Category Archives: Economy

Is Homo sapiens too Expensive for its Habitat?

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Through his retirement years, mariner has had more time to sit aside and watch the world go by. What has emerged is awareness that Homo sapiens will have a relatively short, finite time as a member of living things on Mother Earth. For the last five hundred thousand years or so, H. sapiens has used superior skills to garner excessive resources beyond the amount required given the type of animal spawned within its natural environment.

It began when H. sapiens invented the spear. The invention of weapons to hunt game has been used by a few other primates but not with the intellectual capability to leverage weaponry as its own, organized thing.

Humans (AKA H. sapiens et al) elevated hunting with team management and scientific advancements like the atlatl; it was the advantage needed for earliest humans to overhunt environmental resources. Humans still overhunt species today (American Bison, Carrier Pigeon) – or intentionally eliminate them only because they interfere with other prerogatives (estuary and otherwise rare habitat, coral, useless specimen hunting) – from overhunting African wildlife to being, as of today, the cause for the extinction of 50% of all living species – plant and animal. Humans have so decimated the Earth’s biosphere they have added to cataclysmic events by causing the Sixth Great Extinction. The other five were caused by the greater laws of astrophysics.

Humans have extended hunting to the mineral and chemical world, also known today as science and technology, until we accomplished the following effects:

Better weapons for hunting using iron, steel, copper, and unnatural chemicals like Roundup and agent orange to make it easier than weed pulling by hand or landscaping large areas with axes and brushhogs. The primary reasons to impose these aberrations then, would be ‘it’s easier than by hand’ and ‘why not; we can do it.’ Humans pay little note to the infringement on nature’s way of running the biosphere.

Better weapons for destruction using chemicals and metals that have total disregard for ramifications to the biosphere, which, on the good side eliminates some of the dangerously overpopulated species (H sapiens) but on the other hand demonstrates the continuous devastation humans have on the biosphere. Mariner will mention only Hiroshima as an example and let intentional military destruction go at that. Did you know that nuclear warhead testing and use is responsible for Strontium 90 being present in our tobacco and similar broadleaf plants?

The mariner thinks all human abuse on the biosphere can be traced to the thought that it takes idle minds to invent trouble – why aren’t we busy cultivating common weeds into a food source and otherwise weeding them from our gardens by hand? As the ‘intelligent’ creature, why aren’t humans doing their share to help the biosphere for the betterment of all creatures? After all, the biosphere is the perpetual uterus for everything – including humans.

Humans ignore the sophisticated balance of the biosphere – how every living thing has a niche that provides enough to survive but limits its imposition on the balance of nature. 90% of Monarch butterflies are gone. The human impact continues as if humans want them all gone – or at least are indifferent to our unwelcome behavior that sends so many creatures from tree frogs to elephants into extinction in this century. Is this a sign of the apocalypse? If it is, it includes humans.

A conundrum arises if humans reset their attitude: There aren’t enough resources to support seven billion soon to be twelve billion humans who want to drink percolated coffee every morning before each human drives off in its own expensive seashell. [the hermit crab shares our plight] Point made. Not to mention the six hundred-thread bed sheets and Donald’s Mar a Lago. The biosphere will deal with that last one shortly.

Humans are pretending they aren’t aware that anything is wrong. HAH. Why are the following terms worthy of mention in most nations?

Grass fed – No Hormones – Not genetically modified food – Nature’s choice – Naturally caught seafood – No additives – Not commercially owned water source – Not made from ivory – Not manufactured from coal – and on and on. Think of a few on your own.

Accountable to readers for some kind of advice, mariner has the following:

No amount of effort will turn things around. Planet Earth has decided to end this age. Being the boss, Earth neither requires permission nor will accept suggestions.

Within the reader’s own biosphere, assume a lifestyle that respects simplistic, natural habits. Methuselah lived over nine hundred years without airplanes, trains, or automobiles. It took Noah’s flood to kill him off. Many of mariner’s closest friends travel frequently; the mariner admits to a few passage sailing trips. Bon voyage, he says. A simplistic solution may be to set aside a trip every now and then to use the unexpended resources to help our uterus (yes, graphic but the entire subject is contained within).

Remain aware of cultural impact. Many times biosphere issues can help lawmakers and voters decide the better direction for legislation, e.g., too much carbon for the biosphere.

