So North Korea is raising its battered and hungry sycophant head again. Why does China support North Korea? I have talked with Chinese nationals who believed the North Korean leadership to be dangerous and unpredictable.
South Korea has thousands of our US troops, and has had them there since before the Korean War. The Cold War lives on in Asia...the so-called Bamboo Curtain still exists. When North Korea fired the missile toward Hawaii, the US did not seem concerned...that was only because the US knew North Korea would not have enough Wal-Mart extension cords to reach Hawaii. So today, North Korea blew up a South Korean ship, killing several individuals from South Korea. Dictator Kim Jong Il really needs to wake up and notice that he's forcing his people to kill their more peaceful brothers and sisters in South Korea.
Nobody in their right mind wants to have a war with the United States...just like nobody in their right mind would want the PRC and the US to be at war with each other. China needs to take care of the situation...do something the US would do when we took out leaders that we put in charge, or gave power to...like in the Philippines, Cuba, Vietnam, Iran, and various enemies of the US all over the world, that we put into power. The World likes to forget that many of those enemies of peace were our errant step-children, so when we go into these countries to remove the threats, most of them were from our past, and in some way shape or form were supported by us.
I recently read a report...Hilary Clinton gave some kind of a speech today in which she stated the Chinese were our friends...historically speaking, the Chinese were supportive of the Clinton presidency. However, officially, China is not our ally. China has not been our ally since WWII, when we went there to stop the Japanese threat. Now, Japan is our ally, along with South Korea, and unofficially, Taiwan...a somewhat free country claimed to be an errant province of China by the PRC.
North Korea has been our enemy since before the Korean War. We have had US troops there, guarding the borders to maintain peace since that time. Our members of the military have lost their lives guarding those borders, but we have not been allowed to defend ourselves there in an effort to keep that area peaceful. It is a weird situation that we should not be in. Korea should be unified and the families reunited. Dictator Kim needs a psychotherapist and a long vacation in a little room with padding.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Money Speaks Louder II (Legal Racket)
Wow...the prequel to this one was something else.
I remember what I was trying to get to but there were so many interesting things I had to say about it, I just had to finish it the way it was going.
Many have heard that our United States was formed by people who wanted a level of equality for all people regardless of social status, or ethnicity, or other factors. It has also been said that the people in this nation are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law...a stark contrast to the British legal system in which the accused are guilty until proven innocent. If that were true, rich people would not get off, and poor people would not be incarcerated. In recent years, some of the rich people have had public 'slaps on the wrists' and in the past, certain wealthy people have been imprisoned for their misdeeds against other wealthy people...once they've been caught. Our country claims that we do not have 'pauper prisons'...in Europe's past, poor people were put in prison for their inability to pay taxes or other debts. Do you know what happens to a poor person who is unable to pay traffic citations (especially repeat offenders)? Do you know what happens to a person who cannot afford to be defended by someone other than a public defender? What about all of those high conviction rates of the prosecutors...? Do you think they were able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that the accused was guilty? A plea bargain is a choice given to people who don't have excellent attorneys...it is also considered a guilty conviction...even if it means releasing the accused person for time served in jail while waiting for the 'speedy trial' because they did not have the means to pay for bail. If an innocent person is not guilty until proven otherwise, why do they have to be incarcerated? Of course, there are people who would be flight risks...but even those who have the ability to flee have the money to make bail. People who are poor don't have the means to leave. I knew of a judge who had been accused of murdering his estranged spouse. He had a lucrative business as well as his legal duties. His case was put on hold, and he was given several years of freedom before he would have to return to court. He was told to turn in his passport and to make sure that if he left the state, he would have to inform the court of his itinerary. I never heard anything about him again. The media supports hiding more than we would like to think...that case took place in a county where even the top law enforcement officer (county sheriff) had been arrested for a series of crimes. He was eventually released...but if it had been a pauper from the streets, he would still be locked up. The same county has an unusual image to represent justice...using the statue they call the "Goddess of Justice". She has no blindfold, and her scales are tipped one way. She is chubby and wears "I Dream of Jeannie" clothes...and stands about 20 or more feet tall at the main entrance to the old courthouse.
