PERILS OF ON-LINE SUPPORT!

Lately I have the misfortune of dealing with on-line (telephone support people) regarding many different problems from travel, visa requirements, downloading software, banking issues, product return issues and more. I am not sure why I have had so many issues in such a short time, but there they are.  I must commend a lady at Verizon Wireless for her courtesy and knowledge – she is one good person that stands out of the so many ill trained, ill-disciplined and just don’t care what tour problem is – they have a script for that.

Part of the problem is geography. You call an 800 number and you get someone in the Philippines. When that person has a problem with your problem she or he transfers you to a “supervisor” that has just a little more knowledge, so you think – but that person is in Mumbai. The supervisor also is ill equipped or trained to answer your question so off you go to another part of the world. While waiting for that person to pick up you visualize yourself on an airplane going to that part of the world to strangle the voice on the other end of the line. The hold time is almost as long as the flight.

They have a script and they must read every word regardless of whether they are addressing your problem or not. They don’t slow down or pause for a split second. So finally in frustration you yell, “SHUT UP!” And of course they don’t. When and if they do, they say I must transfer you and before you can say “don’t” you are once again on hold.

The next person says that they can assist you like they think they really can. But first you must provide the last four digits of your mother’s maiden name, the street you were born on, and the address of your proctologist to verify that you are you! “Yes,” he says I can solve your problem, “ what is the problem?”

After two hours on the phone, listening to otherwise hysterical clerks trying t read their  poorly written scripts, speaking in strange high pitched accents, admonishing you if you don’t hear what they say you will forever be in problem limbo and nothing can happen and to this point, nothing has happened except your blood pressure has risen above today’s Dow!

Now this voice resonating several octaves below the last several vices you experienced, says slowly, in an authoritative tone, just click the little bar at the bottom of the page – and voila, the problem is solved. Huh! I just spent some long and arduous minutes, maybe even hours to get to this point. Why wasn’t squeaky voice one and squeaky voice number two or all the squeaky voices t rained to instruct the caller in the first place.

The squeaky voices come from call centers all over the world. The last guy was hemisphericaly local. In other words he knows his audience. He understood the culture that he was addressing. However, the product or service provider didn’t but should have known that we want immediate answers from people who can provide them.

I have had a phone tech support guy tell me that, “That is good.” When in fact I described a potential catastrophic problem that was looming. They are automatons that just know how to read scripts written for them by people who have no idea of what a problem is. They are not taught courtesy. They won’t listen because they have no idea of what the problem is – but talking over you and not taking a breath you will go away. But not before they ask you to take a small survey that will rate their service. Love the small 20 minute survey! “Please, sir, can you rank you experience today. One being the worst and ten being the best.” The experience was the rankest I have ever had. I have yet to give above a one and they are so appreciative – because, once again, they weren’t listening.

When they get back on the line they ask what else can they provide today. I always ask for their boss. The boss comes on and asks you to provide the last four digits of your mother’s maiden name, the street you were born on, and the address of your proctologist to verify that you are you!

That is when I tell them to stick it - where the proctologist does!

That is my take, what’s your experience?

SO MANY QUESTIONS - NO ANSWERS

We are all saddened, no not saddened, we are sick, no we are not sick at what happened, actually there are no words that can describe what we feel after what we learned what had happened Friday, December 14th in Connecticut. I am still not sure about what I feel but I do know that I don’t like what I feel. I do not feel the need for revenge and forgiveness is definitely not among my feelings. I am having a hard time as many of you, are in coming to grips with the feelings regarding this matter even though we may not know any of the victims – or ever will for that matter. Knowing them is not the issue, never getting to know them is the tragedy.

On the last night of Chanukah I watched with utter joy 13 children from about two years old to sixteen years old enjoy the holiday spirit – playing together, running around together, eating together, singing prayers together, and working games on the computer together with wonder in their eyes. Laughing and just enjoying life as they know it. Utter glee in my heart, utter joy in my eyes, utter love for the future that they represent and the future that is theirs for taking. Unless someone, one of G-d’s children takes it from them.

Why I am having doubts about there being an entity that we can’t see, we claim to feel, we can’t hear (although some say that they have heard that entity – we tend to put them in padded rooms), yet we extol His power, the power of this entity. His power to do what? There is no power except that which in in us. We have the power to do good, to educate ourselves, to nurture and love our family, to make the road of life smoother for our children and we have the power to do real evil. Just as it was done that Friday morning.  So, where does all this power lie?

We pray to a god. A good god, who knows? A bad god, who knows? An ambivalent god, who knows? God loves us is the mantra. Just listen to the rabbis, the priests, the mullahs, the pastors, the lay leaders all say that there is a god that loves us.  The Muslims have a strange way to illustrate that love. The Mormons exclude other of the G-d’s “children.” The Orthodox rabbis exclude the female sex of G-d’s children – where is all this love from this god? Where is His protection, where are His omniscient powers that allow Him to be where He is needed when He is needed? My point being, as I was leaning towards a specific point in a previous blog, there is no god like the one have come to accept. Not that G-d is dead. Remember that from the 60s? We came down hard that group that declared G-d dead. They may have been wrong because there has to have been a god that existed once to have died. Or one that existed only in mythology.

That belief really screws up the liturgy. The Shema is no longer a valid declaration. If there is no god then there is no “One.” As I stated in my earlier blog, I love religion, the beauty, the pageantry, sights and sounds if the services. There are some religions that do not celebrate the beauty of the religion, but for the most part, the costumes, the large hats, the robes, the small caps all play a part in delineating the beauty of the presentation. Every religious service is three part opera and can be entertaining and beautiful. Experiencing that play, like enjoying the Phantom of the Opera or the Book of Mormon or Guys and Dolls, can leave you uplifted and in high spirits when the curtain comes down. Is that not a religious experience? There is no god in any of those performances – maybe the mention of one, but that is it!

