Do You Matter?

Today at the United Nations, the General Assembly will vote on recognizing Palestine as a UN Observer state, upgrading their status from UN Observer "entity"

Seems a storm in a teacup. In either case, there's been no progress with the peace process for far too many years.

Both cases are non-member status.

In the BBC's online report, they mention how key countries are expected to vote. Is your nation mentioned?  Japan?  Korea?  Sweden?  Do you live in a key nation?  What decides which nations are important?  Do you matter?  If not, why not?

Debt-or Alive

The General Petraeus scandal's Lebanese-American socialite has begun fighting back over media portraying her as less than wholesome. Jill Gilberte Khawam Kelley's lawyer has released materials claiming businessman Adam Victor made "false and defamatory" statements "intended to portray Ms. Kelley in a false light." Kelley is also reported to have filed a complaint with the State of Florida over her former attorney Barry Cohen violating attorney-client privilege by talking to the media.

But according to her local Tampa Bay Times, in the decade since arriving in Tampa, Ms. Kelley and/or her husband have been subjects of lawsuits nine times, often for non-payment of debts. (link)  Seems too frequent. And her 37-year old twin sister, who lives together with her, is embroiled in a $3.2 million bankruptcy, perjury allegations, and a nasty custody battle. Both sisters have reportedly failed to pay for separate past legal services from Arnold Levine, another Tampa lawyer.

So perhaps they are not the most desirable of clients, though each sister claims close friendship with former CIA Director David Petraeus & Army General John Allen (and both generals provided glowing character references for Natalie Khawam)... The Kelleys have reportedly hired star Washington layer Abbe Lowell and  famed publicist Judy Smith to assist them. Was payment in advance required?

Why should we care? Most people work hard to settle their debts. Scams & bankruptcies undermine confidence. Now we see key people in the military & government intelligence as none too smart...The Madoff swindle & the bailout of big corporations after 2008 showed key US systems as not simply imperfect, but corrupt. Signs of immanent major breakdown...?

Native Sexy

Victoria's Secret (a lingerie firm) recently celebrated Native American Heritage Month by highlighting a controversial outfit in their annual fashion show. A nearly-naked female wore a feather headdress / war bonnet, which seemed to mock Native American symbolism of men earning feathers for strength & bravery.  The sexy skimpy theme was highly criticized, drawing the attention of Sasha Houston Brown:

"These contemporary instances of cultural appropriation and stereotypes are really byproducts of ongoing colonialism, systemic racism, and the deliberately false narratives perpetuated about Native peoples by white society. Cultural commodification and dehumanized stereotypes extended far beyond any single corporation, retail franchise, or celebrity. Despite what dominant society and mainstream media say, Native culture is a vibrant and living culture. We are not a relic of the past, a theme or a trend; we are not a style or costume; we are not mascots, noble savages or romantic fictional entities. We are human beings and, despite all odds, we have survived"

Dirty Oil Must Pay

There's been an unreasonably low financial settlement between the US Federal Government and BP over the huge BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The disaster, where operations by BP and its subcontractors Transocean and Halliburton went ballistic, killed eleven people directly, leaving oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for more than three months (and leakage may be ongoing), and was a huge black mark on the industry overall.

Because of the impact on tourism and the food supply, the largest accidental oil spill in history is too often labeled "Deepwater Horizon oil spill" or "Macondo blowout" rather than "BP Gulf disaster" or another more descriptive label for the area's poisoning.

Part of the penalty for this preventable ecological disaster should be creating a subsidy fund for renewable energy projects. A major wind energy facility in the northeast USA, Cape Wind off Cape Cod,  is expected to generate substantial energy without the danger of spills and ecological mutation. The dirty oil & nuclear producers should not simply pay all the costs for their accidents, but also be forced to subsidize the basis for undercutting their industry. They've skewed costs by cutting corners - now let us all support cleaner energy.

Stop the "Smartphone"

The most recent incarnation of mobile phones (cellular phones) are now called "smartphones" -- because they upgrade their predecessors.

But that terminology is not sustainable.

First - the phones are not so smart. They may seem so now, but in the next two years this crop will be functionally challenged and seem inadequate.

Next - these contraptions are no longer simply phones. They are computer, camera, GPS, audio recorder, music player, etc. The phone function & characteristics are not so central to product definition now.

We need a new name for them gizmo. A good name can be used for decades.

I suggest "commby"

Commby is "communications" paired with "By" because it's near (proximity). And it's a communication combination machine, with multiple functions.

Commby - a short sweet name for great technology.

Manufacturers are busy creating their own machines and devising proprietary names. This name should be open source. 

Where's my commby?

Walmart Wages War

 

Does Walmart overpay its workers?
Surely not.

 

Crime Redefined, Ignored

The American people have been burgled. The face of organized crime in America is the fixer - the financial industry fixer, banking industry executive, Treasury appointee, the Fed insider.

They continue to skim. But in their big play of 2008-09, these scamsters robbed America of  trillions in real wealth. 

They've yet to answer for their crimes. Stooges & paid accomplices in government shield the monster scam, insisting "the bailout was necessary." The huge money transfers to private interests can't be legitimized as fair, or deserved -- so that's ignored.

The fleeced citizenry are uncomfortable, but passively carry on.

But bank robbery can be prosecuted years afterward... Ill-gotten gains can be partially recovered, and thieves punished. 

Pres. Bush to Egypt?

On American Thanksgiving Day, former US President George W. Bush indicated a potential willingness to return to public service -- as President of Egypt.

Responding to an Imaginary reporter who mentioned he (Bush) "was in denial about his sinking legacy" the former President, apparently misheard, and mentioned "Egypt's Old Man River!" He claimed "Jes' like those fay-rows" he himself was ready to lead the region. Admitting he was "always doubtful" of former President Mubarak, he referred to the Bible story of a burning bush, before excusing himself to "take a crap."

Thanksgiving Haiku

Moist Thanksgiving walk

Vigorous yet comfortable

Embracing silence

Yankee holiday

Just another workday here

Celebrating love

Too much computer !

Red stinging eyes can't focus

I stretch for the keys

Short sweet dropped .com

Looks available, but wait...

This spelling's reversde

Leaving the turkey

I'm online sparring for drops

With Reberry-san

    -- Thanksgiving 2012, Haiku by 元気 Genki