Remain educated on the relationship between humans and the biosphere generally. It helps with awareness. Visit the following website to keep in touch.

http://www.overshootday.org/

Check out Earth Overshoot Day which this year is August 8.

A general news source for interesting and important topics: One article describes a day in the life of an orphaned hippopotamus; the main article headline reads, “Humans Stripping Earth of Its Resources – Global biodiversity has fallen 30 percent in 40 years, the new report says.” See:

http://www.seeker.com/humans-stripping-earth-of-its-resources-1765773906.html#news.discovery.  Otherwise, be aware that with a little more human-biocentric awareness, how can you simplify your life without the over-abundant dependence on the “plastic/electronic” aspects of your culture?

Further, definitely assign yourself the responsibility to grow some milkweed for the Monarchs, have a place on your property – if only your fourth story windowsill – to provide water to birds and food in the winter. Like the good Samaritan, don’t pass up opportunities to rescue the plight of any creature including Homo Sapiens.

Today’s comfort and sense of accomplishment is most important now rather than waiting 10,000 years to the end of our age when there will be no Homo sapiens.

Ancient Mariner

Clipart

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A guest column has been trimmed a bit to highlight important clipart and merged with mariner’s comments.

Posted by Alex Greer

According to a July Gallup poll, public approval of Congress has fallen to near-record lows. On average, 34% of the population approves of a given Congress. The current 114th Congress has a 17% approval rating.

Americans have reason to be concerned. … The last two Congresses have enacted fewer laws than any other Congress since 1947. And the 114th Congress may just surpass them all in terms of doing nothing. … Some members have been exceptionally unexceptional. Using data from GovTrack  I [Alex Greer] created an Effectiveness Score to determine the least-effective members of Congress.

The effectiveness score is the percentage of bills sponsored by each congressperson over their time in office that went on to pass committee. The score does not factor in the percentage of bills that turned into law because such a small number of proposed bills and resolutions actually become laws.

These are the 35 least-effective members of Congress. See if your representatives make the list:

http://members-of-congress.insidegov.com/stories/5278/least-effective-members-congress?utm_medium=cm&utm_source=outbrain&utm_campaign=ao.cm.ob.dt.5278&utm_term=dt#Intro

Yes, Steve King R-Iowa, 4th District is on the list. Steve holds the dubious honor as the least effective person in Congress. The Iowa Representative has served in congress for 12 years and has yet to sponsor a single bill that has passed committee – let alone become actual law. Further, a committee effectiveness survey scored him at zero.

Don’t feel left out, Maryland. Representative Donna F. Edwards (D) is virtually tied at the bottom with Steve. Elected in 2008, Donna has sponsored 10 bills. Of these bills, 10 have died in committee.

clipart: Americans are getting poorer. According to a study by the Russell Sage Foundation , net worth for the typical American household has been decreasing steadily since 2008. The median household net worth in America is now $56,000, down from $87,000 in 2003. From 2012 to 2013 alone, the median household net worth in America dropped by about 20%.

Not for congresspeople. From 2012 to 2013, average net worth more than doubled—and in one case, grew by more than ten times.

The mariner suggests repeatedly that every voter should consider carefully who to vote for on the undercard – even good ol’ buddy Steve King and antiquity in residence Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The mariner also suggests that the US is dealing with a 1968 Congress. Old wood needs to be cut out and replaced with congressmen/especially women who understand and still participate in American culture in 2016; a term limit requiring congressmen to step down if their next term includes their sixtieth birthday is about right.

Let’s hope the next President really does something to help Senator Elizabeth Warren break down the bank monopoly in the US economy. Did you know that the Federal agency fought for and created solely by Senator Warren (Consumer Protection Agency) has sued banks to return illegal fees and charges to customers totaling more than four billion dollars in only four years of existence?

This is an unusually important election. Consider where you want your nation to go from here. Someplace where democracy can restore citizen equality.

Ancient Mariner

The World around Us

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Anticipating that few readers follow the mariner’s comments further by pursuing the related links, the mariner has copied in full an article from Fareed Zacharia’s online GPS:

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/21/who-owns-america-hint-its-not-china/

04:30 PM ET Share this on: Facebook, Twitter, Digg, del.icio.us, reddit, MySpace, StumbleUpon

Editor’s Note: The following piece comes from Global Post, which provides excellent coverage of world news – important, moving and odd.

By Tom Mucha, Global Post

Truth is elusive.  But it’s a good thing we have math.

