Saturday, September 11, 2010

TOO MANY AMERICANS SEE THE GLASS AS HALF FULL

When the doomsday speakers have had their say, the future looks pretty dim.  However, Darwin had it right when he talked about survival of the fittest.  All those school dropouts will have the hardest time getting jobs because there are more of them than those who hung in there and got advanced degrees in a variety of specialties.  The Huffing ton Post has an excellent review which may or may not prove as an accurate prediction.The article lists those industries which are least likely to recover in the foreseeable future.  On the bright side, it lists those jobs needing workers now.

Christopher Rugaber writes about  some job openings though it will not equal the unemployed number even if they are filled.  Worse than that, if the number of qualified people is non-existent, it will slow those industries down and further hold back a rise in the overall  economy.  While we would all like to see this sign more often, recovery will be slow.  Those who are blaming Obama for the lack of speed in recovery have to be seen as fools with no awareness of what is going on in our country post the devastation left by the Bush administration.  A fact the 'Bushies' would like to keep in their denial.

However, though we may not be able to retain our super power status as a country, like the Phoenix, we will rise again from the ashes so many have forced us to live in. 

Friday, September 10, 2010

WHAT HAPPENED TO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?

It used to be legal for serious researchers to use embryonic stem cells in medical research.  Then came born-again-Christian G W Bush putting his religious views into the mix and banning their use.  Next came another Christian as President but who, acknowledges science as not being governed by religious views whno made it legal/  Then came the religious powers again who went to court to make it illegal again.  A Judge Lamberth decided it was against the law so those who wish to be able to continue their research again went to the courts and the ban was stayed until the courts could look into the legalities more fully.  For a better look at this see-saw, click here to learn the specific players.

Wikipedia has an excellent historic view of the way the colonies were settled by several religions. 

Colonies with no established church

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has the most recent statistics I could find.  However. I do not know on which forms filled out their statistics are based.  Many people, for many years, felt compelled to list a religion when , in fact, they did not attend a religious service no identify with anyh organized religion though they often filled in forms with the religion of their birth.  I believe people are tending away from that these days so the current census, when tabulated, will  reflect an altered balance.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

THE METAMORPHOSIS OF POP MUSIC

Tonight I listened to an evening of an older Louis Armstrong singing lone songs.  It was a contradiction of sounds but, listening to the lyrics could not contradict the emotion behind those lyrics.Even the gravel voiced Louis had those lyrics caressing the listener with the feeling of love in all its facets.Often he was accompanied by none other than Oscar Peterson and his trio who were all legends in jazz (Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, Louis Bellson on drums, and Oscar Peterson on piano).

What was most striking in the numbers played were the lyrics in the love songs. One could actually clearly hear and understand all of the lyrics.The musical genre of the 40's and 50s, the Swing Bands and the Big Bands with their magnificent vocalists were a great loss when Rock and Roll came in with its 3 chords on guitar (with occasional capo added). Gone were the classically trained musicians like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Dave Brubeck, Gunther Schuller, Andre Previn  and so many more.

When music began to change, so did the content of lyrics.  The sad part is that most lyrics heard in today's music market require a written copy of the lyrics for them to be understood.  Some might even be lovely but I wouldn't know as I can never hear them.  Today we have New Age, Reggae, Tropical, Latin, Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Hard Rock, Alternative Rock, Rap, R&B/Hip-Hop, to name a few.  It is not surprising, then, that many classically trained students who don't go into classical music, and symphony orchestras go into jazz. Most music genres of today seem to last through the adolescent years and quickly become 'Golden Oldies'.sold on the Internet.

To get a free, safe  connection on the Internet to listen to radio stations all over the world. click here to sample all today's music.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

ISTHE FIRST AMENDMENT FREE SPEECH OR FREE ACTION?

Some insensitive minister of a small group in  Florida plans to continue a campaign to get many to burn Quran (Koran) copies on 9/11.  Even though General Petraeus has said that it will unquestionably cost American lives.  Is there no one in this country who can stop this man and is media not able to keep him out odf the news.  If the party of no  could just say their 'no' to this man, Terry Jones who calls himself a man of God and a minister, perhaps some lives could be saved and this man's five minutes of air time would be over instead of giving him a place in history.

Watch this YouTube on National Security and Free Speech.  The government has made it clear that media may not give away troop movements and you may not yell fire in a theater.  Free speech, as I have been brought up to believe was in the Constitution so that people can express opinions.  They may stand on a soapbox in a public park and not be stopped in expressing political opinion ir expressing differing points of view with the Administration, laws, etc .  When, in our history, speech got converted to be interpreted as action, I do not know.  The separation of speech and action is something everyone should have  learned in Psychology 101. I realize love for your fellow man and common sense cannot be taught.

Burning a flag, Bible or the Koran is an action.  It is unnecessary since no one will stop you from standing in the park and expressing hyour dislike of anyone's religion.  Why is that such a difficult concept to understand?

