The Wal-Mart Doctrine

Wal-Mart is a global institution. With a quick change in it's policies it can create major global impact whether that be good or bad. Wal-Mart has enormous impact by having 1.9 million associates, over 200 million customers, and a astounding 10 percent of all retail spending that takes place in its stores worldwide. All of this is well documented, giving the Wal-Mart world a major stake in its responsibility to all of the global ills. Wal-Mart drastically changed the global business landscape through it ruthless focus on price. This has become their doctrine.

Doctrine (Latin: doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system.

For Wal-Mart, price-availability-choice, this is the belief structure of its patrons. They expect a great value and a low price. Quality is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Wal-Mart. But, people or industry can become brain washed as to what value is based on the mass appeal.

Often doctrine specifically refers to a religious dogma as it is promulgated by a church, but not necessarily: doctrine is also used to refer to a principle of law, in the common law traditions, established through a history of past decisions, such as the doctrine of self-defense, or the principle of fair use, or the more narrowly applicable first-sale doctrine. In some organizations, doctrine is simply defined as 'that which is taught', in other words the basis for institutional teaching of its personnel about its internal ways of doing business.

Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization, thought to be authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted or diverged from.

It is the 'not to be doubted, or disputed' that can sometimes get us all in trouble. Look at the Catholic Church for example. If it weren't for Martin Luther and his thesis nailed to the doors of the church or Galileo and his discoveries as precidents for doubt and dispute, and the list goes on, we could still be living in the dark ages. And they do still try. But, I digress.

Charles Fishman, author of the bestselling book The Wal-Mart Effect says, "If Wal-Mart is serious about sustainability, it can have an incredible impact on how the economy operates,". How could one store have such an impact? Well here are a few amazing stats that makes this one company a global retail institution:

94 percent: the number of Americans who live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.
62 percent: the number of Americans who live within 5 miles of a Wal-Mart store.
57 percent: Percent of American adults who shop at Wal-Mart every week.
127 million: Number of Americans who shop at Wal-Mart each week.
$6,778: Profit per employee at Wal-Mart. (1.9M +/- employees)
$180,000: Profit per employee at Microsoft. (63,564+/- employees)
$480,000: profit per employee at Exxon/Mobil. (106,100+/- employees)

Wal-Mart has been touting their major moves to be a more green and conscious company. While this is a great thing due to their enormous power on such a mass scale, is it real? We have dicussed at length the mob mentality of our society. The following of trends and such. We have also discussed the republican ways of by saying something enough times, whether it is truth or not, people will begin to believe it. With Wal-Mart, if they master this technique it can have major repercussions throughout the world.

Wal-Mart created what is called, the Personal Sustainability Project, or PSP. It began in 2007 to which its employees, primarily in the U.S., were asked to become more green. They were asked to become examples to their community and take steps that will benefit themselves, their community and the earth. Easy tasks include driving the speed limit to save on gas, cleaning up trash, quit smoking, switch to a reusable bottle, or turn off the tap when brushing one's teeth.

Wal-Mart sells a lot of cigarettes and bottled water, again I digress.

It's part of a company wide sustainability effort Wal-Mart launched in 2005. This campaign has seen the company do everything from pledging to double the efficiency of its truck fleet to pushing General Mills to shrink Hamburger Helper boxes by replacing crinkly noodles with straight.

"The program", says Fishman, "is an example of corporate America filling a role akin to churches and community organizations—and that's not a bad thing as long as it doesn't drift in the direction of being some kind of compulsion, it's wonderful."

Critics say that if Wal-Mart cared for making the world a better place, and the quality and sustainability of their employees lives they might think about starting with the paychecks, benefits, and their labor practices. Wait, that would directly cost the company money. Wal-Mart has been involved in numerous lawsuits over sex discrimination, anti-union tactics, mandatory overtime, and more. But some would say with an organization as large as this that goes without saying. What community with over 1.9 million people would NOT have these kinds of claims.

Being the largest retailer in the world, could they not also use their platform to change how their suppliers and manufacturers use slave labor sweatshops, and their dumping of pollutants and toxins in rivers, their massive production of inexpensive non-recyclable plastic products which are barged and shipped halfway around the world? What about the perfectly good products that get thrown out because they are now outdated and past regulatory time lines? What about the hundreds of thousands of employees who earn 7 dollars an hour at Wal-Mart with no health insurance, a car payment, a school loan payment and must support a family of five?

There is a large societal complaint of social justice before environmental justice. This is a company with many ills that must be addressed. Are they beginning their campaign through the fashioned phrases of our society vs the necessary needs of it employees survival? There are many small towns in America today that, due to Wal-Mart the character and small business communities have been closed and disappeared due to the locale of the superstore. Despite these complaints, this is the most shopped store in the country.

Although, Wal-Mart is known to do audits of all of their suppliers factories at least 4 times a year. They are testing both solar power and wind power potential and implementing hundreds of stores to be 0 energy, as well as initiating mandatory subtle changes with their suppliers relating to sustainability. Some would say, that it is changes like this that are putting some these companies out of business or pushing them to manufacture overseas.

Despite all of the good and the bad that this company can create we all must realize that there are three sides to every story. Their side, our perception, and the truth.


Thanks to:
Mother Jones
The Wal-Mart Effect



This, the 209th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Death of a Salesman?

When you think about it, Henry Paulson is a new kind of Willy Loman. If there has ever been a sales job done it has been Paulson with the ultimate. Arthur Miller would have had a heyday with this one.

In the famed play by Mr. Marilyn Monroe, he had an aging salesman who is no longer able to earn a living, and receives only a small commission. He is losing his mind and has attempted to kill himself by inhaling gas from the water heater, as well as crashing his car. He is obsessed with the post war interpretation of the American Dream.

In the new revised story we have Paulson making everyone else lose their minds, and rather than inhaling gas from the water heater we find ourselves swallowing an unbearable oil pricing as we listen to the news about South Dakota Congressman Bill Janklow getting off for murdering someone with his car. The obsession with the post war interpretation is now obsessed by the ongoing multi manufactured war and the failing interpretation of the American Dream.

Well, Henry Paulson makes a slightly different new Willy Loman than the original character, but he has created many just like Loman due to his sale of the century. Perhaps Paulson is more like Willy's brother, Ben. Ben is the wealthy and recently deceased older brother who only appears during Willy's day dreams and time shifts. Willy looks up to him with the highest regard. Perhaps Congress is more like Willy Loman, but let's move on. But, Miller's Willy worked for a man who only had to wake up in the morning, put his slippers on, and make phone calls, and had made millions of dollars. Willy assumes that one does not need to work or have ambition, but that all these men needed was a "smile and a shoeshine" to be successful. So, as the new kind of Willy, Paulson came from the failed companies that we, as the tax payer pansies (or is it ponzies?), are now bailing out. He had reached a dead end in his career. This new Willy was at the top of his game but the sky was falling in on him. His only recourse to his career and life was the ultimate sale, the ultimate con. The final closeout, pre-holiday sale. And that he did.

In a sense Paulson has just shown the American people that the American dream can still exist. He created a Trillion dollar sale within a few weeks at best to give him, Bush and cronies their job security and offshore padding to last many lifetimes. What a commission! With that said, again, perhaps Paulson is more of brother Ben. By making a few calls and doing a few meetings he has been able to take the retirement away from nearly everyone for two generations at least. He has bested some of the greatest salesman of the world with this one.