So where do we get comfort? Where so we turn in times like now that so many people are grieving, hurting with so much pain that the 1 to 10 chart does not apply. There is nothing to measure the intensity of the pain. Where do these people turn? They turn to each other for support. Giving to each other in a time of need is a religious experience and a good deed. Your spirit transcends the human experience. The god that we think we know is in some building down the road – maybe. There are so many questions here regarding the existence of a god that we have to ask if there are so many questions why bother asking. The answer is simple; there really is no god that we have believed for so many millenniums. Maybe at one time in our long history there was a G-d. But the idea of free will expanded with the widening of the universe, it expanded with broadening of our knowledge, with our experiences of the ages, with the acquiring of the process of thought, the acquiring of skills regarding the human body, with applied medicine, with the use of language, with the understanding of applied and quantum physics, all made the devotion to that G-d of old, no longer relevant.        

So, we should comfort the families, friends, the neighbors – anyone who has been touched by this senseless taking of precious life, including ourselves. Absolutely! We cannot understand the enormity of this event. “Why” doesn’t matter anymore because it just happened without a reason – at least any reason known to mere mortals. The One that we would have turned to for answers is longer available to us. He is busy protecting baseball players coming up to bat! The G-d that talked to Moses, not there. The G-d that endowed Jesus – not there.

When we look within we can extend our love and comfort out, letting those hurting know that they are not alone, that is truly G-d like work.

That is my take, you decide!

POST MORTEM - ELECTION 2012

I am letting my imagination run away with me. The election is over and the president is still widening his margin through the continuing counts so he will have a mandate. But nothing seems to change. Mitch McConnell is still saying that his first priority is to have President Obama not get re-elected, Dick (The Dick) Morris is still sure Romney is going to win, Sarah Palin is auditioning for Dancing With the Stars (doing the sidestep shuffle), and those are just a few of the diehards. Hey guys, you tea baggers you lost, your right wingers you lost, the people spoke – turn up your hearing aids!

John McCain is running – to or from what I don’t know – but runs he does.  Old John has trouble determining which Rice he supports. The one that lied to us way back then or the one that was fed bad info recently? Oh yes, it is the black female in the government. Joe Lieberman needs some WD40 for his voice, it is winey and squeaky. Michelle Bachman is still trying to create some newsworthy stuff that isn’t newsworthy –  it is just stuff. Some have suggested that she divorce her wife. Who says she isn’t for same sex marriage? Also, she is for no sex marriage. 

Good old Newt, he too, had it wrong as he does most of the time. At one time I actually thought that he was a bright man and so did he. Ron Paul is still upright and consents to have his pulse checked at least once a day. Then there is Rick Santorum (the definition of “santorum” was made up – but it was fun while it lasted) he said he will make another run for it – Macy’s sweater sale, that is! 

Why am I picking on the right wing (nuts)? They are easy and they were and continue to be wrong. Wrong about everything. The left characters are also easy except that none of them expound the science that a woman that has been raped has the internal mechanism to thwart the nasty sperm. I never heard a lefty define “legitimate rape” - ever. The lefties like Rap not rape!  

I saw the handshake between Obama and Romney, Once again I let my imagination run wild.  So many captions to write.  Such as “In this house, Mitt, my car does not ride up in the elevator with me.” “Mitt, that will be $19.50, it would have been more but you didn’t have the salad. ”  Or the best line that could really get Mitt in trouble is “How was the wine? I know you prefer whites.”

I saw Clint Eastwood walking around Ikea last week. He was talking to chairs. So much to say and so many chairs.

Boehner stills wants to get his tax lowering programs in place. Ahhh, the poor rich are so poor! I would agree with that but he wants all of us that don’t make that much money to chip in and help the needy rich people.  He didn’t get it before, he is not getting it now and not in the future. He is never in Ohio so he isn’t getting it at all.

Ann Coulter has balls – really! No, really!

I truly believe that Mitt is a good guy. He just doesn’t know what side of his white bread his butter is on.

That is my take – you decide!

POTPURRI OF THOUGHTS

This will be my 52^nd blog post in the past 30 months. I did write some articles during the Republican primaries and just one during the actual campaign. Frankly, it was too easy and I would have been way too partisan in my thoughts. Yet, today I am reading about the post mortem on the election by the loser. Now I am convinced that he is a loser –even his own party, which initially had very little enthusiasm for him , is now, once again, reinforcing their initial assessment – he is a loser and not a good one at that.

I voted for the other guy and I guess my “gift” got lost at the post office. He was the last one in the Clown Car (see Blog dated January 7, 2012) so he got to run. Now he still won’t take responsibility for running a poor campaign.  It was the other guys fault. He did dirty tricks – he gave stuff.  He gave people stuff they really needed, like lower taxes to have more money, better access to healthcare so they can enjoy their money, lower cost loans for college so they can make more money – all just stuff!!

If that is how he feels now, imagine how he would have treated people had he won! He would have kept all that stuff for himself and his buddies. By the time he got through we would have been a sicker, poorer and stupider country. Believe it or not, that was his goal – I over simplified it a little, but that was the goal. If you had money like his one or two percent group, you would be richer, healthier and smarter. The 47% that he so eloquently spoke about would have just taken the stuff and done nothing with it, according to him.

The press is having a field day mocking him – even the right leaning press.

I just took a look at where my blog is being read. There are more than 20 countries listed in my stats. Russia has my second largest readership. All my blogs are in English not Cyrillic. Then comes Germany and surprisingly, the Ukraine where my original family came from.  I know that there are no family members reading my blog – because we had a much different name back then. Also, what was left of the family was eradicated at Barbiyar.

Romania, Romani, Romania (from the song made famous by Joel Grey) is the next  largest readership.

Jolly old England is right behind Romania  - in readership that is. I am sure that the queen is one of most avid readers, if she isn’t she should be a reader - I write in English. The Maylasia is next. I know little about Maylasia  but they know more about us through reading my insightful articles.  There are Maylasians discussing the Red  Sox / Yankees rivalry right now, I’ll bet.

I am also read in Paris and other parts of France yet no one from France has invited me to speak regarding what I write about. I am waiting for that ticket to arrive so I can go there drink their wine, eat their bread, romance their ladies – what a wonderful dream! Only in France would they have a president named for another country. Hmmm. Not many readers in Holland!

Poland is just ahead of China. I am going to make my first trip to Poland in a few months where I will poll the Poles to see who is reading my articles. There are at least 34 people reading me.

