Turn on the TV or go to the cinema and there's bound to be a comedian plying her craft. Break open a pack of cards, and out falls the fool, the joker, the jester.
Nearly every society since prehistoric times seems to have employed jesters. They entertain, but more importantly, they criticize. They criticize their society, the rulers and, yes - the King himself.
Wise kings and rulers throughout history have prized the biting humor because it was a much-needed counterweight to the fawning, sycophantic Yes-men that surrounded them.
The jester's criticism allowed them to see things they might otherwise miss. To consider other ways of looking at things that could make them stronger. Ultimately, it helped them rule better and longer.
Fast forward to today.
Wise leaders allow -- and even encourage -- the blogger, the journalist and myriad other critics to hold a light to their folly.
There's an old saying about those who know they don't know and those who don't know that they don't know. And of course, there's no hope for those who don't even realize they are ignorant.
Such is the case with the so called "leaders" of Indonesia.
Why?
Well, today I ran into a roadblock while trying to work. A roadblock erected by said "leaders" that shows crystal-clear why Indonesia is no democracy.
What happened?
So, today I'm looking at a number of different service options I need for my work.
One of them has a demo video I want to look at.
It's blocked!
Even with a proxy, I access it.
Now, for those who don't live on this set of islands, a while back a certain minister of the government got angry at videos people had put up on Vimeo, so he had the censors block all access to Vimeo. Now nobody here can access Vimeo!
These videos showed the party this minister belongs to on the campaign trail.
So where's the problem - right?
Well, it just so happens Indonesia is a place where religious campaigning goes over well. And this party is a very pharisaical about "morality". They constantly harp about what people should and shouldn't do, Soooo, when they were caught out on the campaign trail doing some, well...let's just call it, not so white, not so moral acts, people rightfully took videos and posted them.
This is what's supposed to happen in a democracy. There are watchdogs to scrutinize the government. After all, governments for the most part are incapable of policing themselves.
What does all this have to do with me and today?
Well, see, said unnamed government minister (oh, it's not hard to figure out who I'm referring to. He's also the one that said in answer to a question about increasing the speed of the internet in Indonesia in essence: 'What do you need fast internet for'? Yep. That's the same person.
I bet if we probed further, he'd ask why we even need internet to begin with..?? And this is the guy Indonesians allow to be their minister of technology. Haaa!)
This is the individual who shut down Vimeo.
Seriously.
Does he really think he can control the internet and thereby do whatever the hell he wants?
Does he really think he can use such tactics to silence his critics?
Yep! And he can. Because the people of Indonesia don't have the balls to throw the bum out; don't have the cajones to take to the streets or do anything more than make lame jokes.
To put it another way, the fact that he ever reached that office in the first place, and worse yet, that he's still in power is proof positive this country is no democracy.
If this were real a democracy, the bum would be on the street looking for another job and productive people could get on with their work.
And it is because of this institutional backwardness at the highest levels that Indonesia will continue to function primarily as a source of raw materials (that intelligent foreigners then process and sell to the world), maids and factory workers.
An embarrassing Example? Even though Indonesia exports some really great coffees, the only place in Indonesia I can find really good coffee (beans) - is Starbucks. And one of Starbucks' more popular blends - is Sumatra (from Indonesia).
Sidebar.............
Unfortunately, most coffee sold in Indonesia is either three-in-one instant or full of fillers such as corn. To put this into perspective, imagine that Starbucks were the only place in Bogota, Columbia where you could get a decent cup of java. Heck, even our slang for coffee - java - comes from Indonesia. It's the name of the main island. But I digress...
Sidebar..............
When Indonesia finally wakes up to these facts and demands better, their potential will be.... well ... the sky will be the limit. Until then, they will continue to live and work well below their potential... continue to be hobbled because of their tolerance of fools like this!
Epilogue: 24 hours has passed since writing and posting this. I just ran into another blocked site. This time a foreign business site. At least I was able to get around it with a proxy this time. Nevertheless, it might be time to invest in a more robust solution.
04 June 2014
24 March 2014
Wine for the soul and because it tastes good!
Some friends have been asking for my recipe for the recent photo my wife posted of my apple wine...which is delightful.
Frankly, I was a bit hesitant to write it all down. Not for all the reasons you might suspect, but because this batch was experimental.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The back story: Why am I experimenting if I already know how to do this?
Well, that takes us back to my time in the Sandbox, what the expats called Saudi Arabia. A lot of people complained, but really I liked it.
Anyway, since they don't allow alcohol in any form to be bought or sold...well... what shall I say. People take matters into their own hands. Creativity being the mother of invention and all.
Long story short, learning how to make your own home brew is almost a rite of passage or a necessary survival skill. Now - mind you, while many make their own moonshine, just like back in the days of prohibition, most is decidedly NOT good. Some will even make you sick.
I learned from a fellow who had perfected his recipe and made a bottle that was as good as many of the wines I've tasted in France.
Now, the reason I'm experimenting is because -- when I first got back here from the sandbox, I just fired up a batch without considering how the different conditions would affect the outcome... and BOY did they.
It's a bit embarrassing to say, but that first batch was a total bust. While it was delicious at first, it went off very quickly and I was stuck with more than a case of bad wine that had to be thrown out.
Why?
That's the reason for the experiment this time.
Anybody who's ever cooked knows that the conditions like altitude can drastically alter cooking time etc...
And my suspicion is that humidity is at least one of the factors.
So, I've made an ultra small batch.
Is it good?
Of course. It was delightful right after harvest. Now - I'm waiting to see how it holds up. Because wine should get better with time - not worse.
Here's the recipe.
You'll need:
Ingredients:
You'll also need a standard household pot or saucepan, cup and spoon.
That's it.
BUT, the devil is in the details.
First unless you want to stomp grapes (or apples or whatever), you need absolutely pure juice. And unfortunately, that has been hard to find outside Saudi.
There, strangely enough, they wouldn't sell alcohol, but they'd sure sell you everything you needed to make it yourself!
You need juice with no, sugar, no additives, chemicals, preservatives etc... etc... (That's because you only want one organism growing in your wine. And that's yeast. Any thing else will ruin your finest efforts.)
I've tried several. The only one I've found so far that works is a brand called RAUCH.
Here's what it looked like in Saudi,
and here's what it looks like here:
If someone else finds another brand that works, please let me know.
Next:
Sterilization:
You need to clean, scrub and get everything spotlessly spic and span. That includes your barrel or pitcher, bottles and every utensil, pot and pan you'll use.
Exception. IF you are able to find the juice in the resealable bottles, no washing or sterilization is necessary. Just rinse in hot water and store upside down on a clean cloth to absorb all the water in a clean, dry place.
But if you buy your resealable bottle from someplace like Ace Hardware (where I got mine recently), you definitely must wash and sterilize.
Barrel: Wash and sterilize every inch.
