SNAIL MAIL

AVITW

I SEE WHERE THE “HYBRIDIZED” POST OFFICE LOST “ONLY 5 BILLION IN 2013 AS OPPOSED TO 16 BILLION IN 2012. WHO AMONG US REMEMBERS WHEN (OR WHY) THIS ONE TIME VENERABLE AND VITAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE WAS “COMPROMISED”, BUT, IT PROBABLY BEGAN ABOUT THE SAME TIME OUR OTHER GOVERNMENT “SERVICES” WERE “COMPROMISED” IN THE NAME OF “AFFIRMATIVE ACTION”.

THE POST OFFICE HAS LONG HELD THE “DUBIOUS HONOR” OF BEING THE PRIMARY PLACE WHERE “POLITICIANS” CAN “PAY BACK” FINANCIAL FAVORS FROM THEIR CONTRIBUTORS; CLAIM HOW WELL THEY “BRING HOME THE BACON” BY BUILDING A NEW POST OFFICE, WHICH, BY THE WAY, JUST HAPPENS TO NEED A “NEW POSTMASTER” HAND PICKED FROM THE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND/OR POLITICALLY CRONIES OF SAID POLITICIAN.

THE ADVENT OF “COMPETITORS” IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT CAN DELIVER “NEEDED” LETTERS AND PACKAGES WITH GREATER EFFICIENCY, ALBEIT AT A “PREMIUM PRICE”, ONLY MAGNIFIED THE TIDAL WAVE OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BECOMING OBSOLETE AND INCREASED THE URGENCY FOR CONGRESS TO “PROTECT” THEIR “QUID PRO QUO” EXCHANGE OF GOVERNMENT DOLLARS FOR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND/OR THE LEGACY OF HAVING THEIR NAME “HUNG” IN SOME PROMINENT PLACE FOR POSTERITY TO IGNORE.

ONE SHOULD NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE ABILITY OF POLITICIANS AND THEIR ALLIES TO “MORPH” INTO WHATEVER FORM WILL EXTEND THEIR JOB SECURITY AND EXPAND THEIR POWER AND CONTROL OVER THOSE WHOM THEY TAX FOR SUCH PURPOSES. SHOULD OUR SOCIETY DESIRE TO REIN IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN "UNNECESSARY EXPENSES", THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IS RIFE WITH AGENCIES, CREATED TO DEAL WITH CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTING A HALF, OR A FULL, CENTURY AGO THAT WOULD "NEVER BE MISSED", EXCEPT BY THOSE WHO GUARD THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN "USELESS ACTIVITIES".

FOLLOWING THE RAPID EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT DURING THE "SIXTIES", THE GOVERNMENT FOUND THEMSELVES IN THE “UNFORTUNATE SITUATION” OF BEING “CAUGHT” BETWEEN THE CITIZENS UNREST AT THE GROWTH OF “BIG GOVERNMENT” AND THEIR DESIRE TO CONTINUE EXPANDING THE "GRAVY TRAIN" (AND CONTROL OF CITIZEN'S LIVES). “THEY” (THE POLITICIANS) CAME UP WITH THE NOT SO SUBTLE IDEA OF “LIMITING THE GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES” BY "CONTRACTING OUT" GOVERNMENT WORK TO THEIR "CONTRIBUTORS" IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. BY USING THIS STRATEGY, THEY COULD APPEASE THE “UNWASHED MASSES” (PRODUCED BY THE “DUMBED DOWN EDUCATION SYSTEM”), BY CLAIMING THAT THE PROPORTION OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS, IN RELATION TO THE GROWTH OF THE GENERAL POPULATION WAS REALLY “QUITE SMALL” AND SHRINKING.

WHAT THEY “DID NOT EXPLAIN” WAS HOW THEIR SWITCH TO “CONTRACTING OUT” THEIR “EVER EXPANDING SPHERE OF ACTIVITIES AND CONTROL” ALSO MEANT THAT THEY WERE NOT FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE BURGEONING PROBLEM OF “UNFUNDED” RETIREMENT AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AND THE “PROBLEM” OF MANAGING AN “INCREASINGLY INCOMPETENT” BODY OF WORKERS “WITH RIGHTS” TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE “NATURAL CONSEQUENCES” OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE, BUT, I DIGRESS.

HAVING MOVED THE “POSTAL SERVICE” FROM THE “OFFICIAL LIST” OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WITH MILLIONS OF INCOMPETENT AND/OR INDOLENT INDIVIDUALS, WHILE “MAINTAINING” THEIR CONTROL OVER THE BLOATED BUREAUCRACY AND THE CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, THEY (THE POLITICIANS) WERE “FREE” TO PUBLICLY BERATE THE “POOR MANAGEMENT” AND FINANCIAL LOSSES.

OF COURSE, COMPLIANT MANAGEMENT “CONTINUED QUIETLY” TO PROTECT THEIR OWN POSITIONS AND “FIND” EVER INCREASING “NEEDS” FOR ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS, MODERN EQUIPMENT (TO COMPLETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR) AND, OF COURSE, “CREATE PLACES” TO “HIDE” THE MANY EMPLOYEES FOISTED ON THEM BY THE POLITICIANS. ONE CAN NEVER BE CERTAIN, BUT, IT APPEARS THAT, SINCE THE USPS IS NOT “NOW” AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY, THOSE “WHO GIVE A DAMN”, ARE NOT NOW ENTITLED TO REVIEW THE “PRACTICES, PROCEDURES” (AND FINANCES) INVOLVED IN THE OPERATIONS OF WHAT HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF “NATIONAL IRRITATION” TO THOSE FORCED TO USE THEIR LOUSY SERVICES AT FULL PRICE AND A “NATIONAL JOKE” TO THOSE WHO PAY ATTENTION TO SUCH CHICANERY. WILL ROGERS WOULD BE “PROUD”!

THE “FINAL” CHANGE IN OUR SOCIETY, OBVIATING THE NEED FOR SUCH A “MONSTROUS ENTERPRISE”, CAME WITH INTERNET TECHNOLOGY THAT “INSTANTANEOUSLY” DELIVERS VITAL MESSAGES AND FACILITATES BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS INCLUDING THE BUYING AND SELLING OF “JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ONE COULD POSSIBLY WANT” TOGETHER WITH WAYS TO “PAY” FOR SAID GOODS AND SERVICES. WHAT AUTOMOBILES DID TO THE “BUGGY WHIP BUSINESS”, THE INTERNET DID TO THE “FIRST CLASS BUSINESS" OF THE NATIONAL POSTAL SERVICE, E.G. THE FACILITATING OF BOTH BUSINESS AND PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND SERVICES.

LEST WE “FORGET” THE MORPHING CAPABILITIES OF OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, WHAT “REMAINS” IS A HUGE ENTERPRISE OPERATING PRIMARILY FOR THE BENEFIT OF BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO “INUNDATE” OUR DEFENSELESS HOMES AND OFFICES, AT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED (BELOW COST?) RATES WITH WHAT IS “GENERALLY CALLED JUNK MAIL, BUT, WHICH, IN REALITY, CONSTITUTES AN INTRUSION INTO OUR PERSONAL LIVES BY COUNTLESS ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES WHO SEEK TO “MAXIMIZE” THEIR INCOME IN EXCHANGE FOR A “FEW PALTRY DOLLARS” DONATED TO KEY “POLITICIANS” IN EXCHANGE FOR “SAID SERVICES”.

WHEN ONE THINKS OF THE “FORESTS” DECIMATED IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THIS “UNWANTED DELUGE OF PAPER WHICH THEN MUST BE DEALT WITH AND DISPOSED OF (MORE TIME AND MONEY WASTED), THE ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION ALONE “SHOULD” JUSTIFY ABOLISHING THE ENTIRE ESTABLISHMENT. THE “SAVINGS” FROM SUCH “NON-ESSENTIAL SERVICES” (AS I BELIEVE, THE RECENT SEQUESTER OF FUNDS NOW CALLS THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GOVERNMENT POSITIONS HELD IN ABEYANCE, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE MILLIONS OF “CONTRACT GOVERNMENT JOBS” THAT WERE DISCONTINUED ON A TEMPORARY BASIS) ARE BASICALLY “INCALCULABLE” TO THE “AVERAGE” CITIZEN.

ONE POSTULATES THAT REDUCING (AND/OR CLOSING?) THESE "OBSOLETE AGENCIES", STARTING WITH THE USPS, WOULD GO FAR TOWARD PAYING A “SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE CHINESE “STRANGLE HOLD” (THE MORTGAGE ON OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE) THAT POLITICIANS WILLINGLY FOISTED ON THEM IN ORDER TO CONTINUE “BUSINESS AS USUAL”, E.G. THE EXCHANGE OF “CONTRIBUTIONS” (THE ELDERLY AMONG US REMEMBER WHEN THEY USED TO BE CALLED BRIBES) FOR “FAVORS”, WHEN THEY (THE POLITICIANS AND BUREAUCRATS) ARE “IN OFFICE” AND, FOR “LUCRATIVE POSITIONS” WHEN THEY LEAVE, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC.

WHILE “MANY” RIGHTFULLY CRITICIZE THE “NATIONAL JOKE”, WHICH WAS ONCE A VITAL PART OF OUR SOCIETY, ONE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT ONCE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COUNTRY. HOWEVER, FEW INSIDERS WISH TO OFFER ANY “ALTERNATIVES”, SINCE THIS WOULD “DISRUPT THE GRAVY TRAIN” THAT BENEFITS “BOTH THE POLITICIANS AND THE “GROUPS” WHO “CONTROL THEM” USING A "FEW WELL PLACED CONTRIBUTIONS".

