- End of Life (4)
- Framing (3)
- Health (17)
- Moral Values (35)
- Political Ethics (60)
- Psychology (8)
- Semantics (25)
- 9. May 2012: Marriage is Unconstitutional and Illegal
- 7. May 2012: Framing Abuse: It's a "Left Behind Tax" - not a "Death Tax"
- 7. May 2012: Framing Abuse: "Income Hoarders" are NOT "Job Creators"
- 12. March 2012: Our Yearning for Consciousness Stated Lyrically & Beautifully By Billy Joel
- 7. March 2012: God Is Not God and You Are Not You
- 7. March 2012: Lies, Liars and Framers: How Republicans Recurrently Win Through Deception
- 7. March 2012: Winning through ad hominem Diversions: A Too Common Republican Tactic
- 3. March 2012: Our American Affliction: Idolatry of Money
- 3. March 2012: "American Values" Are No Longer America's Values
- 22. November 2009: Work and Job: Synergy Whenever Possible but Do Not Ignore Work
Author Archive
Winning at Every Draw in the Lottery. Saying No to Regressive Taxation
24. October 2009 by Da Fu.
I used to think that one could not win at lottery unless one bought a ticket. But that is not true and here is why.
Since lottery winnings are usually dedicated to public funding obligations, lotteries are regressive taxes since they tax the poor and the rich at the same rate. In reality, since the dire straits of the poor lead them to buy disproportionately more lottery tickets, these regressive taxes are especially egregious.
Politicians and the rich are in collusion to pay less progressives taxes by instituting regressive taxes through lotteries. Thereby, the rich dodge their progressive tax obligations. This underhanded regressive taxes plays on human despair to make sales, i.e., tax.
How do I win at every lottery draw? I take out the money I would have spent buying lottery tickets and consider it my winnings by NOT buying the tickets. Yes, you can win without a lottery ticket. And, you can win every draw!
Posted in Moral Values, Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
Me, My Self and I make up each of our Psyche–Our Individual Totality
16. October 2009 by Da Fu.
The statement “what we all have in common is that each one of us is unique” begs the question who each one us is. Other questions include: Is each of our psyche unique? Is so, why do we all fall in love, have sex and want families? Who are we…as individuals. My perspective on my totality (”My Psyche”) includes the following triad: my character (”Me”), my personality (”I”) and my unconscious (”My Self”)
The “Me” is who I believe I am and how I feel I am, i.e., my character. My honesty, perseverance, loyalty, tolerance, competitiveness, athleticism, etc. are qualities of my character and direct my feelings about me. They are how I see me.
The “I” is the part of my totality that relates to the outside world thus it is what others see of Me, i.e., my personality. My wit, charm, politeness, fine penmanship, cleanliness, etc. are qualities that others easily see and relate to. I present these qualities to the world.
There can be discordance between the I and ME. Many have secret characteristics for which they compensate in their personalities. For example, the Me is a messy while the I is not. The I is highly “moral” while the Me craves “immoral” acts. As a rule, it is impossible for the I to always compensate for a different Me.
“My Self” is my unconscious and it only sporadically messages the Me and I through dreams, voices, synchronicity and archetypes like the anima/animus, Mother, Father, Shadow. My Self sees everything but the I and Me do not. The Self is the source of micro-expessions, “gut feeling” and premonitions. My Self is as vast inwardly and the Universe is outwardly. It became unconscious as to not overwhelm the I and Me. Nevertheless, My Self is where my desires for love, sex and family arise.
The Me, My Self and I comprise my totality–my psyche. Only when we live in harmony with this triad will we be in the world in good faith to one’s Slef. An if we can’t be in the world in good faith…then what can we be?
Posted in Psychology, Semantics | Print | No Comments »
The Audacity of a “You Lie” from a Republican
13. September 2009 by Da Fu.
Think of the thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians dead from a “Weapons of Mast Destruction” deliberate lie by the Bush Administration. That was duplicitous conspiracy and no one has yet shouted “You lie” at Bush nor his VP Dick.
Republicans have no right or claim to discerning what is a lie since their fundamental belief that they are “right” has been refuted by the American electorate. We threw you lying asses out of office!!
I am beginning to believe the Republican’s delusional thinking is bordering on psychosis. They definitely need a reality check. They need to realize they are in the minority and NOT in charge any more.
Posted in Moral Values, Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
Are Republicans Hoping/Working for Our Failure?
10. September 2009 by Da Fu.
Are Republicans so mean spirited as to wish that American’s do not recover economically and continue to hurt just so they can blame Obama? Apparently, so!
First, it was the worst President ever, i.e., Bush, with a Republican Congress that got us into the dire straits that the USA and the world is trying to recover from. Even if we don’t recover what makes Republicans think we will ever let them lead again. They demonstrated once that they can really mess it up. There is no way we will ever let them do it again.
Second, to not work with the party in power because of being plain mean spirited is Un-American!. Republican who will not work with the Democrats are being Un-American and should be investigated for treason. Shame on you Republicans. You are as Red as the Stalin was.
