The Hazards of Central Planning

From the Stoa this day I will shed some light upon the various crises going on around the world.

Too much central planning.

In France, a single cargo hauling union strikes and the highways shut down. Why? Because the unions in France, and much of Europe, are monolithic. Every truck driver is part of the SAME union. Then there are the sympathy strikes that then shut down the subways, buses, oh, and gas stations. No way to work now all because of one union.

Economics. In the good old days of Europe, everyone made fun of the Southern parts as corrupt and possessing poor currency. However, everyone loved to manufacture things down there, and their beaches were rather nice. Then, they decided to have one big currency with little central planning. Binge spending and debt ensued. Now they want full central planning. Not gonna work.

Banks are merging into super banks. When one goes down it will pull all the others with them. In America, in the past, banks were very regional, sometimes only within a portion of a State. If one went down, you went to the bank down the street. Now, 5 banks in the US hold over 7 Trillion in assets...other people's assets.

Congress keeps trying to do this and to do that. The Fed tries to do this and to do that. STOP. The Free Market knows just what to do. It knows what to price for and how. It knows what needs to be built and WHEN (and it is not Green Energy).

The market will punish the corrupt and the incompetent (I'm looking at you, GM and Chrysler). If you consolidate power you make that power vulnerable.

Lets think about that some more. If you put all the money in one place and that place gets swallowed up in the ground, where is all the money? If you have one union in a nation that controls the power grid, what happens if Barney doesn't get his raise? What happens if all the Doctors stop working (this happened in Slovakia this year). What happens if all the fuel trucks stop running?

It can happen and does. Military doctrine calls for centralizing only when going on the offensive, otherwise you just make a fat target. Centralizing any part of your society makes that asset vulnerable to disruption.

Just don't. Obama, stop playing around like you know what you are doing and just stop it. Same for you Congress. We the People know what to do and how to fix it. No more tax breaks and no more subsidies. You didn't invent the iPad or the cell phone, so don't try.

Leave it be and We the People will fix everything.

Live well.

--Zavost

The United Nations: Theater of the Absurd

From atop this Stoa, I would laugh at the absurdity that is the United Nations, but the tears turn the chuckles into chokes.

Only in the UN can Iran be in charge of monitoring Nuclear Proliferation, Ghadaffi to monitor human rights, and Mugabe set to monitor the political freedom of nations.

Syria has been gripped in the throws of civil war for over a year now, and the Red Cross has only just now decided that after the deaths of 30,000 people that just perhaps, Syria might be in a Civil War.

The blue helmets fret and rub their hands and try to stand between the combatants, only to be shocked when they come under fire as well. Dumb-asses.

So, to keep the Theater of the Absurd theme, I shall once again visit the great National Bar Room.

We go back in time though not too far. It is May, 2009 and America stands at a large table, his shirt tails are pulled out, his hair is a mess, and his coffee is both cold and weak. He is trying to tell the various member-States at the table that they can not afford what the new President is promising. Someone needs to work, someone needs to pay taxes, and someone needs to be productive.

The little man who was elected President completely ignores the rules of economics, confident in his ability to cast a glance wave a hand at the tempest and cause it to calm.

Likewise, his attitude is the same as it relates to foreign policy. Where America saw daggers in every shadow, this little man only sees misunderstood patriots. Where America saw people starving as dictators built palaces for themselves, he sees only leaders, struggling against an unfair world created by the United States.

In May, this little man invited Egypt to come over and have a talk about an upcoming speech in his country. The two conversed for some time before Egypt then back into the cauldron that was Middle East politics, you know, the corner of the bar farthest from the alcohol (though keg lines could be seen snaking under the carpet from time to time...

The little man then goes to Egypt the next month and gives a speech that is inspiring to the Muslim population. A speech so inspiring and full of Islamic references that the Secular Egyptian government begins to loosen their ties in discomfort. This was not the speech the little man had told Egypt he was going to give.

