The A B Cs of Spying.

       Okay, here's where we're at. We've been spying on our enemies and our friends and everybody in between for years. In fact for decades, to varying degrees and with varying degrees of success. So have our enemies and friends and everybody in between been spying on us to varying degrees with varying degrees of success. That's really been what's called a secret everybody knows but nobody admits to. Everybody does it and nobody talks about it. Sortta like cheating on taxes.
       Then all of a sudden a couple of guys have spilled the beans. And now the French and Germans have to act shocked and displeased. And maybe they are, even though they know they do it themselves. Now it's time for us to act contrite. We're very sorry, we'll be more careful in the future. Of course it'll take time for the French and Germans to get over it, but they will. Especially if they get something juicy in the meantime.
       It's sortta much ado about little. When you spy on your friends, it's mostly to figure out how much they'll agree with what you want to do. Of course you don't hear anything from our enemies. They know we're spying. They're doing it to us. That's how they found out we were spying on them, a long time ago. Of course spying has gotten much more sophisticated, but that's progress.
       So what's all the hullabaloo? Well it's not about spying on other countries that has folks so upset. It's about spying on ourselves. That's what has folks upset.  And we've been upset since 2001. Ever since 9-11 and that awful day, our government has been doing everything it can to protect us from terrorists. The problem is that our government gave permission to our spies to spy on us, more and more every time we 've turned around. We knew they were listening in to our phone calls and computer emails, almost from the day after 9-11, or at least a short time later.
       Some folks haven't liked it at all, and some folks were satisfied that it was keeping us safe. Then those two guys started releasing secret information and people found out that all that spying was actually taking place. Well duh! They told you they were doing it. You apparently didn't believe them. It took two guys to make official secrets public for us to believe the government was spying on us. We would never believe the government because you can't trust anything politicians say. It's time for our government leaders to be contrite. To say they're sorry and that they'll be more careful in the future. Then they can get back to spying and we can get back to feeling safer. See how it all works out in  the end?
      

How Much Does That Burger Cost?

       Say, how are you enjoying those burgers and fries or pizza or fish or chicken or whatever? Taste great? Well, that's what fast food is all about, taste. So you should enjoy them and for a very good reason. You should enjoy them not only because they taste good, but because you paid for them. In fact you paid for them.... twice. Now why would I make a statement like that?
       Well for one thing, when you walk into your favorite local fast food vender, you belly up to the counter and place your order. The very next thing you do is pay for your fast food. Of course first you're asked if this is take out or eat in. Either way, when you're done, you leave. So how can I say you paid twice for that great tasting food? Is it because I think it's unhealthy? Hey, I don't care if it's unhealthy or not, and that doesn't enter into this conversation.
       So you're still wondering what I mean by saying you pay twice for your fast food. Well, have you ever noticed that not everybody behind the counter is some youngster? In fact, most fast food workers are adults or young adults. Either way, they're not making a living wage. And that means that they're not paying taxes because they don't make enough to put food on the table never mind pay taxes.
       All of which means you're subsidizing them. Yep, you're paying for their food stamps, rent supplement, free emergency room care or healthcare and other safety net assistance. Now you could run out and bad-mouth these folks for not paying their fair share, but just what would be the fair share of someone's income when they don't have any spare change left over after eating?
        Well, who's to blame then for your burger and fries costing you twice? Well, let me see.... If I didn't get paid enough to pay for these fancy frills like healthcare, food, a roof over my head and the like, the problem might be with the fact that I don't get paid enough. Didn't I just say that? Weren't you paying attention?
       Now I realize you don't want to pay any more for that tasty burger, but is that a sound reason for not getting paid enough to live on? Maybe a spot under a nearby bridge would suffice as housing. Then the garbage cans could supply food for the makeshift table. I guess anything is possible in the search for cheap tasty fast food. It may be okay for you, but what about the other guy?

It's All About Afrikaners.