Ditto for your pot, cup and spoon.
Everything hospital clean?
Put your barrel elevated off the floor if possible, then pour all but one cup of juice into your barrel or pitcher. (You'll need it for your starter.)
Leave open to breathe.
Prepare your sugar solution:
I use 1 cup of sugar for every 12 liters of juice.
For one cup of sugar, you'll need a couple liters of water.
Boil water and add the sugar while stirring so it dissolves.
Prepare you starter:
Take one cup of juice. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Heat mixture in microwave until it's hot to the touch. If it's too hot to touch - it's too hot. Let it cool down a little.
Add an 1/4 of a teaspoon of sugar for every 12 liters of juice.
It should start to react. Ideally you want to see it get very active. At least you should see
the yeast begin to move about.
Leave your starter...
Ready, Set....?
Pour your sugar solution into the barrel.
Do NOT stir.
After your starter solution has reacted and hopefully formed a foamy, frothy top, pour into the barrel.
Put the lid, loosely on. You want it to be on enough to keep any bugs or dust out, but allow enough room for air to pass in and out.
Leave for 6 weeks in a clean, dark, ventilated room.
Do NOT move.
After 6 weeks, remove lid and check. It should not smell of yeast. And the foam should all be gone.
If it still smells of yeast, leave it for another 3-4 days and check again.
Ready for harvest - the bottling?
When it smells and looks right, clean and sterilize that plastic tube - inside and out.
Get out your bottles.
Remove the lid of the barrel.
You'll want to do the bottling where you don't mind spilling a little wine.
A spare bathroom with a floor drain is ideal.
Make sure the barrel is higher than the bottles. (Gravity to make the wine flow...)
Insert the tube a few inches down into the barrel.
Do NOT push it all the way to the bottom or you'll get all the dregs. Yuk!
You'll need to suck on the other end of the tube to start the flow.
Fill each bottle while watching the clarity of your wine.
STOP as soon as the color becomes the least bit cloudy. You're done.
That last bottle will be your table wine, not your best stuff.
What's left in the barrel should be a few inches of dregs. Toss it and savor your
first wine.
Back to the experiment:
So, I am trying to figure out what will work now that I'm somewhere very different than the Sandbox. There it was dry and hot. Here it is humid and hot.
There I was able to have constant temperature, excellent ventilation and total darkness through out the gestation period.
Here the conditions are not quite as ideal. So, I want to find out
1. Does the humidity constitute a degrading factor I can't do anything about? or
2. Can I make adjustments in the gestation period that will produce a great wine.
It's already been a couple weeks since the I bottled my ultra small batch. (1.5 liters yield).
I will update this later with the results when it's been a month.
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy.
THE PROMISED UPDATE:
OK. It's been a little over a month. 33 days I think.
I am happy to report, the Apple Wine is holding up beautifully!
It has mellowed and become very smooth. It even has a hint of sweetness.
I'm very satisfied.
Now, here are a few details I left out above.
Details:
In Saudi, the wine spent 6 weeks in a room with a constant ambient temperature of about 24C. Here, during the 6 weeks of gestation it was in a room that is air-conditioned about 21 hours a day. So - you can imagine the fluctuation. Not ideal.
And...
I found that once I had bottled it, it still needed more time before drinking. Anyway, I don't remember how, but I ended up putting that bottle in the kitchen -- which is not air conditioned and probably about 30C most of the time. But day-by-day and week by week it has improved.
My Conclusion?
The humidity slows down the gestation process while the heat speeds it up.
So, next batch, I will let the wine gestate in a non air-conditioned room. Then I will begin checking on it after about 3-4 weeks and bottle it when it smells and looks right.
If for some reason that doesn't work, I'll try go back to the air conditioned room on the next round and let it gestate 7 or 8 weeks before bottling.
And if that doesn't work -- I can always just go back to what worked this time -- essentially a
2 Step process of 6 weeks with AC and 1 month in the kitchen after bottling.
One last thing...
Tips:
Yield: Whatever amount of grape juice you start with, the amount of wine you end up with will usually be about 80%.
So, if you start with 12 liters, don't expect more than 9 or 10 (1 liter) bottles of wine.
Red, White and Rose: This time I made apple wine because the shops simply haven't been stocking the grape juice lately.
But if you prefer red wine, just use the red grape juice. For white wine the white grape juice. And if you like rose - mix half and half.
That will be one of my next projects. The rose is actually one of my favorites.
Other than grape or apple? You might be wondering if any other juices will work. The answer is I think so...
You see, in theory, any fruit juice which has its own natural sugars should work, but once in Saudi I tried orange juice: A total disaster!
So, it MIGHT work. But my guess is, any kind of citrus will NOT work. There's simply too much acid.
On the other hand, I think almost any berry or pome (apples, pears) or drupe (peaches, plum, coconut) should produce a very satisfying wine.
I think I'll try making one of these...
How bout you?
You can send questions or comments to:sukkiri2000-wine@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Tj
Frankly, I was a bit hesitant to write it all down. Not for all the reasons you might suspect, but because this batch was experimental.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The back story: Why am I experimenting if I already know how to do this?
Well, that takes us back to my time in the Sandbox, what the expats called Saudi Arabia. A lot of people complained, but really I liked it.
Anyway, since they don't allow alcohol in any form to be bought or sold...well... what shall I say. People take matters into their own hands. Creativity being the mother of invention and all.
Long story short, learning how to make your own home brew is almost a rite of passage or a necessary survival skill. Now - mind you, while many make their own moonshine, just like back in the days of prohibition, most is decidedly NOT good. Some will even make you sick.
I learned from a fellow who had perfected his recipe and made a bottle that was as good as many of the wines I've tasted in France.
Now, the reason I'm experimenting is because -- when I first got back here from the sandbox, I just fired up a batch without considering how the different conditions would affect the outcome... and BOY did they.
It's a bit embarrassing to say, but that first batch was a total bust. While it was delicious at first, it went off very quickly and I was stuck with more than a case of bad wine that had to be thrown out.
Why?
That's the reason for the experiment this time.
Anybody who's ever cooked knows that the conditions like altitude can drastically alter cooking time etc...
And my suspicion is that humidity is at least one of the factors.
So, I've made an ultra small batch.
Is it good?
Of course. It was delightful right after harvest. Now - I'm waiting to see how it holds up. Because wine should get better with time - not worse.
Here's the recipe.
You'll need:
Ingredients:
- PURE, 100% juice without any additives or preservatives.
- Bakers yeast.
- Household sugar. (Nothing special, just the normal white stuff.)
- 2-3 meters of small plastic hose with diameter small enough to fit into the neck of a wine bottle.
- A plastic barrel or other pitcher-like container (depending on the size of batch you're making.)
- Resealable wine bottles. They look like this.
You'll also need a standard household pot or saucepan, cup and spoon.
That's it.
BUT, the devil is in the details.
