MEMO to MSNBC Producers, Could Everyone Please Stop Pissing Me Off?

MEMO to MSNBC Producers, Could Everyone Please Stop Pissing Me Off?

I feel exactly like this!

The most important Human Interest story in years, or recent history and MSNBC mucks it up. What is up with that? Are these people stupid? Don't they understand this is what we want to watch? I ended-up watching Sean Hannity on Fox News, and I normally never watch this program. If MSNBC wants us to take them seriously, how do they expect us to do so when they won't even cover such an important story? Over 1 Billion people around the planet were watching, and MSNBC chose NOT to cover it? Come-on!

So when important events do happen, you're telling me to switch away from MSNBC, right....? I get the message.

This is what I twitted to Keith Olbermann yesterday after his show:

@KeithOlbermann Major Fail at #MSNBC. Chile Miner Rescue most important story in the whole world and not one mention on #CountDown OR #TRMS

But that's life in the news business. The news executives know best, I guess. And I, the consumer of their product, I am highly disappointed!

The World Cup

Which World Cup do you think I am talking about? There is only one that matters, and there is only one Football, no matter what Americans like to call their game, played using "hands". So, you call it Soccer, so what? That word comes from "Football Association" anyway! The real problem here is all the Soccer haters out there, specifically:

A Kick In The Head: Soccer Is Not The Game That ‘The Rest Of The World’ Loves

and,

Introducing: Sports Wonks

Now seriously, after the wonderful drama of the first two Quarterfinal games you want me to waste time on this subject? It is true that the United States DID NOT make it past the Round of 16. But people in the know, people who appreciate the game, have other teams that they cheer for and therefore are still watching the games. Maybe the ratings will not be spectacular (20 Million viewers for the USA - Ghana game), but I believe they will still be respectable.

So let me make a couple of points here. Ethan Epstein over at True/Slant, proposes that other sports are more popular than Soccer in other countries not just the US, so why should it be popular here where sports like American Football, Basketball, and Baseball dominate? Well sure, pick a country, even World Soccer powers like Brazil, Argentina and Spain. You know what, those countries love other sports. It might surprise you to know that Basketball is really really popular in those countries. In fact, their very best players, are actually playing over here, in our league, the NBA, and their national teams, are going to give the US Super Team (made of NBA All Stars) a run for its money this summer at the FIBA World Championships. So what has your argument proven? Here are some soccer powers that can also play basketball. All we're saying is that over the whole world, taking into account every sport, the most popular sport IS SOCCER.

So the Sports Wonks over at FrumForum argue that the "tie" in soccer is Un-American. My friends you're wrong. The "tie" in soccer can be a strategic weapon when used properly, and of course it can therefore be a win. There are competitions in which a tie, means that an away goal gives you the edge. In the early rounds of the World Cup, the tie ensures a so-so team, the chance to advance to the next round of the competition, where it can prove its mettle, by improving its game. And sometimes, if you're playing with 10 players due to an ejection, or red card, you try to hold on to a tie, so that you can still get a point, and maybe then advance out of your group.

It really comes down to understanding the game. Millions of young children in the US play the game of soccer due to its accessibility. Yet, as they grow-up they forget it and gravitate to other games such as American Football, and Baseball. I love these other sports. I wholly embrace them and completely enjoy them. But yet, I do not understand the vitriol surrounding the World Cup tournament which comes around every four years. Just like the Olympics, it is a spectacle. It provides highs and lows. It provides drama and story lines to tell your kids. I still remember fondly the World Cup from 1982 and some magical football games played by Italy, the eventual winners that year. Aah, those are the memories!

Soon, this year's version of the World Cup will be complete. A Champion of the World will be crowned. We will move on to other pursuits. Will Americans watch more games on the MLS? Who knows? I don't dislike the MLS. I just don't think it's a World Class League yet. The best American Players go overseas to play. And the only good foreign players that come here, are past their prime. David Beckham, has been injured for most of his time with the L.A. Galaxy and now Thiery Henry is coming to NY. Until the spectacle improves, I'll watch the occasional game. Until then, it's the World Game I am still in love with. And to you haters I say:

"Get over yourselves!"