Congress sat back and ate up the whole story. Like the old Willy Loman. The new Willy, Henry Paulson, sold everyone on the idea that the world was going to crash if this money isn't put into the bad home loans immediately. Has any of the money that has already been distributed gotten there yet? No, the economy just gets worse. So, the new Willy, in another amazing sale, Paulson comes forward and states that he thought that the industry need stability first. I guess he forgot to mention that in the initial discussions. So, is the industry stable now?

This modern story of the famed play is taking different turns and we get to watch it play out. In the final scene of Miller's play we have fittingly a funeral scene, with everyone standing over Willy's grave. Biff who is Willy's oldest son, Happy who is the younger son, Linda who is Willy's wife, and their neighbors Charley and Bernard. The eldest son, at this point learns to accept himself for what is, Happy, the younger generation still wants to carry on Willy's dream of success in the city, and Linda explains that she can't cry. Despite all of the problems that Miller's Willy Loman had she had made the last payment on the house, ending with the words "We're free, we're free..."

In Paulson's rendition the ending is going to play out a bit differently. The older generation will remain the same and will resign themselves to what is, and the younger generation will also remain similar and try to carry out the American dream in the big city. This is America and always has been. But, for the character of Linda, there will be that day when there will be no more tears left but there will be no more house left to make a final payment on as the foreclosure took that dream away. That dream that Bush so proudly talked early on in his first term of helping American's get into a home and enjoy the American dream of home ownership. The pre-planning was happening and no one noticed.

With Paulson creating the new generation of Willy Loman, we give Paulson the great ironic line that Miller gave to Happy, who says it best. "All right, boy. I’m gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have-to come out number-one man.”




This, the 208th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Money...

Money is high on the consciousness of our global society at this time. What exactly does it mean for you? It holds a different grip on different personalities and societies throughout the world.

Some have it, and some don't. Some can get it, and some won't. Some hoard it, and some use it to help. Some prize it for the ways it buys their desires and some just let it go.

The news has made me think of the song, Money, many times over the past few months.

I find some irony in this as well. The incredible blues rock band named Pink Floyd found huge success and became one of the most notable bands in history. Their live shows became a pinnacle of the industry. Their writing, production, and musicianship was flawless.

They made a lot of money.

Their album "Dark Side of the Moon" is the first recording to which a pressing plant was created to press only this recording. It ran for many years, 24/7, putting out the album day and night, before it was revamped and continued to do the same for the CD. This has became one of the best selling albums of all time selling over 40 Million copies.

Pink Floyd parodied themselves in their famed movie, directed by Alan Parker and recording called "The Wall" to which they included lyrics from the album "Dark Side of the Moon" from this song, "Money". The Wall was hugely successful for the band.

In the movie, the setting is a school classroom, 1944, London. Pinky is siting with his head down writing while the headmaster is teaching. He is roaming the room when he notices Pinky.

"Ah, what have we here, laddy?" The grumpy old headmaster grabs the notepad from Pinky. "Mysterious scribblings? A secret code? Oh, Poems, no less?! Poems, everybody! The laddie recons himself a poet!" The class giggles.

He begins to recite the writings:

Money, get back
I'm alright Jack
keep your hands off of my stack
new car, caviar, four star day dream
I think I'll buy me a football team

"Absolute rubbish, laddie." He whips Pinky's hands with a small stick. "Get on with your work."

This scene and others in the movie exemplify the power struggle of those in the "know" and those "workers". Those with the power and those with none. The attempt of those in power to keep others down and forget about dreams.

...get on with your work.

Below is the video for the great song...Money, from the recording "Dark Side of the Moon".








This, the 207th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The writing is on the wall...paper...

If we would simply slow down a bit we would be able to see the pieces of the puzzle playing out right in front of our eyes. On this Thanksgiving holiday, I am thankful for being able to see through the haze of deception and the smoke and mirrors.

For those that have not opened their eyes in quite a while it might behoove you to know that the world has a severe crisis on its hands and I'm not talking just about the economy. This was is in the nuclear arena. The North Koreans are selling their nuclear technology to anyone with the money to pay for it. This was discovered, ironically enough, when a white supremacist tried to buy the technology and bring it into the US for the big race war.

Now, with Obama going into office perhaps the country will be in a position to receive assistance from other countries instead of the turning away due to the Bush lies and deceit. It will take a bit of time to create the trust again. Since there were no weapons of mass destruction, and we invaded a sovereign country anyway, we have been hard pressed to find a country out there who gives a damn about us for quite some time. This was exemplified in the recent entry, "The Eyes Have It". That shows what the world thinks of our current lame duck. Now, and for quite some time, the world has been feeling that this lame duck is crying wolf for anything anymore. The world has watched as Bush turned away to their calls for environmental crisis solutions, aid to Darfur, and so many more...

Now, we have been hearing about pirates, and they are not in the Caribbean. This is happening today off the coast of Somalia.

So, is there writing on the wall? For the conspiracy theorist in me, I say yes. Just take a bit of time and think about it. Blackwater, just like Reagan and Oliver North were doing in the 80's, has created their own war to substantiate their future cash flow positions. On one side of the transaction they assist the pirate organizations to acquire the equipment they need for these acts, provide them training for the equipment and various weaponry, and strategies to the pirates in handling delicate hostile hostage situations. On the other side they create a need for a company like theirs to step in and act for the hard pressed American military. They are the international guns for hire. Blackwater secures more security work, receive commissions from the arms sales, and gives training and information to threatened countries and shipping companies. They stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars for this deceptive business tactic.

In a Nov. 24th article on the global news website Speigel Online - International we find just this taking place in front of our eyes. They write, "Blackwater is now receiving inquiries from dozens of new clients, mainly shipping companies and shipping insurance companies. All of them want the same thing: that Blackwater mercenaries guide their freighters and tankers safely past Somalia, through the world's most dangerous waters, the hunting grounds of bands of pirates armed with Kalashnikovs and grenade launchers, attacking anything that comes into their sights. In their flip-flops and inflatable plastic boats, they look more like small-time crooks, the sort hardly worth the effort of any coast guard vessel. And yet, in reality, these pirates are causing huge problems for the naval fleets of major powers -- and, of course, for the governments in places like Berlin, Paris and Washington."

Perhaps Blackwater will begin to help companies negotiate the ransom demands with these pirates in the future. This will become an added profit center for the firm as they conveniently orchestrate these multi-million dollar transfers.

Rather than the United Nations helping the Somali government get a better foothold on their country and assisting them with their crumbling economy, which would be getting to the root causes of this dilemma in the first place, they buy into the War, Inc. philosophy.

Perhaps, no one wants to see soldier's bodies dragged through the streets of Mogadishu again like back in 1994.

John Cusack released a movie this year, to which he co-wrote, produced and starred in, called "War, Inc." It is a dark political satire film directed by Joshua Seftel. The story is partly inspired by an article entitled "Baghdad Year Zero", from the famed writer of, "The Shock Doctrine", Naomi Klein. War, Inc. is an interesting film regarding just this type of scenario. A corporate firm orchestrates the arms deals, orchestrates the ransoms, orchestrates the battles, orchestrates the information to the press.

I feel that, as the Bush, Inc. administration has done in Iraq and Afghanistan, Blackwater is now doing in Somalia and other areas around the world.

If you allow yourself to believe in the conspiracies or what people may think as the ridiculous you will soon find that it is not that but it is the obvious.


Have a great and safe holiday!



This, the 206th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

More rights go wrong

The FDA has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to protecting us against unsafe drugs and medical devices, and the Supreme Court has just ruled against us having reasonable recourse if we fall victim to bad goods.