Our friends at Business Insider know this, and put those two principles to work today in this excellent and highly informative little slideshow, made even more timely by the ongoing talks in Washington, D.C. aimed at staving off a U.S. debt default.

Here’s the big idea:

Many people — politicians and pundits alike — prattle on that China and, to a lesser extent Japan, own most of America’s $14.3 trillion in government debt.

But there’s one little problem with that conventional wisdom: it’s just not true. While the Chinese, Japanese and plenty of other foreigners own substantial amounts, it’s really Americans who hold most of America’s debt.

Here’s a quick and fascinating breakdown by total amount held and percentage of total U.S. debt, according to Business Insider

  • Hong Kong: $121.9 billion (0.9 percent)
  • Caribbean banking centers: $148.3 (1 percent)
  • Taiwan: $153.4 billion (1.1 percent)
  • Brazil: $211.4 billion (1.5 percent)
  • Oil exporting countries: $229.8 billion (1.6 percent)
  • Mutual funds: $300.5 billion (2 percent)
  • Commercial banks: $301.8 billion (2.1 percent)
  • State, local and federal retirement funds: $320.9 billion (2.2 percent)
  • Money market mutual funds: $337.7 billion (2.4 percent)
  • United Kingdom: $346.5 billion (2.4 percent)
  • Private pension funds: $504.7 billion (3.5 percent)
  • State and local governments: $506.1 billion (3.5 percent)
  • Japan: $912.4 billion (6.4 percent)
  • U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent)
  • China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent)
  • The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent)
  • Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)

So America owes foreigners about $4.5 trillion in debt. But America owes America $9.8 trillion.

And to bone up on China’s debt – another potentially big global economic headache — check out this interview with brainy-yet-coherent Northwestern University economist Victor Shih, who spoke with GlobalPost’s David Case.

End Excerpt

This list of US indebtedness by nation is hard to find. Further, to have easy access to two of the highest regarded specialists on debt and international economics is comparable to achieving a minor in international studies.

We may as well stay with Fareed; he had an excellent show today (6/5/16).

Two books are recommended as well which are contemporary to the extent that the content is almost newsworthy on the daily news channels. The first book is Zachary Karabell’s The Leading Indicators: A Short History of the Numbers That Rule Our World.

The second book was mentioned on GPS. (the mariner watched an interview on CSPAN with author Anja Manuel, This Brave New World: India, China and the United States by Anja Manuel, Hardcover. $20.25.) One cannot be prepared for our near future without reading Manuel’s book (received 27 outstanding reviews). For instance, India is about to have more citizens than China; the battle for economic supremacy between China and India depends on who has more toilets – a point raised by Fareed when he quoted her book on GPS. Anja Manuel writes that toilets have become an economic indicator that influences the degree of worker health, improves travel from other countries, and improves quality of life generally – not to mention improvement in water quality and infrastructure.

Between the Tom Mucha post, the interviews with Diamond and Shih, and the CSPAN interview with Manuel, one will likely know enough to be their own expert. At least, maybe, know as much as Donald!

Speaking of candidates for the Presidency, a new player has been picked up by our ever alert news media: Gary Johnson – the Libertarian candidate for President. Johnson is polling at 10% and could be a real spoiler for Donald – and Hillary as well although her odds for surviving Donald and Gary are less troubling.

What makes Gary potent is he sounds intelligent, stable, and defends a very liberal social policy. Perhaps a sign of concern is his classic Libertarian position on the economy, taxes and government. His sense of government obligation is military. That’s it – military. Forget anything that hints of discretionary programs, special assistance (Social Security? No). Global Warming is Earth’s problem. Yet he comes across in TV interviews as a sensible person who does not advocate military action around the world; something that is soothing in contrast to the Obama/Clinton doctrine and whatever Armageddon Donald has planned.

Gary once was the Governor of New Mexico. He didn’t fit well. US voters must remember that the conservative branch of the Republican Party will not vote Libertarian because economically the conservative republicans are too liberal. Let’s hope there are a number of three-way debates. It should be interesting.

Ancient Mariner

 

 

Economic Outlook

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The mariner is no expert on the economy. Instead, he gets most of his data and insights from recommended books, business sections of newspapers, erudite talk shows, and news channels like Bloomberg. It wasn’t long ago that only money grubbing naysayers wanting ones’ money were predicting a financial Armageddon.