The Cult of Personality (Part 2)

Honestly, I don't hate Rachel Maddow. I leave such feelings of hate (that word is such a powerful word, I don't like using it) to people on the right of the political spectrum, who call her names and attack her constantly, for her views, her lifestyle, her appearance and a myriad other things that they find wrong about her. She has a TV show to do, particularly, TRMS, otherwise known as "The Rachel Maddow Show". Her show is on the MSNBC network every weeknight at 9:00 pm Eastern or 8:00 pm Central.

Rachel's Show has various segments during its hour-long run. Sometimes, the writer and former Air America host, Kent Jones, appears on Rachel's show to discuss pop-culture or other items. Of course, I am sure, none of these appearances are unscripted, or without the approval of the producers and of course Rachel Maddow herself.

On June 1st, 2010 for the second consecutive year, Rachel Maddow and Kent Jones proceeded to launch into what could only be described as a "light comedic satire" of the just transpired Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway. This was not the first time that Rachel and her team had made fun of the Eurovision Song Contest, previously "liking it" to American Idol "light" and "a bunch of musical wannabees without talent". When she did it the previous year (2009), she had described the Greek Singer as "dressed like a porn star". This, of a man, Sakis Rouvas, who is #1 in sales in his own country, and very successful at what he does. Yet, Rachel Maddow and Kent Jones decided to mock him and all the other singers representing their respective countries.

This year, their mockery was no different. They attacked the songs, they attacked the costumes, they attacked the stage direction of the performances themselves. And why? In order to provide a 3 to 4 minute segment of what they thought was entertainment to their viewers. In the half-hour news show that I watch in the afternoon by Katie Couric, she normally finishes with something uplifting, something about the human condition that not only informs us, but let us know that we're not alone. Katie Couric and the CBS Evening News does journalism correctly.

I don't doubt Rachel Maddow's geek credentials. I don't want to debate her. She has awesome debating skills. She understands arguments better than the average human being. But she does not understand her audience. She does not understand that it's NOT "all about her". This is NOT the "The Rachel Maddow Show". This is an informative, news and commentary and analysis show. But, who am I to try to tell her this. She has achieved cult status, and thinks she has surpassed our tastes and can dictate what we want to see and hear. Even Keith Olbermann is more of a newsman than she is. Maybe, Ms. Maddow believes that commentary continues past politics into the world of entertainment, and anything that goes on oversees is fair game, we can make fun of foreigners.

All I know, is that her attempt at humor in mocking or satirizing the Eurovision Song Contest was poorly thought out and poorly executed.

Did it personally bother me? Of course! Have I stopped watching her show because of it. Yes. I understand nothing "mean" might have been "meant" by this exercise, but Ms. Maddow, this is the second year in-a-row that you have performed this stunt. At some point coincidences stop being such, and a pattern emerges. One wonders if you believe in such things as Journalistic Integrity and Professional Ethics. Making fun of the Europeans and their quaint little song contest, might seem amusing, but it is a heritage that some of us have grown-up with and enjoy. Maybe you'd be better served "mocking" American Idol and its voting patterns?

In the end, a journalist who is a TV Personality is only as good as the people watching him or her. Presenting the information of the day requires some perspective. I have always appreciated the ideas and perspective that you have offered, but not anymore. What you seem to be saying to your audience is, "I have a large spoonful of Cult, for those who want to follow me, and I spurn those who don't."  I am NOT going to take that bargain.

I'd rather take an apology from you, if offered.

Last Night’s Vote By The Numbers – What Health Care Can Teach Us About Voting, Insurance, and Campaign Contributions - Chris Thomas - Politics on the Rocks - True/Slant

Last Night’s Vote By The Numbers – What Health Care Can Teach Us About Voting, Insurance, and Campaign Contributions - Chris Thomas - Politics on the Rocks - True/Slant

Wow!

Eye-opening! Read at your own risk!