NOT BEING “VITALLY CONCERNED” WITH SUCH OUTCOMES, DOES GIVE “T.O.M.” THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE “SOME SUGGESTIONS”, THAT, WITHIN A YEAR WOULD “RESOLVE” THE “REAL PROBLEMS” ASSOCIATED WITH THE USPS . HOWEVER, BEFORE “OFFERING SUCH INSIGHTS, IT SEEMED “REASONABLE” TO DO SOME “RESEARCH” INTO THE SPECIFIC NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. WHILE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE PROBLEMS COULD EASILY TAKE TEN YEARS AND EXPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR SUCH INFORMATION, ONE DOUBTS THAT MORE THAN A “MONTH” IS NECESSARY AND "THE RESULTS" ARE HEREBY OFFERED TO THE GOVERNMENT AT “NO COST”.

A "RANDOM SAMPLE" OF INCOMING MAIL REVEALED THAT 66% COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS "JUNK MAIL", E.G. ITEMS THAT SERVE "NO PURPOSE" EXCEPT TO BENEFIT THE BUSINESSES SENDING THEM AT "BELOW COST" RATES. ANOTHER 33%, INCLUDED SOME "USEFUL" ITEMS, COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS "NOT TIME SENSITIVE". IN OTHER WORDS, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHEN THE ITEMS ARRIVE. WITH 99 % OF "MAIL" FALLING INTO ONE OF THESE TWO CATEGORIES, THERE IS "OBVIOUSLY NO NEED" TO HAVE DAILY MAIL DELIVERY. 

FINALLY, THERE IS THE "TRUE" FIRST CLASS MAIL, WHERE "SENDERS" PAY FAR MORE THAN THE COST OF SENDING "SOMETHING OF VALUE". THIS ALLOWS THE POST OFFICE (LIKE HOSPITALS) TO ENGAGE IN "COST SHIFTING", E.G. TAKING EXORBITANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO BUY FIRST CLASS STAMPS AND USING IT TO "BENEFIT" THE "99%" WHO DO NOT PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE" FOR THE TRANSPORT OF "JUNK MAIL" AND/OR "ITEMS THAT HAVE NO TIME PRIORITY".

WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF 1% BEING UTILIZED TO SUBSIDIZE 99%, IT'S "EASY" TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS "ANACHRONISM OF GOVERNMENT" COULD EASILY REQUIRE "ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIZATION" AMOUNTING TO BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

WHILE COLLECTING THE "OBJECTIVE", BUT NOT UNEXPECTED, DATA, THE AUTHOR WAS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PROVIDE THE MITIGATING SUGGESTIONS THAT ARE “OBVIOUS” EVEN WITHOUT SUCH “RESEARCH INFORMATION”. IN "ANY" REDUCTION OR CESSATION OF NEEDLESS EXPENDITURES AND SERVICES, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A "FEW" INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE "NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. STILL, THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE "PROFITED FAR TOO LONG" BY ENGAGING IN SUCH "USELESS ACTIVITIES" AND T.O.M. SUGGESTS THAT THE "TIME" FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO "CORRECT ITS PROFLIGATE EXPENDITURES IS LONG OVERDUE.

MOST CITIZENS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO "FAR MORE GOVERNMENT REGULATION AND TAXATION" THAN THEY CAN AFFORD AND, MOST INTELLIGENT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT SUCH ARCANE AGENCIES TO CONTINUE WASTING MONEY THAT MUST NOW BE BORROWED BECAUSE "THE GOVERNMENT" IS ACTUALLY "INSOLVENT". THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED
(AFFECTED) HAVE “BECOME THE PROBLEM”, NOT THE SOLUTION AND IT IS "SUGGESTED" THAT FORCING SUCH INDIVIDUALS INTO “PRODUCTIVE WORK”, RATHER THAN “POLITICAL PATRONAGE POSITIONS” WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL CONCERNED.

IF “COMMUNICATIONS” ARE VITAL TO THE OPERATION OF SOCIETY, AND I THINK THAT IS OBVIOUS, THEN THE NEW “AGENCY OF COMMUNICATION” (NOT ANOTHER GOVERNMENT BOONDOGGLE) SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN DELIVERY OF EXISTING MAIL ON A THREE, "ALTERNATING DAY" BASIS, E.G. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY, THOSE LIVING IN ZIP CODES ENDING IN “ODD NUMBERS” WILL RECEIVE THEIR MAIL, WHILE THOSE LIVING IN ZIP CODES ENDING IN EVEN NUMBERS WILL RECEIVE THEIR MAIL ON TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY. “IMMEDIATELY”, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACT WORKERS WILL FIND THEIR “HOURS” REDUCED FROM A "THEORETICAL 40 TO 24, WHICH HAS THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF RELIEVING THE “CONTRACTORS” OF THE OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE BOTH RETIREMENT AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS REQUIRED FOR “FULL TIME POSITIONS”. AS “ATTRITION” BEGINS TO SET IN, PERHAPS, SOME OF THE “GOOD WORKERS” WILL WANT TO WORK SIX DAYS WHILE OTHERS "OPT" FOR "PART TIME WORK" AS OPPOSED TO "NO WORK". EITHER WAY, THE SAVINGS AND QUALITY OF SERVICE WILL IMPROVE.

SINCE MANY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR” ALREADY WORK SIX DAYS A WEEK IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT “EMPLOYED PEOPLE” ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN IF THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WITHIN THE RECONSTITUTED "COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY". SINCE THERE ARE NO “REASONABLE” OBJECTIONS POSSIBLE, WHEN THE ALTERNATIVE IS “NO WORK”, ONE SUPPOSES THAT THERE WILL BE A “LONG LINE” OF PEOPLE MORE THAN “WILLING” TO OBTAIN SUCH “LUCRATIVE POSITIONS”.

OF COURSE THERE WILL BE “OPPONENTS”, FROM BOTH SIDES, ARGUING AGAINST SUCH A “CHANGE” AND, IF THEY PREVAIL, THE LOUSY SERVICE WILL CONTINUE AND THE DEFICIT WILL “INCREASE”. THAT IS "THE NATURE" OF "ENTRENCHED GOVERNMENT AND THEIR CONTRIBUTORS. IT IS “DEFINITELY” AN “UPHILL BATTLE”, BUT, ONE WORTH “BILLIONS” OF DOLLARS OVER TIME. 

NATURALLY, IT WILL TAKE THE REFORMATION AND/OR ABOLITION OF MANY AGENCIES TO SAVE THE “TRILLIONS” NECESSARY TO “RIGHT THE SHIP OF STATE”. THAT WILL BE A "HAPPY DAY" INDEED. FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE "MANY AGENCIES" MORE THAN READY FOR SUCH ELIMINATION, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC.

SECONDLY, THE PRICE PAID FOR SERVICE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO BE A “UNIFORM ONE”, PERHAPS, BY WEIGHT, IF NOT BY PIECE. AS THE AIRLINES HAVE FINALLY REALIZED, THEY ARE IN THE TRANSPORT BUSINESS, BASED ON WEIGHT, NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL, WHO MAY WEIGH THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO THEM. SIMPLE JUSTICE (FAIRNESS?) REQUIRES SUCH “PRICING”. THEREFORE, NO BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION, NOR THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF, SHALL BE EXEMPTED FROM PAYING WHAT A “PRIVATE CITIZEN” PAYS FOR THE SAME SERVICE. AFTER ALL, THIS IS “NOW” A “NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCY” (OFFICIALLY, IF NOT IN FACT) IS IT NOT? THEREFORE, THEY SHOULD BE AS “ENTITLED” TO SET A FAIR PRICE FOR THEIR SERVICES AS ANY BUSINESS IN OUR “CAPITALISTIC” SOCIETY.

IN THE PROCESS OF “COST CUTTING” ONE SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK THE DISPOSAL OF EXCESS PROPERTIES NOR THE “EFFICIENT” USE OF CAPITAL AND PERSONNEL. IT “MAY BE” THAT THE IDEA OF “RURAL DELIVERY” NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT ALSO. PERHAPS THESE “FORTUNATE PEOPLE” WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE FAR FROM THE “PROBLEMS” (AND/OR DUBIOUS ADVANTAGES) OF CITY LIVING, “MAY NEED TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS” IN TERMS OF “COMMUNICATION”. EVEN “T.O.M.” CANNOT JUSTIFY “REQUIRING” A BUSINESS TO “OPERATE UNPROFITABLY” ALTHOUGH, THIS IS THE “BUSINESS MODEL” PRESENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE USPS. THE AIRLINES, AGAIN, LEAD THE WAY IN CLOSING UNPROFITABLE ROUTES.

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE PROBABLY STANDS “MORE THAN READY” TO FILL THE “VOID IN RURAL SERVICES”, OR, GOD FORBID, THOSE WHO CHOSE TO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS WILL HAVE TO “TAKE RESPONSIBILITY” FOR THE “CONSEQUENCES” OF THEIR DECISION.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE “OTHER COST CUTTING MEASURES POSSIBLE”, LIKE PAYING A REASONABLE WAGE ($10.10 IS NOW BEING BANDIED ABOUT)TO PEOPLE WHO DO “BASICALLY MINIMUM WAGE WORK” RATHER THAN THE “KING’S RANSOM” NOW PAID TO THE “POLITICAL HACKS” WHO PRESENTLY OCCUPY THESE POSITIONS. THE NUMEROUS ITEMS, "MISDELIVERED" IS A CONTINUING TESTAMENT TO THE "INCOMPETENCE" OF PRESENT WORKERS WHO, ONE SUPPOSES, ARE "GRADUATES" OF THE "DUMBED DOWN" EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WHERE, EVEN THOSE WHO CANNOT READ ARE GIVEN A "DIPLOMA" SIMPLY FOR "SHOWING UP" TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR FRIENDS WHILE AVOIDING ANY "MEANINGFUL LEARNING", BUT, I DIGRESS.