Finally, recovery in this country requires we ALL work together to get things done. To be sore losers because your candidate did not win puts you where Democrats were when Bush was given the Presidency by the US Supreme Court. Nevertheless, we were human enough to accept the results and live with it and work WITHIN the system to improve it. Republicans opting out of the system because the don’t agree with it means they should go back to where they came from!
Grow up, Republicans. Take the lumps you very well deserve and learn. Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgment. Apparently you are not learning anything from your continue poor judgment.
Posted in Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
What Do Republicans and Liberals Think They Are “Right” When They Are NOT?
5. September 2009 by Da Fu.
Republicans are poor losers and even poorer participants in the modern American Democracy. They need to join the current America that is multi-clutural, pluralistic and tolerant of all its citizens. The old “White Male” American they reticently cling too is gone forever and they need to accept the fact that it will never be again.
When Republicans were in charge (and messed everything up!) they believed they were “right” about everything and the hell with everyone else’s determination of what was right! Now that they have be thrown out of office (mostly because of what they believe what was right was not), they have stilled failed to figure out their “right” is not everyone’s right and they cannot demand that their right be done. They still don’t realize that they are NOT in charge and that they have be elected (thrown!) out of office. Get a reality check!
Enlightenment means figuring out that your determination of what is right is no better or more correct than anyone else’s determination of what is right. Republicans are just one or a group who believe’s their right is better but this belief is unfounded, has no basis in fact and in a Democracy your right cannot and should not be imposed on others unwillingly.
Liberals are showing the same inflexibility as Republicans. Liberals must learn from the Republicans that what is right for American is a consensus of the people’s right….not just the Liberal’s determination of what is right.
Compromise is key to getting what is right for all Americans. Both the Conservatives and the Liberals need to look to the center to get a sense of America and do what is best for all rather than what they believe is best for their group.
Posted in Moral Values, Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
Vaccines: Not Fearing the Known and Fearing the Unknown
30. August 2009 by Da Fu.
Currently, many fearful and un- or misinformed parents put their children’s health and lives at risk by not vaccinating them as recommended. For unscientific reasons and unsupported blind beliefs, they act contrary to what they believe they are doing, i.e., protecting their children.
Over hundreds of years, vaccines have saved countless millions of lives and has eliminated diseases such as small pox and polio. Many childhood disease like measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough and the like killed and maimed many children before vaccines. Our modern vaccines have eliminated these scourges from our daily existence.
Vaccines are not perfect. Nothing is. But they are a lot, lot better than the diseases they prevent. And, there is no scientific evidence that they cause autism. There is bountiful data to show the the death and mayhem the vaccines prevent.
Stop the unenlightened fear of the unknown and start fearing the known. Your children’s health and possibly lives depends on this.
Posted in Health, Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
CIA Torture Investigations: It is a Criminal — not Witch — Hunt
25. August 2009 by Da Fu.
It is ironic that such a Law and Order Tribal members like Dick Cheney and his cronies would be upset at a criminal investigation. The crux is that some in the Law and Order Tribe have perpetuate a series of crimes akin to those of Hitler’s Regime. These Law and Order members are in for a taste of Law and Order justice. Cheney is afraid that he will be implicated as the the originated of these crimes.
The Nierenberg Trials of Nazi atrocities found that those in power and those who obey them are not immune from prosecution for their actions even when government sanctioned. In Democracies, leaders serve their people and not vice versa. These people have the right to change their leadership and demand that the previous leadership be investigated and prosecuted for crimes. Democracy and Justice are at work here.
Prominent Law and Order members like Oliver North have found that being for Law and Order does NOT make them immune from the Law and Order! Cheney is not immune for his actions and he must be held accountable if criminal. Dick suck it up and take it like a man rather than whiney baby. You were an elected leader subject to the law and not above the law as you thought you were.
Posted in Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »
Death Racketeers Do Not Want Advance Directives to Diminish Their Booty
16. August 2009 by Da Fu.
Grandma and everyone else is going to die. That is a fact. What death racketeers don’t want is to give up the many hundreds of billions of dollars looted in Grandma’s and everyone else’s death-prolonging care. Their imminent deaths are unavoidable and undeniable. Instead, these death racketeers focus on how much revenue they can generate before death can no longer be prolonged.
Given a choice, i.e., an advance directive opportunity, Grandma and most others would choose a peaceful death rather than to be tortured by futile medical care. Yet, many in the medical-hospital-industrial complex thrive on death-prolonging medical care. They are fighting to keep their booty.
For most of us, it is NOT about the money since we know many more billions are spent on actual life-saving and life-prolonging care. No one quibbles or would ever want to deny this medical care. It is unrewarding to the patient and family but very monertarily rewarding to the medical care providers that is the issue.
Death racketeers are using scare tactics like “death panels” to garner support against the Advance Directives provision. They are not unethical but instead a-ethical, i.e., they have no ethics. They worship the almighty billions of dollars and care little about the pain and suffering without gain that their death-prolonging care delivers.
Shame on all the un-enlightened ones who have been duped into supporting death racketeers. Shame on death racketeers for worshiping the dollar more than their fellow human beings.
