Update no.648

Update from the Heartland

No.648

12.5.14 – 18.5.14

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

To all,

The follow-up news items:

-- The USG did not waste time slapping a US$35M fine on General Motors for their failure to promptly report an ignition switch problem [642].  The company also agreed to a wide range of unspecified procedural changes in how it investigates and manages safety complaints.  While the fine is the largest allowed by law, it is only a spit in the bucket for a large corporation like General Motors.  Yet, something is better than nothing.

The President of the United States awarded the Medal of Honor to former Army Sergeant Kyle J. White for his extraordinary performance above and beyond the call of duty during combat operations in Aranas, Afghanistan, on Friday, 9.November.2007.  White served as a radioman in C Company, 2^nd Battalion (Airborne), 503^rd Infantry Regiment, 173^rd Airborne Brigade, as part of a combined U.S./Afghan unit, when the team was ambushed by a much larger and more heavily armed Taliban force after a meeting with Afghan villagers.  He repeatedly defied withering enemy fire, running into the open ground, to help wounded comrades.  Twice knocked unconscious by proximate explosions, White called in mortar, artillery and air support, as well as medievac coverage for the wounded.  Thank you Sergeant White for your service to this Grand Republic.

News from the economic front:

-- The European Union’s statistics agency Eurostat reported the region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 0.2% in 1Q2014, short of expectations, despite strong performance by Germany. Last quarter’s rise translates into 0.8% growth in annualized terms.

Continuation from Update no.646:

 . . . round three comment:

“I doubt the sinkholes are directly related to climate change unless they can be connected to depleted aquifers. More likely, developers have caused them, by draining land for development. Also, some sinkholes result from sewer or water lines either collapsing or leaking due to aging and dilapidated systems. That's one more argument for bringing part of the military budget home.

“A small addition to the Koch Brothers saga. In Columbus, Ohio, a recent levy vote for the local zoo failed apparently due to opposition financed in very large amounts by the Koch Brothers. A local interviewer (WBNS-10 TV, the CBS affiliate) asked their representative,

"So you laid down the law?" The rep answered, "Yes." Obviously I take issue with the idea that wealthy individuals can "lay down the law" without any legal process at all.

“Small businesses do indeed account for much economic activity. However, they do little to influence the course of the larger economy. Their activities are scattered, they are subject to Adam Smith's ideas playing out, and they are not a coherent bloc. For one example among many, fast-food franchisees, while they participate in a very large industry, cannot individually contribute millions to a party or SuperPAC and they do not act collectively. Often, small businesses suffer from larger players' manipulations.”

 . . . my response to round three:

            Re: sinkholes.  Agreed . . . well, except for the military budget part.

            Re: Koch brothers.  The notion that with wealth comes the right to lay down the law is precisely my point of objection.  That notion is not materially different from the divine right of kings.  “Royalty” and “wealthy” are just flawed human beings like all the rest of us – no better, no worse.  This principle is a portion of why I think non-denominational prayer to open a legislative session is important . . . legislative action and the law must be bigger than any particular faction whether royalty or commoner.

            Re: small business.  Clearly, any particular small business does not affect the national economy a smidge.  However, small business collectively, quite like the citizenry – none of us affects governance, but collectively we do.  It seems we are both reflecting the same observations of reality.

Comments and contributions from Update no.647:

Comment to the Blog:

“I agree with the Washington Post that prayer has no place in government functions, for exactly the reasons they give. As a member of a non-Abrahamic religion I assume I have a different view from mainstream people on this issue. Christian prayers leave me cold at best and typically feel hostile to me. However well intended, they use Christian values and concepts with which I have conflicts. There are other issues as well. By way of illustration, I have already seen a story floating around Facebook that a Satanist has sought to open a town council meeting somewhere in Florida. I wish him well, and I hope Hindus, Buddhists, Rastafarians, and Wiccans, among others, follow his example. That still leaves one problem, though. What about those who sincerely believe that no deity exists or that prayer in public is inappropriate (for example, followers of Matthew 5:5-6)? Any prayer or religious function at all will leave them isolated. If, as stated in the article, the people making rule decisions for these meetings seriously seek a sense of unity in their proceedings, they need to find a more unifying way to do that.