ON THE “OTHER SIDE OF THE LEDGER” THERE EXISTS AN “UNPARALLELED” OPPORTUNITY FOR A SERVICE, BASICALLY UNHEARD OF IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT, ONE THAT IS A VITAL PART OF OTHER SOCIETIES. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS THE PROVISION OF “INTERNET” CONNECTIONS TO “EVERYONE”. WHAT HAS HAPPENED, SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE INTERNET, IS THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS “CREATED” A SYSTEM OF “FIRST” AND “SECOND” CLASS CITIZENS. THOSE WITH ACCESS TO THE INTERNET (AT AN UNGODLY PRICE, TO BE SURE) BENEFIT IN “MANY WAYS” OVER THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, AND, IN “MODERN TIMES”, “INFORMATION IS POWER” AS WELL AS "ACCESS" TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.

AS ALWAYS, THERE WILL BE “WELL FUNDED” BUSINESSES AND POLITICIANS LOOKING TO LINE THEIR POCKETS” WHO WILL STAND “FIRMLY IN OPPOSITION TO ANY CHANGES THAT “THREATEN THEIR GRAVY TRAIN”. STILL, IT “SEEMS” TO T.O.M., THAT THERE HAS BEEN A BASIC CHANGE IN SOCIETY AND THAT GOVERNMENT MAY VERY WELL HAVE A “STRONG ARGUMENT” THAT IT IS NOW THE “PROPER DUTY” (FOR THE WELFARE OF THE GENERAL POPULATION) TO PROVIDE INTERNET SERVICES TO ALL AT A "FAIR PRICE", MUCH THE SAME AS GOVERNMENT "PROVIDES" UTILITY SERVICES THROUGH PUBLICLY MONITORED PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.

GIVEN THE EXPENSE (REPORTEDLY NEARING A HALF BILLION DOLLARS FOR ONE RECENT DYSFUNCTIONAL SITE) AND ITS “RECENT” LACK OF SUCCESS WITH OPERATING INTERNET SERVICES, THE “GOVERNMENT” IS IN A STRONG POSITION TO DECIDE THAT “CONTRACTING OUT” SUCH SERVICES IS PREFERABLE TO DEPENDING ON THE “POLITICAL APPOINTEES" AND “AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYEES” TO EFFICIENTLY OPERATE SUCH AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING. THE WORDS “GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY” ARE SELDOM USED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, EXCEPT AS “THE ULTIMATE OXYMORON”.

MUCH AS THE GOVERNMENT “OVERSEES” THE “PUBLIC UTILITIES”, (ELECTRICITY; WATER; TELEPHONES, ETC.) THEY WILL FIND THEIR PROPER ROLE IN SETTING STANDARDS AND REGULATING RATES, ACCORDING TO COSTS, AND NOT ACCORDING TO “HOW MUCH” THE COMPANIES PAY THEM TO “GOUGE THE GENERAL PUBLIC”.

FINALLY, SHOULD THE NEED FOR PROMPT SERVICE JUSTIFY IT, RATHER THAN FORCING ALL USERS TO STAND IN LINE BEHIND 20 OTHER USERS, (HAPLESS VICTIMS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM), THE USPS “MIGHT” CONSIDER “FIRST CLASS SERVICE”, AS ANOTHER “REVENUE SOURCE”. THE AIRLINES ARE "FIRST" AGAIN IN SHOWING THE WAY TO "PROSPERITY". WHERE A PERSON IS WILLING TO PAY FOR SUCH SERVICE, HE OR SHE IS “USHERED” INTO A SPECIAL LINE AND HIS OR HER NEEDS ARE “IMMEDIATELY ATTENDED TO”, WHILE THE “ORDINARY CITIZENS”, PATIENTLY, OR NOT SO PATIENTLY, WASTE THEIR TIME STANDING IN LINE. INDIVIDUALS CAUGHT UP IN THE TYPICAL 1 1/2 HOUR WAIT TO MAIL A CHRISTMAS PACKAGE, WOULD "CHEERFULLY" PAY AN EXTRA DOLLAR OR TWO TO BE "FREED" FROM THIS SORT OF "CAPTIVITY".

RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND, THERE IS LITTLE INVOLVED IN THE “PRESENT SYSTEM” TO JUSTIFY ITS CONTINUANCE, OTHER THAN THE “QUID PRO QUO” BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES AS “THEY” TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EACH OTHER TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE COUNTRY. OF COURSE, ONE CAN REASONABLY ARGUE THAT NEITHER THE POLITICIANS OR BUSINESS HAVE “ANY RESPONSIBILITY” FOR THE WELFARE OF THE COUNTRY, BUT, IT “MIGHT” BE AN INTERESTING IDEA TO RETURN TO. FOR NOW, THEIR “ONLY MUTUAL INTEREST” IS TO “MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO”, WHILE THE ONCE PROUD “POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT” CONTINUES ITS DECLINE INTO “IRRELEVANCE”, EXCEPT FOR ASSUAGING THE “MUTUAL INTEREST OF GREED" WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH “PROVISION OF COMMUNICATIONS” TO THE POPULATION WHO “PAYS THE TAB”.

ENJOY, T.O.M.

localnotions.blogspot.com

ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKS AND SCAPEGOATING AFTER "HOW MANY YEARS?"

AVITW

EVERY DAY IN HISTORY THERE ARE TRAGEDIES THAT OCCUR. SO LONG AS HUMANS REMAIN “IMPERFECT” THAT FACT WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST. THE QUESTION ARISES AS TO “WHAT COURSE OF ACTION IS APPROPRIATE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY” IN RESPONSE TO THESE TRAGEDIES? AS OF TODAY, 11-11-11. “THE MEDIA” IS OVERRUN WITH “UNINVOLVED AND UNINFORMED INDIVIDUALS” PASSING JUDGMENT ON THOSE WHO BECAME “ENSNARED” IN THE TRAGEDY AT PENN STATE THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. 

THEY, THE “UNINVOLVED AND UNINFORMED”, LOUDLY “PROCLAIM” WHAT “SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE”, IF NOT “WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. AS WITH ALL “SECOND GUESSERS”, ONE WONDERS WHERE THE TRUTH LIES.  THESE “PONTIFICATORS”, BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC, RAIL ABOUT THE “LACK OF ACTION” BY THESE INDIVIDUALS IN REPORTING THE DASTARDLY ACTS (ASSUMING THE RUMORS AND HEARSAY IS TRUE SINCE THE FACTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ADJUDICATED IN A COURT OF LAW). SINCE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT “THESE CLAMORERS FOR ATTENTION” (AND REVENUE) WERE NOT PRESENT DURING THESE “ALLEGED ACTS” OR EVEN AWARE OF THE “ALLEGATIONS” PRIOR TO A FEW DAYS AGO), ONE TENDS TO “QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO SAY THAT “OTHERS” HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT SUCH ALLEGATIONS TO “THE AUTHORITIES” AND/OR TAKE OTHER PUNITIVE OR PROTECTIVE ACTION RELATED TO THE “ALLEGED INCIDENTS”, TO USE THE “VERNACULAR” OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM WHICH IS SURE TO DESCEND LIKE VULTURES TO ACQUIRE HUGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR THEMSELVES UNDER THE GUISE OF “PROTECTING OR PROSECUTING” THE ACCUSED, BUT, I DIGRESS. 

LOST IN THE “RUSH TO JUDGMENT” AND NOW “OVER REACTIONS” TO SHOW THE “OUTRAGE” OF THE “POLITICOS” IN CHARGE OF THE SYSTEM IS THE “RELEVANT FACT” THAT “THE SYSTEM” UNDER WHICH THE “ENSNARED BYSTANDERS” OPERATE IS “FLAWED” BEYOND BELIEF. SHOULD THERE REMAIN A FEW “NAIVE INDIVIDUALS” THAT BELIEVE IN HONORABLE CONDUCT AND JUSTICE, THE “REALITY” IN THIS COUNTRY IS THAT “ALL SYSTEMS” ARE FLAWED, AS CAN BE ATTESTED TO BY NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF ANY OF THE NUMEROUS UNETHICAL, IF NOT ILLEGAL, OCCURRENCES WITHIN EVERY CORPORATION AND AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WHO “FELT A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO “SPEAK OUT” AGAINST SUCH OUTRAGES.

THESE INDIVIDUALS, OPERATING UNDER THE “GENERIC TERM” OF “WHISTLE-BLOWERS” KNOW FULL WELL WHAT HAPPENS TO “ANY INDIVIDUAL” WHO DARES TO EXPOSE “THE EMPERORS NEW CLOTHES” FOR “OUTSIDERS” TO SEE. FOR EVERY ONE WHISTLE-BLOWER WHO “SUCCEEDS” IN RIGHTING A WRONG WITHIN, IT IS A GIVEN THAT ALL SYSTEMS ARE INVARIABLY STRUCTURED (RIGGED?) TO “PROTECT THE SYSTEM” AND THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER” AND TO DESTROY THOSE WHO THREATEN THEIR EXISTENCE. FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO SUCCEEDS IN “RIGHTING A WRONG” WITHIN A SYSTEM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE “999” WHOSE LIVES ARE DESTROYED, PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, BY THEIR DESIRE TO “DO THE RIGHT THING”.