First unless you want to stomp grapes (or apples or whatever), you need absolutely pure juice. And unfortunately, that has been hard to find outside Saudi.
There, strangely enough, they wouldn't sell alcohol, but they'd sure sell you everything you needed to make it yourself!
You need juice with no, sugar, no additives, chemicals, preservatives etc... etc... (That's because you only want one organism growing in your wine. And that's yeast. Any thing else will ruin your finest efforts.)
I've tried several. The only one I've found so far that works is a brand called RAUCH.
Here's what it looked like in Saudi,
and here's what it looks like here:
If someone else finds another brand that works, please let me know.
Next:
Sterilization:
You need to clean, scrub and get everything spotlessly spic and span. That includes your barrel or pitcher, bottles and every utensil, pot and pan you'll use.
Exception. IF you are able to find the juice in the resealable bottles, no washing or sterilization is necessary. Just rinse in hot water and store upside down on a clean cloth to absorb all the water in a clean, dry place.
But if you buy your resealable bottle from someplace like Ace Hardware (where I got mine recently), you definitely must wash and sterilize.
Barrel: Wash and sterilize every inch.
Ditto for your pot, cup and spoon.
Everything hospital clean?
Put your barrel elevated off the floor if possible, then pour all but one cup of juice into your barrel or pitcher. (You'll need it for your starter.)
Leave open to breathe.
Prepare your sugar solution:
I use 1 cup of sugar for every 12 liters of juice.
For one cup of sugar, you'll need a couple liters of water.
Boil water and add the sugar while stirring so it dissolves.
Prepare you starter:
Take one cup of juice. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Heat mixture in microwave until it's hot to the touch. If it's too hot to touch - it's too hot. Let it cool down a little.
Add an 1/4 of a teaspoon of sugar for every 12 liters of juice.
It should start to react. Ideally you want to see it get very active. At least you should see
the yeast begin to move about.
Leave your starter...
Ready, Set....?
Pour your sugar solution into the barrel.
Do NOT stir.
After your starter solution has reacted and hopefully formed a foamy, frothy top, pour into the barrel.
Put the lid, loosely on. You want it to be on enough to keep any bugs or dust out, but allow enough room for air to pass in and out.
Leave for 6 weeks in a clean, dark, ventilated room.
Do NOT move.
After 6 weeks, remove lid and check. It should not smell of yeast. And the foam should all be gone.
If it still smells of yeast, leave it for another 3-4 days and check again.
Ready for harvest - the bottling?
When it smells and looks right, clean and sterilize that plastic tube - inside and out.
Get out your bottles.
Remove the lid of the barrel.
You'll want to do the bottling where you don't mind spilling a little wine.
A spare bathroom with a floor drain is ideal.
Make sure the barrel is higher than the bottles. (Gravity to make the wine flow...)
Insert the tube a few inches down into the barrel.
Do NOT push it all the way to the bottom or you'll get all the dregs. Yuk!
You'll need to suck on the other end of the tube to start the flow.
Fill each bottle while watching the clarity of your wine.
STOP as soon as the color becomes the least bit cloudy. You're done.
That last bottle will be your table wine, not your best stuff.
What's left in the barrel should be a few inches of dregs. Toss it and savor your
first wine.
Back to the experiment:
So, I am trying to figure out what will work now that I'm somewhere very different than the Sandbox. There it was dry and hot. Here it is humid and hot.
There I was able to have constant temperature, excellent ventilation and total darkness through out the gestation period.
Here the conditions are not quite as ideal. So, I want to find out
1. Does the humidity constitute a degrading factor I can't do anything about? or
2. Can I make adjustments in the gestation period that will produce a great wine.
It's already been a couple weeks since the I bottled my ultra small batch. (1.5 liters yield).
I will update this later with the results when it's been a month.
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy.
THE PROMISED UPDATE:
OK. It's been a little over a month. 33 days I think.
I am happy to report, the Apple Wine is holding up beautifully!
It has mellowed and become very smooth. It even has a hint of sweetness.
I'm very satisfied.
Now, here are a few details I left out above.
Details:
In Saudi, the wine spent 6 weeks in a room with a constant ambient temperature of about 24C. Here, during the 6 weeks of gestation it was in a room that is air-conditioned about 21 hours a day. So - you can imagine the fluctuation. Not ideal.
And...
I found that once I had bottled it, it still needed more time before drinking. Anyway, I don't remember how, but I ended up putting that bottle in the kitchen -- which is not air conditioned and probably about 30C most of the time. But day-by-day and week by week it has improved.
My Conclusion?
The humidity slows down the gestation process while the heat speeds it up.
So, next batch, I will let the wine gestate in a non air-conditioned room. Then I will begin checking on it after about 3-4 weeks and bottle it when it smells and looks right.
If for some reason that doesn't work, I'll try go back to the air conditioned room on the next round and let it gestate 7 or 8 weeks before bottling.
And if that doesn't work -- I can always just go back to what worked this time -- essentially a
2 Step process of 6 weeks with AC and 1 month in the kitchen after bottling.
One last thing...
Tips:
Yield: Whatever amount of grape juice you start with, the amount of wine you end up with will usually be about 80%.
So, if you start with 12 liters, don't expect more than 9 or 10 (1 liter) bottles of wine.
Red, White and Rose: This time I made apple wine because the shops simply haven't been stocking the grape juice lately.
But if you prefer red wine, just use the red grape juice. For white wine the white grape juice. And if you like rose - mix half and half.
That will be one of my next projects. The rose is actually one of my favorites.
Other than grape or apple? You might be wondering if any other juices will work. The answer is I think so...
You see, in theory, any fruit juice which has its own natural sugars should work, but once in Saudi I tried orange juice: A total disaster!
So, it MIGHT work. But my guess is, any kind of citrus will NOT work. There's simply too much acid.
On the other hand, I think almost any berry or pome (apples, pears) or drupe (peaches, plum, coconut) should produce a very satisfying wine.
I think I'll try making one of these...
How bout you?
You can send questions or comments to:sukkiri2000-wine@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Tj
25 February 2014
Why Indonesia Is A Poor Rich Country
I'm going to go a bit off topic today. (Actually I haven't published in a while because it got to be so much trouble doing all the editing and making things nice n pretty.) You see - there's the idea. Then there's actually getting it down on paper (screen) in a way that makes sense.
Well, from here on out --for a while at least-- I'm conducting and experiment. No massive editing. Just get the thoughts and ideas out there. Add to them later in another blog. Out with the perfectionism. In with the productivity and sharing what's on my mind (so my partner doesn't have to always listen to me repeat them...).
Today's subject is Indonesia.
Unless you live in Southeast Asia, most people don't know much about it. And for good reason. It's not militarily or economically very important on the world stage. You don't exactly have world class universities, tech cities or other great innovations.
And that's what pisses me off. (More on that in a minute.)