Latvia, not Lithuania, which is the home of my mother’s ancestry, in near the bottom. The Lithuanians are still smarting from the name change to Kabot – as are the Cabots.  (see Cleveland Amory’s book, The Proper Bostonian). That is why neither of those families are reading my thoughts.

Rwanda and Thailand are at the bottom of the list. I will be in Thailand shortly and of course I expect to meet my one and only reader from that country. I know she is a dancer at the NaNa Palace. (Check the tour guides). I intend to survey all the dancers to find my one and only (reader) from Thailand.

So, since I started writing my thoughts and expecting to have everyone moved by my insightful words, I have had several nice comments, several “Don’t send me this stuff anymore,” and quite a few, “Really, Saul!?” But it is an outlet as since I started to write my life has changed in so many ways. Much of it hinted at in these blog posts. I like sharing it with you – all of you from around the word in the 30 or more countries where I am being read. These are my thoughts – and to the more than 3000 people who have read them , I say, thanks.

That is my take, you decide.

ELECTION FRAUD VS VOTER FRAUD

OK – now that the election is behind us and all of the ads have gone away and our guy got in, we can now talk about some of the rhetoric that plagued this campaign season. There is no doubt in my mind that much of what I heard regarding voter fraud was designed to keep people of color from voting as well as the elderly. Voter ID is a disgrace. How many 85 year olds still have their licenses? OK – too many! But so many others of that age let their licenses expire because they stopped driving. With no ID – no vote! In California that is not the case, the land of fruits and nuts, we have not gone nuts over voter ID. If you are registered you vote!

I have been voting for exactly 50 years. In that time I have never missed a vote. My philosophy is if you don’t vote you can’t complain. Over the years I complained a lot – about local politics, statewide elections and national elections. My guy didn’t always win. Even if he or she did win, I could still complain because I would do it better, whatever it was.

What I am complaining about now is the notion of voter fraud. I believe this became an issue to deflect form the real problem – election fraud. Creating dumb ideas like voter ID – that is a way to disenfranchise voters. Putting people at polling places that look like authority but have none and asking potential voters for information they don’t have and don’t need to have is election fraud – it is happening now. These pseudo figures of authority threaten the potential vote with arrest if they don’t comply. If the voter knew that if they did call the police the voter would be protected, they would ask this poll watcher to call them.

Early voting in some states make it easier for people to vote. However, biased governors in some states will not allow for extra hours to vote. They need the extra hours because of the demand. For many years I heard the cry of how we as Americans, do not exercise our right to vote – we stay home. Now that we want to vote we are often deprived of that obligation. There is an axiom that says poor people, people of color and old people are more in tune with the left than the right. So, by preventing these people I n those specific demographics from voting, the candidates on the right will create an advantage for themselves.

Poll watchers are a good thing. But they have no authority to approach any citizen. They can do what I did – call the registrar with a complaint. I got a call within an hour of my sending the e-mail regarding a poll worker that appeared to be unfamiliar with the alphabet and was causing a long line while voting booths were unoccupied. They told me that someone was on the way to correct the situation and reassign that poll worker. I am not a poll watcher – I am a citizen and I care.

We have seen the movie regarding the hanging chads in Florida. We have seen the butterfly ballot that had people voting for someone they would not go across the street for. That is election fraud – by design. Unfortunately, even the Supreme Court participated in election fraud.

The cry is that illegals or undocumented people could vote. Where and how? There are two lists at the polling place with the names of registered voters. The registrations are vetted at the registrar’s office before they get on the list and how many people are willing to go to jail for casting a phony ballot? It just doesn’t happen. The law in Florida states "A person who commits or attempts to commit any fraud in connection with voting, votes a fraudulent ballot, or votes more than once in an election can be convicted of a felony of the third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years."

Even if all of the so called 11 million illegals voted, and they all voted for the same candidate, spread over 50 states, could they swing an election? I guess if they were ALL in Montana they could swing that state – but they are not all in one state and they probably would not all have the same preference. Once again, voter fraud is the deflection away from the larger issue and real issue – election fraud.

Even John McCain’s campaign manager said: “I think that all of this stuff that has transpired over the last two years is in search of a solution to a problem, voting fraud, that doesn’t really exist when you look deeply at the question. It’s part of the mythology now in the Republican Party that there’s widespread voter fraud across the country.”

But election fraud is not a myth. Google Kenneth Blackwell and see his history with Diebold voting machines, rulings on provisional ballots and more.

The purpose of this blog is to inform about difference between voter frauds, which hardly exists, and election fraud which could be rampant.

That is my take, you decide.

FAITH IN RELIGION, FAITH IN G-D, ALL VIABLE QUESTIONS .

As I think about events in the world, events in my personal life and watching friends and relatives experience personal traumas it begs the question about G-d. If He existed why is this all happening? I know that many scholars have written on the subject i.e. “Why Bad Things Happen to Good People.” These are more intense thinkers than me and they have spent their lives asking these type of questions. My questioning is a little more recent – basically the past 20 years or so. 

A few years back I took a class at the local Kabbalah Center. They posed the question if there is a 

G- d why did the Holocaust happen? Many people struggled with the answer and but no one came up with the any appropriate or satisfying answer. There is good and bad in all of us and circumstances can bring out either the good or the bad or even the evil in us all.  

I didn’t buy that at all. I have heard about mothers who weigh 100 pounds lift a car off of their child – circumstance generated adrenaline, but only for the moment. It wasn’t sustainable. Very plain men and women in uniform do heroic acts to save their commrades. They will tell you that they did what they had to do at the moment. They are heroes but for the moment – and that was enough. The good in them was inherent. It surfaced with ferocity when it had to. They didn’t think about what they are about to do, they just did it.  

Rawanda, South Africa and the Holocaust were well thought out by people who can justify their evil. The evil was inherent in their psyche. Opportunity brought it out. Opportunity gave them all they needed to reek havoc on innocent people. If there is a G-d why did He allow it to happen? Why are some religious zealots using the name of G-d to create tortuous laws and penalties, kill innocent people, destroy societies – why?  

Writer’s note: I am capitalizing the names of G-d because if there is such a being then I am not going to offend Him. I will continue to respect His name. Now I am confident that you have some viable questions of me. Hopefully, I will answer them! Maybe not! 