Fast forward to January, 2011. In America, there is a fire sale on foreclosed homes, dismembered businesses and an ever growing line of people arriving daily for food assistance. America swore that little man was making things worse, not better. He owed to creditors more money than ever existed in the world and the little man continued to preach about spending even more money that did not exist.

Egypt, fired by the passions of Islam and under the cloak of "Democracy", were making a hard left turn towards radical, Theocratic Islam (socialist). The speech that the little American gave was supposed to heal the wounds created by historic American policies, yet here was a country that was on the verge of coming apart from within.

It was not long before America saw the Egyptian leader, his suit torn and fouled, pulled down under a pile of arms and scarfs. In his place, a new man approached the table to sit. He was dressed in robes and wore his religion proudly upon his frame.

The little man grinned and wished that Peace be upon you, blessed be the prophet's name.

America, brow furrowed while handing out some more bread simply said, "What???"

Then Tunisia began to riot, the man in the suit being pulled down and replaced by a man in robes. The little man grinned.

Then, it was Libya's turn. The man in the suit hung in there, stronger than the rest and began to shoot the people trying to pull him down.

Now, this man was no friend to America, but anyone who could control radical Islam was at least doing us an indirect favor.

America looked to the little man and said, "you know what to do."

"I sure do," he said. The little man rallied the forces of NATO and began bombing the man in the suit. America slapped his forehead and yelled, "What the hell???"

Mauritania fell next, aided by the rebels from Libya. Another Western-style government ripped down and replaced by Islamists in the name of Freedom and Democracy. America got on eBay to find the little man a dictionary as the words he used bore little resemblance to his actions...

The bloodshed in Syria began at the same time as Libya began its tortured decent into Civil War. It did not make the news in America much, since the little man talked all the time and the sheeple who adored him followed every note of his pipping tunes.

The little man walked over to the UN table, which was set up in middle of the room and contained a representative from each country. One only had to look at the number of robes added since the Little Man's rise to power in America to see how things had changed. America tried to pay attention to the words he was saying even as another bank failed and then another ponzi scheme on Wall Street blew up.

The little man went to the table and looked over at the Middle East. The Syrian leader, impassive in his suit looked back. Around him, a dust cloud hung at waist height. Arms with rifles, swords, and severed heads rose and fell about him. Iran, that creepy fellow at the end of the bar had pulled a chair up beside the Syrian leader and whipped his arm back behind him, trying to hide the belt of ammunition he was slipping to the suited Syrian. The little man pretended not to notice.

The words he spoke to the group were the usual. I'm great, I know what to do, and the fault is all that of my predecessor. He asked Syria if he would stop killing his people, glancing over as he said this. The belt of ammunition that Iran was giving him was now behind the suited man as fresh sounds of gunfire and death ripped through the cloud around him.

The Syrian stared back at him impassively.

The little man grinned and asked the UN if there was anything they could do to help the situation.

China and Russia picked up their large heavy chairs and drug them around so that they sat between the UN and Syria. The bulk of their huge frames and those of the chair blocked the view of Syria from the rest of the world. Fresh weapons, ammunition and technical support flowed from Russia and China directly to the suited Syrian leader.

The little man, now unable to see Syria, grinned again, "Right!" and then walked back to the American table, even as another business had to close its doors and turn people to the unemployment line.

America just shook his head in disbelief.

Not long after that, some people in the UN decided that they would like to have a look for themselves at Syria. A previous leader of the UN took three hundred blue helmets with him over to Syria. He told the angry people in robes to stop fighting. He told the soldiers of Syria to stop shooting the robed people, and he yelled at Iran to stop sending soldiers, weapons, and ammunition into this. Its only making things worse, you know.

The previous leader ran out of the cloud with bullets winging after him. Blue helmets rolling on the floor.

The UN put hand to chin and thought about this situation. They really seemed upset about something. Perhaps if they sent in a letter first, telling Syria that they were coming. Thats right, they were probably just surprised by there appearance.