Indonesia has almost every resource imaginable. Everything. Minerals, timber, rich fertile land, ocean waters teaming with fish... And that's just the beginning.
In those ocean waters, you'll find some of the most pristine, breathtaking coral on the planet. As well as a diversity of sea life that is almost unparalleled. Think eco-tourism....
Then there is the fertile soil. You can grow almost anything here. And you often have year-round growing. In other words, you can often harvest a crop several times a year.
Oh, and before I forget, the population is 250 million. That's almost as many as the U.S. with 300 million.
So, I ask (rhetorically) with all that vast wealth, why isn't Indonesia a world power or at the very least an economic powerhouse?
To ask in another way: Why is Indonesia so poor and backward?
My opinion?
Because here religion, superstition and the mindless adherence to tradition are all powerful. Most people here simply do not ever reference science, logic or reason when making decisions.
Every major life decision of the vast majority of the population is dictated by the trifecta of religion, superstition and tradition.
Let me give you an example.
Superstition: Here, the belief in black magic is widespread. There was even a law passed recently which makes it possible to imprison someone who is suspected of putting curse on someone else.
Religion: Well, it goes without saying, religion holds an enormous sway over the population. Even those who consider themselves middle or upper class and educated. And everybody kowtows to the caprice and prejudice of the majority because there is no protection under the law.
There are groups which regularly attack and intimidate anyone who attempts to express ideas they are opposed to. And doesn't just mean showing up and protesting peacefully with placards and bullhorns. No. This involves active threats --which are carried out if their demands are not met.
It's a bit like the unions of 100 years ago in the west that would threaten and then destroy property in order to get higher wages. And remember - Not Crossing The Picket Line?
Anyone who dared to go to work during a strike was assaulted and and sometimes killed. Well - it's still like that in Indonesia if you dare to express opinions that these fanatical groups don't approve of. They show up, like those strikers of old and demand that you "cease and distist or else.
Then there is the mindless tradition. Especially prevalent among the ethnic Chinese community. It often seems that no matter how much post-secondary training they receive, they return home to live like their father's father's father's ..... father ad infinity.
There you have it. I see SO much potential in Indonesia which is constantly and continually pissed away by their stubborn refusal to start thinking.
Well, from here on out --for a while at least-- I'm conducting and experiment. No massive editing. Just get the thoughts and ideas out there. Add to them later in another blog. Out with the perfectionism. In with the productivity and sharing what's on my mind (so my partner doesn't have to always listen to me repeat them...).
Today's subject is Indonesia.
Unless you live in Southeast Asia, most people don't know much about it. And for good reason. It's not militarily or economically very important on the world stage. You don't exactly have world class universities, tech cities or other great innovations.
And that's what pisses me off. (More on that in a minute.)
Indonesia has almost every resource imaginable. Everything. Minerals, timber, rich fertile land, ocean waters teaming with fish... And that's just the beginning.
In those ocean waters, you'll find some of the most pristine, breathtaking coral on the planet. As well as a diversity of sea life that is almost unparalleled. Think eco-tourism....
Then there is the fertile soil. You can grow almost anything here. And you often have year-round growing. In other words, you can often harvest a crop several times a year.
Oh, and before I forget, the population is 250 million. That's almost as many as the U.S. with 300 million.
So, I ask (rhetorically) with all that vast wealth, why isn't Indonesia a world power or at the very least an economic powerhouse?
To ask in another way: Why is Indonesia so poor and backward?
My opinion?
Because here religion, superstition and the mindless adherence to tradition are all powerful. Most people here simply do not ever reference science, logic or reason when making decisions.
Every major life decision of the vast majority of the population is dictated by the trifecta of religion, superstition and tradition.
Let me give you an example.
Superstition: Here, the belief in black magic is widespread. There was even a law passed recently which makes it possible to imprison someone who is suspected of putting curse on someone else.
Religion: Well, it goes without saying, religion holds an enormous sway over the population. Even those who consider themselves middle or upper class and educated. And everybody kowtows to the caprice and prejudice of the majority because there is no protection under the law.
There are groups which regularly attack and intimidate anyone who attempts to express ideas they are opposed to. And doesn't just mean showing up and protesting peacefully with placards and bullhorns. No. This involves active threats --which are carried out if their demands are not met.
It's a bit like the unions of 100 years ago in the west that would threaten and then destroy property in order to get higher wages. And remember - Not Crossing The Picket Line?
Anyone who dared to go to work during a strike was assaulted and and sometimes killed. Well - it's still like that in Indonesia if you dare to express opinions that these fanatical groups don't approve of. They show up, like those strikers of old and demand that you "cease and distist or else.
Then there is the mindless tradition. Especially prevalent among the ethnic Chinese community. It often seems that no matter how much post-secondary training they receive, they return home to live like their father's father's father's ..... father ad infinity.
There you have it. I see SO much potential in Indonesia which is constantly and continually pissed away by their stubborn refusal to start thinking.
27 July 2012
Pirate Banks? Or Pirate governments?
It's an interesting question.
And one that answers itself --depending on where you stand.
Oh -- before I get too far -- this is in reference to an article recently published by CNBC.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/wealthy-stash-21-trillion-pirate-160830668.html
As I was saying...
The thrust of the article is to report some "research" by a left leaning think tank in the US (the so called "Tax Justice Network USA"), accusing many private banks around the world of colluding with the rich to hide their wealth from the US government.
The article calls the banks helping these people - PIRATES.
Which is VERY interesting.
Yes. You could just dismiss this as cheap name calling, (which it is).
Or you might assume the author thought 'pirate' sounded similar to 'private' and it was a nice pun. Again, a pretty cheap one. One that doesn't show much intellectual horsepower.
But when you really think about it...
If you analyze what he's really saying it's nothing short of shocking...and stupid.
But I'm also curious: Does this writer even realise what he's said?
But don't just take it from me. You decide....
Here's what I mean:
A pirate is basically a mugger on the seas. Someone who comes up to your boat or ship. He puts a gun to your head and says give me the valuable goods on this ship -- OR ELSE.
--Right?
He didn't work for the goods. He didn't take the risks involved in producing, selling, transporting or delivering the goods. But he wants them just the same. To spend on booze, whores and fine living.
What about Taxes?
Even the most left leaning person will admit:
If you don't satisfy the tax collecting authority in your country --- if you don't pay the amounts THEY determine you should...
People carrying guns WILL come to your home or business.
Governments collect taxes at the end of a barrel of a gun.
Back to the rich and their money.
It's happening around the world. Tax rates are rising -- especially for the rich. They make great political scapegoats.
But answer this. If your government suddenly decided that you should give them 75% of your wealth ---as they recently have in France --- would you just stand by?
Or would you be looking for ways to keep that money?
Money you worked hard for. For years. Risking everything. Working nights, weekends and holidays.