Young (and not so young) and without a Plan

It's fascinating when certain thoughts are percolating in your head and then you read an item on the web that validates your thinking. Just today, I read this article:

An American Mutant: A Three Part Series on the Man-Child (Part 2)

This was only the second part of a three part series, but this was the part that really caught my attention.

Here is Part 1: An American Mutant: A Three-Part Series on the Man-Child

And Part 3 here: An American Mutant: A Three Part Series on the Man-Child (Part 3)

 It's a fascinating look into the culture of the man-child, of the perpetual adolescent who does not want to grow-up, like the old "Toys 'R 'Us" commercial used to say in its jingle.

 I will not repeat here what the Author, David Masciotra discusses in his article (or rather series of articles), but rather I want to expand on his theme. I believe that a lot of his points are not only valid, but illuminating about today's culture. I have seen the man-child in action. But the man-child is not a symptom of only this generation -- it exists in Generation X, it also blossomed in Generation Y also known as Millennials. What scares me the most is that I have some first hand knowledge of the man-child. I have seen him in action. And I am writing this in hope of preventing the "man-child" from passing unto the next generation.

 The man-child has his own hours and his own schedule. The man-child does not believe in the same productive hours that the rest of society functions in... Is that really a description of a modern day "slacker"? What is a "slacker" after all, but a man-child wanna-be? But the "slacker" has been identified as one who could be suffering from depression. And the man-child? David Masciota says:

"...[they] have no plans for their lives, and the most terrifying part of that is that no one seems to care enough to do anything about it. Their parents reportedly bicker at them but refuse to levy any threats or ultimatums."

 Could it possibly be a lack of self-esteem? Many years ago, I was lucky enough to be given a set of these powerful tapes by self-help guru Jack Canfield. Their title was: "How to Build High Self Esteem.". I realized then one of the biggest problems facing me was the man looking back in the mirror. The lack of self-esteem can be a major hindrance going forward in life. It stops you from having goals, whether positive or negative, any kind of goals. It sometimes robs you of the will to live a normal life -- all you want to do is just get by. It can lead to depression pretty easily.

Is it any wonder, with the world we all have to deal with today and the problems that we have to face how some otherwise sane people choose to "tune out" the world around them and how the same world in kind treats them:

"Political and social institutions ignore them, which is not surprising considering they also ignore the unemployed and undereducated who desperately want a college degree or fair-paying job, and the surrounding community seems to take an apathetically tolerant position regarding their presence.

This may not seem catastrophic, and it certainly is not when compared to people who are forced to live in the margins of inner city or rural poverty. However, the rising number of middle-class males who voluntarily accept roles as fringe figures, misfits, and aimless snails signals deep trouble for a nation undergoing cultural decay, economic collapse, and communal breakdown. The Wall Street Journal reported before the super-recession that the current young generation of men is the first that will be less successful than their fathers.

The financial collapse and unemployment epidemic raises the stakes for the current generation, and may result in a pyramid future where the few upper and middle-class born men with drive and ambition rise to the top, and the rest—the poor and working-class who are uncounted by the powerful, along with the man-child section of the middle-class—fill the bottom."

  There is a pattern here. A self-perpetuating pattern. If you want to live in mediocrity, those around you will let you be part of their tribe. The institutions are geared towards allowing you to be "buried" in this mediocrity, and your parents... well, even if you were lucky enough to have immigrant parents, there is only so much they can take. Their walls have chips and cracks in them and they are crumbling. They have given-up trying to prop you up, to build you up to help you gain a leg-up that ladder of success that is America, because America has wore down on them as well. The land of opportunity is calling in its chips and its collecting, and a lot of people are coming-up short.

 When after so much struggle, after you have achieved your goals, or even some goals, and you have reached some level of relative success, the collapse of what used to be the American Dream is starting to affect even those who can not be categorized as a man-child or "slacker", then something somewhere has gone terribly wrong. Yes, it has affected me... Oh, I won't say that I am exhibiting the symptoms of the man-child in all its glory: For example, I won't be out, until all hours of the night, keeping to a night-owl schedule that would lead me to being compared to a vampire. Nor would I drink myself into a stupor; but just maybe I get my kicks from some wonderful prescription pain meds, or even over the counter ones. Or for a change of pace, I have zero motivation to achieve anything new in my life, to progress beyond where I am right now. After all I say, in this current climate, "what would that get me?"