I will get to the Kabbalah’s answer to Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. But first, why I believe in religion – my religion! You may have similar reasons of your own or different reasons for your religion, they are personal and they are all valid.

Religion creates culture and a set of rules that we should live by. There are 613 commandments in the Bible including the ten we are all familiar with. If these are deigned by G-d why are they not inherent in our psyches. He made us, He gave us life, He gave us brains, He gave us DNA so why not instill a set of rules that will dictate that we will all do G-d’s work? 

That is my question. It is a fairly simple idea, you build something to the best of your ability and if you are G-d the ability is endless. GM won’t build a car without a steering wheel, but appears that G-d left that part out of our being. We have no G-d given steering wheel. Why is that? G-d gave us FREE WILL! G-d gave us the ability to be G-d. We create our own steering wheel for navigating through life. 

I love the beauty of religion. The time to pray as a community, observe beautiful and meaningful rituals, come together in similar beliefs, to do good things for the community and even parts of the world that need help,  all benefit from religion.  Big generalization here, I know you are thinking of some things that are just the opposite as people are being killed or maimed in the name of some religions. If G-d gave them free will, too, then they are doing their G-d like work as they see it. So, with that in mind, is there a true G-d? When we go to a movie and see the actors play out their parts do we pray to the producer? The producer creating opportunity to present the story, the characters, the scenes in which they act and the message that they are trying convey. One could argue the producer, the writer or the director is the G-d of that situation, so who do you pray to? Do you worship them?  (There is a potential for some interesting answers her.) 

My point is if we are all G-d like why is there a G-d? If we are all G-d like why are some of us good and some of us evil. Remember, it is said that G-d gave us free will. That would even allow for us not to believe in a G-d! That ability is G-d given. 

That is my take, you decide.

 

STARTING OVER, AGAIN

As I watched these weather related catastrophes I often wondered how people started over. Where do you start when starting over? I guess they start by rebuilding their homes. As I had a custom home built a number of years ago, the devil is the details – all of the little things that make a house a home. We rarely give any thought to the switch on the wall that turns our lights on. Now you had better give it some thought as there are so many styles to choose from and yes, even colors are important. See what I am talking about?

Recently, due a change in status I had to make these decisions regarding rebuilding a home. I was sort of in a hurry to get started so I got one of those ready-made homes that you read about in the Sunday newspaper – heck, you may already live in one! It is hard to build just one townhome so I bought one that was already built in the area that I wanted to live. Trauma of building a pool, landscaping and all those details were attacked long before I got here – thankfully! So, my ready-made came with a garage, three bedrooms and 2.5 baths (how do you take a half of a bath?) Add the living room, the dining area, kitchen and the den; you have a pretty good ready-made! At this point the ready-made has an echo as there is nothing in it to absorb sound.

Furniture! That will absorb sound. Furniture will also provide something to sleep on, something to eat on something to store all the stuff you need to yet get, something to sit and something just for show!

Also, if you are building an office in the ready-made you will need office furniture. The office furniture is in your home so it has to be on the same quality and styling as the rest of the furniture. But there is an out.  Be eclectic! That is what you say when  nothing matches – I am not  eclectic, I am an independent.

Now the furniture comes like a tidal wave of deliveries. Put that here, those over there, etc. And then there is the furniture that so supposed to fill a room and comes in a very small box – with instructions, screws and an allen wrench. All that stuff went back, when I buy furniture I want to use it not have a hobby of putting it together – although I must admit that I did put some things together. Power screw drivers help!

Now you need kitchen tools and utensils. I even bought pots and pans like I was going to cook anything! Actually I do coo:  toast, coffee, cantaloupe (oh, that you just have cut up – so I need some sharp knives) and believe it or not some other not so tasty dishes like left over Chinese food. That has to be reheated on a stove that makes my computer look simple!

Getting all this stuff is either fun or torture. As I walked through Bed, Bath and Beyond I just went up and down the isles taking one of each. I edited my purchases at the checkout counter when the clerk asked do I really want these? “I have a coupon,” I told her! For 20% off how can I go wrong? You can if you bought baby blankets – they were so much cheaper than the ones that would fit on my bed! A thousand dollar worth of stuff with hand full of these blue and white coupons the clerk put it all one bag. You see, a family of four could live in that bag.

So, here I am putting away the pudding cups, the potato peelers, the strainer, the vegetable steamer, the measuring cups and the meat thermometer and realizing that I need pudding, meat and potatoes I headed off to the supermarket! Eggs I bought at Costco because I always buy eggs at Costco and tuna fish and liquor! I almost forgot, I bought a washer and dryer so detergent, which I always buy at Costco, was on the list, too!

I discovered a supermarket within three minutes driving time. I became a member of their organization so I can reap the best prices and they can track my spending habits. That is OK! When you are buying broccoli what are you trying to hide? My supermarket has no idea that I bought liquor at Costco and Costco doesn’t require a membership – oops!

Once again, it was down each isle taking one of everything – almost everything as food items are much more familiar to me than utensils. As I was pondering what to buy a little devil on my shoulder kept urging me on – buy this, buy that it may not be good for you but it will be delicious. I resisted the temptations in about 90%of the cases. I am only human!

Starting over is not fun – it is a challenge. I guess it would have been more of a challenge had I not chosen to get a ready-made. Even if you get a ready-made make sure you have a hammer, the power screw driver, laser level, picture hanging stuff and enough liquor from Costco to get you through it all!

That was and is my ongoing experience - NOTHING MORE TO DECIDE!

I WUDDA, CUDDA DUN DAT

The killing of Osama Ben Laden, saving the auto industry – all accomplishments of this president. His rival says he wudda and cudda dun dat. Yeah, right!! How many of us would have the cool to make these decisions when everyone is saying don’t do it. Mr. Romney said, “Let Detroit Die.” Now he wants to take credit for his ideas when his idea was singular – let it die. He wudda dun dat.