Posted in End of Life, Health, Moral Values | Print | No Comments »
Value–not Price–is the Key to Future American Sales
11. July 2009 by Da Fu.
The days of conspicuous American consumption are over. Just like corporations have “right-sized” their employees numbers for years to stay profitable, it is time corporations “right-size” their sales expectations in order to stay, i.e., survive. And, these sales expectations should be based on value propositions–not price.
Conspicuous and debt-increasing consumption by American Consumers has fueled US and Global economic growth for too long. The American Consumer is not longer capable or willing to continue its participation in the Capitalist’s folly, i.e., spending more for the sake of spending without a definitive value.
Value–not price–will be the new American Consumer’s mantra. The days of disposable products are numbered. American value convenience, ease, usefulness and now green over cheap. Myriads of Microsoft Windows computers sit idle because people bought cheap and did not get value. In contrast, Apple through its iPods and iPhones has finally conveyed its computer and operating system (Mac OS X) values proving cheaper isn’t worth it.
Americans have also figured out that a high price tag does not mean value. May products are overpriced for no reason other than someone is willing to pay the asking price. US Drugs are a good example. Drugs are priced the way they are because third parties, i.e., insurance companies are paying for them. I have frequently stated that the best way to cut the price of drugs by over half is to mandate non-coverage by third parties. Consumers/Patients will then realize the true value of generics and that expensive “me too” drugs (drugs that are no better than other, cheaper drugs in their class) are not worth their asking price. Too often direct to consumer drug marketing is directed a getting insurance companies to pay a premium price for a drug. Shame on these capitalists. The almighty dollar has harden their heart and left them with no conscience. Increasing co-pays and co-insurance is making patients realize that more expensive is not necessarily a better value.
Americans are not opposed to spending money for something they value. Cheap Japanese transistor radios of the 50s and 60s evolved in much valued Japanese electronics of today. Korea, Taiwan and China have taken the same route.
Corporations should and cannot ever expect to return to quarter over quarter sales growth. Smart investors (as oppose to greedy capitalists) know that a good company is profitable and stays that way. Increasing profit usually means giving up something of value. Unfortunately, profits is rarely given up in order to increase corporation value and profits. Instead corporations give up intangibles usually experienced employees that eventually erode profits. So, little or no gain is realized.
I find it ironic and paradoxically that a company suffers for not meeting “analysts expectations.” This means a company producing actual facts suffers from not meeting an analysts guess of the future. My expectation would be that the analysts should suffer for not guessing right. Thus, it appears that ANAL-lysts are part of the problem and not the solution. Companies should stop pandering to ANAL-lysts expectations and instead do what is right for the company. They should make products based on value rather than just increasing revenues or profits to satisfy ANAL-lysts. The best way to do this is not report the irrelevant “numbers” needed by ANAL-lyst to make their guesses and instead concentrate on their value propositions and customers.
Value–not price–is key to surviving in the new American markets. How this value is reached and maintained remains to be played out.
Posted in Moral Values, Semantics | Print | No Comments »
Double Take Truths vs Beliefs: What Makes Some Human And Others Self-Serving Hypocrites
5. July 2009 by Da Fu.
I saw a t-shirt with “Never Say Never” written on it and it made me smile because of my personal truism. It is “My only intolerance is intolerance”. My other double take truth is “What we all have in common is that we are each unique.” Some say what makes us human is the ability to hold two contradictory ideas at the same time. The double take truths above are such ideas. Yet, many think that holding contradictory beliefs makes them human but instead it just makes them self-serving hypocrites.
For example, many Christians believe worshiping Christ (his mystical side) and ignoring his teachings (his ethics) is being a devout Christian. This is not true. It makes them a half Christian. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible and took out the mysticism and left only the ethics. It is how Jesus wanted us to behave. Most Christians do not behave this way.
Many hate their neighbors because they hate themselves. They assuage this self hate by giving money to a church and preachers promote this giving and self enrichment through “prosperity ministries.” Today these preachers would be thrown out of their “Temples” along with their “money changers” supporters by Jesus himself. These churches and their teachings are an abomination of Jesus’ life and death.
Though good deeds alone cannot get one into heaven, being good enough to get into heaven means by nature doing good deeds. It is paradoxical to be heaven good and not do good deeds. It is consistent to be an evil doer and attempt “good deeds” to make up for the evil deeds. Unfortunately, the so-called “good deeds” evil doers do are not truly good deeds since they are self centered and selfish. So, evil doers delude themselves.
These delusion are not limited to Christians. Islamic “Jihadist” a.k.a, terrorist, suicide bombers, etc. delude themselves into believing they are doing “good deeds” when they are actually being selfish. Is it not selfish to want a harem of “vestal virgins”? Is is not selfish and self-enriching to impose ones beliefs on others?
If the leaders of these Jihad movement are so committed why do they have to convince others (usually the poor and ignorant) to die for their cause? Why are they not suicide bombers themselves? The answer is they have too much to gain by letting others die for their beliefs. Deeds for self-enrichment whether monetary or otherwise are evil even in Islam.
Double take truths make many of us human while double take beliefs make many self-serving hypocrites. There are worlds of differences.
Posted in Moral Values, Semantics, Political Ethics | Print | No Comments »