The High Court ruled that lawsuits brought by patients against medical companies need to be limited. Right now, this protection extends only to companies that make medical devices.

But, next up on the docket are the makers of prescription drugs.

It has become a dizzying display of smoke and mirrors—and you’re the one who caught in the middle. I’m going to try to walk you through it, but it’s circular logic at its worst. For the upcoming case that could determine whether or not drug makers will also be included in this liability protection, you have two old cronies pointing fingers at one another. The FDA says that they expect the drug companies to know their products and to label them accordingly with the appropriate warnings.

But the drug companies point back and say that the FDA provides a foundation of what should go on those drug labels—but also a cap on how much to put on there, as well. The FDA retorts that they don’t want the label warnings to cause an “overreaction,” and by placing a limit, they’re protecting against undue alarm.

When this is the type of stuff they’re arguing over, the only thing I know for sure is you will be hard-pressed to get a fair shake. And now, if you actually have a problem, the Supreme Court might take that shake away altogether.

The threat of litigation is the only thing that a patient has in his bag when it comes to trying to keep a company honest. And with this one form of recourse restricted, the drug companies will be even more out of control.

This leaves companies out there to play fast and loose with their research data. If the recent practices of the drug companies prove anything it’s that their goal is profit at any cost—even thousands of lives. We’re not talking about minor issues here—this is blatant fraud. But now they’ll have a fortress of protection from the highest court in the land.

And, incidentally, we already have a system to limit their liability—a jury system. If they aren’t at fault, the jury can rule in their favor—if the court doesn’t decide to strip us of that, too.

Well, the court can limit our recourse, but they can’t quiet or voices (at least not yet). Write to your senators and representatives and demand the same protection for the average Joe that they are doling out to the big corporations.


This, the 205th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The theory of everything...maybe

I read this in the International Herald Tribune this morning:

"A concatenation of puzzling results from an alphabet soup of satellites and experiments has led a growing number of astronomers and physicists to suspect that they are getting signals from a shadow universe of dark matter that makes up a quarter of creation but has eluded direct detection until now.

Maybe."

Wow...

I have been wondering lately what makes scientists of every generation think that they will find the meaning of "it all"? When history shows that as we learn more we also learn that we were wrong before. From Galileo to Einstein we have found theories and predictions that have been debunked over time as we have new technologies to find smaller and more distant things in ourselves or our universe.

As I have blogged previously of the CERN Hadron Collider and its use to find the tiniest matter particles or dark matter, did this same concept of science take place 300 odd years ago as well, albiet in a more rudimentary means of technological practice to find the same type of results? Are we not always on that quest to find the ultimate meaning of it all?

I feel that the ultimate truth is evasive and perhaps non existent. But trying to wrap one's mind around that option is quite difficult.

IHT: "On Thursday, a team of astrophysicists working on one of the experiments reported in the journal Nature that a cosmic ray detector onboard a balloon flying around the South Pole had recorded an excess number of high-energy electrons and their antimatter opposites, positrons, sailing through local space.

The particles, they conceded, could have been created by a previously undiscovered pulsar, the magnetized spinning remnant of a supernova explosion, blasting nearby space with electric and magnetic fields. But, they say, a better and more enticing explanation for the excess is that the particles are being spit out of the fireballs created by dark matter particles colliding and annihilating one another in space."

Quite. As they said, "it is a more enticing explanation..." Are we are always looking for the romance in science. That incredible find that will drastically change our lives as we know it for another 100 years. Or are these types of findings coming at us more frequently now with the advances in technology. Won't the discoveries continually be there despite technological advances. I mean, the universe will continue to morph and change and amaze as technology does to continually amaze the scientists.

I cannot believe that we are alone in this universe. With that said, there are other specie or entities well more advance and others that are less advanced throughout the universe. If the more advanced species out there are astounded with what they find why is it that our scientists feel that they are close to finding the answers. Galileo thought the same thing...

IHT: "The new theory called supersymmetry, which unifies three of the four known forces of nature mathematically posits the existence of a realm of as-yet-undiscovered particles. They would be so-called wimps — weakly interacting massive particles — which feel gravity and little else, and could drift through the Earth like wind through a screen door. Such particles left over from the Big Bang could form a shadow universe clumping together into dark clouds that then attract ordinary matter."

This theory goes beyond Einstein and gravity. We are beginning to augment Einstein's theories of relativity. Will there come a day to which his ideas become antiquated. Will there come a day when we find that, as we found we no longer are the center of the universe, we also know nothing of what we thought we knew? Can what we know be turned upside down once the proof of multidimensions is discovered?
That would throw everything into a loop!

IHT: "The discovery of a supersymmetric particle would also be a boost for string theory, the controversial "theory of everything," and would explicate the nature of a quarter of the universe. But until now, the dark matter particles have mostly eluded direct detection in the laboratory, the exception being a controversial underground experiment called Dama/Libra, for Dark Matter/Large Sodium Iodide Bulk for Rare Processes, under the Italian Alps, where scientists claimed in April to have seen a seasonal effect of a "dark matter wind" as the Earth goes around its orbit."

I enjoy learning and reading string theory, but there will come a day that we find this is not the theory of everything. Once the multidimensions come into the frey we will need to start all over again with different rules for each dimension!?

IHT: "The Nature paper includes data from the first two balloon flights. It shows a bump, over theoretical calculations of cosmic ray intensities, at energies of 500 billion to 800 billion electron volts, a measure of both energy and mass in physics. One way to explain that energy bump would be by the disintegration or annihilation of a very massive dark particle. A proton by comparison is about one billion electron volts."

I am not discounting any of this science. I enjoy reading anything from Brian Greene. It intrigues me to the core, however, the notion that we are close to finding the "theory of everything" is as arrogant as saying we are alone or the most intelligent beings in the universe.

IHT: "Such particles are called Kaluza-Klein particles, after Theodor Kaluza and Oscar Klein, theorists who suggested such an extra-dimensional framework in the 1920s to unify Einstein's general theory of relativity and electromagnetism."

Okay, in the 1920's we began to discuss extra dimension framework. With the advent of string theory that discussion became much of the background behind the work.

IHT: "Wefel's particle would have a mass of around 620 billion electron volts. 'That's the one that seems to fit the best,' he said in an interview. The emergence of a sharp edge in the data, he said, 'would be a smoking gun' for such a strange particle.

But Arkani-Hamed said that Kaluza-Klein particles would not annihilate one another at a fast enough rate to explain the strength of the ATIC signal, nor other anomalies like the microwave haze. He and his colleagues, including Weiner, Finkbeiner and Tracy Slatyer, also of Harvard, drawing on work by Matthew Strassler of Rutgers, have tried to connect all the dots with a new brand of dark matter, in which there are not only dark particles but also a 'dark force' between them.

That theory was called 'a delightful castle in the sky' by Kane, who said he was glad it kept Arkani-Hamed and his colleagues busy and diverted them from competing with him. Kane and his colleagues favor a 200 billion-electron-volt supersymmetric particle known as a wino as the dark matter culprit, in which case the Pamela bump would not extend to higher energies.

Ok. We are close to the theory of everything...now what?



This, the 204th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?