Why you ask? Because he wanted his buddies to buy the auto companies while in bankruptcy for pennies on the dollar and then sell off the pieces one by one to make billions in profits.  A car’s parts are worth more than they are when they are part of the car. Mr. Romney knows that and he was applying the same principle. But his Pep Boys are the “vulture capitalists.” If he cudda dun dat, then we would have no auto industry and he would love that because there would be no unions (and I am not a union man), no jobs an everyone that was a worker in that industry would be beholding to the olergarchists for food, for health care, for shelter (next up) and for education. And it would not be cheap. Do you recall (if you don’t, Google it ) Tennessee Ernie Ford’s song, Sixteen Tons.  The lyrics point out that the workers owed their souls to the company store. All these displaced workers would be “loading coal.”

That is what Mr. Romney and his buddies on Wall Street wanted to accomplish. What about mortgage adjustments? Mr. Romney said let them go into foreclosure and then his buddies would buy the house for whatever the banks will take and they know all the guys at the banks. That assures them of getting a really good deal on these homes and then renting them back to the former owners. He never said what the rents would be but they definitely would reflect the market and rents would  surely escalate. Keep in mind, if the mortgage got adjusted (which he is against) then the owner’s cost would be stable for length of the mortgage. So, under his plan the renters would be paying the “company store.” He claimed that the people could stay in their homes. True, till Company got a buyer that would create a profitable transaction for the company store. Mr. Romney cudda dun it – but this president spent money so the banks could adjust mortgages. The fact that banks are slow to do so is because they are waiting to see if their guy gets in and then the company store takes over!

Afte r reading the accounts of the raid on Ben Laden’s compound, this president had to have batesem (Yiddish term) as large as bowling balls. Mr. Romney does not have the courage of his own convictions. Look how many time he changed positions. He once claimed that he was better for the Gay Community than Ted Kennedy. Romney may have said that after Ted Kennedy died – but I don’t think so. The Gay Community doesn’t think so. He’s got no batesem. But he said he cudda dun it – get Ben Laden. Remember the image of President Bush in his flight suit landing on the carrier. He had batesem, we could all see them, but he didn’t get Ben Laden.

You need courage, confidence and have a strong set of character attributes to do what this president did in getting Ben Laden. Mr. Romney wuddinta, cuddinta dun it.

He reminds me of the kids on the playground when another kids hits a homer or scores a basket. The jealous kids all say they could have done that  - even better! The jealous kids haven’t the skills to do it bette r – they are not even in the game. So, all they can do is sit on the sidelines – make snide remarks, be critical, down play the accomplishment because they are not capable of being in the game. They are the ones that have their hands raised before the game yelling “Pick me!”  They are don’t get into the game and are not in the game. Neither is Mr. Romney in the game. He should stay on the sidelines.

So, now you know where I stand. I was hoping for a better candidate than Mr. Romney with better ideas  than I cudda and wudda dun dat! It is disappointing that he is considered the best and brightest that the party not in power could offer up.  I was hoping for a real choice. That didn’t happen this time. Not that I am enamored with this president but Mr. Romney can’t stand in his shadow. For whatever you think of this president he is consistent, he is courageous and he has the courage of his convictions. I can’t find any example where any of these adjectives would apply to Mr. Romney.

That is my take – you decide!

NOW I AM NOT SO SURE ABOUT EGYPT

I wrote a blog in February of 2011 regarding my optimism for the people of Egypt. Now I am not so sure. I have heard so much about the factions that want to rule Egypt and the bottom line is that the military still rules and it appears that will continue. Coptic Egyptians are facing even more problems.

While I was in Egypt I heard about the Muslim brotherhood that everyone here feared but the Egyptians I spoke with claimed they were a group of older men that were not relevant any longer. From what I can see and read they are being held back by the existing ruling forces.

The people I met in Egypt were somewhat moderate in their religious behavior. Many women told me that the wear the hijab to pray but in downtown they dress  like westerners. They want to look modern, eat at McDonalds, Pizza Hut or KFC. Those are the big three eateries, and they are everywhere. On any balmy evening you can see Egyptians out for a strole along the promenade that parallels the Nile. There are also some fabulous night clubs and restaurants along the promenade as well. These people will not put up with a religious government with fashion police and other restrictions that we see in other Islamic countries. Yet, nothing  really has happened since the revolution.

Tourism is their greatest source of income and tourism has really shrunk since the revolution and nothing appears to be happening to revive that business. Believe me, I spent two solid weeks there last time I visited and I only tried and see the stuff I missed on my first visit and I didn't see it all this time. Tourists were coming from all over the world. China, Eastern Europe, South America, North America and yes, Israel. The first time I visited Egypt was more than 23 years ago. When you check into a hotel you must present a passport. The couple in front of us presented and Israeli passport.

Tours have been cancelled, suspended or postponed from all countries. Now I read where the Egyptian government is suspending the natural gas agreement with Israel- their biggest customer. So, more revenues lost. I have no idea if they are importing arms, but if they are it appears that they are aiming for their foot. Where is the money coming from?

During the uprising a year ago there was no anti Israeli sentiment in the streets. So why now? Instead of taking responsibility for creating a better society the military government is diverting the attention of the people away from what is happening. Keep the power at any cost and the people are not doing much about it. That is why my optimism is waning for these good people.

HOWEVER, as I am writing this article I got this clip from my Egyptian friend's FaceBook page:

In surprise, breaking down all the statements pro that came out after the announcement of the decision to stop exporting gas to Israel, said Dr. Faiza Abul-Naga, Minister of International Cooperation, that the Egyptian company exporting gas to Tel Aviv, informed the Israeli side willing to negotiate and sign a new contract to export gas .


There remains a photo of a young woman being dragged through the streets on her page. We have to be vigilant and keep an eye on what is happening over there.

That is my take - you decide.

THAT IS MY TAKE - YOU DECIDE

After nearly two years of writing this blog, receiving almost 2200 hits and being read in countries from Iran and Iraq to Malaysia, Russia, China and about 30 other countries. Countries I never would have dreamed of reaching.  I finally got one person who didn’t argue with what I was saying only that I was saying it and it “junked up his mailbox.”

Friends should not get into political discussions. I agree. But I am not trying to persuade, well maybe, but I am trying to affect some thinking. Some of what I write is based on personal experiences and, frankly has no right or left view attached. Some of what I had written has to do with baseball, sports seasons, and personal points of view on some of the commercials we all see on TV.