WHILE WHISTLE-BLOWERS AND/OR INDIVIDUALS WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO TRY TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE ARE OFTEN ADMIRED BY OTHERS, THEY ARE VIEWED BY THE SYSTEM AS CANCER IS VIEWED BY A HEALTHY ORGANISM, I.E. A NUISANCE AKIN TO THE “THORN IN THE LIONS PAW” TO BE “REMOVED AND DISCARDED” SO THAT “THE SYSTEM” AND THE “POWER BROKERS” WILL SURVIVE AND PROSPER. EMPLOYEES LEARN EARLY ON THAT THEY ARE “SUBJECT” TO THE “CODE OF SILENCE” ABOUT ANY AND ALL OPERATIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT PAYS THEIR SALARY. THOSE WHO DON’T ABIDE BY THE “UNSPOKEN COERCION” ARE “CONSTRAINED” TO “MOVE ON INVOLUNTARILY” AND, IF THEY DON’T, THEY WILL BE FIRED OR RELEGATED TO OBSCURITY WHERE THEY CAN “DO NO HARM”, WHILE THEY ARE “HARASSED AND HUMILIATED” UNTIL THEY “BREAK” EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY, AND TAKE “DRASTIC ACTION” WHICH CAN RANGE FROM COMMITTING MURDER TO COMMITTING SUICIDE DEPENDING ON THEIR VALUE SYSTEM AND THE SUPPORT, OR LACK THEREOF, FROM THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES.

FEW INDIVIDUALS ARE SO CONSTITUTED AS TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES TO CONFORM AND STILL MAINTAIN A PERSONAL SYSTEM OF VALUES THAT PROVIDES THE “INNER STRENGTH” TO “FIGHT CITY HALL”, WHEN THEY KNOW FULL WELL THAT THEY WILL BECOME NOTHING MORE THAN “SACRIFICIAL LAMBS” AND THAT “NOTHING WITHIN THE SYSTEM WILL CHANGE”.

ALTHOUGH THE AUTHOR “FEELS” THAT HE HAS HAD “MORE THAN HIS FAIR SHARE” OF “FUTILE ATTEMPTS” TO RIGHT SOME OF THE EGREGIOUS WRONGS WITHIN VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS, IT IS NECESSARY TO ADMIT THAT HE ALSO “CHOSE” TO “ABSORB OTHER INJUSTICES”, NOT BECAUSE HE WAS NOT “OFFENDED” BY THE ACTIONS WITHIN THE SYSTEM, BUT, BECAUSE THE “COSTS” INVOLVED WERE BEYOND HIS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND, SHOULD HE “CONTINUE TO “SPEAK OUT” AGAINST THE “WRONGS” OF WHICH HE WAS AWARE. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THIS “FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION” WAS BASED ON ADVICE FROM FRIENDS; CO-WORKERS; LAWYERS AND FAMILY TO THE EFFECT THAT “YOU ARE ONLY ASKING FOR TROUBLE” AND, “IF YOU PURSUE YOUR COMPLAINTS, YOU WILL BECOME A MAN “MARKED” BY THE SYSTEM FOR “RETRIBUTION”. MOST PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT ANY EFFORTS TO “RIGHT SUCH WRONGS” ARE BASICALLY “FUTILE”, EXCEPT, OF COURSE, THOSE LIVING BY THE “MORAL PRINCIPLE” THAT “ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO SUCCEED IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING”. ONE MUST SERIOUSLY “QUESTION THE WISDOM” (AND PERIL) OF MAKING SUCH A DECISION AND FOLLOWING UP ON IT, REGARDLESS OF THE “PROVOCATION”.

ASIDE FROM THE “PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SACRIFICE” (USUALLY FOR NOTHING AS MENTIONED BEFORE), THERE IS THE “REAL DAMAGE” DONE TO THE INSTITUTION OR COMPANY/CORPORATION WHEN THEIR “DASTARDLY ACTS” ARE EXPOSED. RECENT HISTORY IS REPLETE WITH EXAMPLES OF INSTITUTIONS AND COMPANIES/CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN “SEVERELY” NEGATIVELY IMPACTED WHEN EMPLOYEE SAFETY IS ABRIDGED; WHEN DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS ARE UNLEASHED ON SOCIETY AND WHEN “ONE OR A FEW” BAD APPLES AT THE TOP, BREACH THE TRUST GIVEN TO THEM AND USE THEIR POSITIONS FOR PERSONAL GAIN OR CARNAL POWER. MORE RECENTLY, “UNELECTED BUREAUCRATS” HAVE USURPED THEIR POWER; PREVARICATED; OBFUSCATED; AND/OR “ARRANGED THE FACTS” TO SUIT THEIR PREDILECTIONS TO CARRY OUT A “PERSONAL AGENDA” REGARDLESS OF THE “COSTS” IN HUMAN SUFFERING AND SACRIFICE WITHIN THIS COUNTRY AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 

IT IS “IMPOSSIBLE” TO RANK THE HEINOUS CRIMES COMMITTED BY INDIVIDUALS (AND THE SYSTEMS UNDER WHICH THEY OPERATE), BUT, CERTAINLY, ABUSE OF THE “DEFENSELESS” (MOSTLY DEEMED TO BE THE ELDERLY AND THE YOUNG), RANKS NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST, ALONG WITH THE “PRETEXTS CREATED” OVER THE LAST SIX DECADES TO JUSTIFY ARMED CONFLICT (WAR UNDER IT’S MANY PSEUDONYMS) AND CORRUPTION (ABUSE OF POWER) BY THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. 

ONE “ACCEPTS” THAT FINANCIAL MANIPULATORS, NEE “MONEY CHANGERS”, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND THOSE ENGAGED IN COMMERCE ARE BASICALLY “ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE”, I.E. IT IS THEIR “NATURE” TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL POSSIBLE, ALBEIT UNDER “VARIOUS PRETEXTS” OF PROVIDING SERVICES AND “CARING” ABOUT THEIR VICTIMS. STILL, “THE LATTER” UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, BEHAVIOR IS SELDOM ASSOCIATED WITH “LIFE AND DEATH” AS “THE FORMER” ARE WONT TO BE.

THERE ARE A “PLETHORA” OF MORAL GUIDELINES WITHIN EVERY CULTURE AND RELIGION ABOUT WHAT IS “ACCEPTABLE CONDUCT”, ONE OF THOSE BEING THE PROTECTION OF THE “DEFENSELESS” SEGMENT OF ANY GIVEN POPULATION. WHEN IT IS “CONVENIENT”, THIS GUIDELINE SERVES A USEFUL PURPOSE. WHEN IT IS “NOT CONVENIENT”, THE “DEFENSELESS” ARE TYPICALLY LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES AND, IN THIS INSTANCE OF “MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING”, ONE MIGHT REASONABLY ASK “WHY” THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES DID NOT “NOTIFY THE AUTHORITIES” SINCE IS SEEMS THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE VICTIMS WERE AT LEAST AT THE “AGE OF REASON” AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE “AWARE” OF THE ABUSE, BUT CHOSE TO “ABSORB IT” RATHER THAN “FACE THE CONSEQUENCES” OF STANDING AGAINST THE INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY; THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM; THE LEGAL SYSTEM; AND A SOCIETY THAT GENERALLY HAS A “PROCLIVITY” FOR CASTIGATING (OSTRACIZING) “VICTIMS” OF SEXUAL ABUSE, RATHER THAN DEAL APPROPRIATELY WITH THE “PERPETRATORS”. OF COURSE, IN OUR “MODERN SOCIETY”, THE TERM “SEXUAL ABUSE” ALONE CONJURES UP A “SLIPPERY SLOPE” OF “CRIMINAL ACTIVITY”, FROM AN INADVERTENT COMMENT TAKEN “OUT OF CONTEXT” BY A “HYPERSENSITIVE MALCONTENT” AS AN “EXCUSE” TO EXTRACT TRIBUTE, TO THE RAPE AND MURDER OF INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS. 

TO ASK OR “EXPECT” THE SYSTEM INVOLVED TO “FUNCTION AGAINST ITS OWN “BEST INTERESTS” STRETCHES ONES CREDULITY. GIVEN THE “PRECEDENTS” EXISTING, FROM THE “EGREGIOUS ACTIONS” OF VARIOUS RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS TO INSTANCES WITHIN THE MILITARY AND THE “HIGHEST REACHES OF GOVERNMENT” AND EVEN EXISTS WITHIN THE WELL PUBLICIZED MISCONDUCT OF PEOPLE WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS PURPORTEDLY OPERATING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ELDERLY AND THE YOUNG, IT IS “NOT TOTALLY UNEXPECTED” THAT THE “RULERS” OF THE NOW INFAMOUS UNIVERSITY SYSTEM WOULD “SIT ON” SUCH INFORMATION FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE MORE THAN A DECADE.

WHEN ONE IS “FACED” WITH “COMPETING VALUES”, I.E. THE “BEST INTERESTS OF THE SYSTEM” VERSUS THE “RIGHTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL”, ONE OFTEN “PASSES THE BUCK” TO THE SUPERIOR DESIGNATED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. SHOULD “THAT PERSON” FAIL TO MAKE THE “CORRECT DECISION” (TO BE DETERMINED IN HINDSIGHT, OF COURSE) AND FAIL TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION, (AGAIN DETERMINED BY 20/20 HINDSIGHT) THE “ENTIRE ORGANIZATION” IS “PURGED TOO LATE” BY THE “SELF-RIGHTEOUS” KNOW NOTHINGS THAT GENERALLY INHABIT THE UPPER REACHES OF EVERY SYSTEM. THAT THIS IS DONE IS SUGGESTED TO BE MOSTLY “GRANDSTANDING” BASED ON THE DESIRE TO “PROTECT THEMSELVES” AND “THE SYSTEM”, NOT FROM ANY “ALTRUISTIC MOTIVE” LIKE PUNISHING THE GUILTY PARTY (THE ONE(S) WHO PERPETRATED THE CRIME). SADLY, THIS “MODUS OPERANDI” ENSURES THAT BASICALLY “GOOD PEOPLE” CAUGHT UP IN A “BAD SITUATION” WILL PAY THE “ULTIMATE PRICE” FOR THE “BAD DECISIONS” OF OTHERS.