** BARACK OBAMA** :
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

** JOHN MC CAIN** :
My friends, the chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road...

** SARAH PALIN** :
BECAUSE, LORDY-LORDY, I WAS GONNA SHOOT HIS SORRY LIBERAL FOUL FANNY FOR BLOCKING MY VIEW OF RUSSIA !

** HILLARY CLINTON** :
When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road.
This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in t his country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

** GEORGE W. BUSH** :
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

** DICK CHENEY** :
Chicken? Where's my gun?

** COLIN POWELL** :
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image
of the chicken crossing the road.

** BILL CLINTON** :
I did not cross the road with that chicken.

** AL GORE** :
I invented the chicken.

** DR. PHIL** :
The problem we have here is this chicken won't realize he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side o f the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting
by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

** OPRAH ** :
I understand the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

** ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ** :
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

** NANCY GRACE ** :
That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

** PAT BUCHANAN ** :
To steal the job of a decent, hard working American.

** DR SEUSS ** :
Did the chicken cross the road?
Did he cross it with a toad?
Yes, the chicken crossed the road,
but why it crossed
I've not been told.

** ERNEST HEMINGWAY ** :
To die in the rain, alone.

** JERRY FALWELL ** :
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. If you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. Its' plain and as simple.

** GRANDPA ** :
In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

** BARBARA WALTERS ** :
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell,
for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of moulting, and went on to accomplish it's lifelong dream of crossing the road.

** ARISTOTLE ** :
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

** JOHN LENNON ** :
Imagine...
all the chickens in the world...
crossing roads together...
in peace.

** ALBERT EINSTEIN ** :
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

** COLONEL SANDERS ** :
Damn, did I miss one?

** KEITH OLBERMAN ** :
This is the 2057th day since the declaration
of mission accomplished of the chicken crossing
the road!

** DAVID LETTERMAN ** :
Here is tonight's Top Ten list of why
the chicken crossed the road.



This, the 203rd entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The people drank the tea

In 1773, a local crew of disgruntled English taxpayers decided to make a political statement to the English Monarch over their high taxes. The costumed men, dressed like native Indians, boarded the ships in Boston Harbor and dumped over 90,000 pounds of tea into the water creating a huge loss to the shipping and trading firm, as well as, a bay of free tea for those who wished to dip. This show of revolt against the oldest corporation in the world, East India Company, began the separation of the emerging upstart country called The Americas, into what was to become The United States of America and the continuing saga of rich versus the working class.

The United States was a country built on community and personal freedom. Samuel Adams and Paul Revere were the community organizers of their day alerting the community army, or minutemen, to rise up and who fought hard against the British Monarchy to make sure their dreams of change and freedom would win.

What has changed since this moment in time?

Thirty years ago this week, after speaking numerous times of an impending nuclear apocalypse, Jim Jones took his congregation of followers, called "The People's Temple" to Guyana, to escape the impending global catastophe. Just like the fear and insecurity that Bush spread to his "congregation", I mean country, only to find a path to their own demise, but this time there is no where to run and hide. To the extent the actions in Jonestown were viewed as a mass suicide, it is one of the largest such mass suicides in history, and the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the incidents of September 11, 2001. They drank the grape koolaide.

In 1773, The East India Company, to which the modern day corporate system was built upon, was used as a pawn by the people to show the power mongers of the day that the people will not stand for the corrupt system that was depleting them of their hard earned wages. Today, the power mongers approached the people on behalf of the corporations and said, "we need your hard earned future earnings in order to give to the corporations so that we can make sure that they don't fail. We are doing this all in the best interest of you the tax payer."

This time the people drank the tea. They bought the scherade hook, line and sinker. The corporations and the elitist power mongers of the day are laughing all the way to the bank. There are still a few that are open...mostly offshore.

When Noah was building the Ark, we hear no mention of other people coming to the doors of the ship asking for refuge. But, I'm sure they did. He turned his cheek as he turned away leaving them stranded to die in the coming storms. He took his stock portfolio(that two by two of every specie), and the few people closest to him(his cabinet), and loaded them onto the private jet of his day, in order to save the Chairman's business. He closed the doors to the rest of the world. Created the same isolationism that we have seen Bush hide behind. Noah was the ultimate CEO of his time asked by the ultimate Chairman of the Board to save the world's biggest enterprise, life.

Recently, the big three CEO's from some of the largest companies in the world, came to Washington to ask for some of the bailout money being thrown around. They came in their Ark's, those private corporate jets and limos to the Hill to ask for $25 Billion odd dollars of the people's money without any plan, strings attached, or outline as to how things would be spent. So, far the "people" or the officials in Washington, have said no.

Yet, when Bush and Paulson came to the Hill to ask for $700 Billion with no plan, but a promise it would go to fix the failed mortgages and get to the people so they can save their homes, the "people" or the elected officials in Washington eventually said Yes. Bush and Paulson lied about their proposal and gave the money to the corporations instead of helping the people.

It's raining, and the doors to the Ark are closing. We have a bit more than 40 days left of this corrupt administration to which the tax payers might be able to salvage what they blindly pissed away to the most powerful corporation in the world, the United States Government. The current CEO, Bush, is on his way out with his golden parachute still in tact.

On April 22, 2008, then Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom pleaded to Bush and the United States to sign a document for a cut in global greenhouse gas emissions, warning that rising sea levels could submerge the island nation of Maldives. As the water rises, just like Noah, Bush turned his cheek away as he shut the door of the Ark.

I think we should exchange Bush, his cabinet and cronies associated with the illegal power grabbing coup, the atrocities of the Iraq war, the stripping America of its personal rights, the failed foreign policies, the neglected national policies and blatant lies and deception, for the people of the Maldive Islands. These people work hard and will become great citizens of their new country. They will soon need a new home as it is expected that within the next twenty odd years these islands will be under water due to global warming.

We should give the Maldive people a ride on the private corporate jet, Air Force One, let them have a 51 foot ladder in order to scale the wall between North and South America so they can come in to the dry land.

Since Bush, our modern day Noah, has turned his back on every living thing on this planet, excepting those close to him (to which we might soon be seeing a blanket pardon for the crimes they all participated in) and their multiple billion dollar laundered bank accounts from the bailout funds, they should be left to drown by their own neglect of care and concern for others and this planet we all share.

Perhaps Barack Obama, the modern Paul Revere, our modern day great community organizer will find some restitution in giving the people the satisfaction of a modern day tar and feather display.

The water is rising and the people are drowning.




This, the 202th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The sprint is on to January 20!

It is good that our new President elect is in great shape. He is sprinting all the way to the start of his new position as the most powerful person in the world. And it looks as though Obama is getting into a stride. Some will find it troubling, and most will find it to be a breath of fresh air. His cabinet positions are beginning to fill up with some great heads to move this country into a new direction of success. Based on these people's previous history it will look like a 180 has taken place. Although this change is using some of Washington's insiders, they are still listening to Obama who is not, thus giving things a great amount of new life.

It seems that Hillary Clinton is going to be the Secretary of State. This should bode well. She has had plenty of experience for this position. It will be interesting to see how Obama uses the California roster of high powered women such as Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, or Barbara Lee. I would imagine that Nancy Pelosi will remain in her position. I would also be interested to see how Leon Panetta fits into Obama's agenda. His distinguished career in public life would be a great asset to the Obama team!


This, the 201th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The eyes have it...You gotta see this!!

I found this video from the G20 meeting to be such a personification of how the world has experienced things and as to how other world leaders truly feel about our current lame duck President. Either it exemplifies the arrogance that Bush seems to always exude while in public or it is clearly how our other world leaders actually think of this man and his reign over these past eight years.





You might have pilfered away your billions through your war and your Bailouts for a rainy day, Mr. Bush, but it must be quite a feeling to not be able to look anyone in the eyes, as well as anyone even wanting to look into your eyes.