Yet common news sources in centrist magazines and television shows now talk about troublesome circumstances such as “the US has run out of jobs,” or, “the stock markets have never recovered from the 2008 recession: an expected jump in the world’s economies has not occurred.” Bloomberg statistics show that two-thirds of part-time workers are former full-time workers; only the health sector added jobs in the last four months; only 51% of veterans are employed. Erik Shatzker, a Bloomberg reporter, said job creation has fallen off a cliff and threatens US recovery.

In Europe, “Brexit,” the vote to withdraw Britain from the European Union, looms ahead with a close vote indicated. If Brexit succeeds, Britain will have a recession. In the OPEC nations, there are signs the organization will not hold together, disrupting the global oil trade as a means of international political stability. The US remains the healthiest economy in the world at the moment. However, too many national economies (including the US) are coming into the same station carrying inadequate assets.

The mariner senses there is a shakeup of some kind due in a year or two – perhaps as soon as the November election. Having watched Surviving Progress, half of the world not owned is already in debt to the other half. Perhaps the pump is running dry.

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A bit of postscript to the post on Heavy Seas. LiveScience has an article that explains the ice age side of things. It turns out that the Earth’s axis tilt wobbles a maximum of 40°. At the maximum tilt, more sunlight reaches the ice-laden poles causing the ice to melt. Further, a longer cycle of about 10,000 years shifts the axis from Polaris, the North Star, where it points today, to the star Vega and back again. Whenever the vacillations complement one another, an ice age occurs – lasting as long as 120,000 years!

See: http://www.livescience.com/6937-ice-ages-blamed-tilted-earth.html

Ancient Mariner

Heavy Seas

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The Weather channel provides special reports from government agencies (FEMA, NOAA) and environmental/ecological studies (seminars and University studies) that teach us how to respond to heavy storms, sustained heavy rain patterns, and hurricanes. It seems that the first thing flood victims want to do is wait until it is too late to evacuate. This is understandable given all the possessions and entrenched lifestyles. Still, arranging for offsite storage, moving or securing extra vehicles like RVs, boats, lawn tractors, arranging for creatures from pets to livestock, and avoiding the final highway gridlock, require more than one hasty trip when water is around one’s ankles. Wait, didn’t we have a teenager?

Sooner than later the failure of local electrical substations and erratic current across surrounding grids occurs. Virtually everyone except the non participating elderly and the poorest underclass depend heavily on electrical appliances, cell phones, GPS and Internet games to live from one hour to the next. Oh my! Now we can’t track where our teenager is. What do you mean the TV doesn’t work?

The human experience of global warming is a conflict between incremental change that seems normal and longer effects requiring two or three lifetimes before the weather definitely is different – apparently permanently – and coastlines have suffered irreparable damage to industry and housing. Some change will continue for as long as 100,000 years. Again, flooding victims think there is plenty of time because rising ocean levels are measured in an inch or two per year. Take note, however, that ecological scientists have discovered that the oceans are rising faster each year: somewhat like creeping inflation where each year includes the rise of all previous years plus the current “2.5 inches”.

In a lifetime, the long term rise in the oceans is expected to be a minimum of nine feet and as much as thirty feet – the guesstimate rises with each later evaluation. Most predictions say the warming of the planet will continue and likely will accelerate. Oceans likely will continue to rise as well, but predicting the amount is an inexact science. A recent study says we can expect the oceans to rise between 2.5 and 6.5 feet by 2100, enough to swamp many of the cities along the U.S. East Coast. More dire estimates, including a complete meltdown of the Greenland ice sheet, push sea level rise to 23 feet, enough to submerge London.

By 2100, the plains states are not immune. The Mississippi River will rise as much as the oceans do. It is true that the land is not equal in altitude. The mariner’s home town has an elevation around 700+ feet. Yet the Mississippi is only 10 miles away. The southern states (Louisiana, Arkansas) will have permanent flooding similar to the Texas floods in today’s news. The southeastern states (Florida to the Mississippi and on to the Texas/Mexico border) will have a dramatic change in coastline. New Orleans’ new lock and berm system already is proving to be inadequate in today’s weather patterns.

Global warming is not an issue subject to personal, political or corporate opinion. Many politicians and the corporate money that supports the politicians are opposed to additional regulatory policies that will impose on profits and investment. It is the same pattern of priority as the flood victims who wait until water is around their ankles. Add to this group those who insist any further government involvement in anything is taboo. These motives are understood – but irrelevant to a planet moving into a warmer phase of its slowly evolving history.