This legal racket is also a vicious cycle. Once you are caught up by the system, it is extremely difficult to be permanently released and left unmolested by it's enforcers. Many of the enforcers know more truth than they are willing to reveal. They recognize the true criminals, and who is innocent. Often, they like to harass some of the innocent people because those people get angry at the system...so they are provoked into doing something out of that anger and getting further into trouble. Like recognizes like: I have heard it said by members of law enforcement, and corrections, "The only difference between them (the criminals) and us (the law enforcers) is we wear badges." Still others have said the only difference between the incarcerated and the correctional officers is that they get to go home at the ends of their shifts. When I was younger and thought law enforcement was an honorable profession, and fresh out of the US Army, I had sought employment with various law enforcement agencies. I passed the exams and made it to the panel interview. Later, I was told I was too nice to be a cop. Perhaps I was too much of a rule follower and not much of a 'kiss-up' that revealed my inability to go along with the status quo of law enforcement agencies in our society.
I heard an attorney on television in another state declare that rich people get off way too easy because of their ability to spend the money. I have personally heard another attorney in California state that the only reason the polygraph and other means of lie detection are not acceptable in courts is because it would remove the need for attorneys. The judges are also attorneys...they would not be liked if they accepted something that put their colleagues out of work.
Another racket (a sub-section of the legal racket) is the jails and prisons, and their follow-up probation or parole system. I can put that info into a third post...cause I am tired of typing right now.
I remember what I was trying to get to but there were so many interesting things I had to say about it, I just had to finish it the way it was going.
Many have heard that our United States was formed by people who wanted a level of equality for all people regardless of social status, or ethnicity, or other factors. It has also been said that the people in this nation are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law...a stark contrast to the British legal system in which the accused are guilty until proven innocent. If that were true, rich people would not get off, and poor people would not be incarcerated. In recent years, some of the rich people have had public 'slaps on the wrists' and in the past, certain wealthy people have been imprisoned for their misdeeds against other wealthy people...once they've been caught. Our country claims that we do not have 'pauper prisons'...in Europe's past, poor people were put in prison for their inability to pay taxes or other debts. Do you know what happens to a poor person who is unable to pay traffic citations (especially repeat offenders)? Do you know what happens to a person who cannot afford to be defended by someone other than a public defender? What about all of those high conviction rates of the prosecutors...? Do you think they were able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that the accused was guilty? A plea bargain is a choice given to people who don't have excellent attorneys...it is also considered a guilty conviction...even if it means releasing the accused person for time served in jail while waiting for the 'speedy trial' because they did not have the means to pay for bail. If an innocent person is not guilty until proven otherwise, why do they have to be incarcerated? Of course, there are people who would be flight risks...but even those who have the ability to flee have the money to make bail. People who are poor don't have the means to leave. I knew of a judge who had been accused of murdering his estranged spouse. He had a lucrative business as well as his legal duties. His case was put on hold, and he was given several years of freedom before he would have to return to court. He was told to turn in his passport and to make sure that if he left the state, he would have to inform the court of his itinerary. I never heard anything about him again. The media supports hiding more than we would like to think...that case took place in a county where even the top law enforcement officer (county sheriff) had been arrested for a series of crimes. He was eventually released...but if it had been a pauper from the streets, he would still be locked up. The same county has an unusual image to represent justice...using the statue they call the "Goddess of Justice". She has no blindfold, and her scales are tipped one way. She is chubby and wears "I Dream of Jeannie" clothes...and stands about 20 or more feet tall at the main entrance to the old courthouse.
This legal racket is also a vicious cycle. Once you are caught up by the system, it is extremely difficult to be permanently released and left unmolested by it's enforcers. Many of the enforcers know more truth than they are willing to reveal. They recognize the true criminals, and who is innocent. Often, they like to harass some of the innocent people because those people get angry at the system...so they are provoked into doing something out of that anger and getting further into trouble. Like recognizes like: I have heard it said by members of law enforcement, and corrections, "The only difference between them (the criminals) and us (the law enforcers) is we wear badges." Still others have said the only difference between the incarcerated and the correctional officers is that they get to go home at the ends of their shifts. When I was younger and thought law enforcement was an honorable profession, and fresh out of the US Army, I had sought employment with various law enforcement agencies. I passed the exams and made it to the panel interview. Later, I was told I was too nice to be a cop. Perhaps I was too much of a rule follower and not much of a 'kiss-up' that revealed my inability to go along with the status quo of law enforcement agencies in our society.