ANOTHER “MORAL PRECEPT” THAT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED IS “JUDGE NOT, LEST YE BE JUDGED” AND “TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, JUDGING FROM A LIFETIME OF DEDICATION TO TEACHING YOUNG MEN BY MR. PATERNO, HE HAS AN “EXEMPLARY RECORD” OF UPHOLDING THE VALUES OF A SOCIETY THAT, AT LEAST, PAYS LIP SERVICE TO THE IDEALS OF HARD WORK; INTEGRITY; CONFORMING TO THE NORMS OF SOCIETY, ET. AL. MR. PATERNO, WAS I BELIEVE, EMPLOYED AS A FOOTBALL COACH, NOT AN INQUISITOR AND ADMINISTRATOR OF “VIGILANTE JUSTICE”, SEEMS TO STAND “CONDEMNED” BECAUSE HE “ONLY” DID WHAT ‘THE SYSTEM” PRESCRIBED, NOT FOR ANY OTHER ACTION OF WHICH I AM AWARE.

WHERE IS THE “MORAL OUTRAGE” THAT THE PRINCIPLE WHICH HOLDS THAT A “PERSON IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED GUILTY” HAS BEEN ARBITRARILY VIOLATED? DESPITE HIS CONSIDERABLE STATURE WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND WITHIN SOCIETY, HE NOW HAS BEEN “SACRIFICED” ON THE “ALTAR” OF PROTECTING THE SYSTEM BY THOSE WHO WISH TO “ABSOLVE THEMSELVES” OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR “LEADERSHIP BY IGNORANCE”. THIS ALSO “SEEMS” TO BE THE CASE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY, WHO, ONLY BY CHANCE, HAPPENED TO BE IN THAT POSITION WHEN ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES “RAN AMOK”, AS IT WERE. AT THIS POINT, IT IS “PATENTLY UNCLEAR” WHO KNEW WHAT AND WHEN DID THEY KNOW IT?

MR. PATERNO (CORRECTLY, I BELIEVE), STATED THAT “HE WISHED HE HAD DONE MORE”. STILL, ONE DOUBTS THAT ANY AMONG US HAS “THE RIGHT” TO “CAST THE FIRST STONE”. LIFE IS A “PROCESS” OF LEARNING AND, IT IS SAID THAT “THAT WHICH DOES NOT KILL US, MAKES US STRONGER”. THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT MR. PATERNO BEARS “NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND, DID WHAT HE “THOUGHT” WAS THE “CORRECT THING TO DO” UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE “MIGHT HAVE DONE MORE” IS, TO ME, THE TRUE MEASURE OF AN “HONORABLE MAN”, WHO, “IN HINDSIGHT” UNDERSTANDS THAT HE “COULD HAVE DONE MORE”, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS “NOT” HIS RESPONSIBILITY. ONE WISHES, IN VAIN, THAT “THE LEADERS” OF THIS COUNTRY MIGHT “ASPIRE” TO THIS LEVEL OF “MORAL RESPONSIBILITY”.

HAVING TAKEN ON “MORE THAN MY SHARE” OF RESPONSIBILITY MANY TIMES IN MY LIFE AND, HAVING PAID THE PRICE FOR SUCH “EXERCISES IN FUTILITY” (VALOR?), I MUST RESPECT “HIS DECISION” AND WOULD SUGGEST THAT A GRAVE INJUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE TO ONE (OR BOTH) OF THE INDIVIDUALS TERMINATED BY THE APPARENTLY “SIGHTLESS BOARD OF DIRECTORS”. UNTIL ONE HAS BEEN PLACED IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, ONE CANNOT KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE IS CAPABLE OF DOING IN MAKING JUDGMENTS AND/OR TAKING ACTIONS “BEYOND THE RESPONSIBILITY” PRESCRIBED BY “THE SYSTEM”. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE “OBSERVER” OF SEXUAL ABUSE HAD A “HUMANITARIAN (MORAL) RESPONSIBILITY” TO INTERVENE, APPARENTLY HE “CONCLUDED OTHERWISE”. WHILE NOT CONDONING THIS DECISION (JUDGE NOT?), HISTORY AGAIN TEACHES US THAT “MANY” CHOSE TO “PASS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD” RATHER THAN GET “SUCKED INTO THE MAELSTROM OF LEGAL “SHENANIGANS” THAT ENSUE WHEN A “GOOD SAMARITAN” VOLUNTARILY RUSHES IN TO “ASSIST” ANOTHER HUMAN BEING.

IT IS FOR SUCH DECISIONS AND ACTIONS THAT “MEDALS OF HONOR” ARE AWARDED TO “THE FEW”, NOT TO THE NORMAL OR RESPONSIBLE OR DECENT INDIVIDUALS WHO INHABIT THE WORLD AND FUNCTION QUITE WELL UNDER ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. ONE “VALUES” THE MANY GOOD PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, BUT, ENCOUNTERS FEW, IF ANY, OF THE “TRUE HEROES”, I.E. THOSE WHO, IN TIMES OF DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AT GREAT RISK TO THEMSELVES, INTERVENE IN THE “COURSE OF HISTORY”. THAT IS WHY THEY ARE CALLED “HEROES”. NOT BEING A “HERO” (TAKING ACTION BEYOND THAT EXPECTED OF A NORMAL PERSON) DOES NOT SEEM TO JUSTIFY THE “DESTRUCTION” OF A “GOOD MAN’S LIFE (OR HIS REPUTATION, AT LEAST). FORTUNATELY, THE “GOOD” HE HAS DONE CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM. 

AS ALWAYS, “JUSTICE” REMAINS AN ELUSIVE CONCEPT AND “INJUSTICE” SEEMS TO BE THE “ORDER OF THE DAY” WHEN “SYSTEMS” SEEK TO “PERPETUATE THEIR EXISTENCE AND “PROTECT” THE POWERFUL WHO “SIT IN IGNORANCE” IN THEIR LOFTY BOARDROOMS AND “PASS JUDGMENT” ON OTHERS (SCAPEGOAT?) IN ORDER TO “APPEAR” TO HAVE TAKEN THE “HIGH GROUND” AND “DISTANCE THEMSELVES” FROM “THE FALLOUT” THAT IS SURE TO FOLLOW. THE “TRUTH” IS THAT “THEY” ARE THE ONES “ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE” FOR THE “EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS” AT THE UNIVERSITY, NOT A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED TO “COACH FOOTBALL” OR OTHERS WHO FILL ANY OF THE OTHER “LOWLY POSITIONS” WITHIN “THE SYSTEM. HENCE THE “DEARTH” OF WHISTLE-BLOWERS (UNSUNG HEROES) FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EMULATE. 

REMEMBER, “SURVIVAL” NOW TRUMPS “GETTING INVOLVED” AND, UNTIL THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO “GET INVOLVED” IN RIGHTING THE WRONGS WITHIN “THE SYSTEMS” ARE “VENERATED”, OR, AT LEAST “RESPECTED AND PROTECTED”, THE “SYSTEMS” THAT OPPRESS ALL OF US HAVE LITTLE TO FEAR. FROM THE INITIAL ACTS TO THE PRESENT “CHARADE”, IT IS ANOTHER “SORDID CHAPTER” IN HISTORY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, VOLUNTARILY OR INVOLUNTARILY, WITH “MOST” OF THE ATTENTION FOCUSED ON “INDIVIDUALS AND CIRCUMSTANCES” OTHER THAN THE WELFARE OF THE VICTIMS.

ENJOY, TOM

localnotions.blogspot.com

JUSTICE VS. "THE SYSTEM"

AVITW

I SEE WHERE “CIVIL UNREST” IN ENGLAND HAS OPENED THE PANDORA’S BOX OF LEGAL PROHIBITIONS AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT TO THE SCRUTINY OF A POPULATION THAT “APPARENTLY” IGNORES THE “REALITY” OF THE GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION UNDER WHICH THEY LIVE, WHEN IT IS APPLIED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT, NOT WHEN IT INCLUDES THE MASSES. THE “KNEE JERK” REACTION OF GOVERNMENTS TO ANY PERCEIVED THREAT TO THE “ORDER IT HAS CREATED” IS “OVER REACTION”, FROM THE “GENOCIDE” IN SYRIA TO THE CONTROL (BLOCKING/CENSORING) OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE FROM CHINA TO THE “GOOD OL’ U.S.A.”.

ONE HAS ONLY TO LOOK AT THE “RELATIVELY SMALL INCIDENT” OF TERRORISM ON 9/11, I.E. THE DESTRUCTION OF A FEW BUILDINGS AND THE TAKING OF A FEW THOUSAND INNOCENT LIVES, TO VIEW THE FULL RANGE OF “INORDINATE RESPONSES”. DOMESTICALLY, WE HAVE WITNESSED THE DEPRIVATION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES FOR MORE THAN 300 MILLION “FREE PERSONS”, FROM THE FORMERLY PROTECTED FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCH AND SEIZURE TO THE “INTERNATIONAL CRIME OF WARFARE”, I.E. INVASION OF FOREIGN LANDS UNDER THE “PRETEXT” THAT THESE “SOVEREIGN COUNTRIES” MIGHT BE HAVENS FOR FUTURE ATTACKERS THAT “THREATEN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY”. IN REALITY, THE ATTACKS ON 9/11 WERE “NOTHING MORE” THAN “ACTS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR” RAISED TO A SCALE NOT WITNESSED BEFORE IN HISTORY. NOW, THIS SAME “PARANOIA” SEEMS TO HAVE OVERTAKEN THE GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND. THERE WAS “NO INVASION” OF THE USA; NO THREAT TO OUR “NATIONAL SECURITY”; AND NO MORE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE INVASION OF IRAQ THAT THAT COUNTRY HAD FOR INVADING KUWAIT, I.E. “NATIONAL SELF INTEREST, NEE “POWER AND GREED”.