What can we do about global warming? Nothing. It will continue no matter what we do. What can we do to prepare for the effects of global warming? Plenty. The ecology of the Earth is changing fast enough for humans to notice. It is time to listen to climate experts; to elevate their influence in the news and in government committees; to work harder to implement international policies – other nations will suffer more than the US. What areas of the US will suffer rises in the sea? Climatologists have a handle on a lot of this information already. If you want to spend a night in Mar a Lago you should call Donald soon.

Ancient Mariner

President Donald

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The mariner has a working career that spans both corporate and government management. There is a distinct difference. Most notable is that corporate culture is measured solely by the ratio between cost and income, namely, profit; the greater the profit, the more successful the corporation. The antithesis is lack of control over process.

As to government, its culture is measured by how safe, economically sound and fair, and – an aspect easily overlooked – how well the government supports the general culture in a way that allows its citizens open expression and a sense of achievement. The citizen is the product. The antithesis is ill fitting ideologies like oppressive capitalism, plutocracies, suppressive policies, democratic imbalance and disregard for the Constitution (racism et al).

Also, a distinct difference between corporate and government management is the attitude of managers. Corporate managers are hired and rewarded for things like control, efficiency, accuracy, and predictability. Government managers are rewarded for sustaining rational public policy while at the same time allowing flexibility and transition as various politicians hold sway over general public policy.

Whereas a corporation has a Chairman of the Board, Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and independent divisions for operations, material management and product development, governments have publicly elected Presidents, Governors, cabinet members overseeing public policy in associated departments, publicly elected legislators, and courts. Should Donald be elected, this difference will be obvious.

Donald has run his campaign for nomination as a business entrepreneur would: He has ignored policy protocol, particularly those relating to race, international relations, military circumstances, and even republican/democratic ideologies. The important issue is votes in a republican primary. Donald intuited that sufficient dissatisfied republican voters have been cut out of their party by those who continued to garner wealth – making the Republican Party a good ol’ boys club for rich folks. With the aid of Citizens United, plutocracy has taken over. This separation between party establishment and citizen is the only important issue to Donald during the primaries. Notice (the mariner is sure you have) that Donald did not respect the premise that a candidate should not insult a voter but rather appeal to arguable precepts that may appeal to that voter. Donald need only count on his fingers to estimate that the number of disenfranchised republicans was large enough to carry a plurality in republican voting and of an ilk to vote for outside restructuring of a do nothing Congress. Foregoing an accounting of the primaries, it may be of interest to see how Donald will manage the republican leadership team in an effort to parlay the republican plurality into a general election majority and an Electoral College victory.

Donald will not stand at the center of public policy, leading the charge of change like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. Donald will be at the center of power. Donald will not bother himself with lesser tasks like Constitutional law or civil rights or union issues or religious conflicts or pipelines versus green house policy or discretionary governance. Donald will control the reconciliations of these issues once a solution has been proposed. Donald will accept reconciliations if he approves of them – else negotiations and solutions simply will not be enacted.  Despite Donald’s readiness to distribute managerial authority for all items that cross his desk, the final resolution must fit his vision. His knowledge base will create a much different economy, a new international isolationist relationship, and a harsher interpretation of humanism. Donald will behave as though people are more trouble than they are worth. The problem with government is it lets the citizens get in the way.  There’s room only for one vote around here: Donald’s.

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Apologies about the lapse in posts. Life has many distracting turns. At this point of the Presidential campaigns, it may be helpful to refocus your thoughts to higher levels of vision than offered by the news media. Either view on Netflix, rent the movie, watch on Youtube, however the reader can accomplish it, watch the following in its entirety: Surviving Progress  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Surviving+Progress+Full+Movie&Form=VQFRVP 

Ancient Mariner

Leftovers

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Every American alive for sixty years or more has subconsciously experienced being poorer year after year after year. It has been accomplished slowly and unnoticeably through inflation, flat salaries, poor personal savings rates, more expensive products, immoral flow of profits to the top, disappearing union agreements, reduced retirement and employee profit sharing, disappearing job opportunities, and lack of growth in funding of discretionary government programs. The premise of the article in Atlantic cited below asks a simple question:

If you had to raise $400 in cash today without fail, could you do it? The article says nearly half of all Americans would be unable to do it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/my-secret-shame/476415/