       Once upon a time in the country of the Union of South Africa, there was a group of folk of European heritage who ruled the country completely. Even though these White folk were not native Africans, they alone had the rights of citizenship such as voting or holding office. Blacks who had lived in South Africa since the beginning of time still were not allowed to vote or hold office or live in White districts or even own land. These White people were called Afrikaners. Then one day it all changed and Black people were allowed to vote and own land and hold office. And South Africa didn't even come to an end. The country still exists.
       Now, in America we have a group of White people who believe that America is or should be only for people just like them. People who look just like them and think like them and no Hispanics or Blacks should be allowed to vote or become citizens. These folks like to be called Tea Partiers, but are really Amerikaners. It's actually a disservice to true Tea Party ideals. If you stood these Amerikaners side by side with the Afrikaners of old, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Not the way they look or in the way they think. There is virtually no difference between them.
       It's not really racism, they'll be the first to tell you they are not racist, and they really do believe that. They just think that America was set aside for the Whites and more specifically the ultra-conservative Whites and they are terrified of the changes they see coming in the makeup of our America.  So they have picked up the playbook of the Afrikaners and have added even more tricks to discourage the unwanted from voting or becoming citizens.
       The problem for these Amerikaners is that they started about a hundred and fifty years too late. America is changing and there just isn't any stopping it. Maybe in the short term these Amerikaners will enjoy some successes, but in the long term, change is coming. Get used to it. Even enjoy it. Because it's good for all of America, even Amerikaners.
   

What's Happening in Argentina These Days?

       In some parts of Argentina, that's in South America next to Brazil, there are some sections of the country where cancer rates have quadrupled and some where birth defects have also quadrupled. Many are in the same sections of the country. Coincidentally, a few other changes are taking place in those regions. Previously they had a crop rotation from grain growing to beef raising every five years. Now they are almost exclusively grain growing.
       The cattle to grain changes, every five years, kept the weeds and insects in check naturally. But now the changes require heavy use of insecticides and herbicides. The use of insecticides increased from 4000 in 1995 to 30,000 metric tons in 2007, and herbicides from 20,000 tons in 1993 to 220,000 in 2011.
       Now far be it from me to suggest any correlation between cause and effect. The chemists will tell you their products don't cause cancer or birth defects. Any increase in either must be from some other source. They claim that, but if you look at the charts and maps, it's pretty hard to miss the coincidents. If your foot suddenly starts to hurt, and when you look down to find someone has just stepped on it, you might assume that to be the cause of the pain. You'd be right.
       But of course this is all about Argentina, not good the ole US of A. That's true, but at the same time, our giant farms of the Midwest, and west, and south, and east and north. are now using the same insecticides and herbicides. It just might be a good idea for our government to keep track of what brands and formula's are being used and track them against illnesses and  birth defects being experienced in those regions of America. That is if government is allowed to do that sort of thing.
       Being allowed to do that sort of thing depends on how much money is spent to stop government, and who's paying and receiving that money. If you watch legislation on the subject that's being proposed, and by whom, and then who works hardest to stop that legislation, you'll begin to get an idea of who's being paid and by whom. Just remember this; sometimes a little bigger government can save your life.

What's New In The News?

       I assume you've heard of California. It's that state taking up half of our west coast. Well, they've instituted some changes in the way they govern. Not that California making changes is unusual. They've been doing that for years. But this time it's a little more drastic and it's proving a little bit, or maybe a whole lot better.The first time in who knows how long that partisan gridlock is lessening.
       Are you listening Washington? California did a couple of things that has changed everything. This should even please my cousin who moved out of California because he was fed up with it. First they redrew all their electoral districts by a completely non-partisan commission. With no input from the state legislature. Now there will be very few completely safe districts for candidates.
       Next they changed primary elections to a completely non-partisan primary where the top two vote getters regardless of the candidates' party affiliations, move on to the general election. Yep, the two candidates that most people prefer go against each other in the general election. That way you will finally end up with the person most people want. Nobody can sneak in because of a fluke.
       Most Californians are quite happy with these changes. Of course there are some folks who are very unhappy with the changes. Mostly people who want stronger political parties and who prefer gridlock. Fortunately, in California, they're in the minority. Now you're beginning to see Republicans and Democrats working together to pass laws, or even to defeat legislation they would have forced through in the past in order to satisfy their party base.
       I suppose it's not perfect, very few things are but, boy oh boy, what a start. Can you imagine a federal government actually working together, for the good of the people, instead of the good of the party ideology? You don't suppose these kinds of changes would help Washington, do you? I wonder how many heart attacks we'd see by people like party bosses and party fundraisers? I know, I know, folks like the Tea Party would hate such changes because extreme rhetoric or policy would get you nowhere, unlike nowadays.