When the people collecting welfare were enjoying their free time and government benefits, you had your nose to the grindstone.
And if you could find a way to hide the money -- to keep what you had so rightfully earned with your blood, sweat, tears and premature gray hairs? Would you?
Now imagine you got help from a bank in PROTECTING your wealth. Help keeping your money out of the grasping, rapacious hands of wasteful government....
************************
SIDEBAR:
Government: A black hole.
Even if government COULD get their hands on all that wealth. Do we image for one moment that would solve the problem? How long would it be before government would be back AGAIN looking for even more money.
An intelligent investor knows how to make money grow. How to multiply money.
Government is expert at the opposite. Making money diminish. Turning dollar into pennies.
Making policies that make doing business harder, costlier and riskier. Enforcement of laws (which costs money) that actually make businesses less efficient. Less profitable. Able to pay less tax!
END of SIDEBAR
***************************
Would you consider yourself or the bank helping you A PIRATE?
See how dishonest this is? How twisted? How unbelievably stupid?
To put this into perspective, this is like a mugger running a protection racket coming to your business or home. He demands the majority of all your money.
But he soon realises you don't have ANY cash on hand. Nothing.
Not only that, you've just moved out. So you have nothing he can take or destroy.
Your business or home is empty except for a simple wooden stool you sit on.
Would you give him your new address?
The mugger then goes outside and starts screaming that YOU ROBBED HIM of the money he deserved.
That YOU ARE A PIRATE!
That's rich.
So rich, I doubt the person who wrote that gave it a second thought because he isn't showing any more intelligence or honesty than most governments.
Piracy and Taxes
Isn't government the one that puts a gun to your head and demands a certain percentage of your wealth in order to keep your life and freedom?
And governments believe they have a RIGHT to as much of your wealth as they arbitrarily decide.
Of course, governments can believe anything they want. And they DO make the rules. They can say: "Because you live and work inside the borders of the land I control, I'm going to take 75% of your money for myself."
Sure. They can do whatever they want. They have the guns.
But
Seriously. Let's at least be honest
Who is the PIRATE?
Who is raping and pillaging at will?
Who takes what they want because they have a bigger gun?
Not because they earned it. Not because they worked for it. But because they say it is theirs. And because they have the guns to force you and me into submission.
You see -- the whole argument this guy is putting forth rests on the idea that YOUR money is not your own. That --- if the government so decides --- they can take everything you have. And if you use the laws they wrote to try to protect yourself, if you dare to outsmart them (as these rich people apparently have...
YOU ARE A PIRATE.
In short this author --- and many people out there --- believe that what is yours REALLY BELONGS TO THE GOVERNMENT.
That you are a stupid, senseless cow to be milked and slaughtered at will. An asset of the state. A serf.
That your sole purpose in existing is to produce EVER MORE taxes for a government.... so it can continue to make laws that give it ever more power over every aspect of your life, impede commerce and eventually make everyone poor.
Do you believe that?
And one that answers itself --depending on where you stand.
Oh -- before I get too far -- this is in reference to an article recently published by CNBC.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/wealthy-stash-21-trillion-pirate-160830668.html
As I was saying...
The thrust of the article is to report some "research" by a left leaning think tank in the US (the so called "Tax Justice Network USA"), accusing many private banks around the world of colluding with the rich to hide their wealth from the US government.
The article calls the banks helping these people - PIRATES.
Which is VERY interesting.
Yes. You could just dismiss this as cheap name calling, (which it is).
Or you might assume the author thought 'pirate' sounded similar to 'private' and it was a nice pun. Again, a pretty cheap one. One that doesn't show much intellectual horsepower.
But when you really think about it...
If you analyze what he's really saying it's nothing short of shocking...and stupid.
But I'm also curious: Does this writer even realise what he's said?
But don't just take it from me. You decide....
Here's what I mean:
A pirate is basically a mugger on the seas. Someone who comes up to your boat or ship. He puts a gun to your head and says give me the valuable goods on this ship -- OR ELSE.
--Right?
He didn't work for the goods. He didn't take the risks involved in producing, selling, transporting or delivering the goods. But he wants them just the same. To spend on booze, whores and fine living.
What about Taxes?
Even the most left leaning person will admit:
If you don't satisfy the tax collecting authority in your country --- if you don't pay the amounts THEY determine you should...
People carrying guns WILL come to your home or business.
Governments collect taxes at the end of a barrel of a gun.
Back to the rich and their money.
It's happening around the world. Tax rates are rising -- especially for the rich. They make great political scapegoats.
But answer this. If your government suddenly decided that you should give them 75% of your wealth ---as they recently have in France --- would you just stand by?
Or would you be looking for ways to keep that money?
Money you worked hard for. For years. Risking everything. Working nights, weekends and holidays.
When the people collecting welfare were enjoying their free time and government benefits, you had your nose to the grindstone.
And if you could find a way to hide the money -- to keep what you had so rightfully earned with your blood, sweat, tears and premature gray hairs? Would you?
Now imagine you got help from a bank in PROTECTING your wealth. Help keeping your money out of the grasping, rapacious hands of wasteful government....
************************
SIDEBAR:
Government: A black hole.
Even if government COULD get their hands on all that wealth. Do we image for one moment that would solve the problem? How long would it be before government would be back AGAIN looking for even more money.
An intelligent investor knows how to make money grow. How to multiply money.
Government is expert at the opposite. Making money diminish. Turning dollar into pennies.
Making policies that make doing business harder, costlier and riskier. Enforcement of laws (which costs money) that actually make businesses less efficient. Less profitable. Able to pay less tax!
END of SIDEBAR
***************************
Would you consider yourself or the bank helping you A PIRATE?
See how dishonest this is? How twisted? How unbelievably stupid?
To put this into perspective, this is like a mugger running a protection racket coming to your business or home. He demands the majority of all your money.
But he soon realises you don't have ANY cash on hand. Nothing.
Not only that, you've just moved out. So you have nothing he can take or destroy.
Your business or home is empty except for a simple wooden stool you sit on.
Would you give him your new address?
The mugger then goes outside and starts screaming that YOU ROBBED HIM of the money he deserved.
That YOU ARE A PIRATE!
That's rich.
So rich, I doubt the person who wrote that gave it a second thought because he isn't showing any more intelligence or honesty than most governments.
Piracy and Taxes
Isn't government the one that puts a gun to your head and demands a certain percentage of your wealth in order to keep your life and freedom?
And governments believe they have a RIGHT to as much of your wealth as they arbitrarily decide.
Of course, governments can believe anything they want. And they DO make the rules. They can say: "Because you live and work inside the borders of the land I control, I'm going to take 75% of your money for myself."
Sure. They can do whatever they want. They have the guns.
But
Seriously. Let's at least be honest
Who is the PIRATE?
Who is raping and pillaging at will?
Who takes what they want because they have a bigger gun?