 The powerful and the rich have everything locked-up in this world, and those in authority, those in the corporate world tell the rest of us what to think and what to do. In light of this, what can I do? But dammit, I think I can still make a difference with the younger generation. Maybe I can influence a nephew or a niece, maybe I can influence someone reading this blog to change their way. I certainly thought better of myself once, and succeeded mightily, broke past the family traditions and achieved things beyond what would have been possible. Now, this success is not uncommon for this family, is not uncommon for immigrants like us at all. But the lesson here is this: Standing still is not the answer. Playing the video game, watching TV, drinking that drink, taking that pill, that is not the answer. The way forward is make a positive step every day, is to say:

"Today is another day, a better day than yesterday, and today, I will do ONE thing more that I did not do yesterday."

I promise to change.

I hope those who can change, those that have read David's seminal 3-part series and my blog, will also change for the better.

After The Health Care Apocalypse: Analyzing The GOP’s Strategy For What’s Next - Chris Thomas - Politics on the Rocks - True/Slant

After The Health Care Apocalypse: Analyzing The GOP’s Strategy For What’s Next - Chris Thomas - Politics on the Rocks - True/Slant

Is this what will happen, once Health Care reform passes?

Read the fantastic article I have linked to here and let's discuss.

My position? I completely agree with this article. Even if the Republicans make major gains in 2010, even if they somehow come back and regain the presidency in 2012, the "die" has been cast. Is this why they are fighting so hard against it right now?

BBC News - China unveils homemade AC313 large civilian helicopter

BBC News - China unveils homemade AC313 large civilian helicopter

As I mentioned in an earlier post about their mystery bomber, China continues to grow, both as an Economic power and as a world power. Meanwhile the West? Well, the West is sleeping, engaged in trying to recover from a self-imposed economic disaster and trying to pass Health-Care for all.

One of these days we're all going to wake-up and China will be the world's ONLY economic super-power. How far away is that day? I don't know. But news like this bring it closer.

And of course, lest we forget, the economic bailout came at the hands of China.

Somewhere, someone is asleep...

The Arrogance of the Germans

Yes, it is true that Greece is suffering some economic woes recently. And yes, it is also true that a lot of what is going on can be attributed to reasons both internal and external. It will take a very long post to discuss everything that has been going on with Greece's Debt Crisis. All you have to do is perform a Google search and then read a bit on it. Unfortunately, you won't have the advantage of being able to "Read" the Greek Language, and therefore, read the Greek Perspective on these news.

Still, despite that handicap, and despite some of the misinformation that exists out there among the general public, information exists for people to have a general understanding of this issue; (As an aside, isn't that the general rule? - as people, get less and less inclined to do their own research and learn everything there is to know about an issue, they become trusting of dubious sources, who are very likely to misinform, sometimes due to ignorance, but most of the time due to a willful decision to promote an agenda).

So among the debate as to what Greece must do to overcome this crisis, comes an article in the German Language magazine "Bild" quoting several German MPs , that Greece must sell part of the country in order to pay off it's debt. They propose not only selling the Acropolis, but also selling some of the uninhabited Greek Islands. This logic, comes from the same minds, and the same people who provided the world with the Nazi Party and the world's greatest mass murdered - Hitler. Is it any wonder that Greeks all over the World are up in arms over this suggestion?