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  • Caution/construction. Apologies from the mariner as he tries to implement any number of operations that engage readers. If you need special instruction, the mariner will provide it to you.
  • While on apologies, the mariner misquoted a source. He has cited the book many times but had to draw it from the shelf to correct himself. The book was referenced in the post Whence Jobs? Christianity and the Encounter of the World Religions by Paul Tillich – not Methodist – Lutheran. Copyright 1965 by Columbia University Press, ISBN 63758.
  • Ready for some hard thinking while you postulate meaning from the Stephen Hawking proposal: Black Holes open to different universes on the other side.
  • Does each universe have its own God? Life? Does light travel at the same speed? Are these universes larger or smaller? Do they have their own Stephen Hawking? Accepting the premise may fit our own big bang experience as a black hole first reached black hole status. Further, space is so elastic it is no measure of any form of linear measurement. Mariner made up a physics joke that fell flat on his high school track mates: Did you know that if you run a hundred yard dash at the speed of light, you need only run fifty yards? Yes, fell flat here, too.
  • The mariner clipped this website from an article related to evolution about the evolving features of Darwin’s finches. It serves only to point out that you and the mariner both are evolving, too – generation by generation – and for what adjustment? See: http://www.nature.com/news/evolution-of-darwin-s-finches-tracked-at-genetic-level-1.19795 . In the 1970’s, a cartoonist once depicted our future hand to become one large, dominate finger for pushing buttons, a useless stub of a little finger, a ring finger that looked like a little finger, a normal middle finger for assisting the elongated thumb which had grown a muscle on it, to grab things.

Ancient Mariner

Whence Jobs?

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Guru has been catching mariner’s attention more frequently, predicting a significant shift in economic growth and a change in the definition of what “job” means. For the first mariner comment on the future of work, see the post, “The Future of Work III – When Jobs will End. July 12, 2015.” Significant credit for that post’s analysis is due to an article published in Atlantic, August 2015.

Guru has been pointing out subtle events that don’t reach the front page but nevertheless identify trends in an economy that has been diminished, permanently, as computerization grows more capable and efficient at replacing human labor and even many vocations considered ‘specialized’ today; the mariner perceives that general practice lawyers will be replaced by a red box in McDonald’s. Further, the international corporate freedom to acquire even greater wealth with little control by national governments will further regionalize labor, technical and even top drawer scientists and executives, by relocating to the least expensive nation who also packages benefits – making ‘jobs’ at any level less expensive. Further, regionalization of work will create pockets of unemployment on a national scale for nations who do not in some manner restructure ways to create national income, e.g., steel workers: China won the contract to build Chicago’s new light rail system.

The mariner lived in Taiwan for awhile. He was impressed with a government and culture that kept small business operating by preventing horizontal or vertical business growth from expanding beyond small, often family run businesses. For example, it took three different small businesses to print large flyers: one to make paper, one to design and print the flyer, and one to finish the flyer in any manner required for distribution. Each operation was family owned. A large corporation was required to have the Taiwanese government own 51% of the Corporation. As a result of this policy, there were only two classes: the wealthy, who gained wealth slowly as their families climbed generation by generation and the working class which seems low to Americans but there was no destitute or deprived underclass.

If one had a relative – even a cousin once removed – one had a job with the family’s business. The pay may not be the best but one had a role in generating income for and promoting the family, and had a source for room and board. Interestingly, Taiwan had no unemployment insurance but the government paid a rebate to the family business based on gross taxable income for the ‘business.’ The Taiwanese economy is greatly dependent on a culture of family-based income models which avoids an elaborate, form-driven individual ‘welfare’ dole. Needless to say, it took 3,000 years of separate cultural development for Taiwan to develop and sustain a family economy; perhaps the West can never evolve away from its capitalistic, individual, wealth-based society.

At the time, Taiwan was the seventh wealthiest nation in the world in terms of assets per capita. The assets underwrote the Bernie Sanders model: controlled corporate and income taxes, free health, free education through graduate school, fairly distributed retirement, and – in a fashion unfamiliar with American job description, assured close to full employment. Avoiding the disruption of both Bernie and Donald, the government held tight control of trade agreements. If an island nation of less than 24m Taiwanese can do it, why can’t the United States?