Not because they earned it. Not because they worked for it. But because they say it is theirs. And because they have the guns to force you and me into submission.
You see -- the whole argument this guy is putting forth rests on the idea that YOUR money is not your own. That --- if the government so decides --- they can take everything you have. And if you use the laws they wrote to try to protect yourself, if you dare to outsmart them (as these rich people apparently have...
YOU ARE A PIRATE.
In short this author --- and many people out there --- believe that what is yours REALLY BELONGS TO THE GOVERNMENT.
That you are a stupid, senseless cow to be milked and slaughtered at will. An asset of the state. A serf.
That your sole purpose in existing is to produce EVER MORE taxes for a government.... so it can continue to make laws that give it ever more power over every aspect of your life, impede commerce and eventually make everyone poor.
Do you believe that?
08 May 2012
A Tragically Foolish Old Woman
There was a little girl who had few friends as a child and even fewer as she grew up.
She didn't know why.
All the children avoided her.
But every child knew exactly why they avoided her.
She didn't share her toys. And she hit the other children.
But there was more.
She would bring big brother with her when she went to the other kids house. He would hide then come in when the other kid wasn't looking.
He would hit and kick the child while she would stand and watch.
It didn't matter how they screamed or cried. She just watched. Sometimes she even left and went home while her brother continued kicking and punching.
Now she was grown.
She still went to their house. She still wanted to play the childish games of youth.
And she still brought her brother with her.
Most - realising this - continued to avoid her.
But she was so persistant.
Day in and out.
Beating at the gate. Sometimes climbing the fence.
Or just peering through.
Sometimes they let her in because she looked so sad and pittiful. Other times because they hoped she'd changed.
But they soon found out. Her brother still hid then came in later. She still hit and kicked. And then her brother would start.
As a result, most still avoided her. But some now began to fight back. To call her the bully and cruel beastly coward she was.
To tell her that no friend treated their friends that way.
They told her, they'd grown up. And that if she ever wanted to come over again she had to CHANGE.
That's when she screamed that they had to forgive her.
And their eyes went white when she said that she'd already forgiven them.
She said they couldn't hold her brother responsible. He had problems. They needed to understand. And forgive.
Most refused and turned cold.
Her circle of friends continued to dwindle.
Yet she continued to come back. Beating at the gate. Loudly.
Sometimes she pretended nothing had ever happened. Another day, she tried pity, guilt, tears.
And as before. When they wouldn't let her in, she occasionally jumped the fence and had to be thrown out.
That's when she made a scene. Calling the others cruel. Sometimes her brother was there as well to hurl insults and accusations.
In the end - she only had two friends left. One no longer human. Clearly a broken horse that no longer resisted the abuse and beatings. He stood lifeless and senseless.
Then there was her brother.
Oh. Yes. You probably guessed. He WAS mentally sick. And Yes. He also beat her.
And that is how this old woman died. Alone with no friends. Even her family had long since tired of her abuse.
She had no one except for the man who beat her and the broken one she beat.
And with her dying breath she bleated: But, they have to forgive me. She repeated this again and again.
As if the repetition would make it come true. But what she never in her life faced was that forgiveness is not just a one way street.
To be truly be forgiven --in heaven and on earth-- as they teach in the 12 step programs, one must admit errors, stop doing that which is wrong and make amends where possible.
But the true and sad tragedy is that this foolish old woman dies never taking responsibility, never doing what is right, never facing the truth of life and most of all - never living.
As she breathes her last, her dying thoughts torment her with guilt and self-pity.
She didn't know why.
All the children avoided her.
But every child knew exactly why they avoided her.
She didn't share her toys. And she hit the other children.
But there was more.
She would bring big brother with her when she went to the other kids house. He would hide then come in when the other kid wasn't looking.
He would hit and kick the child while she would stand and watch.
It didn't matter how they screamed or cried. She just watched. Sometimes she even left and went home while her brother continued kicking and punching.
Now she was grown.
She still went to their house. She still wanted to play the childish games of youth.
And she still brought her brother with her.
Most - realising this - continued to avoid her.
But she was so persistant.
Day in and out.
Beating at the gate. Sometimes climbing the fence.
Or just peering through.
Sometimes they let her in because she looked so sad and pittiful. Other times because they hoped she'd changed.
But they soon found out. Her brother still hid then came in later. She still hit and kicked. And then her brother would start.
As a result, most still avoided her. But some now began to fight back. To call her the bully and cruel beastly coward she was.
To tell her that no friend treated their friends that way.
They told her, they'd grown up. And that if she ever wanted to come over again she had to CHANGE.
That's when she screamed that they had to forgive her.
And their eyes went white when she said that she'd already forgiven them.
She said they couldn't hold her brother responsible. He had problems. They needed to understand. And forgive.
Most refused and turned cold.
Her circle of friends continued to dwindle.
Yet she continued to come back. Beating at the gate. Loudly.
Sometimes she pretended nothing had ever happened. Another day, she tried pity, guilt, tears.
And as before. When they wouldn't let her in, she occasionally jumped the fence and had to be thrown out.
That's when she made a scene. Calling the others cruel. Sometimes her brother was there as well to hurl insults and accusations.
In the end - she only had two friends left. One no longer human. Clearly a broken horse that no longer resisted the abuse and beatings. He stood lifeless and senseless.
Then there was her brother.
Oh. Yes. You probably guessed. He WAS mentally sick. And Yes. He also beat her.
And that is how this old woman died. Alone with no friends. Even her family had long since tired of her abuse.
She had no one except for the man who beat her and the broken one she beat.
And with her dying breath she bleated: But, they have to forgive me. She repeated this again and again.
As if the repetition would make it come true. But what she never in her life faced was that forgiveness is not just a one way street.
To be truly be forgiven --in heaven and on earth-- as they teach in the 12 step programs, one must admit errors, stop doing that which is wrong and make amends where possible.
But the true and sad tragedy is that this foolish old woman dies never taking responsibility, never doing what is right, never facing the truth of life and most of all - never living.
As she breathes her last, her dying thoughts torment her with guilt and self-pity.
03 May 2012
Is Tax One Of Your Sacred Cows?
Tax is a bit of a sacred cow in most countries today. Not sure?
That's OK.
Here. Let me show you. I'm going to propose something that will probably shock you. It may even anger you. In fact -- you may want to start calling me names or worse once you read it.
If you have even a hint of such a reaction - then this IS a sacred cow for you.
Ready?
We should drop the current so-called "progressive" system of taxation in favor of a "regressive". Actually those names are as inaccurate as when they first started calling that beautiful oasis in the North Atlantic, Iceland to ward off other hungry explorers, greedy for conquest and gain. Then they called that nearly useless block of ice, Greenland.
See?
Same deal with "progressive" and "regressive".
The former sounds so, well, progressive. Modern and enlightened. And that is how it is passed off. Of course it refers to a system that progressively INcreases the tax rate or percentage the MORE one earns.