I heard an attorney on television in another state declare that rich people get off way too easy because of their ability to spend the money. I have personally heard another attorney in California state that the only reason the polygraph and other means of lie detection are not acceptable in courts is because it would remove the need for attorneys. The judges are also attorneys...they would not be liked if they accepted something that put their colleagues out of work.
Another racket (a sub-section of the legal racket) is the jails and prisons, and their follow-up probation or parole system. I can put that info into a third post...cause I am tired of typing right now.
Money Speaks Louder
This post may sound like a redundancy but I know from personal studies and experiences that money speaks louder and many cannot hear anything quieter. You may ask, "What is he talking about now?" Hopefully, I will not be rambling for too long before I get to the point, or forget the point I wanted to make.
Some of you may be familiar with the idea of 'selfless love', or even 'brotherly love'...in the long run, these are ideals that do not speak louder than money, but they sound good and soothing to the ears to hear, and easy for the mouths to say. I am referring to the way far too many so-called Christians behave. Perhaps members of other religions behave similarly...I know that non-believers don't have a problem doing what they want without worrying about a higher power or directive interfering.
I have been an employee and volunteer for a certain Christian denomination which makes many and great claims about themselves. I am also a member of that same denomination, but may be considered a back-slider at this point because of my disgust with the smell of hypocrisy. While they charge a pretty penny for their private education, they seldom update their materials, and they do not pay their teachers much at all. Not only that...they do not provide any benefits to their employees either. The particular area I worked at had teachers on an annual contract, where a teacher could be replaced at the whim of the superintendent of the 'district'...no matter the success or desirability to have that teacher by the local staff and administration, parents, school board, and even future students. The same denomination has a racially segregated congregation. Not only to the point of having separate churches, but they have separate conferences or unions (organizational units above the individual or city-wide church level). The schools are separated too. Where is the brotherly love in our day? No wonder the Muslims have issues with our Christian ways...of course blowing people up for non-belief goes against God too....
I know this blog is supposed to be more about society and politics today...but this kind of ties in to that. I have a few more things to say about the organized religion situation before I get to where I was trying to be.
My church is rich by society's standards. Yet, a pastor I know would rather kick a homeless person out of the 'potluck' than share the bountiful blessings and invite him in to join us. Revelation 3:17-20
Many of the people I know who work for this denomination need to have second sources of income. The amount of tuition for a child is about 4 times the amount a public school receives from the government for your child to attend. What is the value difference for? In monetary terms, public school teachers and administrators get paid much more. The old text books (especially science and social studies circa 1970's) are obsolete in private school. The math books are exactly the same as your public school math book...5 or more years ago. The private school does not teach what the denomination preaches because it would chase off the high paying non-church members children. Where does the money go? Does it go to pay for the 8 year old computers in the computer lab? Does it go to pay for the transportation expenses (oh wait they don't provide transportation)? It must go toward the secretary's salary...? Hmmm...oh wait a minute, the superintendent seems to be well off. The silk suits and nice cars have to be paid for somehow. The presidents of the conferences get to travel the world.... The denomination is known for a health message and standard; I have not seen many of those presidents or superintendents or other upper echelon people looking fit and trim. Why is this denomination in the top 5 list of the world's richest churches? If Christ was like that pastor or those superintendents, would He be the religious icon we know today? Can we hear that knock at the door to our hearts? Can we let that homeless guy in and eat with him? Money is talking too loud!
So now, I have attacked my church and others like it. I want to see all of us walk the walk, not just talk the talk...following God's Will is a lifestyle. Following the sound of Money is our society's reality.
Whew! I totally lost my point there. Hope I can remember what it was for the next post.
Some of you may be familiar with the idea of 'selfless love', or even 'brotherly love'...in the long run, these are ideals that do not speak louder than money, but they sound good and soothing to the ears to hear, and easy for the mouths to say. I am referring to the way far too many so-called Christians behave. Perhaps members of other religions behave similarly...I know that non-believers don't have a problem doing what they want without worrying about a higher power or directive interfering.
