Powerlessness

. . . is power. . .

from  Chris Hedges, Truthdig | Op-Ed truth-out.org

'. . .All we have, as Vaclav Havel writes, is our own powerlessness. And that powerlessness is our strength. The survival of the movement depends on embracing this powerlessness. It depends on two of our most important assets—utter and complete transparency and a rigid adherence to nonviolence, including respect for private property. This permits us, as Havel puts it in his 1978 essay “The Power of the Powerless,” to live in truth. And by living in truth we expose a corrupt corporate state that perpetrates lies and lives in deceit. Havel, who would later become the first president of the Czech Republic, in the essay writes a reflection on the mind of a greengrocer who, as instructed, puts up a poster “among the onions and carrots” that reads: “Workers of the World Unite!” The poster is displayed partly out of habit, partly because everyone else does it, and partly out of fear of the consequences for not following the rules. The greengrocer would not, Havel writes, display a poster saying: “I am afraid and therefore unquestioningly obedient.” And here is the difference between the terror of a Josef Stalin or an Adolf Hitler and the collective charade between the rulers and the ruled that by the 1970s had gripped Czechoslovakia.

Those who do not carve out spaces separate from the state and its systems of power, those who cannot find room to become autonomous, or who do not “live in truth,” inevitably become compromised. In Havel’s words, they “are the system.” The Occupy movement, by naming corporate power and refusing to compromise with it, by forming alternative systems of community and society, embodies Havel’s call to “live in truth.” It does not appeal to the systems of control, and for this reason it is a genuine threat to the corporate state.

Occupy’s most powerful asset is that it articulates this truth. And this truth is understood by the mainstream, the 99 percent. . . "

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Analysts say . . .

. . . that the price of gasoline in Maryland could reach four dollars per gallon by Memorial Day.

Seems to me that whenever 'analysts' (as reported by our dear, respected media) SAY something about an increase in the price of gasoline, it comes true.

Is that particularly good ANALYSIS?  Or are the 'analysts' really oil industry payees simply 'preparing' us for the inevitable?

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Granny? . . .

. . . OH!  You said Grammy. . .

It's that time of year to get all caught up in one of pop culture's most self-indulgent events, the Grannys . . . I mean the Grammys.

I always chuckle to myself remembering when a friend asked me why, since I am so involved in music, do I not watch American Idle. . . I mean American Idol.   Groping for words, it was difficult to explain that my love of music is a love of music and not a love of pop culture.  And these days, with an exponentially larger number of avenues from which to obtain music than when I was a kid, I no longer have to settle for what the corporate music monopolies offer me. . . and I don't.

Not that I'm criticizing.  There's room in this big ole world for all of us with our many and varied tastes.  Just understand that it is a big ole world and there's lots more from which to choose.  But you have to open your eyes (or your ears) and find it.

So, Rock on Granny!   (I mean Grammy)

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Consumerproduchondria. . .

. . .  may well be the malady from which I suffer. . .I am a consumerproduchondriac. . .

 . . . a disease that is spread through the saliva of blututhious devisus (pictured above) when injected, unbeknownst to you, into your ear canal. Symptoms of the disease include the inability to make telephone contact with the person that you contact most, using the voice command feature.  All functions famously until the voice tells you, "calling mobile 1" and then nothing happens.

Consumerproduchondria can also be contracted through other consumer products, as I well know, and manifests itself in that the consumer product (or some specific function thereof) will, for some odd reason, work.

You know that it is consumerproduchondria specifically when you scour the manual that accompanies your product at purchase, and there is mention of nothing remotely resembling your situation to be found.  Identification of the disease becomes confirmed when you speak to a real customer service representative and they say, "I've never heard of that before."

The only remedy to this debilitating condition is a conscientious manufacturer with sympathetic customer service reps who will happily replace your item a little or no cost to you.  If you cannot locate the remedy at your local pharmacy, take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

 
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Enough. . .

. . . is enough!!! 

(from the Denver Post)
". . . On Thursday, the Senate voted 96-3 in favor of new restrictions designed to keep lawmakers from trading stocks based on inside information gleaned from their legislative roles. Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall supported the bill.The measure also would ban legislators from sharing insider knowledge with others who would make trades on it. In addition, federal lawmakers would be required to disclose their trading activity. The measures also would apply to some members of the executive branch. No doubt, it's a good thing. It's also an idea that has been kicking around since 2006. But it wasn't until "60 Minutes" and others in the media recently began reporting on the issue that it was put on the fast track in Congress. . . "

(from Jack Abramoff: Members Of Congress Engaged In Insider Trading Doug Mataconis)
". . . This is the kind of thing that only serves to increase public cynicism about government, of course. It strikes me that if it’s illegal for a corporate officer to engage in stock trades based on information that comes to him based on his position, it should be illegal for a Member of Congress or a member of his staff to do this same. The legal position that the information they base their decisions on is “public” because its in Congress is a legal fiction. In reality, as noted above, these people have knowledge about the timing of legislation and hearings, and the likelihood that a particular bill with pass that an ordinary investor does not. It’s either all illegal, or not [none] of it is. . . "

Vote them ALL OUT this election!!!

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Taking ADVANTAGE . . .

. . . of the system. . . 

(from Factcheck.org)

Gingrich goes too far to say Obama has put more on the rolls than other presidents. We asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001. And they show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that. And under Obama, the increase so far has been 14.2 million. To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama’s time in office than during Bush’s.

(from Reuters)

Unlike Americans who rely on a paycheck, Romney earns most of his income from investment profits, dividends and interest. The returns for 2010 and estimates for 2011 showed that he will pay a total of $6.2 million in taxes on income of $42.5 million. Romney and his wife Ann paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010 and expect to pay a 15.4 percent effective tax rate when they file their returns for 2011. Those rates are far below the top income tax rate on wages, which is 35 percent, because the U.S. tax code in recent years has favored investment income over wage income.

Let's stop folks from FREELOADING on government programs.

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To my former. . .

. . .  cell phone provider who wants to stick me with any nickel and dime bill they can now that I have terminated my account. . . .

Though I terminated my account on 11/13/2011, I received invoices for "Monthly Service Charges" for the period 11/11/2011 - 12/10/2011 and 12/11/2011 - 1/10/2012 during which I was provided service for only the period 11/11/2011 through 11/13/2011 on four of the five phones under this family plan.  (The fifth phone had been dormant since July 2011 since my son had to contract an alternative provider as required by his new employer.)

I spoke to several of your customer service reps on 12/22/2011 culminating in my request to have the supervisor (Ram) call me, as he was unavailable and I had an appointment.  Ram did not return my call that day or afterward.

In addition, no customer service rep reminded or informed me on 12/22/2011 that the fifth  phone in the plan (mentioned above) must be cancelled, a courtesy, and I would hope responsibility of customer service under such circumstances.

I spoke again to customer service on 2/6/2012 at which time I was finally advised to cancel the fifth phone, which I did.

I am writing to assure you that I will pay you for service provided to me.  I always paid invoices in a timely manner and did, in fact, receive very good service (as well as customer service when sought) from your firm during my contract.  I am very disheartened though, at the uncooperative attitude I have received from your customer service department now that my account has been terminated.

In an effort to exhibit my good faith and hope that we can arrive at an agreement, I am enclosing a check for $14.79 which I presume will cover the period for which you did provide service (a portion of the the invoice for 11/11/2011 - 12/10/2011) up to the date That I terminated the account- 11/13/2011.  [$147.90 for 30 days, pro-rated to cover 3 days]

I believe this is more than fair and correct and I do hope to receive confirmation from you of your agreement soon.

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