Punishing productivity.
Then we have regressive. Which - again - sounds backward, medieval & dark. In such a system, one's tax rate DEcreases the more she earns.
Ahhh.... And therein lies the rub.
The current system of so-called progressive taxation --- as we all know --- is designed to PUNISH those with higher and higher earnings.
At the risk of sounding patronizing, let me repeat for clarity. That means one is REWARDED for earning LESS. Rewarded for being LESS productive. And PUNISHED for producing more. For being more economically competent and diligent.
Hmmmm....
See the problem here?
Consider that in any system -- you get more of the behavior you reward.
In the home, schools, businesses, hospitals, government offices, prisons.... any place people gather and work together.
If you reward the behavior you DON'T want, you will get more of it.
Conversely, it is common knowledge that when the desired behaviors are acknowledged and rewarded institutions get what they want.
To illustrate this, let's as what would happen if we used the same logic for the law.
Generally speaking an offender will receive a LONGER sentence for Murder 1, than for Murder 2. And likewise, Murder 2 is more harshly treated than Murder 3.
Just a little refresher.
Murder One is planned and premeditated. Murder in cold blood so to speak. Murder Two could more accurately be called a crime of passion. And of course, Murder Three is basically killing by negligence.
What would our system of law and justice look like IF --- as with "progressive" taxes --- the law deal lightly with the most heinous behavior and harshly with trivial offenses?
To illustrate my point, indulge me.
What if we had a system that meted out the harshest punishment for Murder 3 and the lightest for Murder 1?
Insane - Right?
Unbelievable. Twisted.
Back to our question of taxation.
How is Punishing people for earning MORE money any different?
Are you angry yet?
Are you defending the current system?
Why?
Because you've never known anything else? Or because it really is the best?
All right. Let's just say for a moment it IS somehow the "right" thing to do.
That somehow punishing the most productive members of society is good.
But --- even if that be so --- by the simple law of human nature and psychology
won't we tend to get more of what we reward?
Won't the countries with the most "progressive" systems tend to get poorer and poorer?
And those jurisdictions with less "progressive" tax policies richer and richer?
If you're like me, you see that -- even though it might still feel a bit strange because
of the propaganda we've been force-fed our whole life -- a REGRESSIVE
tax makes a lot of sense.
Let's go one step further and imagine a regressive system for a moment:
In a regressive system of taxation, the bottom earners would pay the highest rate.
Let's say we split the population into 4 tiers.
The bottom 20 percentile
The middle 20 - 80 percentile and
The top, from 80 - 99
And then the top 1 percent.
Let's say the people earning the least pay 25% tax.
The middle pay 15%
Those from 80-99 percentile 5%.
And the top 1% pay NO tax at all.
Would YOU be motivated to earn more money?
So --- How did you do? Is Tax a Sacred Cow for YOU?
If you did, it's OK.
The important thing is to begin thinking...and questioning.
Being willing to examine things we've taken for granted up till now.
To slay sacred cows where ever we find
them.
Because we ALL have them. It's just human nature. We all have blind spots.
The mark of humanity, though, is to have fewer and fewer as one grows in years
and hopefully wisdom.
But just be forewarned. when you begin slaying your sacred cows,
I hope you'll be careful who you share your views with.
Because there are vast numbers of people ready to kill for their beliefs.
Beliefs which most have never examined or questioned.
We see many of those people on the TV and in the newspapers shouting that they are
part of the 99% and proud of it.
Well --- this may be the subject for another post, but I wouldn't never proudly
shout that I was part of the 99%.
I have too much respect for and understanding of the contribution the top 1% make to bad
mouth them.
Anyway - I vote for a regressive tax system that rewards the most productive, intelligent
diligent humans. Not one that progressively kills the golden goose...
How About You?
That's OK.
Here. Let me show you. I'm going to propose something that will probably shock you. It may even anger you. In fact -- you may want to start calling me names or worse once you read it.
If you have even a hint of such a reaction - then this IS a sacred cow for you.
Ready?
We should drop the current so-called "progressive" system of taxation in favor of a "regressive". Actually those names are as inaccurate as when they first started calling that beautiful oasis in the North Atlantic, Iceland to ward off other hungry explorers, greedy for conquest and gain. Then they called that nearly useless block of ice, Greenland.
See?
Same deal with "progressive" and "regressive".
The former sounds so, well, progressive. Modern and enlightened. And that is how it is passed off. Of course it refers to a system that progressively INcreases the tax rate or percentage the MORE one earns.
Punishing productivity.
Then we have regressive. Which - again - sounds backward, medieval & dark. In such a system, one's tax rate DEcreases the more she earns.
Ahhh.... And therein lies the rub.
The current system of so-called progressive taxation --- as we all know --- is designed to PUNISH those with higher and higher earnings.
At the risk of sounding patronizing, let me repeat for clarity. That means one is REWARDED for earning LESS. Rewarded for being LESS productive. And PUNISHED for producing more. For being more economically competent and diligent.
Hmmmm....
See the problem here?
Consider that in any system -- you get more of the behavior you reward.
In the home, schools, businesses, hospitals, government offices, prisons.... any place people gather and work together.
If you reward the behavior you DON'T want, you will get more of it.
Conversely, it is common knowledge that when the desired behaviors are acknowledged and rewarded institutions get what they want.
To illustrate this, let's as what would happen if we used the same logic for the law.
Generally speaking an offender will receive a LONGER sentence for Murder 1, than for Murder 2. And likewise, Murder 2 is more harshly treated than Murder 3.
Just a little refresher.
Murder One is planned and premeditated. Murder in cold blood so to speak. Murder Two could more accurately be called a crime of passion. And of course, Murder Three is basically killing by negligence.
What would our system of law and justice look like IF --- as with "progressive" taxes --- the law deal lightly with the most heinous behavior and harshly with trivial offenses?
To illustrate my point, indulge me.
What if we had a system that meted out the harshest punishment for Murder 3 and the lightest for Murder 1?
Insane - Right?
Unbelievable. Twisted.
Back to our question of taxation.
How is Punishing people for earning MORE money any different?
Are you angry yet?
Are you defending the current system?
Why?
Because you've never known anything else? Or because it really is the best?
All right. Let's just say for a moment it IS somehow the "right" thing to do.
That somehow punishing the most productive members of society is good.
But --- even if that be so --- by the simple law of human nature and psychology
won't we tend to get more of what we reward?
Won't the countries with the most "progressive" systems tend to get poorer and poorer?
And those jurisdictions with less "progressive" tax policies richer and richer?
If you're like me, you see that -- even though it might still feel a bit strange because
of the propaganda we've been force-fed our whole life -- a REGRESSIVE
tax makes a lot of sense.
Let's go one step further and imagine a regressive system for a moment:
In a regressive system of taxation, the bottom earners would pay the highest rate.
