President Obama's Prize

The boobs are out in full force since President Obama was awarded the nobel prize this past week. As one would expect, the central arguments against this decision focus on his lack of experience and results thus far in his presidency. The peanut gallery mocks, "What have you done?", in horror.

This isn't about experience or results folks. That is a ruse. This is about ideology, what one believes in, and those who stand to lose the most are outraged.

The general global disposition towards the US towards the end of George W's presidency was abysmal. The mere fact that President Obama was elected shifted perceptions towards our country literally, overnight and his pragmatic stance towards numerous issues has reinforced those early beliefs of those around the world.

Now, many are going to recoil in horror in that we are even paying attention to Europe, China, or otherwise. *This land is your land, this land is my land,* fra, la, la. Get over it people. The world has changed! The modern reality of economics, energy, health care, geopolitics, etc., et. al. This has changed too!!

Can you imagine that we are no longer in the same position we once were at the end of WWII? Could it be that the 1980s are over?

People may talk about experience and results when discussing President Obama. What they are really bemoaning is his ideology. It is not their own. For me, this is worthy of a prize in and of itself.

Sense & Sensibility

It has been interesting to note the Republican stance since President Obama has been elected. There has been the comedy of Sarah Palin, the lack of leadership, the obligatory red herring that is bipartisanship, and so forth.

What it really is about is money. Isn't it always?

If anyone think the battle over health care has been notable wait until the cap and trade legislation gets going. That will be real folly.

The people will be the ones that lose. The so called electorate. *chuckles*

Off the Wall

Michael Jackson died on June 25th, 2009. I have been wanting to write about this for weeks now, but have been unable to do so until now.

I loved Michael Jackson. His talent, drive, charisma, and remarkable showmanship, often sent chills down my spine. You knew you were watching a great in action. There was the days of ABC, 123 when I was a little boy. Off the Wall will forever remain my favorite album of all time for its sheer electricity. The release of Thriller was time to behold, and to be glued, to MTV. My first concert was The Jackson's Victory Tour in the summer of 1984.

I've got soul, and I have always loved his music.

Then it went away. I went first, losing interest in Bad and the later albums, as his life became more about theatre and less about music. He went later, due to rumor, allegations, and innuendo. Finally, the passage of time.

Then, suddenly, he was gone and all that was old was new again. His death, has stayed with me, moreso than any I have experienced save for my grandfather. He too, who passed far too young in his life and for my own selfish reasons that I've pondered about through the years.

Michael is magical. That will forever remain. He was able to reach people, in a style and fashion that he was most likely unable to reach himself. I have gone back to the tapes, and the videos, pictures, and all. The talent, raw and real, was always there.

I can empathize with Michael Jackson, if only because I can relate to the distance and loneliness he must have felt. The passage of time, and pain that does not go away but goes numb.

We all live. Our lives unfold before us, decisions we make and the fate of chance, and we are left to move forward.

I will always love the sound, dance, and passion of the artist. RIP Michael. May you find peace and better days.

The Grand Decline

I believe the United States has seen better days. We are amidst the Grand Decline. This isn't akin to the Great Recession which is a worldwide phenomenon. The Grand Decline is specific to the United States.

It begins with apathy and selfish indolent behavior. It ends with the United States a mere player on the world stage along with China, Russia, European Union, and other emerging markets.

How did this happen? Well, we bought a lot of crap without the means to pay for it. This is everyone mind you from consumers, to business, and of course, the government as well. The wonderful consumer culture has left everyone leveraged to the hilt, and guess what, the bill has come due.

You can't forestall the inevitable once the game has changed, and change it has. There will be no rising real estate values or tech stock bubbles to bail us out this time.

I believe the most difficult aspect for this transformation will be psychological. What will it mean for the average US citizen when we aren't number one anymore?

USA vs. Brasil

I have been watching futbol since Paolo Rossi's romp in the sands of Spain during the 1982 World Cup. My next door neighbors were from Italy and it was exciting to see the passion behind a game that was foreign to most Americans.

Team USA has been slowly making progress ever since.

The dramatic 2-0 blanking of Spain in the semifinals has been cited as a critical moment in the team's history. Can they possibly beat Brazil tomorrow in South Africa?

I hope to some day attend a World Cup myself. Futbol is not America's game, but it is mine all the same.

Back In Black

I took a vacation from this blog. No compelling reason other than that my Dell computer died and I got busy at work.

These things happen. A lot of things happen in life.

I am back in the blogosphere for the nobodies that don't care judging by my site meter. That being said, no one reads anymore and if you don't believe me you should check out the incredible shrinking content and rising price of the New York Times.

There Is No Free Lunch

No matter where you look these days, we are paying for financial follies. All of those home equity loans, grandiose debt to income ratios, monster salaried CEOs, leveraged credit cards, and get rich schemes came with a cost. It's time to pay up people.

It really doesn't matter who should foot the bill when you start talking about an economic crater of this size and magnitude. When it is all said and done, we will be talking trillions of dollars vanishing from balance sheets.

We are all poorer these days.

I wonder if integrity will make a comeback. It has been out of fashion for some time. The modern society is most interested in instant gratification.

What will our new future look like? It may be a long time before we can tell.

The idea that we can pay this tab quickly and move on is ridiculous. You can already sense the public's fatigue to the situation. It isn't going anywhere anytime soon. We don't have to like it, but there is always a cost, a rub, etcetera, and this time is no different.