divide people into three categories. First, there's strangers and I really don't need to waste time on knowing strangers. Second, there's associates (typically people I work with, or people that I have to deal with once a day). For associates, it's nice to know their hobbies, their passions, and their general background. For emotional woes or sexual interests? No....associates aren't in that category. So finally, I come to friends....where some personal woes or great personal battles in life can be explained in detail.
It's safe to say I don't have a thousand friends, or for that matter....even a hundred friends.
For the pronoun crowd, I'm a problem because I really just want simple communication to occur. For their agenda to work, I need to be on a friend-to-friend level, and that's just not going to happen.
To be honest, looking around.....I kinda suspect that the vast majority of people operate with the system I've described. So selling another 300-odd pronouns is not going to be easy or simple. If I choose not to get into your personal business....it's my own personal choice. I don't need to waste 30 minutes learning your pronoun path to happiness...to reach the point of asking about information on buying a vacuum cleaner or a dishwasher.
I'm sorry if that seems harsh.
But then you walk into a room with a gender-maxed group....say seven of them. Each different from the other. Basically, I don't know them, and in my case....dealing with strangers....I really don't want to get into some hour-long introduction phase where I need to know their personal issues and emotional woes.
In this case, I need to convey a comment and resolve a issue. I'm going to the standard hundred pronoun list. The minute you stop or hinder me on my problem or question....I'm discarding you as an effective answer-person. I'm going to the next person. And I'll repeat that if necessary.
For me, it's simple....I divide people into three categories. First, there's strangers and I really don't need to waste time on knowing strangers. Second, there's associates (typically people I work with, or people that I have to deal with once a day). For associates, it's nice to know their hobbies, their passions, and their general background. For emotional woes or sexual interests? No....associates aren't in that category. So finally, I come to friends....where some personal woes or great personal battles in life can be explained in detail.
It's safe to say I don't have a thousand friends, or for that matter....even a hundred friends.
For the pronoun crowd, I'm a problem because I really just want simple communication to occur. For their agenda to work, I need to be on a friend-to-friend level, and that's just not going to happen.
To be honest, looking around.....I kinda suspect that the vast majority of people operate with the system I've described. So selling another 300-odd pronouns is not going to be easy or simple. If I choose not to get into your personal business....it's my own personal choice. I don't need to waste 30 minutes learning your pronoun path to happiness...to reach the point of asking about information on buying a vacuum cleaner or a dishwasher.
I'm sorry if that seems harsh.
Friday, 11 October 2019
Quitters Quit
I sat yesterday reading a business report. Someone laid out the statistical data.....roughly 50-percent of millennials (people born between 1995 and 2005) and three-quarters of Generation 'Z'ers' (those born in the 2000 era or later) have had to quit jobs because of mental issues.
Why? All that is really said is pressure and stress.
I sat and pondered upon it. If you were a kid who'd grown up in the 2005 to 2010 period.....you were used to having your way....getting soft work assignments in high school and college, and probably arrived to face your first boss, and stiff schedules/deadlines.
Toss on the fact that the boss didn't really take your BS excuses, or 'blame-game' suggestions.
So the boss resorted to criticism, mandated requirements, and written expectations. Then you retreated....quitting. The second job? The third job? They likely went the same way.
Where are these winners living now? In dad's house? Are we saying that four years of college and $50,000 was wasted on an education where you aren't capable of taking orders or managing simple program?
I was sitting there and wondering if even Burger King and McDonalds were facing a crisis....where they couldn't get enough kids to flip burgers? Can you imagine these kids quitting BK and going home because of stress issues at flipping burgers?
So are we talking about an entire generation of kids....who are basically quitters always on the verge of quitting?
Why? All that is really said is pressure and stress.
I sat and pondered upon it. If you were a kid who'd grown up in the 2005 to 2010 period.....you were used to having your way....getting soft work assignments in high school and college, and probably arrived to face your first boss, and stiff schedules/deadlines.
Toss on the fact that the boss didn't really take your BS excuses, or 'blame-game' suggestions.
So the boss resorted to criticism, mandated requirements, and written expectations. Then you retreated....quitting. The second job? The third job? They likely went the same way.
Where are these winners living now? In dad's house? Are we saying that four years of college and $50,000 was wasted on an education where you aren't capable of taking orders or managing simple program?
I was sitting there and wondering if even Burger King and McDonalds were facing a crisis....where they couldn't get enough kids to flip burgers? Can you imagine these kids quitting BK and going home because of stress issues at flipping burgers?
So are we talking about an entire generation of kids....who are basically quitters always on the verge of quitting?
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