“I have heard Donald Sterling's famous remark too many times on TV. I remain uncertain as to what exactly he meant, but let us assume it is racist. The woman to whom he addressed that remark has a history of issues around her own race as well as a personal history that makes her integrity doubtful. There is a reasonable possibility that he was advising her on dealing with her personal issues. In any case, she has asserted that she has a large volume of other recorded conversation. Even though Mr. Sterling is a public figure, I believe he is entitled to some level of privacy. ‘V. Stiviano,’ who has used several other names, has abused his trust and most likely should be sued for her actions. Given that I have quit listening to this particular story, I do not know if a criminal charge of extortion is in order. Okay, that's plenty for that distraction.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: town council prayer.  I do not support opening with Christian prayer, even though only Christian churches are available in Greece, New York.  I do support non-denominational prayer.  I will try to get the Greece ruling read ASAP.  Non-denominational prayer does not impose any religion on anyone.  God is as each of us holds Him in our heart and soul; God is not as others may try to define for us.  To me, prayer is not a religious function.  Rather, it is a reminder of the morality legislators must bring to their deliberations, e.g., God give us strength to do what is right.

            Re: Sterling.  Yes, we are all entitled to privacy, including Donald Sterling.  Yet, he chose to allow that woman into his private domain.  He chose to say what he said, regardless of stimulation or catalyst.  I hold that woman in even less regard than Sterling.  She exudes all the characteristics of the worst kind of gold-digger – willing to betray anyone and everyone to get what she wants, and vindictive when she doesn’t.  It’s all about the money for them.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“Cap, true ‘non-denominational’ prayer going beyond Judeo-Christian-Muslim viewpoints is not that easy. For example, Hindus and others work with multiple deities, and some of us find masculine pronouns inappropriate. Meanwhile, the Buddhists do not necessarily use any deity at all, yet they are a major religion.  In addition, some of us take issue with the concepts, not just the words, of Judeo-Christian-Muslim beliefs. Check with someone whose background is comparative religion; true non-denominational prayer is hard to write.

“Donald Sterling has shown his true colors with his attempt to apologize, which turned into an ill-timed and dramatically inappropriate rant against Magic Johnson. While this does nothing to improve the image we share of his ex-girlfriend, he has made it appear that he got what he deserved.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

            Re: non-denominational prayer.  I’m sure it is hard to write.  However, in the public domain, that should be the standard and requirement.  My point is, secular governance and the public domain must be devoid of the trappings any particular religion, explicit or implied.  

            Re: Sterling.  Yeah.  He sealed his fate with that Anderson Cooper interview.  The NBA has no choice left to protect its brand.  Again, if he was just a citizen speaking his mind, he can say whatever he wants; however, he is speaking as an NBA team owner, and in that, he relinquishes his unqualified right to free speech.  While he has committed no crime, to my knowledge, he has tarnished the NBA brand.  I sure hope the NBA makes the coup de grâce as quick as possible.  We need to be done with this crap.

Another contribution:

“Responding to your ‘calling a spade a spade’ could be considered by some to be racist based on how it is taken.  Today we hear everything such that it offends us. What is troubling to me is that our Supreme court has gotten as divided as our political process and society in general.  We can predict with fair accuracy how a case is going to come down.  Not necessarily based on the Constitution.”

My reply:

Frank,

            Re: “call a spade a spade.”  My apologies, I was not aware that it was a racist phrase.  I always understood it was a card game challenge, i.e., call as you see it.

            Re: Supreme Court.  Yes, I agree.  It does appear the Supremes have become more calcified in their polarity, and ideological in their rationale.  I need to get my reading done on this latest ruling . . . it seems to have touched a nerve.

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)