The letter went out and the impassive Syrian leader responded with a simple, "no". China and Russia simply shook their heads, "no".

The little man in America continued to ignore Syria and focus instead on eliminating all oil production in and around America. Canada was told to sell that filthy black stuff to China, they needed it more than America did.

45,000 more people now joined America at the food line.

While the UN gathered more Blue Helmets and Red Cross people to go back to Syria, the little man forced government people to drive the new Chevy Volt. GE, sucking up to the little man, forced their people to drive the car as well. Not bad at $250,000 per subsidized automobile.

America again shook his head and welcomed another 80,000 people to the food line.

A loud ruckus erupted from the side of the room where Syria hid. Rumors of Chemical weapons being brought out of storage began to circulate. Armored units that kept an eye on Israel began to pull back and head to the capital of Syria as fast as their treads would take them.

The little man was barking something about the rich opponent trying to unseat him for the Presidency, despite the $11,000,000 bank account that he possessed. While another thousand people died in Syria, the little man pointed out that the rich white guy put his dog in a carrier strapped to the top of a car.

The rich white guy countered with, "at least I didn't eat it!"

A head rolled out from between Russia's feet, which he was then quietly scooted back under the chair, eyes looking around to make sure no one noticed.

This play still has another act to go, unfortunately. There is so much more going on that is destabilizing and we have no one but the Little Man to thank for it.

Thank you, dumb-ass.

--Live well.

Zavost

Control your Reality

From the Stoa this wet Wednesday, I will discuss our perceptions of fate and destiny. No, we will not get lofty, but will seek to keep it grounded in our day to day reality.

When I was younger, everyone always said to step forward take your punishment if you did wrong. Take responsibility for your mistakes. Of course most everyone I knew...scratch that, EVERYONE I knew attempted to avoid their punishment.

They would expend vast amounts of energy and accumulate stress just to avoid a punishment. More energy and more stress then they would endure if they just took their medicine.

With age comes, I hope, wisdom. Wisdom enough to understand the truths behind these easy to remember "wives tales" of duty and obligation to the truth.

When one gets older they begin to see the complex connections in every day life. Complexity upon complexity...driven from the basic components of simple human interactions. We have the power to "fix" our own futures. I do not mean "fix" as in "repair". No ,I mean "fix" as in "to set". I also sometimes believe that this is why the older one gets, the more time they spend in church. I believe that they are seeing so many connections within the webs of complexity that they go there not out of fear of mortality, but awe.

An example: A factory worker is hearing about from the news that their plant may close due to the bad economy. The family worries if it will be able to pay its bills. The rest of the workers worry about it as well. Their union tells them that all will be well and that they will fight to keep the plant open.

This person has several choices. He can HOPE that the faith he places in the unions will be enough to keep the plant open, he can work actively with the union to keep the plant, or he can take the time he has left to retrain for another vocation. Fix your own future. Don't be carried along by it.

Unions have a poor record of keeping anything open. Working with the union to keep a plant open expends vast amounts of energy and time that, in the end, bear no fruit. By taking the harder choice of the three, he teaches himself a new skill, a skill needed by someone who is willing to pay them money for their services.

Hope and change. Futility. He can HOPE the plant will stay open, but if it does not, he is on the bottom of a bad situation. If he works to keep the plant, then he will feel both rage and disappointment that it all came to nothing. This can have a negative effect on family, friends, and his soul.

By taking control of the situation, he jumps from a vehicle who's course, though not certain, will certainly take it into either a wall or a ditch. Better to chart your own path.

He has spared himself the uncertainty and worry that can cripple a person. This uncertainty and anxiety express themselves in alcoholism, divorce, child abuse, and suicide. Taking control has its own risks, but at least you can go down knowing you did your best, and victory will taste that much sweeter.

Another example:
A person is working in a job that causes stress and anxiety out of proportion to what one would expect. Stoicism teaches that stress is caused my a mis-match in nature. If you live according to your nature, your character, then you will not experience stress that you can not control.