When it comes to economics and fair profit from a nation’s economy, capitalism is more interested in unfair profit. Even a hint of socialist attitude is anathema to capitalism. The mariner first read about capitalism as a competitive religion to Christianity’s morality. It was in a book written by Methodist pastor Paul Tillich at a time when it was a new thought to call certain governments ‘religions.’ Written in 1961, the title is Christianity and the World Religions. The reader may find it in an old section of a library; it also may be purchased through an Internet search engine.

With capitalism still in charge of the most capitalistic culture and most capitalistic nation in the world, citizens have a long road ahead before the culture shifts enough to redefine jobs and the economy. International corporations already see change coming and are spreading themselves over as many economies as possible so that no one nation can draw from their profits to support a socialist or Christian responsibility.

The world must gravitate more toward international unification to have the clout to care for their citizens.

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It seems almost hackneyed to mention it but the mariner recommends becoming comfortably familiar with the economics and the culture of Denmark. It is the most successful model in the world to transition from top down politics to a stable and successful democratic socialism. Americans will be proud to know the citizens overthrew the government!!

Ancient Mariner

Nuance

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The mariner has noticed, albeit casually over time, that one’s expressions seem to gravitate toward absolute values. He noticed this while watching a television show where a couple had to decide which of three houses they wanted to purchase. As the couple toured the three homes, both partners were wont to say, “I love this,” or “I hate this.” Yet, later in the show, these extreme terms were compromised in the final decision the couple had to make. Perhaps such extreme expression was a sign of undue prejudice – a desire to keep the world simple but at the loss of open-mindedness.

What if we consciously tempered our feelings by expressing a degree of appreciation or dissatisfaction rather than going for the absolute hate or love about what are actually mundane preferences. Would it hurt to say, “That’s nice but I would like to see something more green?” Studied measurement reflects a person who is capable of making a refined judgment without succumbing to an internalized and polarized opinion that has no ability to measure qualities other than egocentric comfort. Instead of saying “I hate that candidate,” would we have more self control, perhaps even empathy if we said, “I have some concern about that candidate.”

Speaking of candidates, Donald and Bernie have attracted followers – liberal and conservative – who have a common attitude: populism. Having populist followers is like owning two pit bull dogs. “Oh, they never bite; we even let the kids rough-house with them.” That may be the case. In fact, a tenant once had two pit bulls that were as friendly as puppies and always pleased to see the mariner but one can’t help seeing a judgmental attitude about them; Pit bulls tend not to have much reaction time between happy and attacking. Sort of like saying, “I hate/love that house” and “I hate/love the government.” Like pit bulls (or any pack of dogs), if one attacks they all attack. Populists require less provocation to incite mob rule.

Similar to a pack of dogs and those who say only “love” or hate,” populists are prone to over reacting and on the spur of the moment make foolhardy decisions that are untenable in principle. Remember when California’s citizens revolted against increasing property taxes by passing Proposition 13 driving the state to the edge of bankruptcy? Remember when KKK groups would hang African Americans for mundane behavior? Or our older relatives practiced genocide on Native Americans? Today, ISIS has vicious, torturous reactions very much like pit bulls. The US will never avoid wars until its culture adopts a more contemplative sense of self.

Still, as to followers of Donald and Bernie, someone has to attack capitalist greed and legislative incompetence….

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Many readers are from The Mississippi River Valley or the Ohio River valley – the center of US agriculture. A reader may either enjoy or be irritated by the following pass along. Nevertheless, mariner is entertained by devout republican capitalist farmers who cling to their liberal, even socialist farm subsidies:

From an article, “Spoilin’ The Broth”, by Bill Cook, in the Rockdale ( Texas ) Reporter dated February 11, 2016.

A letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from Jimmy Henry of Broken Arrow, OK –

Dear Sir:   My friends, Wayne and Janelle over at Wichita Falls, received a check the other day for $1,000 from the government for not raising hogs.  So, I want to go into the not raising hogs business.

I need to know your opinion on what is the best breed of hogs not to raise.  I want to be sure that I approach this venture in keeping with all government guidelines.  I would prefer not to raise Razorbacks, but if that is not a good breed to not raise, then I can just as easily not raise Yorkshires or Durocs.

As I see it, the hardest part of this program will be keeping an accurate inventory of how many hogs I am not raising.  My friend Wayne is excited about the future of this business.  He has been raising hogs for 20 years and the most he ever made was $422 in 1988, until this year when he got your check for $1000 for not raising hogs.