Very sad as a human being.

As it has been said before, "The eyes have it..."


* * * * *


I now want to show you the other GOP favorite. She went to pardon the Thanskgiving Turkey for Alaska. Upon her pardon speech she stood and took questions from some press and ended up with an irony of all ironies...

Watch this...for some it may be difficult to watch...







This, the 200th entry in this bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments and emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The Ultimate Chess Match

There is a group of people in this world, let's call them "The Elitists", who seem to have the world at their fingertips. Being a billionaire or multi-billionaire, I should state, is the first means of membership. This group is mostly old, old money. Families like the Rothchilds, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Getty, Kennedy, Morgan, Buffett, Bush and a handful of others. It is interesting to watch their game of life play out in front of our eyes. You see, these people, control most of what happens in America and Europe, and subsequently most of the rest of the world due to their extreme financial influence on any global matter.

Since money drives the world you can see how this game they are playing is just that, a game. They don't need to worry about putting food on the table. At that level they will NEVER run out of coin. These are people that control the flow of money which is used to buy all commodities. Therefore, they also control food and flow.

They have been working on a strategic plan to eliminate the financial wannabe's. For those, I mean the measly millionaires of the world. This economic downturn was orchestrated and managed by these multi-billionaires to redistribute the wealth back to the top, as it has been done previously in the late 1800's and throughout the depression. By controlling the markets and driving prices down they are reducing the playing field with the "pesky millionaires that think they can gamble with the big boys." These are words from one of these players.

He goes on in a letter to an amour, and I will include the rest for review then follow up...

(begin quote)
"We have just about broken those greedy bastards. A few more hands at the no bet limits table will secure the goal.

Actually we were emboldened by the fact that we know that the bush boys will try to give most of the trillion dollars to us before he leaves office. Sweetness, here is a little gem for you. If you want to discover who some of us are seek to find out who the people are that own huge shares in the big three banks.

Hint. Look for persons who own large shares in all three (and more) of the big three banks. You will find with further investigation that the same persons own large shares in the investment firms that got bailed out.

Its an economic family that rules America. We will not take kindly to Obama trying to break up our monopoly. Personally, I look forward to his challenge. Pull up a chair Obama games on. Just remember their are bet limits, and everything is on the table.

Two very powerful women are being offered key positions in Obama’s cabinet. One of them comes from a member of this family. It remains to be seen if this is an attempt to break up our monopoly. She is not a member herself( we don’t accept female membership), but I am sure she knows of the family." (end quote)


I have had some exchanges over the past year or more with this gentleman and find him rather interesting. His intelligence on monetary affairs is masterful, obviously, and his information and intelligence on global affairs is substantial. What I found interesting also is that he thought Obama would be taken by their game plan and not win the election.

It is quite obvious, and I again state that I am a conspiracy theorist, that there is this elite group of men. White. Racist. Greedy. Controlling. Yet, in some of his writings there has been a great amount of remorse and soul searching.

I do believe that there is not a means of ONE global conspiracy, but there are many going on at one time. Being rich, powerful, nimble and knowledgeable will allow one's conspiracy to shine over others. This is their game. The ultimate chess match and we are the pawns.



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Cogito, ergo sum...

Descartes, Aristotle, Archimedes, King Solomon, Napoleon Hill, Obama, Oprah...

The Law of Attraction swept through the nation a year or two ago with the release of the book with that same title, as well as, through the hugely successful book and video, "The Secret", that was discussed quite a bit of "Oprah". All of this stems from the long running personal bible to many, the Napoleon Hill book "Think and Grow Rich" or the old testament biblical stories of King Solomon.

It seems that the rules do exist and are exemplified quite strongly today. Or are they? It is discussed throughout the self help world with guru's like Anthony Robbins and others to envision your successes. Whatever that may mean to someone whether it be in love, finance, personal health or anything in life. If you can see it, you can achieve it, is a common workshop mantra.

It is also discussed in philosophy classes throughout the world that, as Descartes wrote, "Cogito, ergo sum" or "I think therefore I am", that not only are we the creators of our existence do to that theory, but by thinking of your life and how you want things to produce themselves, it is said that you create your own life. Aristotle stated, "But if life itself is good and pleasant and if one who sees is conscious that he sees, one who hears that he hears, one who walks that he walks and similarly for all the other human activities there is a faculty that is conscious of their exercise, so that whenever we perceive, we are conscious that we perceive, and whenever we think, we are conscious that we think, and to be conscious that we are perceiving or thinking is to be conscious that we exist... (Nicomachean Ethics)

There are three important notes to keep in mind here. First, Descarte only claims the certainty of his own existence from the first-person point of view — he has not proved the existence of other minds at this point. This is something that has to be thought through by each of us for ourselves, as we follow the course of the meditations. Second, he is not saying that his existence is necessary; he is saying that if he's thinking, then necessarily he exists. Third, this proposition "I am, I exist" is held true not based on a deduction nor on empirical induction, but on the clarity and self-evidence of the proposition.

But, as in Isaac Asimov's principles of robotics, The Three Laws, and how they are broken in "I, Robot", was the basis of the hit movie with Will Smith. Constantly, the robot malfunctions as a result of "thinking" about itself, its behavior, and loopholes in the Three Laws of Robotics from this quote.

Although, Descarte's theories came from the first person perspective, we also know through emergence theory and mob mentality as a collective, that we exist albeit not in a vacuum. We exist in an ever shrinking global community of beings. The global energetic is a key factor to helping us create the world we wish to live in. As the global leaders, the press, one's own community and familial environment show us that, as Roosevelt stated so clearly, "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself."

We have been running or shall I say, the world has been following an administration that bred fear throughout the world to which they created a global stream of people who manifested that fear and confusion. We are in the midst of changing this energy and turning things around. As we went from positiveness to eight years of darkness and turmoil instantly, we can turn things around just as quickly and powerfully with the right global attitudes and consciousness.

Whether you believe in these theories or not, it works. This seems to be true. When people began to believe there was no way out for the economy, since that was the only topics of the water cooler discussions, the global press and the blogoshpere, the economy had no other means but to fail. This can change!

Well, can we see ourselves getting out of this global catastrophe? Can we end the occupation of Iraq? Can we put positive back into our lives? We must! Obama has shown us all that thinking positive and acting with purpose can bring one the results they are looking for. He gave us all the example that these books tout so clearly. We must begin to do as Obama has done to set the example and only think of the positive. There are solutions to any problem and we must think clearly and act with decisiveness as to our desired outcomes to reach a positive result.

In conclusion, and in the words of our modern metaphysical President elect, who said, "Yes We Can."


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Where did I leave Life's Manual?

Have you ever wondered where you left Life's manual?

I know mine is around here somewhere...

That would be an interesting concept. A forever changing personal manual on how to live in today's complex world. It would be accessible for light reading when a small issue needs some attention and you are wondering the appropriate means as to approach the topic without causing more problems for yourself and to others. It would also be accessible for heavy reading during the most difficult times in order to explain what would be best and how to handle things without going crazy.

A manual for life that would be personal for each individuals needs and desires without compromising on anyone else and their own needs, desires and lifestyle. Yet, with that, the rules to maneuver through this complex world of various religions, love, relationships, politics, greed, and corruption you could follow and be able to get what you want out of your life without hurting or inhibiting anyone else and their own needs and desires.