HOWEVER, SCHEMING POLITICIANS AND BUREAUCRATS, USING THIS “CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR”, SET ABOUT “JUSTIFYING” THE USURPATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, CREATING VAST NEW BUREAUCRACIES AND VIOLATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW THAT PROHIBITS ONE COUNTRY FROM INVADING ANOTHER. OF COURSE, THEY HAVE BEEN “AIDED AND ABETTED” IN THESE “HEINOUS CRIMES” BY THOSE WHO STAND TO BENEFIT FROM SUCH BEHAVIORS, I.E. MILITARY AFICIONADOS AND THE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX WHICH TOGETHER CREATE THE “UNHOLY ALLIANCE” THAT PRESIDENT EISENHOWER WARNED OF A HALF CENTURY AGO. THE “RESULT” OF SUCH CHICANERY HAS BEEN THE DESTRUCTION OF “BILLIONS” (TRILLIONS?) OF DOLLARS OF PROPERTY; THE KILLING OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF “EQUALLY INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS”; AND THE EXPENDITURE OF BILLIONS (TRILLIONS?) OF DOLLARS OF “THE PEOPLES WEALTH” FOR THE “BENEFIT” OF “THE FEW”.
ONE HAS LITTLE PROBLEM IN MAKING THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS “DISPROPORTIONATE RESPONSE” IS A “FAR GREATER EVIL” THAN THE “ORIGINAL BEHAVIOR” AND SERVES LITTLE PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO “BENEFIT” THE “GREEDY” AND “POWERFUL” WHO INHABIT THE UPPER ECHELONS OF SOCIETY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE “PROLETARIAT”, I.E. THOSE WHO PAY; THOSE WHO SUFFER; AND THOSE WHO SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES AT THE “ARTIFICIAL ALTAR” OF “PATRIOTISM”.

IN ANY SOCIETY, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IS A “CENTRAL ISSUE AND “ETERNAL DEBATE”. AN “EYE FOR AN EYE” WAS DEEMED “CRUEL AND UNUSUAL” IN THE PERCEPTION OF OUR FOREFATHERS. FOLLOWING THIS DETERMINATION OF WHAT IS “UNJUST”, WE NOW HAVE THE LARGEST POPULATION (PROPORTIONALLY) OF CRIMINALS INCARCERATED IN THE WORLD AND MANY ARE “GUESTS OF THE GOVERNMENT” MULTIPLE TIMES OVER. IT “MUST BE OBVIOUS” THAT A SOCIETY CANNOT FOREVER “INCARCERATE” (WAREHOUSE?) A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF ITS MEMBERS, AS ENGLAND NOW SEEMS “HELL BENT” ON DOING.

OF COURSE, THOSE INVOLVED IN THE “SYSTEM OF JUSTICE” (INJUSTICE?) ARE “OVERJOYED”. THE PLETHORA OF LAWS, (CRIME AND PUNISHMENT) HAS CREATED “JOB SECURITY” FOR MILLIONS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE FORCED TO SEEK “PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT”. THIS REALITY (POLITICIANS MEETING EVERY YEAR TO ENACT MORE LAWS) HAS ALSO CREATED A SOCIETY THAT “OPERATES”, AT GREAT EXPENSE, UNDER FEAR (ABJECT TERROR?) OF THE “LEGAL LABYRINTH” (LAWYERS), MUCH THE WAY “NOW EXTINCT” SOCIETIES OPERATED UNDER FEAR OF THE “SCRIBES AND PHARISEES”, “TYRANTS” AND “WITCH DOCTORS” OF OLD.

WHILE ADMITTING THAT ANY SOCIETY MUST MAINTAIN A “CODE OF CONDUCT” WHICH PERMITS INDIVIDUALS IN THAT SOCIETY TO FUNCTION IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF SECURITY, (BOTH PERSONALLY AND WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY), IT REMAINS REASONABLE FOR A “GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE; BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE;” TO PERMIT “FREEDOM OF OPPORTUNITY” TO EXIST WHILE REQUIRING “PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY” AND PROVIDING PROTECTION FROM THOSE WHO WOULD “VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS”. IT IS “INESCAPABLE” THAT SUCH PREDATORS SHOULD BE TREATED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY WILL “NEVER REPEAT” THEIR ACTIONS AND THE “NATURE OF THE SANCTIONS” SHOULD BE ONE THAT “STRONGLY ENCOURAGES” THE REST OF THE POPULATION FROM REACHING THE POINT WHERE THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO SUCH SANCTIONS.

“IF” THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE CONDITIONS FOR A SOCIETY OF INDIVIDUALS FREE TO PURSUE THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS, BUT, NOT FREE TO “TAKE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE (PREY?) OF OTHERS, (AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT TO BE SURE AND NOT A REALITY TO DATE IN ANY COUNTRY WITH WHICH I AM FAMILIAR), IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF JUSTICE (WHICH IS ANYTHING BUT JUST) IS AN ABJECT FAILURE, NOT ONLY IN THE USA, BUT, IN MOST COUNTRIES IN THE “SO CALLED MODERN WORLD”.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS ABSTRACT GOAL IS NOT RELEVANT IN THOSE COUNTRIES, SUCH AS LIBYA, WHERE “MIGHT MAKES RIGHT” AND THERE IS “NO PRETENSE” OF ALLOWING FREEDOM, BEYOND “THE FREEDOM” TO DO AS THE “MASTERS DIRECT”, REGARDLESS OF WHAT “OTHERS” (SOVEREIGN NATIONS?) MIGHT WISH, BUT I DIGRESS.

FORTUNATELY, REPRESSION HAS LIMITS AND THESE “DICTATORSHIPS” SELDOM LAST FOREVER AS IS EVIDENCED BY OUR OWN REVOLUTION AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF SUCH REBELLIONS AROUND THE GLOBE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS EASIER TO “REBEL THAN IT IS TO RULE” AND THE CYCLE IS SELF-GENERATING IN PERPETUITY. ONE SIMPLY REPLACES THE FORMER OPPRESSOR WITH “THEIR PREFERRED BRAND OF OPPRESSION” UNTIL ANOTHER GENERATION OF SUBJUGATED (ENSLAVED?) PEOPLE REPEAT THE PROCESS.

“THE PROBLEM” WITH MOST GOVERNMENTS, AS VIEWED FROM ONE WHO HAS “SEEN IT ALL”, IS NOT UNLIKE “THE PROBLEM” WITH RELIGIOUS “DICTATORS”, I.E. THOSE WITH “SMALL MINDS”, SEEKING ONLY TO “BENEFIT THEMSELVES, WHO SET ABOUT “DICTATING” THE WAYS IN WHICH OTHERS “MUST LIVE” AND “PROHIBITING” BEHAVIOR THAT “THEY DEEM” OBJECTIONABLE, I.E. NOT “BENEFICIAL” TO THOSE IN POWER. NATURALLY, WITH EACH “CHANGING DYNASTY”, THE “LIST” KEEPS CHANGING, BUT, MOSTLY, IT KEEPS GROWING LIKE THE PROVERBIAL “HYDRA MONSTER”. IT “SHOULD” HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS BY NOW, THAT THIS STRATEGY HAS “NO CHANCE FOR SUCCESS” AND YIELDS ONLY MORE “THOU SHALTS AND THOU SHALT NOTS”.

TWO “EXCRUCIATINGLY CLEAR EXAMPLES” OF THIS INSANITY INCLUDE THE PRESENT “SYSTEM OF TAXATION” WHICH CREATES HUGE “EXPENSES” (EITHER IN COMPLIANCE OR AVOIDANCE) AND “INSUFFICIENT REVENUE”, AND THE “EVER CHANGING DEFINITION” OF INDECENCY, WHICH EVEN THE NINE OLD PEOPLE IN LONG ROBES ADMIT THEY “CANNOT DEFINE”, BUT, DO HAVE THE “EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY” TO “RECOGNIZE IT WHEN THEY SEE IT”.

WITHIN “ONE LIFETIME”, SUCH THINKING (MANDATES AND PROHIBITIONS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, IF NOT RELIGION) HAS CHANGED FROM “ABSURD TO RIDICULOUS”, BUT, ONE MUST ADMIT THAT THE “EXTENSIVE LIST” DOES PERPETUATE THE AFOREMENTIONED “JOB SECURITY” FOR THOSE IN POWER, I.E. POLITICIANS, BUREAUCRATS AND THE “JUSTICE SYSTEM”. FORMER “CRIMINAL CONDUCT”, IF NOT OUTRIGHT “PERVERSION”, IS NOW THE “NUMBER ONE SUBJECT” FOR DEBATE AS A “CIVIL RIGHT”. “MULTIPLE TAXATION” OF EVERYTHING POSSIBLE (REMEMBER THE PROPHETIC LINES OF PRESIDENT REAGAN?) HAS BEEN RAISED TO AN “ART FORM”, WHICH ALLOWS THOSE WITH MONEY TO “BUY FAVORS” AND FORCES THOSE WITH LITTLE MONEY, E.G. THE DEFENSELESS, TO PAY SUCH TAXES ON EACH PRODUCT AND SERVICE, WITHOUT EVEN BEING AWARE OF THEIR SERVITUDE BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE “EMBEDDED” (HIDDEN?) , BUT, THAT IS ANOTHER SUBJECT.