So, do you take extra schooling, employ tutors, work 16 hour days to make your company happy with your output, or do you take a breath and think about where the stress is coming from?

Rather than expend a mountain of energy maintaining an untenable situation, take that energy and pivot your life. Move it into a direction that is more in line with your nature. Your character. Many in the business world call this "fit".

Very little in life can carry a guarantee or promise of success. Heck, that is part of the joy of life. To strive against something to accomplish. No one likes "God" mode on a game all the time. Pivot your life, learn from your actions, and work to match your life as close to your personal nature as possible.

The theory is simple, the application is difficult. We all have our excuses, therefore we must carry our own stresses, ultimately. Regret over life's choices must be your burden and your burden alone.

Think hard on that last sentence.

This was not a blog on futility, but one of hope and real change. Think on that, too.

Live well.

--Zavost

I was there

Storms rage around the Stoa this day. It feels appropriate. Storms always signal change. Hot to cold, cold to hot. Dry to wet, stuffy to fresh.

I have always liked storms. On an instinctive level I admire the discharge of electrons and the thunder of tortured air being shoved violently aside. Change.

This post is similar to my last one in that I will recount events that I have borne witness to. In my relatively short life I have seen the eddies of time. Events that eventually reset and replay. Time may or may not be linear, but humanities observation of its effects on our culture demonstrate it to be full of backwash.

I was there when Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford for the Presidency. I watched the backlash against Watergate and the Nixon Pardon.

I was there as hundreds in my home town, dependent on the Auto Industry lost their jobs in the great Carter Malaise.

I was there when Reagan defeated Carter in a monumental landslide. I watched as Reagan made us feel good about ourselves again and reminded us of just who we were and what our role in the world was. Thank you, Ron.

I was there when an Apollo Capsule docked with a Soyuz Capsule in orbit, demonstrating that though our governments and ideologies were different, the Soviets and the Americans were both human, and therefore, adventurous.

I was there when the Space Shuttle Enterprise was dropped by a modified Boeing 747 to prove that the Shuttle could maneuver in the atmosphere upon re-entry and land at a long airfield.

I was there, also, when President Obama killed NASA and relegated our national dreams to the history books. The money needed elsewhere for his welfare programs.

I was there when the Berlin Wall collapsed and millions demanded their freedom. I was also there when the Supreme Court gave President Obama the power to order me to buy things, anything, or pay a tax. Most Americans did not even understand that the noises they heard over the cheering and jeering were the tax shackles of slavery.

I was there in 2008 as the world economy vaporized. I was also there as the Federal Government used it all as a vehicle for tyranny, having largely caused the destruction in the first place. Wish you were still here, Ron.

I was there when medical technology was so advanced that we needed more precise legal definitions of what was "alive" and what was "dead". I was also there when ObamaCare was passed and upheld, with the new definitions being who gets to "live" and who will be permitted to "die".

I was there when the GI Generation had ambition enough to build orbital colonies and send manned missions to Mars in the 1970's. I was also there when Obama devolved our space travel capabilities so much that we are now unable to put a man into space any longer reliably.

I was there to see the rise of the Princess of Wales, Diana, and here death. I was also there when Michael Jackson accidentally died of a drug overdose. Now, his daughter looks to be the next Paris Hilton.

I was also there as Prince Charles cheated on Diana with an older woman. The scandal. I was also there as my father did the same thing to my mother, only she was not killed running from the Paparazzi.

I was there when Nixon was driven out of office for covering up Watergate. I was also there when Congress stood powerless to hold Eric Holder and Obama in Contempt for covering up "Gun Walker".

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

We have always been who we are. The cast of players change, the outcomes change, but the came always remains the same.

In my relatively short time on this world, I have already the the beginning and end to cycles, and the re-start of those cycles with different faces and different scandals.

I wonder what else I will be here to see in the future.

Live well,

--Zavost