The manual would be continually updated and current and in relation to every other living entity in order to comply with the inherent, self evident, universal truths that exist underneath the ego based confusion. Those universal truths that get so misconstrued and misguided through the mishmash of conflicting ideas and ideals that exist in our world today. Something that we each could access at any given moment in order to guide us all through the maze of life.

If you have ever purchased anything from IKEA you might know that it is fairly easy to assemble their items by following their pictorial directions. Those directions that work despite any language necessary to be read. Although, if there are parts left over due to the assembly or packaging oversight, by the inclusion of extra screws or plastic hole plugs, the confusion begins and self doubt of what may have been overlooked takes hold.

But Life's manual would have no missing or extra parts. You have all you need in order to do for yourself and what it is you desire for your individual life. Sometimes it may be necessary to turn the page of the manual and move on to the next section, even though you may feel that there are things missing or incomplete. You might be thinking there are missing parts, but there are not. The parts are there. It all continues on. Sometimes there are moments when you might think that a problem is overwhelming and is out of control and you can't seem to find the page in the manual on what to do, but it might be on the next page and you just need to turn the page.

There are times when others try to tell you how to live your life, but their own directions and instructions are coming from a different manual, with a different set of desires and outcomes which make it irrelevant to your own manual and your own life. Our own manual is an individual set of rules and directions for each of us in order for us all to have what we all want and need and cannot be run using someone else's manual.

This manual would never be lost or stolen It could never be left under the sofa, or accidentally sold at a garage sale. It would be easy to pack or carry for a vacation or business trip. It could be seen clearly either in the daylight or the darkest of night. The manual would be visible even through the heaviest of tears to help you through some of life's hardest moments.

The manual would have all of the answers you would ever need, even if you quickly changed your mind. It would be instantly updated and transfer the appropriate information necessary so as you would always have the relevant instructions as you "do" your life.

The manual would give each of us those necessary instructions for our lives without creating discord for others. It would allow us all to live a harmonious existence regardless of each others paths we choose. It would matter not in a belief or dogmatic structure for any sort of solution.

I know it is around here somewhere. I had it once, I know I'll find it again.



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The Structural Foundation of Society

Let's build a home.

Great idea! Let's start with the roof!...What? That seems to be the way the current administration and Repugnicants try make things work. It's called Reaganomics, trickle down theory, or now, with the current failing bailout programs, we can call it elitist socialism.

Let me try to explain.

If a foundation is not solid a building will fall. A foundation should be engineered carefully and be designed to withstand the numerous pressures of the local soil benefits and limitations. Whether the ground is made of rock, or clay you should build for the environment of the area in order to make sure your structure is physically sound. Some areas have earthquakes, some tornadoes, some have soft clay soil, some have high water levels. Therefore, sometimes you must install piers deep into the ground to help alleviate any motion that the soil may give to the structure. Whatever it may take to make sure that a foundation is solid. A foundation should include steel to aid the concrete in its structural properties. In earthquake regions the walls should be bolted to the foundation. If the plate of the walls are not attached solidly to the foundation during shaky times the walls will slip off of the foundation. The walls should be built to withstand the winds and protected from the outside elements so to reduce and eliminate any water and pest intrusion. The windows and doors should be properly sealed to ensure energy conservation. The roof should be secured to the wall structures to withstand high winds and lateral movement. There should be steel, clay or asphalt shingles on the roof to protect the structure from the weather. There should be appropriate locks and perhaps an alarm system to help protect the structure from intrusion.

This seems like a given. Simple really. There are rules to building a structure. In the United States we have codes that are normally followed. There is the Universal Building Code, which is used primarily throughout the United States, as well as, the International Building Code, which is used in some areas of the United States and as the enforcement for the industrialized and other emerging areas of the world.

Ok, now, let's build a nation. But, let's not have any regulations. or oversight. That is what Bush is stating and been doing for the past eight years. If there has been rules and oversight he has eliminated them. We got in this mess due to the de and un-regulating that has occurred over the past eight years. The Clinton administration began some of the open lending ideas to help the less advantaged become enabled to purchase a home. To create more home ownership throughout the country. Bush, took this idea, and opened the floodgates by eliminating any oversight to the financial industry which allowed anyone to own property whether they had a job, had any money or had any idea on how to pay for it. Through this, the financial industry allowed the creation of the Hedge Fund industry which has absolutely no oversight and regulations whatsoever. This allowed the financial industry to rethink how they could package and resell the mortgages throughout the financial world in order to get them off the banks books as soon as possible to alleviate the debt that banks had just incurred through the loan they had just approved. The mortgage industry had no oversight so convicted criminals were getting licenses to market, negotiate, and distribute loans to home buyers. They distributed the loans that they would make the most money on whether it was the best loan for the buyer or the property made no difference. The machine was making everyone a lot of money.

In other words, from the top down, the rich were lending money to anyone and everyone and didn't care about the repercussions of the loan payoff since the loan was now on the books of some other institution, packaged in such puzzling ways that no one knew exactly the value or payoff parameters of any specific loan. Anyway, they had insurance, and re-insurance...AIG, you've heard of them.

I think we all see the house of cards that Bush has been built with NO liability and oversight. I say no liability as the current administration, which includes Henry Paulson, who used to work at Goldman Sachs, is distributing the hundreds of billions of our tax dollars out to the most needy Americans, those financial institutions who created this. You see, he has given Goldman Sachs over $10 Billion and AIG, who was Goldman's largest trading partner, has received over $85 Billion and they are needing more.

What about the foundation? You know the foundation of society? Those people who work 40-60 hours a week to try to keep a house for their families and their kids in schools?

Well, Paulson will specifically state that the foundations of our economy are fractured, the foundations of our financial institutions are failing. Yet, the money gets sent to the top, the roof, to patch holes in the roof where it is still raining money.

The foundations of our economy are the Joe the Plumbers, and Joe six-pack. You remember those people that the Repugnicants worked so hard for their votes. Those who work their asses off to have a roof over their head for their family that is built on a solid foundation. Now, these people are losing their homes because the banks are needing to fix their roof!

We get to sit back and watch as the house of cards falls down from the bottom up. The ponzi scheme that this administration has created, that elitist type of Peter to pay Paul kind of capitalism that permeates the Repugnicant party, is being held up by no strings attached to their funds as they are able to magically keep the roof in the air while the walls and foundation of our society crumble to the ground in ruins.

When is January 20th?

(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

A look back in order to look forward

Will this most recent meeting that Bush held with 20 leaders of the world over the financial crisis do much? Will it have any of the similar impact that the Bretton Woods meeting had that was held at the end of WWII? Does Bush have enough respect to create any sort of unity on the global stage in his last 100 days in office?

Bush is a different kind of man and a different kind of leader than President FDR. Roosevelt stated in the discussions at the time, "The economic health of every country is a proper matter of concern to all its neighbors, near and distant."

I have a weird feeling that Bush holds a different sentiment. Just as Bush stated yesterday at the meetings held at the White House, "One of the dangers during a crisis such as this is that people will start implementing protectionist policies,". (You mean like the isolationism style of leadership that he has administrated with over the past eight years) He went on to say that he was pleased leaders had reaffirmed the "principles of open markets and free trade". In other words, 'piss on you guys, we run the world...watch and learn as I make all of the elite, white, more rich in America with free markets and limited or no oversight.'

In July of 1944, British economist John Maynard Keynes addresses the Bretton Woods conference to encourage international trade and investment. Is this going to become the opportunity to create a global currency? As Keynes, the UK equivalent of a Secretary of the Treasury for England in 1944 argued at Bretton Woods for a single world currency. This later became the dollar as the dominant currency for exchange.