GREAT MINDS, IN BOTH ARCHITECTURE AND PHILOSOPHY, INVARIABLY FIND THAT “SIMPLICITY” IS THE “ULTIMATE TRUTH” IN STRUCTURE, BE IT TANGIBLE OR INTANGIBLE. EVEN A “NOT SO GREAT MIND” CAN EMULATE THIS PRINCIPLE AND DARES SUGGEST THAT “THERE IS A BETTER WAY” FOR “GOVERNMENTS” TO BE SERVANTS, NOT MASTERS, OF THOSE GOVERNED. TO BE SURE, THIS IS “HERESY” TO THOSE IN POWER, AND “JUSTIFICATION” FOR THE “CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT” OF CONFINEMENT, UNTIL, OF COURSE, IT “THREATENS” THE SYSTEM THAT PERPETUATES “INJUSTICE”, I.E. GOVERNMENT BY THE “PLUTOCRACY” FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE “ELITE”, SUCH AS EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY AND, APPARENTLY, ENGLAND. SADLY, THIS IS NOT MEANT TO EXCLUDE THE OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD, TOO “NUMEROUS AND PROLIFERATING” TO KEEP TRACK OF, BUT ONE CANNOT ENVISION “GLOBAL SANITY” BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.

ANY “DEBATES” TO THE CONTRARY, I.E. THAT THE “PRESENT SYSTEM” IS ADEQUATE AND JUST, ARE SIMPLY “OBFUSCATIONS” TO MAINTAIN THE “STATUS QUO”, I.E. GOVERNMENT BY THE ELITE AND FOR THE ELITE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PROLETARIAT, EUPHEMISTICALLY KNOWN AS “THE MIDDLE CLASS”, BUT VIEWED, IN UNGUARDED MOMENTS, AS “THE LITTLE PEOPLE” BY THEM.

ONE IS “NOT SURPRISED” AT THE “UPRISING” IN ENGLAND BY THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME “ACCUSTOMED” TO BEING “BOUGHT OFF” BY THE RULING CLASS AND NOW MUST FACE THE REALITY THAT THE “RULERS” HAVE RUN OUT OF MONEY. WHAT THE “AUSTERITY PROGRAM HATH WROUGHT” IN ENGLAND (AND GREECE, ET. AL.) IS COMING TO THIS COUNTRY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, I HAVE “SUGGESTED” THE TIME FRAME OF 2015 TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN. OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE WAS “INTERESTED”.

THE “HAVOC” (CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON A LARGE SCALE) IN ENGLAND AND OTHER SIMILAR COUNTRIES IS THE “NATURAL CONSEQUENCE” OF “POOR PLANNING AND FORETHOUGHT” BY THE PLUTOCRACY. “THEY” SIMPLY “OVERREACHED” IN THEIR QUEST FOR POWER AND RICHES AND THE “LITTLE PEOPLE” (VICTIMS?) REACHED THE “BREAKING POINT” WHERE THEY FEEL “JUSTIFIED” IN VENTING THEIR DISPLEASURE BY WHATEVER MEANS EXIST. OBVIOUSLY, A “FRONTAL ONSLAUGHT” AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSORS (FORMER BENEFACTORS) IS NOT A “VIABLE OPTION” (AT LEAST AT THIS POINT), SO THE “HAVE NOTS” ARE FORCED TO ATTACK THE “UNPROTECTED HAVES”. THERE IS PRECEDENCE FOR SUCH VIOLENCE (SELF DESTRUCTION?) IN THIS COUNTRY, IF ONE REMEMBERS WHEN “RACIAL REBELLION” WAS IN VOGUE.

NATURALLY, THE “RULERS” CALLED UPON “THEIR MINIONS” (WITH SUPERIOR FIREPOWER) TO PROTECT THE STATUS QUO AND ARE NOW FACED WITH THE “PROSPECT” OF WHAT TO DO WITH THE “CRIMINALS”, WHO ARE, IN REALITY, “REBELS AGAINST THEIR FORMER BENEFACTORS”, WHO HAVE BEEN DENIED THEIR “PAYOFFS FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR” (OR AT LEAST HAD THEM SUBSTANTIALLY RESTRICTED) THROUGH SUBSIDIES FOR SUCH THINGS AS HOUSING, FOOD, MEDICAL CARE, ET. AL.

PERHAPS ONE CAN DETECT A “PATTERN” DEVELOPING AROUND THE WORLD AND, CERTAINLY, ONE CAN “VIEW” THE MANY VARIED RESPONSES, FROM OUTRIGHT “WAR” AGAINST THE “PEONS” TO “CAPITULATION” IN RETURN FOR A “LUXURIOUS LIFE IN EXILE” AND “EXONERATION FROM ALL RETRIBUTION”. ONCE AGAIN, THE “REAL CRIMINALS” (THE RULERS AND THE PLUTOCRACY) ESCAPE “PUNISHMENT” FOR THEIR “CRIMES”, WHILE THE “SUBJUGATED” MUST STRUGGLE TO “DETERMINE” HOW TO SURVIVE AMID THE “CHAOS AND DESTRUCTION” THAT RESULTED FROM THEIR “CRIMINAL ACTS” (REBELLION?).

FORTUNATELY, IN “NOMINAL GOVERNMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE”, THE “RULERS” ARE SUBJECT TO “ELECTION” RATHER THAN COMING TO POWER BY “HONEST MEANS”, SUCH AS THE OVERTHROW OF THE PREVIOUS REGIME, WHICH IS OFTEN UNDERTAKEN AT GREAT RISK TO ONES SURVIVAL. “ELECTED OPPRESSORS” HAVE “REFINED THE PROCESS” TO MITIGATE SUCH RISKS AND PRESENTLY USE THE “RESOURCES OF OTHERS” TO GAIN THEIR “EXALTED STATUS” AS OPPRESSORS, RATHER THAN “RISK” THEIR OWN RESOURCES OR SAFETY.

SO LONG AS “THEY” (THE RULERS) CONTINUE THEIR “PAYOFFS” TO THOSE WHO SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY (THE PLUTOCRATS) AND “BUY” THE VOTES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THEIR POWER, THROUGH PROGRAMS GENERICALLY KNOWN AS “ENTITLEMENTS”, THE SYSTEM “WORKS”. IT IS “ONLY” WHEN THE RULERS RUN OUT OF “OTHER PEOPLES MONEY” TO BUY VOTES AND “AWARD" LUCRATIVE CONTRACTS AND SPECIAL BENEFITS TO THE PLUTOCRACY, THAT “THE RULERS” ENCOUNTER “THE WRATH OF “BOTH” AND ARE FORCED TO RESORT TO “EXTREME MEASURES” (LIKE “KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD IN VULGAR TERMS) TO MAINTAIN THEIR “POSITIONS AS RULERS”. APPARENTLY, THE TIME (AND STRATEGY) OF FOISTING OFF “EXCESSIVE BENEFITS TO MAINTAIN THEIR POWER” ON “FUTURE GENERATIONS” IS BEGINNING TO EXPIRE. STILL, ONE HAS “FAITH”, AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECENT “CONGRESSIONAL CIRCUS”, THAT THE RULERS ARE STILL SEARCHING DILIGENTLY FOR WAYS OF EXTENDING THEIR TIME IN “PLUSH CIRCUMSTANCES”, BUT, IT DOES APPEAR THAT “THE CAN” IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO “KICK”.

WHAT HAS THIS TO DO WITH “CRIME AND PUNISHMENT”? FIRST OF ALL, MAINTAINING “LAW AND ORDER”, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE “ENDLESS LAWS” TO ENFORCE, IS AN “EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION”. “THE MINIONS” OF GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND APPEAR TO HAVE “HANDED OVER” HUNDREDS OF “NEW CRIMINALS”, NOT MERELY THE “FEW DOZEN PER DAY” THAT THE SYSTEM IS PREPARED TO HANDLE. OF COURSE, FEW, IF ANY, OF THESE “NEW CRIMINALS” ARE REALLY “HARD CORE TYPES” AND YET, THERE IS A “HUE AND CRY” TO TREAT THEM AS SUCH FROM THOSE VICTIMIZED BY THEIR “VENTING OF FRUSTRATION”. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW BESET ON ALL SIDES BY THEIR “IMPOTENCY” IN THE FACE OF THE “FINANCIAL MELTDOWN” THAT SEVERELY IMPERILS THEIR ABILITY TO “BUY OFF” THE PROLETARIAT AND MAINTAIN THEIR “LUXURIOUS LIFESTYLE” IN POWER.

PERHAPS CHANGE IS “INEVITABLE”, BUT, WITH WHAT DOES ONE REPLACE THE PRESENT “CORRUPT SYSTEM” OF “INFINITE TRESPASSES” CREATED BY THE RULERS OVER DECADES OF “MISMANAGEMENT” OF THE RESOURCES OF THEIR COUNTRY?. IT IS “SUGGESTED” THAT THE “ABOLITION” OF MOST, IF NOT ALL, SPECIFIC LAWS WOULD BE A GOOD START.

IN REALITY, THERE SEEM TO BE “ONLY TWO CLASSES OF UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR” IN ANY GIVEN SOCIETY, BE IT “PRIMITIVE” OR “LESS PRIMITIVE”. THE FIRST OFFENSE IS THE USE OF “FORCE” IN ANY OF ITS MANY MANIFESTATIONS. THE MIND “BOGGLES” WHEN CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF TREES SACRIFICED IN THE ENUMERATION OF THIS CONCEPT. SHOULD VIOLENCE BE CONSIDERED PORNOGRAPHIC INSTEAD OF HUMAN SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, THE “STATUTES AND LAW BOOKS” WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE BANNED (BURNED?) FROM READING BY CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THE ENUMERATION OF EACH ACT OF VIOLENCE IN “EXCRUCIATING DETAIL” IS AS “INCOMPREHENSIBLE” TO THE HUMAN MIND AS IS THE “FEDERAL FINANCIAL FIASCO”, BUT, I DIGRESS.