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

IF ONLY FOX CABLE NEWS HAD THE INTEGRITY OF THE WASHINGTON POST

A few days ago, the New York Times published an article by Joseph Plambeck who wrote about the Washington Post suspending Michael Wise for a month for stating something false on Twitter.  While Twitter is a personal venue, the Post  said he represents the Washington Post when he writes anything that is an untruth but not labeled as such, essentially. Click here to reads this article  Written was:  "Mike Wise, a sports columnist at The Washington Post, published to his Twitter account that the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would be suspended for five games.....On his radio program on Washington’s WJFK on Tuesday morning, Mr. Wise said, “I could give you 10 reasons why I did this and explain what went wrong in the execution. But none of it matters today. I made a horrendous mistake.” .Mr. Wise has been suspended for a month.

Apparently  many media people are surfing twitter using it as a news source because most people write the truth.  However, it is clearly not to be trusted as a source for fact.  The Post's sports editor. a Mr. Vita said "“When you use social media, remember that you are representing The Washington Post, even if you are using your own account,  This is not to be treated lightly.”

Naturally it made me wonder that Fox  News does about the many false statements its people make.  I would say they do nothing and have extremely poor media ethics, not that it seems to bother their listeners.  Media ethics are not secret.  You, too, can read them here.  Have no fear, if you like Fox News, you will not believe them, you will assume they're being followed by Fox without you having to check them and you will still believe Obama is a Muslim and is not a  citizen.  .

Monday, September 6, 2010

RELIGION IS STILL TRYING TO TURN LEAD INTO GOLD

There are religious groups who claim to be able to turn gays straight.  This flaunts ignorance in the face of all current medical and research findings,  On 8-30-2010, Ted Cox wrote about six of these scams.  he writes, "...every major, reputable professional psychological and medical association has stated that not only is there no evidence supporting the possibility of changing somebody’s sexual orientation, but that such programs harm those involved; depression and suicide are all-too-common in the ex-gay world.
The six ways written about are: 1) Rubber Band Therapy; 2) Healing Touch Therapy; 3) Beat your mom to death -- with a tennis racket; 4) Get face-to-face and crotch-to-crotch; 5) Subliminal Messages; 6) Shock therapy and torture

For those of you who may wish to see these categories in more detail, click here.  Many are still trying to apply Freudian and other guess-work solutions to why people are gay or Lesbian.  For an example of this unscientifically proven thinking, just Google 'treating homosexuality'.  Despite warnings that treatment may not only be ineffective but actually harmful.

It is sad how long it takes for a whole society to accept scientific proof and data to support findings. It makes bery clear how many of our citizens resist change even in the face of irrefutable fact..

Sunday, September 5, 2010

IGNORING HISTORY

Many people are inherently lazy.  They decide on something, regardless of fact, and do not swerve from that opinion, like those who persist in claiming Obama is not an American nor a Christian but is a Muslim.  Hawaii was declared a stat of the Unite4d Stated in 1959.  Barack Obama was born in the State of Hawaii.in 1961 and copies of his birth certificate are available for those whose minds have not been closed by Fox News and other treason-ridden who calls themselves Americans and patriots.  Click here.

We have, with good reason, demonized Osama bin Laden. The man is an angry man who is using his religion as a weapon of his own modification.  However, it is not enough just to call him angry; one must understand his grievances to understand the evil in the man.  In his speech on 11.24/2002 he is quoted:  " These governments give us a taste of humiliation, and places us in a large prison of fear and subdual."..."These governments have surrendered to the Jews, and handed them most of Palestine, acknowledging the existence of their state over the dismembered limbs of their own people."

While I do not agree with his methods or purpose, I agree that he sees the United States in the accurately negative light that is not shown in the United States but seen elsewhere, especially with the preemptive strike in Iraq though the world saw the US in many other dishonorable acts about which we cannot be proud.  In that same speech he says, "The American people have the ability and choice to refuse the policies of their Government and even to change it if they want." Sadly this is not true in politics today.  We are not a land of the free at all any longer and have been hi-jacked as viciously as computer hijackers are able to accomplish without our control of our own computers..For the entire context, click here.

The irresponsible American who is planning a Quran burning day should be punished for treason in inciting the wrath of an avowed enemy.  Such behavior goes way beyond free speech into action and inciting others to join in this unacceptable behavior.  Will it be a retaliation of Bible burning and end up in another 'pissing contest' as, past wars turn out to be?  For his many crimes, bin Laden has lost his Saudi citizenship.  However, in a religion where blood is so binding beyond legal forms, what do we know about the people who still love him there?  How many Americans really understand much of his history prior to 9/11?  Click here for some.

“Some of the best weapons do not shoot.” U.S. Army Counterinsurgency Field Manual FM 3-24
December, 2006  I have not yet been able to find the speech in which Osama bin Laden threatened to bring down the American economy.  However, I clearly recollect it having been delivered. Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdock and a Saudi Arabian as the greater stock holders, as well as Fox News and many other holdings spewing propaganda and lies, backing the Republicans with a million dollar donation, suggests to me that, while we are looking for bombs, we should be looking towards who is behind the lies that will probably put those who nearly brought the country down beyond its knees, is putting the same party back in office.Most frightening is that our country is full of people who believe them to be speaking truths!!!