LEAVE IT TO PEEVER

Here’s what I think

-Bumper sticker of the week: My dog is smarter than your honor student.

-Quote of the week: “A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” Jack London

-It seems to me we’ve invested a lot of money in two outdated and outmoded industrial ventures: auto making and banks. The auto industry fails to understand the urgency for developing alternative fuel sources and better fuel efficiency. They closed their eyes to the future the last 25 years, and suddenly they are suppose to have seen the light. I’ll bet most of the clunkers turned in got just about as many miles per gallon as most of the new cars that were purchased. The overall difference would likely be incredibly unimpressive. The auto industry has been mired down in old blood and hopeless conventionality. I hope the CEO’s enjoy our money. Banks are another archaic holdover from the industrial age. They at one time used our money wisely and gave us a good return for storing our money with them. That day is long past. They give our money to people who they know will not be able to meet the demands of their loans and make most of their money on fees. i.e. returned checks, ATM fees, money orders, etc. CD rates are below 1%. We might just as well stuff pillows with the cash. At least we’d have a place to lay our heads. We are no longer trusted customers. You are treated like a stranger walking in off the street. Most banking in the future will be done by computer. Banks will be one or two offices, mainly for commercial banking purposes. No more fancy buildings, built, by the way, with our money and the fees we pay for the privilege of doing business with one of America’s biggest cons. Both these institutions are in need of a revolution, sooner rather than later.

-Speaking of capitalism. Mark your calendar. Capitalism will be thought of as one of the worst inventions of mankind within 25 years. I’ll bet you a steak dinner, which one of us will probably have to take out a loan to buy by that time.

-You got to love it. A billion dollar playhouse for the Dallas Cowboys. Done Texas style: With a touch of arrogance and probably a bundle of taxpayer dollars. You had to love it: Giants 33, Dallas 31. There is a God.

Here’s what I think:

* If you’re not for universal health-care, you need a mental exam. You been shanghaied by a group of Republican yahoos. This is the one chance we have to get something back for all those tax dollars we give to the government. The bankers got a bundle, the auto industry got a bundle, Wall Street got a bundle, now it’s our turn to get something. Jimmy Carter was right. This is not about health-care, it is about racism. No one in their right mind would not want universal health-care. Unfortunately, most right wingers are left minded.

* Winter utility bills are coming. AmerenIP is saying that our bills should be down about 25%. But natural gas prices have been up about 20% as of late. They’re definitely painting a mixed picture. I hope they are right. Another winter like last winter, and we will have a disaster on our hands.

* Fear is a powerful thing. It immobilizes us. It makes us susceptible to every thieving company, every richer and better than thou CEO, every two bit board of directors, every conniving, raping, talk show freak and every washed up, crocked as a bent nail politician. We get so scared we’ll believe just about anything they want us to. But that’s all going to change.

* Uncharitable charities. Most non-profits are anything but today. Most are corporate-like businesses that should be paying taxes. Many of the CEO’s of these organizations are looking to get rich. Today, most non-profits sell their services to the public for some type of payback. Look no further than our own back door. Bridgeway uses up about half a million charitable dollars paying salaries to their top five management people. That’s a lot of “charity” going home with five people. The local mission looks for payback in another form. Sure we’ll help you, but you’re going to have to abide by and profess Christianity as your belief. This is certainly not a new concept-buying converts with meals and a place to sleep. I would not call either one of these businesses charities. They’re both in the market of making something out of other people’s misery. They’re lucky I’m not I charge. They’d be paying taxes, as should the Salvation Army and Goodwill, for selling things that I give them? Charity is a lot art. It has fallen under the spell of Capitalism.