If I get $1,000 for not raising 50 hogs, will I get $2,000 for not raising 100?  I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4,000 which will give me $80,000 income the first year.  Then I can afford to buy an airplane.

Another thing, these hogs I’m not raising will not eat 100,000 bushels of corn.  I understand that you also pay farmers for not raising corn and wheat.  Will I qualify for payments for not raising wheat and corn not to feed the 4,000 hogs I am not going to raise?

I want to get started not feeding as soon as possible as this seems to be a good time of year to not raise hogs and grain.  I’m also considering the not-milking-cows business so please send me any information you might have on that.

I assume that the government will consider me to be unemployed from all this non-production, so I plan to file for unemployment and food stamps.

I eagerly await your reply,

Sincerely yours,

Jimmy Henry Henry Farms Broken Arrow, OK

  • Sometimes mariner is embarrassed by the inhumane pursuit of profit extracted from the bottom of the job market. He has insight into what indenture was like in the early days of industrialism. See:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html?CID=4QXQY&nlid=74363051&_r=0

Ancient Mariner

Guru

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Part of this post has been turned over to Guru, the alter ego that John Denver would have described as ‘Far out!’ Guru lives in a world of paradigms; there are no loose details – details are assigned to a paradigm then forgotten until they are needed. Unlike Chicken Little and Amos, who live in the conscious mind subject to experiences via the five senses, Guru lives in a subconscious part of the brain.

Mariner will ask Guru for his current thoughts in these times of endless chaos. Mariner apologizes to the reader in advance for answers that may be vague, unsatisfying, inadequate, or incomprehensible – as that is the nature of subconscious thought.

Mariner – Guru, the Middle East has been in a state of warring chaos for 25 years. What thoughts do you have about a situation that has no obvious solution?

Guru – Over the centuries, the Middle East has played the role of Grand Central Station for large migrations starting with the first migrations of early man out of Africa. A primary cause has been slowly changing, large weather patterns that affect availability of food and water. At least three weather related massive migrations occurred before documented history – events that likely populated Europe and the Far East. Slowly, during the 19th and 20th centuries, droughts have reduced food and water availability; this has prevented the Middle East from sharing the same growth and sophistication experienced by the West. Governments remained simplistic and nomadic. Even if there had not been political and physical violence, the time was ripe for another migration. Unfortunately, it was forced to occur quite painfully by destroying the region’s economy and culture in war.

The war itself is related to the discovery of oil, colonization, inadequate governance and continued international meddling that takes advantage of the Middle East’s relatively primitive culture. Islam is a manufactured cause to deal with the collapse of institutions, quality of life, and culture.

Mariner – Guru, the world economy seems frayed and dysfunctional. Why is the global economy stalled and further, what does the future hold in store?

Guru – The world is transitioning from the labor age to the automated age. Typically, chaos is present as an economy changes from one age to another. Also typical is the opportunity by entrepreneurs to take advantage of the new but undermanaged age by taking extravagant profits; these profits likely initiated economies that are plutocratic and gave international corporations the wealth to escape many human rights and safety requirements by splitting operations across several countries. The future is still clouded. The US already has engaged political and industrial activity associated with economic change but most of the world has not.

Mariner – The planet is suffering increasing stress from global warming. Two perspectives: why are conservatives denying the scientists and will the US be able to manage the rising shorelines and economic stress?

Guru – The perspectives are unrelated. Conservatives don’t like change as a general principle; in the US especially, Congress and many states are controlled by conservatives who don’t want the money bath [e.g., personal investment, lobby income, Citizens United] to stop. Nay saying scientific data is easier than defending profit-motivated government behavior.

As to the global warming issue, this makes Congressional profit taking insignificant. If the world’s nations cannot affect carbon dioxide production in ten years, the biosphere not only will lose thousands of species and disrupt the human food chain, it will create unstable weather conditions and the worst predictions of ocean increase, about nine feet, will require costs that may not be within national financial ceilings.

REFERENCE SECTION

A dose of realism about the return of manufacturing jobs is in an article on Nate Silver’s 538 website. See: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/manufacturing-jobs-are-never-coming-back/

If the reader is a serious puzzle solver – and the mariner means serious, Nate has a puzzle column. If you ever solve a puzzle, let the mariner know. See: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-you-best-the-mysterious-man-in-the-trench-coat/

Ancient Mariner