At that time, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was set up to enforce a set of fixed exchange rates that were linked to the dollar. What they created has become a means of indentured servitude of the smaller countries of the world to the U.S. The IMF is set up so that countries in balance of payments difficulties could receive short-term help from the IMF to avoid devaluation, and it could sanction changes in exchange rates when necessary.

The World Bank (officially called the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) was set up to make long-term loans "facilitating the investment of capital for productive purposes, including the restoration of economies destroyed or disrupted by war [and] the reconversion of productive facilities to peacetime needs".

This sounds much like the new failing Bailout Plan that the Bush clan has instituted to keep the lower and middle class of America in a kind of indentured servitude for the wealthy.

At the time of the Bretton Woods meeting created the International Trade Organization, which was designed to encourage free trade, was dead in the water when the US refused to ratify it in 1947. Also, more ambitious proposals from the UK's John Maynard Keynes to set up a world central bank which could issue its own currency (which he labeled Bancor) but was rejected by the US. Keynes hoped a new bank could help infuse the world economy by expanding the money supply.

He also wanted the cost of adjustment shared between countries with trade surpluses and deficits, so that countries with big surpluses would have to revalue their currencies, as well as deficit countries being forced to devalue.

Instead, the Bretton Woods system gave the US currency - which was linked to gold - the dominant position in the world economy and allowed the US to run a trade deficit without having to devalue. Hence, our new debt laden society that we have all come to love.

Since we were the country that 'saved the world' at that time, we held a huge amount of global respect. And the US, which contributed the most money to both institutions, also gained the most voting rights, giving it a veto over major policy decisions.

What transpired was the Marshall Plan. This was an establishment of a rules-based system of international finance that would help restore confidence in the world economy and lead to an extraordinary boom in the post-war years. The strategy that this did for the United States was to make it the pre-eminent power throughout the world. Signed, sealed and delivered when Lord Halifax signed. At that point, the UK signed the Bretton Woods deal but soon found itself needing US aid. The US pumped even more money into the European recovery effort when the World Bank's ability proved inadequate for their full needs.

This program prompted great world trade among developed countries and global trade grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, boosting world output and raising the standard of living, especially in Europe and Japan...and America. Not only did the IMF and the World Bank lend money, but the US sent dollars abroad through both military and civilian aid.

Now, with the financial imbalance of global trade deficits that the United States had created by a growing debt laden society and the Vietnam war, (hmm, sounds like a time that we are in right now) the initial plan began to unravel. So, in 1971, President Nixon tookk the dollar off the gold standard. This devalued the dollar, a move ratified by the Smithsonian Agreement later that year. So, the financial institutions printed more money and the advent of credit cards came to the forefront of our lifestyle.

This led to the abandonment of fixed exchange rates and the introduction of floating rates, where the value of all the main currencies was determined by market trading.

This breakdown had consequences. It led European countries to begin seriously considering closer monetary co-operation, which ultimately led to the creation of the euro in 1999.

At the time it was a grand idea, especially for America. The Bretton Woods system unleashed two decades of financial globalization, encouraged by the deregulation not just of currency markets, but also of rules about banking and investment. Which eventually led to the breakdown of the system. Funny how deregulation can do something like that. When you give greed and corruption no oversight do you really think that all will be well. That is like saying that by taking the police and firemen out of our system we will still be fine and all act civilized.

What this deregulation did though was lead to increased flows of private money to rich and poor countries alike, which helped boost growth but also created greater instability. Everyone thought that things were great, although with the rapid reversal of private money when currencies were threatened with devaluation became the central cause of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98, which spread to Russia and eventually Argentina.

Many countries have learned that the system is top sided. Meaning, the United States, has orchestrated a global caste system. Or the Reaganomics type of global policy is not necessarily working for them. So, many Asian countries, including China, have accumulated large currency reserves to insulate themselves against future crises, avoiding the need to call on the IMF.

Now, we have a new global financial crisis. It has hit the richest countries the hardest and they have now renewed calls for a new global framework of financial regulation. It is a new world, a different financial world we have today. It is much more integrated and much more complex through the proliferation of financial instruments and the fact that there is no longer one country that dominates the world economy in the way the US did after World War II. Although, the ego of the United States propaganda is telling us that the world still needs the U.S. is true, but certainly not to the same extent as in 1944.

The co-operation of our political leaders today do not have the same impetus today as they did in 1944. We have not gone through a decade of depression, yet. Our wars are still being financed. Yet, people are feeling it now. They are beginning to understand the gravity of the situation. They are beginning to see that this current policy is NOT working. Although, Bush will plunder the rest of the hundreds of billions as there is no congress pushing for oversight at this time allowing him and Paulson a free ride to funnel our future tax dollars to where ever they deem appropriate.

We are in a new time, with new global powers with different sets of players and circumstances. The coming new agreement would have to recognize the power of the rising economies, such as China and India, and reshape the institutions and policies created more than half a century ago.



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

The Ponzi to beat all Ponzi schemes

I was listening to Jim Lehrer yesterday of his interview with Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson. This discussion brings to mind a previous article I had penned back in June of this year.

I talked of our founding fathers and their declaration that "they hold these truths to be self evident" and the juxtaposition of that phrase with today's wiki-society of truth by proxy. Now, it seems, that if you can get enough people to believe the shit that spews out of your mouth then it becomes truth. As I said in the article, which you can find through the link above, Ayn Rand, the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, believed that truth exists independently of the minds and opinions of people. That there was an underlying universal self evident truth that existed beyond the scope of society and its collective manipulations that can cloud the value of universal truth.

Through the interview on the PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer, yesterday, it shows clearly that the current administration still believes in the mob mentality or the control of and manipulation of the lemming minds of America. It is self evident that they maintain their belief that our society holds a truth by proxy. That has been their public relations platform to create and get away with their abuse of power and how they created a dictatorship type of Presidency under everyone's nose without hesitation.

Well, as I stated a few days ago, "There you go again." I don't understand why I feel it is amazing that they attempt to get away with this type of behavior when it works for them every time. We are allowing these fraudulent statements to carry on and their embezzlement of American tax dollars. This money is all of our future earnings being thrown to the elite. That governmental distribution of funds or the great social experiment. We used to call it the great Democratic Experiment. The recipients of all of this social distribution of tax dollars to the current tune of $270 Billion have gone solely to the elite and corporations, to which Paulson and Bush belong to, or have their hands deep into the till, and they are orchestrating the distribution of funds without means of oversight whatsoever. The incestuous means of staffing the TARP committee is simply Paulson making sure his previous business cohorts are still in and part of this ponzi scheme to which they are orchestrating.

Although, I was driving during a lot of this interview, if I were to have closed my eyes I could have switched Paulson out for Palin and we would have heard the same type of rhetoric and catch phrase lines that they calculatingly put into the ears of society. The repetition of phrases. The nonchalance of the gravity of destruction to which Paulson will sit and overview, for the American people, but of course without much, if any personal repercussions.

I wish to include the entire interview in print, but it is long so I will leave you with a link that you can directly go to and read. Or I am including a link here to on a streaming video that you can watch the interview. I feel that this is such an exemplary means of proof to the theories laid out in the "Mobs, Messiah's, and Markets" book I keep touting in this blog. I will also leave a link for you that if you wish to simply listen while you blog as you can hear the streaming download as well.


(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

I heard at the Salon

Based on a recent article from Salon.com, by Mark Benjamin, takes us back to the conversation about Bush and his upcoming Pardons. You must read this...