Am I guilty of writing about the social-economic situation on this country? Yes.  I write it as I see it and I always state that it is my opinion, decide for yourself. None of this is dogma. I recently wrote about the Republican race as being like a clown car. Lo and behold Bill Maher and several other commentators used my analogy after I published my blog. I may have readers that I don’t know about, but I do know that I am followed on Twitter and I know not how to use that account. 

I write about things that truly upset me – such as the right wing war on women. This is blatant. It is disgusting, this is overt and I blanch to see women that are supporting it. As a father of two daughters, a daughter-in-law, a wife, three granddaughters and a step granddaughter I cannot stand for the possible torture of these people as prescribed by some of these newly enacted laws. Want to be GCBs, OK – but keep your probes and hands off of my kids!

I do my research. I actually read about this stuff. One article I wrote was prompted by a friend who said that he resented that he would have to pay a $1500 tax when he sells his home to pay for the Affordable Care Bill. Rather and argue, who knows, I researched it – no such tax exists and I proved it to him.

This blog is posted on  Facebook and  it is Tweeted. You have choices – read it or not. The same as if I e-mail it (actually Blogspot captures some e-mail addresses from my Contact List and sends it)- just hit “Delete.” It takes less time and effort than sending me e-mails telling me about too many e-mails that you are receiving. That is when I hit “delete.” 

The good news is that the e-mails I get are really nice. The writer does not always agree with my point of view but does respect the fact that I illustrate my view with respect (Clown Car article excepted). Others have enjoyed the blogs about the Super Bowl, Spring Training and other articles  that are lighter in their tone and subject.

That is the beauty of electronics and digital transmissions. There is almost unlimited storage in the mail box. Even room for junk! So, if my words are “junking” up your inbox, I will try to eliminate your e-mail address from the auto send. I have looked into this and so far I haven’t found a way to do that. It appears that I will continue to “junk” up your mail box, sorry!

We live in a society that allows for us to say what we think. That is a wonderful way to live and I want to insure that it continues. This is the best way I know how to get involved, to communicate my thoughts, to ask you to think about it and to create some levity from time to time. 

That is my take – you decide.

WOMEN MUST REVOLT - WITH A VOTE

Women who vote for right wingers such as Santorum and others who want to control how a woman cares for her body or for life, do not deserve this – they know not what they do.

These are the same right wingers that have railed against Sharia Law in their states or communities even though no one  has proposed Sharia law – except maybe them. These right wingers that want women to submit to a sonogram and wait a day before getting an abortion. These are the right wingers that say if there is a heartbeat no abortion even if the term is well under the first trimester. These are the same right wingers that want to abolish Planned Parenthood. These are the right wingers that want to and have killed doctors that care for women.  So, ladies, if that is what you want, then vote for the Santorums, the Kyls, Canters and Romneys and others of like minds. They will be sure to accommodate what they think is your need for less freedom and more control.

These people see women as property of man and man controls the state so the state can create laws that regulate women’s activities with regard to their own bodies. These are the right wingers that are now following the Sharia Law (Muwatta’ Malik 28.22.52).

Women are inferior according to Sharia Law. The right wing of the United States also believes that or they would allow a woman to make her own decisions with regard to her life, health and body. According to Sharia Law two women have the same intelligence as one man. ( I do recall something like that in our own constitution regarding black men – and that was changed). According to Sharia Law women have deficient minds.  According to the right wing women have no right to make up their own minds. Is that not the same?

The right wing of the United State is not apologetic and neither are the women or men who endorse that attitude.

The only way to revolt is to vote them, those anti-woman people, out of office. Who are these people that need to be voted out of office: Diane Black ( R –Tennessee), Kelly Ayotte (R- New Hampshire), Jean Schmidt (R- -Ohio), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen  (R- Florida), Sue Myrick (R – North Carolina). Candice Miller (R- Michigan), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), Cynthia Lummis (R- Wyoming), Virginia Foxx ( R-North Carolina), Mary Fallin (R-Oklahoma), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and of course the wing nut of wing nuts, Michele Bachmann (R- Minnesota). I have a hard time believing that this list is so long!

I suggest that you research these ladies  and read what they want to impose on their fellow women. It will scare you or it should. Why didn’t the ERA become a law. Because women like these, that belong to the Tea Party or just right wingers tend to vote against their own best self interest. As a father of two daughters and three granddaughters, the last thing that I want is for these women and their male counterparts to tell my children how to live. That is Sharia Law – the law that these people are so afraid of – except When it suits them.

That is my take, you decide!

I FEEL BETTER ABOUT THINGS

When the GOP candidates say that the Obama presidency is a failed presidency, I immediately know that it is not. When I hear these guys rail that the economy is bad, then I know that it is not. When they say that Detroit was rebuilt on tax payer money they are right but GM did not become number one with tax dollars, it was consumer money that propelled the company to number one in the world.

It really amazes me that these guys  think we are stupid. They think that we can’t see what is in front of us, they believe that just what they tell us is reality. Two and a half million more kids have healthcare with this “failed” program. For the first time in 50 years, healthcare spending was down – 4% - now that is what I call failure?!

They tell us that our foreign policy is a failure. Ask Ben-Laden and the rest of Al-Qaeda. We only got most of them – failure. Quaddafi is laughing at our failures – from the grave.  North Korea is asking for food from us, Iran is being squeezed so tight they want to talk (am not sure form which side of their mouth they will be speaking). Students in Russia are speaking out and while there appears to be no real peace talks in the Middle East, Palestinians and Israelis are cooperating in everything from high technology to strawberries. Now that is what I call a failure of leadership! If this is all failure what do they suggest is success?

Romney will repeal the healthcare program – go fend for yourself America, he says. He will roll back student loan programs – go fend for yourself young Americans. Santorum will tell women how to live according to Rick. Paul says, screw it  - dump it all. I am confident that none of that is going to happen so I am feeling more confident about things. We have the best candidates that the public could have – guys that will self-destruct.  We have candidates that are clueless.  The business man Romney knows how to make a buck firing people. He claims not to care about the poorest of our society so he will create even more poor. He knows how to run a business. That serves him well but does he recognize the difference – a government is not in it to make a profit. A government is there for the common welfare of its people.