I have been an employee and volunteer for a certain Christian denomination which makes many and great claims about themselves. I am also a member of that same denomination, but may be considered a back-slider at this point because of my disgust with the smell of hypocrisy. While they charge a pretty penny for their private education, they seldom update their materials, and they do not pay their teachers much at all. Not only that...they do not provide any benefits to their employees either. The particular area I worked at had teachers on an annual contract, where a teacher could be replaced at the whim of the superintendent of the 'district'...no matter the success or desirability to have that teacher by the local staff and administration, parents, school board, and even future students. The same denomination has a racially segregated congregation. Not only to the point of having separate churches, but they have separate conferences or unions (organizational units above the individual or city-wide church level). The schools are separated too. Where is the brotherly love in our day? No wonder the Muslims have issues with our Christian ways...of course blowing people up for non-belief goes against God too....
I know this blog is supposed to be more about society and politics today...but this kind of ties in to that. I have a few more things to say about the organized religion situation before I get to where I was trying to be.
My church is rich by society's standards. Yet, a pastor I know would rather kick a homeless person out of the 'potluck' than share the bountiful blessings and invite him in to join us. Revelation 3:17-20
"Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; ' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see" (v. 20) "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me."
Many of the people I know who work for this denomination need to have second sources of income. The amount of tuition for a child is about 4 times the amount a public school receives from the government for your child to attend. What is the value difference for? In monetary terms, public school teachers and administrators get paid much more. The old text books (especially science and social studies circa 1970's) are obsolete in private school. The math books are exactly the same as your public school math book...5 or more years ago. The private school does not teach what the denomination preaches because it would chase off the high paying non-church members children. Where does the money go? Does it go to pay for the 8 year old computers in the computer lab? Does it go to pay for the transportation expenses (oh wait they don't provide transportation)? It must go toward the secretary's salary...? Hmmm...oh wait a minute, the superintendent seems to be well off. The silk suits and nice cars have to be paid for somehow. The presidents of the conferences get to travel the world.... The denomination is known for a health message and standard; I have not seen many of those presidents or superintendents or other upper echelon people looking fit and trim. Why is this denomination in the top 5 list of the world's richest churches? If Christ was like that pastor or those superintendents, would He be the religious icon we know today? Can we hear that knock at the door to our hearts? Can we let that homeless guy in and eat with him? Money is talking too loud!
So now, I have attacked my church and others like it. I want to see all of us walk the walk, not just talk the talk...following God's Will is a lifestyle. Following the sound of Money is our society's reality.
Whew! I totally lost my point there. Hope I can remember what it was for the next post.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Why Attack Education?
In California you often hear about all the cutbacks the government is making because of the economy, especially attacking education...from laying off teachers (newer ones), to closing down schools. I believe that we as a society should take the stand to reevaluate this old way of thinking.
Sure the teacher's unions will balk if we tried to get the old-school teachers to retire early. The facts are that the newer teachers are better trained with some really great ideas that can motivate our generation of young people to want to learn. The old-school teachers are still complaining that they cannot spank the children anymore. Get over it and try something that works.
The newer teachers understand there are ways to teach children who think school is a nuisance...and have parents that think of school as a daycare program. If at all possible, the parents should have been the ones teaching Johnny to read before they entered kindergarten. Kids don't belong in an institutional day care program like 'Headstart', they need their 'hands-on' parents role modeling the importance of reading and actually taking that time to read them a bed-time story, and point out letters on signs and products in the grocery stores. Socialization does not have to begin at a day care with 30 other kids learning the dysfunctional ways of their providers. It can begin with parents taking their children to the playground and interacting with them, and other families.
Rather than getting rid of 1000's of teachers, make an evaluation of those who have been successful at teaching in recent years and retire those who are burned out...they really need a new career anyway. Those innovative newer teachers need the parents' support; not the NEA and Homosexual organizations dictating what goes on in the classroom through the long interfering arm of liberal administrators and people that should not be around children.
Instead of closing schools, and increasing classroom sizes (California had finally reached legislation that brought classroom sizes down to 20 students) our schools should be matching the population demand. Why are all these parents letting their schools close? Why not become employed citizens and pay taxes? Our state and our nation would rather build prisons than schools. IF WE PUT MORE INTO THE SCHOOLS LIKE MUSIC AND THE OTHER ARTS, AND OTHER INTERESTING THINGS, WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT NEED SO MANY PRISONS AND JAILS. (Jails and prisons are a racket all of their own...I will write something about that later.)