Let's say we split the population into 4 tiers.
The bottom 20 percentile
The middle 20 - 80 percentile and
The top, from 80 - 99
And then the top 1 percent.
Let's say the people earning the least pay 25% tax.
The middle pay 15%
Those from 80-99 percentile 5%.
And the top 1% pay NO tax at all.
Would YOU be motivated to earn more money?
So --- How did you do? Is Tax a Sacred Cow for YOU?
If you did, it's OK.
The important thing is to begin thinking...and questioning.
Being willing to examine things we've taken for granted up till now.
To slay sacred cows where ever we find
them.
Because we ALL have them. It's just human nature. We all have blind spots.
The mark of humanity, though, is to have fewer and fewer as one grows in years
and hopefully wisdom.
But just be forewarned. when you begin slaying your sacred cows,
I hope you'll be careful who you share your views with.
Because there are vast numbers of people ready to kill for their beliefs.
Beliefs which most have never examined or questioned.
We see many of those people on the TV and in the newspapers shouting that they are
part of the 99% and proud of it.
Well --- this may be the subject for another post, but I wouldn't never proudly
shout that I was part of the 99%.
I have too much respect for and understanding of the contribution the top 1% make to bad
mouth them.
Anyway - I vote for a regressive tax system that rewards the most productive, intelligent
diligent humans. Not one that progressively kills the golden goose...
How About You?
23 April 2012
Creative Writing Major Unemployable? Surprised? REALLY?
Can you believe it? In this day and age?
OK - I'm getting ahead of myself.
I read an article today about poor, poor graduates -- over 50% apparently-- who can't find jobs.
Here's the link:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-2-graduates-jobless-underemployed-140300522.html
At first brush, it sounds horrible. Tsk, tsk...
Until...
You read far enough to lose all empathy with them. In fact - I can only call them suckers. Dupes. Marks who's been scammed by the so-called education system, their own ignorance, greed and stupidity.
Harsh?
Because, the people who are working "below" their education, the so called 'under-employed' or those who end up working in a totally different field than their major, the so-called 'mal-employed' have chosen majors for which there is no economic use.
Can you believe? --- drum roll please --- they chose such majors as Creative Writing!
I'm baffled. WHY would anyone do that I ask myself.
OK. Fine. Whatever. It's his or her life. To each her own.
Choosing a major is not easy.
I've seen the extremes while at university:
On the one side, I knew a girl in university who was an English major. When I asked her what she planned to do with that degree, she answered:
"I don't care if I have to wait tables later. I am going to study what I'm interested in now."
I don't agree with her, but I at least respect her. She knew what she wanted and was willing to pay the price.
Then on the other side were people --many-- getting into the Business or Engineering schools ONLY because that's where the bucks and prestige were.
OK. Fair enough. Each knew what they were biting off and were fully prepared for the consequences.
What I find nauseating are those who --like squealing pigs-- are either willfully stupid, stubborn, obtuse and just plain block-headed....
OR...
who truly are IDIOTS who are not educated, cannot think and have learned nothing and then
CRY FOUL!
Oh....poor poor me.... (sniff, sniff).
Come on. Society has been convulsing with tectonic changes for the last 25 years.
Seriously.
How could anyone today even THINK you could find a job paying a living wage with a Creative Writing degree?
If I am an entrepreneur running a small company -- and most new businesses are small. In fact, the most vibrant part of the economy, the backbone, the ones that do most of the hiring are Small businesses.
Let's do a little though exercise:
As a small business owner - would YOU have any use for a Creative Writing graduate?
Let's see:
Can he or she...
Sell?
Write marketing materials?
Keep my books?
Program or network my computers?
Manage my client database?
Run my office?
...........
Hmmm..... No on all counts?
Get the picture?
Multiply that several million times.
Sounds ridiculous that someone would choose such a useless major - doesn't it?...
Only to be bitterly surprised AFTER graduation?
Could it be --- (gasp!) that in 4 or 5 years our lauded graduate never once engaged in the preceeding thought excercise?
Either because he or she was TOO OBTUSE or TOO DENSE...
In the end, it sounds to me like these people are, if anything, OVER employed --- earning as much if not MORE than they are truly worth.
OK - I'm getting ahead of myself.
I read an article today about poor, poor graduates -- over 50% apparently-- who can't find jobs.
Here's the link:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-2-graduates-jobless-underemployed-140300522.html
At first brush, it sounds horrible. Tsk, tsk...
Until...
You read far enough to lose all empathy with them. In fact - I can only call them suckers. Dupes. Marks who's been scammed by the so-called education system, their own ignorance, greed and stupidity.
Harsh?
Because, the people who are working "below" their education, the so called 'under-employed' or those who end up working in a totally different field than their major, the so-called 'mal-employed' have chosen majors for which there is no economic use.
Can you believe? --- drum roll please --- they chose such majors as Creative Writing!
I'm baffled. WHY would anyone do that I ask myself.
OK. Fine. Whatever. It's his or her life. To each her own.
Choosing a major is not easy.
I've seen the extremes while at university:
On the one side, I knew a girl in university who was an English major. When I asked her what she planned to do with that degree, she answered:
"I don't care if I have to wait tables later. I am going to study what I'm interested in now."
I don't agree with her, but I at least respect her. She knew what she wanted and was willing to pay the price.
Then on the other side were people --many-- getting into the Business or Engineering schools ONLY because that's where the bucks and prestige were.
OK. Fair enough. Each knew what they were biting off and were fully prepared for the consequences.
What I find nauseating are those who --like squealing pigs-- are either willfully stupid, stubborn, obtuse and just plain block-headed....
OR...
who truly are IDIOTS who are not educated, cannot think and have learned nothing and then
CRY FOUL!
Oh....poor poor me.... (sniff, sniff).
Come on. Society has been convulsing with tectonic changes for the last 25 years.
Seriously.
How could anyone today even THINK you could find a job paying a living wage with a Creative Writing degree?
If I am an entrepreneur running a small company -- and most new businesses are small. In fact, the most vibrant part of the economy, the backbone, the ones that do most of the hiring are Small businesses.
Let's do a little though exercise:
As a small business owner - would YOU have any use for a Creative Writing graduate?
Let's see:
Can he or she...
Sell?
Write marketing materials?
Keep my books?
Program or network my computers?
Manage my client database?
Run my office?
...........
Hmmm..... No on all counts?
Get the picture?
Multiply that several million times.
Sounds ridiculous that someone would choose such a useless major - doesn't it?...
Only to be bitterly surprised AFTER graduation?
Could it be --- (gasp!) that in 4 or 5 years our lauded graduate never once engaged in the preceeding thought excercise?
Either because he or she was TOO OBTUSE or TOO DENSE...
In the end, it sounds to me like these people are, if anything, OVER employed --- earning as much if not MORE than they are truly worth.
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