The commonwealth is based on getting healthcare, maintaining a defense from enemies, protection from crime. Wall Street types of crimes or just plain robberies and murder (I am not sure that there is a difference here). Let’s face it, the biggest bank heist in the history of man took place in 2008 and the Willie Suttons of American banking are still vacationing at the Hamptons and not at Rikers. If we want more of the same, send the former CEO of Bain Capital to our capitol. That is when we will see real failure.

Further, the commonwealth should also be protected against bad meat, dangerous drugs, hazardous roadways, unsafe air traffic control and more. To show you how insensitive these people are, the latest Romney endorser said that people who have suffered as a result of a natural catastrophe should not have lived there. Too bad, the federal government, government of the people, by the people, has no business helping them out. That is their attitude – they invite failure.

With people like that in power, why do I feel better about things? Because other people are recognizing that these people should be put out of power.  They are doing it to each other – eating away at each other every day. Four years ago Santorum endorsed Romney. Today he just goes after him every day with another charge. The only difference I see between Santorum and Romney is that Santorum wears his magic vest outside for his shirt and Romney wears his under his shirt. They both are pro-America but both are anti-Americans.

Then there is Rush. Whenever anyone was critical of Rush they had to apologize, genuflex and pick an area on his abundant posterior to kiss. The biggest of the big had to kneel before the Oxycontin kid. One young lady just brought him down. Way down. As of this writing 28 sponsors said Adios, baby.  Even some stations have dropped him!

These right wingers have no hand grip to hold on to with which to attack the president. So they say he failed. At what? Oh yes, gas prices! His oil refineries are not producing enough gas. The problem here is doesn’t own any refineries. The problem here is we are still suffering the results of the Dick Cheney energy policy that he and the energy companies had secretly constructed. They say you can’t still blame the Bush administration, that was 11 years ago. Then why do the southern politicians still blame Lincoln for reducing their available, cheap work force?  The current right wingers are still blaming Roosevelt for “entitlements.” These are “entitlements” that we, as citizens pay for!

I guess that failure means that creating more than two million private sector jobs is a failure. I, for one, am tired of hearing how we are in the midst of doom and gloom. Everything is bad and getting worse. It aint’. Romney keeps getting richer every day! Gingrich has Addelson and he gets richer every day, too. He gets his money from people with discretionary income. According to Romney, Santorum and Gingrich people are too poor to have any discretionary income. Things are bad and getting worse, haven’t you heard?

Here’s the point. If Romney says the president failed, then you know that the president is doing well. If the right wing says things are bad, then you know things are getting better. Whatever they say, then the opposite is true. Yes, there are some people hurting, but who is hurting them? Ask Olympia Snow! Yep, the more they say doom, I say boom.

Another failure – increasing natural gas and oil drilling by 400% in three years.  We drilled, baby and we are still drilling. By reducing our dependence on Arab oil from 60% of our consumption to 40% we have failed to keep our middle eastern friends happy.  General Motors failed to overtake gasoline as the biggest export commodity – that’s  a failure, even if GM is number one in the world! Here’s a real big failure – refined gasoline is the number one export of the United States.

Aren’t you asking the question why are the oil companies exporting gas rather than creating better costs for the citizens of the US? It would take a law to do that and you know what happens to laws in the congress that favors the people – they fail. When we don’t insist on them we all fail! As citizens we are waking up to these realities – that is why I am feeling better about things!

That is my take, you decide.

LONGWOOD SIX TWO TWO EIGHT FOUR

That was a phone number that I dialed more than one thousand times from 1957 through June of 1963. So was Beacon two zero five five nine!  I dialed them form various phones but mostly from Roger’s Drugstore, Marden Avenue and then later from my number at home and here in California which I cannot recall at this time.  My Marden Avenue number was Columbia five four four three nine. I even recall Talbot five zero six nine seven. You may have guessed that these are significant phone numbers in my life. There are so many more that I cannot remember but conjuring up these brings back many memories. At my age, to remember these is a blessing.

The first two numbers belonged to my girlfriend who later became my wife. The second number the Beacon number, belonged to her grandmother. I knew that I could get her at that number when the Longwood number was busy. There was no call waiting, voicemail or any other means of connecting  except by calling back and back and back again.

Recalling the phone numbers also brings up some mundane questions: Like what happened to exchanges? I remember the Original Amateur Hour and their number for voting was Murray Hill something or other.  I also recall when phone numbers had two letter and just four digits. Life was simpler then except if you had a party line. A party line was when two phone numbers shared the same line. When you pick up the phone you can hear the other party’s conversation.  It was always considered polite to wait until they finished their call before you tried to make your call. They best that I can say about the other party was that they were rude and inconsiderate. I am sure they said the same thing about my mother when she was talking to her sister. It was common to hate the other party. You rarely knew who they were and that was a good thing.

There was no mute buttons then so listening in on their conversation was not easy – they did tend to know you were listening and then used some very interesting language such as the “nosy ba___rds are listening in.” You couldn’t respond or you will confirm that you are nosy ba___rd!

I think having an exchange is classy.  Seven eight was “State” and two seven was “Crescent” -  Beverly Hills exchange. Once the letter disappeared there was no status attached to your number – just seven random digits. With the area code came status.  Three one zero – Westside of Los Angeles. Eight one eight – all the way from the west San Fernando Valley to Pasadena.  Then they developed the overlay so local calls went from CO-4439 to 16172654439. That is what we call progress. Actually, auto dial was progress.

The memories that old phone numbers create are wonderful. Is that going to apply to our children and grandchildren? Probably not because their numbers are not stored in their heads but on their smartphones. Technology is robbing them of warm memories. They are being robbed of triggers that recall these memories. I guess they can go back and look at the text messages.

The one great thing about these phone numbers is that when you called them you actually spoke to the person. Hearing the other person’s voice is why you called. That is what makes the human connection human. Yes, I can recall time when I need to communicate on an immediate basis and texting would have helped – but we are a texting society and that reduces the human interaction. There is no voice inflection, there is no emotion that comes through. How do I know that you have a cold, your text is not nasal, you don’t cough in your texting. How do I know that you are not ecstatic about something? Emoticons, come on! How do I know that you are not sad about something? I can hear tears in your voice. Oh yes, the emoticon in your text L.