The truth is that there is a certain arrogance that superpowers, whether economic or otherwise, have always displayed when dealing with small countries such as Greece. The truth is that this arrogance is one of the reasons Greece "lost" Asia Minor to the Turks in 1922, and over 2 million Greeks were displaced and thousands were killed.   The truth is that this arrogance is what led to the partition of the island of Cyprus in 1974, when Turkish imperialist designs went unchecked by the USA and thousands of Cypriots were displaced. We see this in play today in Darfur, we saw it in play in Rwanda, and in the ongoing wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. Superpowers can come-up with any kind of excuses they want when they want to justify the means by which their foreign political goals are achieved. And don't for one minute think that this doesn't have something to do with Economics and Geo-Politics.


It remains the big secret that "Oil" in some quantities has been discovered under the Aegean Sea. As the Geo-Political situation now stands, the Aegean Sea is Greek Territorial waters. Once in the recent past (1986 to be precise), Greece and Turkey almost went to war, when Turkey decided they wanted to send an oil exploratory vessel out into the Aegean Sea. That attempt was thwarted, as was a later attempt to take over the Islands of Imia by Turkey. What these continuing efforts by Turkey show is an attempt to undermine Greek Sovereignty in the Aegean Sea, to question the Status Quo, and to "open the gates", at least in the international public's mind, that Turkey has a rightful claim both on portions of islands and territories in the Aegean Sea and by extension, the resources present underneath.


I am also reminded that the members of the German Parliament and Chancellor Merkel's government who made the comments they did, are "right wing" and of a background with dubious ties to other right wing agitators and parties in Germany.  Let us also not forget two other important facts. Germany has a very high Turkish immigrant population that is very active in the national politics there and in supporting Turkish positions within Germany and in the European Union (EU) in general. And though this link is strenuous at best, and not much can be inferred from a mere glance, I offer it because it does make you think: During the Nazi party's ascendancy and dominance in the early 20th century, they had a friend in Turkey, even though they supposedly maintained a neutral stance until February 1945, when they finally declared war on Germany.



So, would it be a stretch to ask, that with the availability of resources in the Aegean Sea, and with Germany having a friend in Turkey, that what these German politicians are really promoting is the idea of Turkish imperialism under the guise of Greece selling its assets on the open market? This as a way to get at resources, resources that big Nations such Germany, an economic superpower need to continue functioning in the world economy.  It makes one think, doesn't it?




Finally, for another perspective on the Greek Debt Crisis, watch this short informational YouTube video:

The Greek Debt Crisis Video

Economic Inequality - Some truths about Health Care Reform

I recently posted this message as a response to a Blog Post by Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times.

What?

You don't read Roger Ebert Movie Reviews? Furthermore, you don't read his fantastic blog? I highly recommend it. My response was tailored to a specific individual, yet I think it's appropriate to share it with everyone. Feel free to comment on it as you want.

I did make one mistake below. I transposed Toyota and Nissan in the Family Care Segment Sales. Toyota is #1 and Nissan is #4, behind Ford.

Having worked in Manufacturing as well (I feel I had to answer), I can tell you why it's cheaper for Toyota or Nissan or others to manufacture their cars oversees and then import them. Legacy costs, as you briefly mentioned in your piece. These are the things that GM and FORD and Chrysler pay for when a worker retires. But, as union costs have escalated, some of the current worker's costs have also been rolled into this accounting process. So, a $22,000 car becomes a $28,000 car, and the Japanese beat it on price.

But, it is not true that all cars are manufactured oversees. Nissan, Honda and Toyota, respectively, number #1, #2 and #4 in the mid-size car segment (family car) all manufacture that car in the USA. So, how can they do so competitively and still pay the American worker their Health Insurance AND a competitive wage.  It's not just the lack of a union.

The answer to the question posed by the first paragraph can be found in the social fabric of the countries were these cars are manufactured - Japan, Korea, etc. They have a social contract with their citizens, and although the companies profit in the great materialistic way that big Capitalist companies tend to profit in, the employees have health insurance that is supported by the National State. They also have some sort of National Pension system that works in conjunction with the company's pension system (sort of like Social Security on steroids). It works so well for them, that the living wage can be a lot more competitive that what an American worker makes. I don't begrudge the American Worker anything. Either alone or through unions, the American worker managed to raise himself to the middle-class and achieve a status that even in the middle of the 19th century it was unheard of. Yet, that drive and that competitiveness did not translate in the boardroom where the CEO and the share-holders, only cared for profits and more money.