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Polished program of deceit

"Well, there you go again." That old famous line from the Repugnicant's favorite trickle down leader, Ronald Reagan. This time it needs to be said to them. I knew things would turn out this way. The lies to get their hands on a TRILLION dollars is mind boggling.

US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson stated today that the bailout is working. I'm not sure what planet that he is on, but on this one nothing has changed except that the same banks that he has been partnered with during his career, and those that he has done business with in his career have received huge sums of money. Is any of that money "trickling" down to main street? NO! The banks are still in freeze mode with their funds. I would like to know from any readers, if you know of anyone who has received a new loan or refinance from this bailout...I'm waiting...I thought so. The banks have not loosened their funds a bit.

Bush and Paulson had stated previously to Congress and Senate that it would use the money to buy up bad debt. Now that they have the funds they have abandoned those plans and switched gears to simply continue to buy shares in banks to boost their funding. In other words, GIVE a failed institution money for doing a shit job. They gave out loans that they knew they would NOT be held accountable for due to the fact that they were packaged in such creative ways that it would take years to tear apart. Paulson is the same person who was on game that masterminded this kind of behavior in the first place through his previous positions. There were no measures in this bailout to these institutions that held them accountable as to how they would redistribute these funds. So, are they spending their money in the US...? Perhaps they are going to redistribute it into China as the dollar has done quite well there in the past few weeks with their economy going down the toilet...! Or perhaps they are filling their offshore accounts before they leave office...

This is exactly the socialistic "spreading of the wealth" that the Repugnicants touted throughout the campaign that Obama would be doing. Only it is a socialist program for the rich, how typical. Remember, when I said to mark my words that they will piss away the funds and none will be left when Obama gets into office...

How about helping out the now (and always) struggling car companies, like the deal that Lee Iacocca did in the 80's so that the thousands of people in Michigan's and other areas around the United States auto maker manufacturing companies can keep their jobs. Of course, Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions adds, "Once we cross the divide from financial institutions to individual corporations, truly, where would you draw the line?" ...uh, let's see, aren't these financial institutions individual corporations? Or are they handing money out to the entire industry? This is unbelievable!

Why not give the car companies some assistance to help all of those people keep their jobs, by making the car companies build more fuel efficient and ecologically responsible cars for these funds. Have stop gap measures to make sure these things take place and hold them accountable. Oh, wait, this administration has no idea how to do that! Accountability? uuhh, isn't that the accounting dept.s' problem...Let's call the CFO and see if they know what that means, you know those guys at Arthur Anderson, we know them....Oh, yeah, Arthur, I loved that movie...

Instead of giving the banks hundreds of billions of dollars so that they can spend it where ever they choose, why not refinance the entire housing industry. Redefine ALL loans.

Here is an idea...Every loan could be reset at a new rate, for example let's say 3 or 4%. The loans would be through the government program of a seven year fixed. Seven years is enough to let people and the economy get things back together again. At that point, the borrower will reset to their previous loan and rate. This will make people rethink their purchase decisions and living decisions for the future with a deadline. Some will be able to be assisted with this, and some won't. For those that won't probably should not be in their situation to begin with. This will allow ample time for people to get out if it won't work for them. This would also allow ANY personal residence home owner the availability to get relief from the program and help put people into new homes again or keep their existing homes. This would assist the hard hit construction industry and construction supply industry immediately to help money flow. This would also help with the lending industry and getting some of those people back to work with refinances and home purchases again. This would free up people's lives and minds and move the economy forward. The government would be able to take an equity stake of the difference in each loan if the people were to sell within their loan timeline of seven years.

I know this is a thumbnail sketch, but it would make the economy move again immediately. What is going on now is Reaganomics all over again. That was a huge success for the rich but failed for the rest of the country.

Will history ever teach our government anything?! Oh, yes, it will teach them how much the lemmings will allow to be screwed and for how long, while the rich elitists rake it in...again...

By getting money into the people's hands, and not the corporations, will allow this economy to move immediately. Now, is the time, with prices of housing at near lows, and stocks at decade low marks for people to have the opportunity to take advantage of that. This will put money back into the corporations, as well, as the people. Simply giving banks the funds to redistribute this wealth, of which is the people's money to begin with, holds the commoner down. This is OUR money that is being pissed away to the rich! Doesn't anyone see this?!

Now, they are talking about giving the banks more money on the credit card lending, student loan, and car loan industry. This is another way of saying, "We will give the banks more money to lend out to the people so that they can get further into debt", vs helping the people get OUT of the deep debt that these institutions convinced them to get into in the first place! It is this debt that is creating the struggling economy as people keep getting into bigger holes to try to get out of the smaller one that they are in...

This is not a bailout, they are simply bailing more dirty debt onto the hole that they created for the consumer in a new and polished program of deceit to the consumer.



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs

Pardon me, mister President...

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The irony of Vox Humana and Barack Obama

The term Vox Humana is latin for "human voice". The French phrase would be "voix humaine", and "voce umana" in Italian.

Despite the literal translations to this latin phrase it also is a term used for a short resonator reed stop on a pipe organ, named of its resemblance to the human voice. There is a process in pipe organs to which an undulation of wind supply through the different pipe ranks causes a vibrato effect, referred to as a tremulant.

The vibrato effect which is created sounds much like the natural qualities of the human voice. A large organ may have several tremulants which affect different sets of pipes. There are different tremulants that allow for a variable speed and depth of the tremolo, which is controlled by the organist.

The vox humana is intended to evoke the impression of a soloist or singing choir. The actual success of this intent depends as much upon the acoustics in which the organ resounds, as it does the voicing of the pipes.

Why is this on my mind, you ask? I found it a bit ironic. You see, Bush and his policies have held and pushed our country back socially, economically, politically on both our local, national, and international communities. As this country's, and the world's organist, he failed to recognized the value to the power of harmony and the use of vox humana.

We have seen the energizing efforts that Obama has created by allowing the human voice to be heard. He, as a global organist, sees the power in the use of vox humana. Whether he is using it for his own solo efforts to add to the political dialogue or whether he is using it for the unification, and bringing the world's voices together in a large choir to create harmony throughout the world.

Vox humana stops in very old organs had a fairly wide variety of designs and tonal qualities. It was during the nineteenth century that the design became fairly standardized. Today, most organ builders construct vox humana pipes in approximately the same way, though the scaling will vary between builders and according to the tonal style in which the organ is designed. The actual sound of the pipe is dependent upon the organ voicer, with an open "O" or a long "E" sound probably being the most common result. Occasionally, an organ will feature a lever or stop knob marked "Vox humana" that does not engage a rank of pipes, but rather the tremulant instead. While it is seen in pipe organs, this usage of the term is now more common on the harmonium.

As the organ stops over the centuries have become more standardized, much like our global economy and political landscape which has become so innertwined, as well. Although, they have not become one, and there are various ranks of pipes and soloists that still sing loudly, I believe that the world has found a new organist.

Vox humana is simply the human voice. There are moments of tremolo that take place in life, as well as, disharmony and global dischord, but having an organist that understands the use of vox humana can empower the global music of all of the voices that play a part in the human symphony. All voices are heard always only some are louder and more disharmonious to the rest of the world orchestra. It is knowing that all of the voices are singing at the same time and all need to be heard in a melodious manner in order to bring the world to a universal choir of harmony.

The irony of this Presidential campaign has given harmony and vibrato back to the Vox Humana.



(c)Copyright 2008 Doug Boggs