I am not disparaging the new technologies. I use them and enjoy them. I am just saddened that we cannot get past them when we have to. When my mother wanted me in for dinner she went to the porch and I heard her voice calling me in. Such a great memory.  Were it now I would get a text, “Dinner is ready!” Something is missing here.

That is my take – you decide. Text me!

RED SOX VS YANKEES -- FOOTBALL STYLE

It can’t happen in baseball. The Red Sox cannot play the Yankees in a World Series. It is not in the rules that way. They are in the same league and in the same division. But, we get a symbolic representation that is not even available to us in basketball, in the final game of the football season.

This is a game that will divide families create crazy wagers, cause speculation across a continent, Facebook arguments – all of which mean nothing by the time the 11 0’clock news rolls on February 5th. Yes, families will make some wagers that come from their depths of despair that somehow betting crazily will drive the outcome as we want it to be. Facebook posting that span the US from California to New Jersey and New York will have a taint of some “in your face” attitude. I guess that is the East Coast style!

So many fans of the Red Sox Nation are on the west coast, it is hard to imagine the vitriol in the greater Boston area if this is the way it is in laid back California! Yes, the Giants are sentimental favorites, so many greats played for them long before there was an AFL and then later and AFC. But those days are just a distant memory and sentiment is rooted in regionalism. The Red Sox Nation is just such regionalism. I am not sure that it is a coincidence that the Red Sox just started to distribute their 2012 season tickets and the teams for the Super Bowl have been determined. The Super Bowl is being played in the same month that pitchers and catchers have to report. (See my blog on How Long is Too Long).

The fact that the game is being played in the mid-west does not tone down the biased rhetoric. There will be people attending the game from both coasts – mostly the east that believe that Indianapolis is a fly over city, an excuse for the airlines to charge more for coast to coast flights. I have friend that lives there – just relocated from the Boston area. My friend was not used to living in a city that harbored the worst team in the NFL – but his dreams are being answered. He is living in a city where his team (Patriots) is playing for the championship. Problem: on Monday February 6th, it will be Indianapolis again, not the Super Bowl city.

I hear that Indianapolis is quite a beautiful city. I have been there a few ties, but many years ago. The lure of Indianapolis has not reawakened and except for the Super the lure will still be just dangling in the water.

It is a good thing I learned to text. That way I can stay in immediate touch with those of like minded loyalties and can nudge those of opposite loyalties. Of course, I will have suffer their comments if my team does not perform as expected or hoped. In a sixty minute game that will span about four hours there will be texts of varying intensities based upon what is happening on the field of play. We all understand that we have absolutely no control over the play – we can just comment on it.

February 5th will be a great day, I can’t say “no matter who wins.” My loyalties are with the Patriots.

That is my take, you decide.

REMEMBER THE CLOWN CAR IN THE CIRCUS?

As a kid I loved the circus and no, clowns did not scare me until now. I will get to that point quickly. I am looking the Republican field of presidential potentials and I am reminded of the clown car from the circus.

The car would enter the center ring and clowns would start to get out of the car in a succession that leaves the audience wondering how they got into the car in the first place and how so many can fit in the clown car. We have the political version of the clown car. Somepeople are very scared of clowns - remember Chucky? Now I know why!  What scares me is the remote possibility that one of these clowns could be president. Growing up I was told that anyone can become the President of the United States. Something we could all aspire to, so there is no surprise that some of  these clowns are running.

First there is female clown. She is little and petite as is her brain. As she was stuffed into the car her husband was so jealous because he is the closet clown and wanted to be sitting on top of the other clowns or have them on top of him. He is also the prayer clown. I hate to think of what he might have been praying for if he was in the car.

Then there is the fat clown. Frankly, it is fundamental that there be a fat clown. No one wants him the car. He takes up too much room and many of his comments have the same odious distinctions that make being in that car tantamount to torture. Frankly, his wife wanted him to be the first out of the car because holding her smile for a long period time is getting painful – for him and everyone else. He also wanted out because everyone else was piling piling on top of him. Hey, when you have record that is also odious, well, everyone is gonna get a whiff!

Then came the cowboy clown. Out of the car like he was being thrown from a bull or was he throwing the bull? What was his name – I can’t remember. That is Ok – neither can he. He didn’t like being in the clown car but he had no choice. The other clowns have stopped paying attention to him, except when he speaks – then everyone needs a boot scraper.

Sliding through the mess is the skinny clown. He is out and he is mad. He had to follow the rules when he was in the car. He wanted to make his own rules because he claims it is his right. However, if anyone suffocated in the car, too bad, he is not going to do a thing to help them. – they have to take care of themselves. It is not his responsibility to assist a fellow clown. He is the “individual” clown.

Then there is the fecal matter clown. (I kid you not, here is what Google says: “santorum” - I suggest that you Google the word it is  kind of gross!.) Can you imagine how the other clowns felt being in that situation. So, that is what the lady clown’s husband was so excited about! That seems  to define what his views are. I have noticed that he has no argument on economics as the economy seems to be getting better. No arguments with national security because we have a bad ass president that is nailing the bad guys. So, what is his focus: sodomy, gay marriage, racism? Hmmm! You gotta kinda wunda!

Then there is the quiet clown. I have a hard time characterizing him as clown, but he stuffed himself in the cars and assumed the mantle. He is smart, good looking and has international experience. The question to be asked is, “Why is he associating with these clowns?” He doesn’t have a shot! Guilt by association.

Then there is the smiley clown, the chameleon clown, the Brooks Brother’s clown. He is the clown that shot out last from the car to be first in the clown race. This is his second time in the clown car. The problem is he is more than one clown. The other clowns don’t like him – in fact no one in the clown car or their audience likes him. He is too liberal. He is not on the right enough – he is not of the right religion. They have a myriad of arguments as to why they don’t like the smiley clown. Mostly, they don’t trust him because he changes his positions on everything. You should have seen him in the clown car, he was trying to change his position to get to the top of the clown pile when he ran into a pile of santorum.  He was just eight votes away from being under the pile!

This is better than the actual circus. There are people that do nothing but clean up after the elephants and other circus animals. These clowns need the same kind of follow up!

This is my take – you decide.