Someone stated in a post earlier that companies are leaving certain areas because of higher taxes. That is Government's fault. That is the burden that Partisanship in Washington has placed on all of us. As I have said, CEOs care little for the productive middle class who helped them achieve their results... I am not making an all encompassing statement, not all CEOs are the same, and yes, I think you should earn what you deserve. But how much is too much? Why do you need $20Mil to run a company? I bet I can do the same job for $500,000 and no bonus.

And to answer the question posed by the second paragraph, unions have not ruined America, I don't think that at all. Yet, somehow, in factories that foreign manufacturers have opened in the US whether unionized or not, they managed to build the same or better product than their equivalent American counterparts. Why is that? These are American workers at both places. It must be the underlying economic factors, both at the companies running the places AND in the society. (And please, don't give me any bull-crap about "Government Motors" and all that -- that just happened and does not apply in this situation).

Yes, we don't manufacture anything in this country, but whose fault is that? Each and everyone of us needs to look in the mirror before answering this question, even more so if you're a CEO or a share-holder. I don't advocate the buy-American line, but think about a culture that places such a high-value on the low prices one can find at the "low-price leader" Wal-Mart. How is Wal-Mart to compete AND make a profit for their CEO, board and share-holders without manufacturing everything oversees? Where there is no regulation, or GASP, they don't have to pay the workers "HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS" or "401K (pensions)" and other benefits.

So what can the great equalizer, the Government, do for us? Lots of times I've pondered why they don't slap tariffs, on imported goods, from countries who willing game the system and flood the US market with cheap goods. And then there are times, such as last year when President Obama, did slap a tariff on unsafe Chinese Commercial Truck Tires. But the only way to expose trade imbalances and other such problems is to expose the inadequacies of our own system compared to what the other countries offer.

There are many points, and I won't go over them all, but in summary:

1. A fair and uniform corporate tax code.
2. A fair and uniform pension system (including a reform of Social Security).
3. A robust unemployment system that promotes retraining and values self-reliance.
4. A national retraining program as industries and technologies shift.
5. A National Health Care System - Heck, model it after Japan's for all I care. It can be as simple as what it's intended to be: If you have health insurance now, GREAT! Go your merry way, we're leaving you alone, don't even look here. If you lose your health insurance, because of a job change or unemployment, you pick-up a plan subsidized by the government until you get back on your feet.

Now, if we had these things, then you'd see how quickly we'd be able to compete with those foreigners, whether they be Japanese, German or Chinese.

Do I think any of this will happen, including health care reform? I doubt it. People are so misinformed and refuse to get themselves educated enough, by whatever means necessary to impact their own lives, let alone the world around them. How can we expect them to have intelligent opinions about such an important subject. No, it has to be "black" or "white". But it isn't. Sadly, not very much in life is...

The Cult of Personality (Part 1)

Don't misunderstand me. I like Jeremy Clarkson. He's a funny man. But in one of his recent columns he claimed that "Greece is a toilet".

Now, a lot has been made about this comment on the web. There has been reaction far and wide, mostly from upset Greeks in the British isles as well as Greeks in Greece. They did not take well to Jeremy's comments. Portraying women in such a negative light and on top of that not apologizing for that view.

I am not here to forgive Jeremy Clarkson. I watch his show on BBC America. I don't read any of his stuff, either his column or his magazine writing. I do think he's very funny as concerned the automobile. And that's where the problem lies. Sometimes, this "cult of personality" can develop and a person thinks they are more than they are. Is that the case here? Has Jeremy gotten so over confident in his comedic abilities, that his tackling of subjects outside of his normal purview, leave something to be desired? I hope that's the case.

Personally, I think he's a good television presenter. He's funny when he tears a car apart as useless and just as funny when he says: "Hold on to your spleen everybody". Still, I do wish he'd apologize to Greeks for that unfortunate remark. I know it was in jest, but it was unnecessary.