Get rid of the high paid administrators before closing a school or firing a teacher. Seriously, does a school district need all of those board members? Those people should be volunteers, not salaried big shots. Teachers are educated well enough to understand that the politics don't help the students at all...they just make more money for the deep pocketed big shots. I say, have the teachers vote on qualified senior teachers to take on the role of principal or other administrator on a fiscal basis. During their terms, the 'Head Master' will still teach their own classes, but will have a stipend and some extra duties (as well as an assistant teacher that shadow teaches as needed) to provide some support and organization for the other teachers. Each school should have a separate disciplinary assistant or board to enforce school rules. Teachers should be allowed to control the discipline in their classrooms. Have you ever visited a principal's office when there are no problems taking place? They are sitting there playing solitare on their computers...or napping behind a newspaper.
Schools don't need a brand new set of books every five years (followed by years of testing and contract negotiations with various publishers) except to replace those that have been worn out by use. Mathematics does not change much, aside from the presentation per teacher. Why teach teenagers a foreign language they already know? Why not teach foreign languages to the younger students once they have figured out how to use English correctly? That is when they will be most able to learn it.
I have other ideas as well...but I have decided to stop my little rant knowing that these things would never take place because it means someone in power would lose that.
Sure the teacher's unions will balk if we tried to get the old-school teachers to retire early. The facts are that the newer teachers are better trained with some really great ideas that can motivate our generation of young people to want to learn. The old-school teachers are still complaining that they cannot spank the children anymore. Get over it and try something that works.
The newer teachers understand there are ways to teach children who think school is a nuisance...and have parents that think of school as a daycare program. If at all possible, the parents should have been the ones teaching Johnny to read before they entered kindergarten. Kids don't belong in an institutional day care program like 'Headstart', they need their 'hands-on' parents role modeling the importance of reading and actually taking that time to read them a bed-time story, and point out letters on signs and products in the grocery stores. Socialization does not have to begin at a day care with 30 other kids learning the dysfunctional ways of their providers. It can begin with parents taking their children to the playground and interacting with them, and other families.
Rather than getting rid of 1000's of teachers, make an evaluation of those who have been successful at teaching in recent years and retire those who are burned out...they really need a new career anyway. Those innovative newer teachers need the parents' support; not the NEA and Homosexual organizations dictating what goes on in the classroom through the long interfering arm of liberal administrators and people that should not be around children.
Instead of closing schools, and increasing classroom sizes (California had finally reached legislation that brought classroom sizes down to 20 students) our schools should be matching the population demand. Why are all these parents letting their schools close? Why not become employed citizens and pay taxes? Our state and our nation would rather build prisons than schools. IF WE PUT MORE INTO THE SCHOOLS LIKE MUSIC AND THE OTHER ARTS, AND OTHER INTERESTING THINGS, WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT NEED SO MANY PRISONS AND JAILS. (Jails and prisons are a racket all of their own...I will write something about that later.)
Get rid of the high paid administrators before closing a school or firing a teacher. Seriously, does a school district need all of those board members? Those people should be volunteers, not salaried big shots. Teachers are educated well enough to understand that the politics don't help the students at all...they just make more money for the deep pocketed big shots. I say, have the teachers vote on qualified senior teachers to take on the role of principal or other administrator on a fiscal basis. During their terms, the 'Head Master' will still teach their own classes, but will have a stipend and some extra duties (as well as an assistant teacher that shadow teaches as needed) to provide some support and organization for the other teachers. Each school should have a separate disciplinary assistant or board to enforce school rules. Teachers should be allowed to control the discipline in their classrooms. Have you ever visited a principal's office when there are no problems taking place? They are sitting there playing solitare on their computers...or napping behind a newspaper.
Schools don't need a brand new set of books every five years (followed by years of testing and contract negotiations with various publishers) except to replace those that have been worn out by use. Mathematics does not change much, aside from the presentation per teacher. Why teach teenagers a foreign language they already know? Why not teach foreign languages to the younger students once they have figured out how to use English correctly? That is when they will be most able to learn it.
I have other ideas as well...but I have decided to stop my little rant knowing that these things would never take place because it means someone in power would lose that.
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