Election Year News Flash.

       Well, here we are folks, we're right down to the wire. For today's news audio we have excerpts of Republican nominee, Senator Ted Cruz's stump speech. "It has been said and I now ask you, did Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton actually come from Mars? Does she hide her green color with a lot of makeup? I'm not saying it's true, I'm merely asking, is it true? And my opponent's ridiculous suggestion that I constantly use innuendo is just another of her fiendish attacks against my good name. Is it possible that the sightings of UFOs dating back to the time of her birth, an indication that those flying saucers were actually bringing her egg here? I'm simply asking. And did those aliens actually land and plant the announcements of her birth? Again, I'm just asking. But could all these convenient coincidences have just remarkably happened, with all the stars aligned as never before, or is she an alien from Mars? I'm not saying it's so, I'm just asking. And again, let me reiterate, I do not use the tactic of innuendo."
       Now we here from Secretary Hillary Clinton in her stump speech. "The man is nuts. Thank you very much. Now are there any questions? Yes. I have said that my nutty opponent is nuts. I've also said he specializes in innuendo. I've also stated that he single-handedly caused the government shutdown and credit default which started in October of 2013 and is still going three years later now in October 2016. You notice he hasn't denied that. The man is certified nuts."
       Oh wait. Audience we have Sen. Cruz on live hookup. "These suggestions that I use innuendo, I must say, it's been said, and I ask you now, is it not Hillary that is the one to use innuendo? And as for the government shutdown and credit default, I submit this was just another part or her fiendish scheme to get elected? I'm not saying it's so, I'm just submitting. Is it possible she has caused all this pain to Americans simply to bring more attention to herself?"
       I'm told that Secretary Clinton has a response to these allegations. "He's nuts, period."
       Well, there you have it listeners. With only days to go before the presidential election, both candidates have sharp words for each other. And with Secretary Clinton leading in the polls by double digits, it's simply too close to call.

Oh Boy. Do We Have Problems.

       Ya want a good laugh? Listen to people place blame for the government shutdown and upcoming debt ceiling crisis. On the one hand you've got Conservatives, Republicans and Tea Partiers pointing fingers at a weak President unwilling or unable to govern, and unresponsive Democratic Senators for not doing their jobs while Americans suffer.
       On the other hand, you've got Liberals, Progressives and Democrats asking why the House Republicans and especially John Boehner won't put forward a clean bill to reopen the government and remove the  obstacles to a debt ceiling increase without  repealing Obamacare. It's simple, they say, the ACA has nothing to do with the debt ceiling. It's the law. Live with it. Put the country back to work and then negotiate. All this while Americans suffer.
       Both sides have legitimate points, and both sides overlook their own deficiencies, but to hear each side, theirs is the only fair game in town. The one side says if they can't have Obamacare brought down, then lets cut much of the entitlements. Or even better, let's do both. The other side says they're in the right because nobody wants the entitlements cut or Obamacare defunded.
       It's a real dilemma. On the one hand, the debt ceiling they're all talking about is for bills on stuff they already spent. So, do we pay our bills or do we become a deadbeat nation? On the other hand our debt is out of hand. The cuts being proposed only cut the deficit. The monthly bills for our debt. The debt keeps increasing.
       Look at it this way, if we stopped paying all entitlements from today on, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and all the safety-net programs, we'd begin to pay off our debt, if slowly. Unfortunately an extremely large segment of our population would begin to starve to death. Maybe as much as forty percent of the population. That's because about half the small businesses in the country would go belly up before we could make a serious dent in the debt. And then most of the other businesses in the country would close their doors. Which means we'd have about fifty to sixty percent unemployment. That's if major the corporations don't do the same.
       On the other hand we could cut our defense budget in half and still have the largest military in the world. Which would begin to lower our debt also. But then countries who are our enemies or wannabees would begin to get ideas about attacking us, or at least more ideas than now.
       The point to all this is that we already have more than enough problems without Congress causing us these extra problems.