IT SHOULD BE A GIVEN IN ANY SOCIETY THAT CALLS ITSELF “JUST” THAT NO INDIVIDUAL (OR ENTITY) HAS THE RIGHT TO “EXERT FORCE” IN ORDER TO “TAKE ADVANTAGE” OF OTHER HUMAN BEINGS. ONE BELIEVES THAT SUCH LAWS NOW EXIST UNDER THE “RUBRIC” OF CRUELTY, BUT THEY APPARENTLY PERTAIN ONLY TO “ANIMALS” OUTSIDE OF THE HUMAN SPECIES.

IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE OTHER, MORE SUBTLE TYPES OF FORCE, THAT ARE “EQUALLY HEINOUS” AND OUGHT TO BE SEVERELY DEALT WITH, BUT, THEY SEEM TO BE BEYOND THE PALE OF ANY “GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE”. EXAMPLES INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL THREATS, COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS “BULLYING” WHICH IS A TACTIC LEARNED AT A VERY EARLY AGE (IF TOLERATED) AND CARRIED FORWARD, IN THE EXTREME, BY LAWYERS, BILL COLLECTORS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THE CLERGY. STILL, DESPITE THESE ABOMINABLE BEHAVIORS, THE “INTENDED VICTIM” IS NOT “PHYSICALLY HARMED” EVEN THOUGH THE “DAMAGE” TO HIS OR HER RIGHT, AS A FREE INDIVIDUAL, TO EXIST UNDER “HUMANE” CONDITIONS ENSURED BY “A JUST SOCIETY” IS SEVERELY COMPROMISED.

“LEGISLATING THE GOLDEN RULE” HAS PROVED IMPOSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT STOPPED THE “LUNATIC FRINGES” ON EVERY SIDE FROM TRYING TO “IMPOSE” THEIR “VERSION” OF LIFE (THOUGHT AND BEHAVIOR?) ON OTHERS. THEREFORE, A COROLLARY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A JUST SOCIETY IS THAT “NO ONE AND NO ENTITY” MAY MANDATE OR PROHIBIT THE “ACTS OF “CONSENTING ADULTS” IN WHATEVER “ABERRANT FORM” THESE MAY TAKE, SO LONG AS THEY DO NOT VIOLATE THE PROPOSED “TWO CLASSES OF UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR”.

THIS IS NOT TO IMPLY THAT THE COLLECTIVE SOCIETY” (GOVERNMENT?) HAS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEALING WITH THE “NATURAL CONSEQUENCES” OF SUCH BEHAVIOR, BEYOND PROTECTING “THE DEFENSELESS”, MOSTLY, THE CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY, FROM SUCH ACTS BY THE “CONSENTING ADULTS”. THIS “CONCEPT” HAS BEEN DEALT WITH MORE EXTENSIVELY IN ANOTHER TREATISE BY THE AUTHOR.

HOWEVER, IT DOES POSE ANOTHER INTERESTING QUESTION FOR A “JUST SOCIETY” IN THE DISCUSSION OF “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”. TO WIT: AT WHAT AGE AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, SHOULD INDIVIDUALS BE CONSIDERED A PART OF “THE DEFENSELESS” POPULATION? IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS THAT “18 YEARS OF AGE” IS AN “ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS” NUMBER, AS IS 75 OR 90. EACH CASE STANDS ON ITS OWN. WHEN A PERSON IS CAPABLE OF MAKING DECISIONS AND CARRYING THEM OUT INDEPENDENTLY, THEY ARE “PROBABLY” NOT “DEFENSELESS” AND THEREFORE DO NOT MERIT THE “SPECIAL CONSIDERATION” THAT, WITH RARE EXCEPTION, IS TYPICALLY GIVEN TO MINORS WHO “OUGHT” TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR “VIOLATION” OF THE “TWO CLASSES OF UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR”.

ONE READS OF INDIVIDUALS AS YOUNG AS 10 OR 12 YEARS OLD WHO, INDIVIDUALLY AND/OR COLLECTIVELY, MAKE “CONSCIOUS DECISIONS” TO DO “PHYSICAL HARM” TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS. IT IS POSTULATED THAT MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THESE “CRIMINALS” WERE EXPOSED TO THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR WITHIN THEIR HOMES OR INSTITUTIONS BY THE “ADULTS” RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING FOR THEM. A CHILD RAISED WITH REASON, KINDNESS AND LOVE HAS NO INCENTIVE TO ACT IN SUCH A MANNER NOR THE OPPORTUNITY OR NEED TO ACQUIRE SUCH ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. MUCH OF WHAT “PASSED” FOR DISCIPLINE IN FORMER GENERATIONS IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE “CHILD ABUSE” AND THE “ADULTS” RESPONSIBLE ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

ONE SUSPECTS THAT HUMANS ARE NOT “BORN” WITH AN INNATE DESIRE TO HARM OTHERS. WHILE SOME CULTURES SEEM TO HAVE ACCEPTED THIS “MODUS OPERANDI” IN RAISING THEIR CHILDREN, WESTERN CULTURES “SEEM” TO ENCOURAGE AGGRESSIVENESS THROUGH A SYSTEM OF CULTURAL IMPERATIVES RANGING FROM LITERATURE AND SPORTS TO GAMES, MUSIC AND MOTION PICTURES. MIGHT ONE SUGGEST THAT THE “GLORIFICATION” OF VIOLENCE IS “COUNTERPRODUCTIVE” TO CREATING AND MAINTAINING A “PEACEFUL SOCIETY”? AGAIN, THIS “POSSIBILITY” RAISES THE “CONUNDRUM” AS TO WHETHER IT IS “VIOLENCE” OR “SEXUALITY” THAT “OUGHT TO BE SCRUTINIZED/BANNED”, BUT, I DIGRESS.

THEREFORE, IN A JUST SOCIETY, “ANY USE OF FORCE IS RIGHTLY PROHIBITED” AND WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED IN A MANNER WHICH ENSURES THAT IT WILL NOT BE REPEATED. GIVEN THE “RECIDIVISM RATE”, THE “IDEA” THAT FORCE CAN BE DEALT WITH “IN DEGREES” IS ABSURD. ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO CHOOSES TO USE FORCE IS AKIN TO A WILD ANIMAL AND IS A “THREAT” TO USE “WHATEVER FORCE” THEY POSSESSES TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOAL AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE “DEFENSELESS”. THAT THEY CHOOSE TO USE “ONLY PHYSICAL STRENGTH” IS SIMPLY AN INDICATION OF THE LEVEL OF HELPLESSNESS OF THE INTENDED VICTIM. SHOULD A KNIFE OR CLUB BE NECESSARY, E.G. THE INTENDED VICTIM CANNOT BE SUBJUGATED BY PHYSICAL STRENGTH, DIFFERS NOT AT ALL IN “INTENT” AND REFLECTS AN “UNWILLINGNESS” (LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS?) TO PERSONALLY RESTRAIN ONES ACTIONS. SHOULD THE NEED FOR A GUN OR EXPLOSIVES BE NECESSARY, NOT TO MENTION JOINING FORCES WITH OTHER PREDATORS, AS HAPPENED IN THE CURRENT RIOTS, (UPRISING?). THOSE WITH “PREDATORY NATURES” SEEM PREDISPOSED TO USE WHATEVER FORCE IS NEEDED TO MAKE THE OTHER PERSON “SUBMIT” TO WHATEVER DESIRES HE/SHE WISHES TO IMPOSE ON THE “INTENDED VICTIM”.

THE “OLD WESTERN CONCEPT” OF “GIVING A MAN A FAIR TRIAL AND THEN HANGING HIM” HAD FAR MORE “BASIS IN REASON” (PREVENTING A RECURRENCE) THAN ANY “ABSTRACT CONCEPT” OF “PROPORTIONAL PUNISHMENT” LEADING TO REPETITIVE INCIDENTS UNTIL THE POINT IS REACHED WHERE THE “PREDATOR” ACTUALLY KILLS SOMEONE AND “TRIGGERS” THE “EYE FOR AN EYE” REACTION THAT “EFFECTIVELY” PRECLUDES REPETITION. THE PRESENT “CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM” OPERATES ON A SERIES OF “FREE PASSES”, BASED ON THE “SKILL” OF THE LAWYER AND THE “GULLIBILITY OF THE JUDGE” WHICH EFFECTIVELY PERMITS A “SMALL PORTION OF SOCIETY” TO COMMIT A “LARGE PROPORTION” OF CRIMINAL ACTS INVOLVING FORCE, THUS ENSURING THE “JOB SECURITY” OF ALL INVOLVED.

THIS COUNTRY, MORE THAT ANY OTHER, IS BESET BY A “POPULATION OF VULTURES” THAT FEAST ON SUCH REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR AND GAIN ENORMOUS WEALTH BY DEFENDING “HABITUAL PREDATORS”, WHILE THOSE CHARGED WITH PROTECTING THE POPULATION FROM SUCH PREDATORS ACQUIRE “ENORMOUS POWER”, ALL TOO FREQUENTLY ABUSED, BY “PROCESSING” HABITUAL PREDATORS AND THE “OCCASIONAL” DERANGED INDIVIDUAL.

“THE SYSTEM” PROSPERS BECAUSE “MANY” ARE PAID HANDSOME SUMS TO ARREST, PROSECUTE, DEFEND, IMPRISON AND MAINTAIN THE RELATIVELY FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO REFUSE TO FORESWEAR THE USE OF FORCE. THE LARGESSE TO THOSE WHO “FEED AT THIS GOVERNMENTAL TROUGH” INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: HIGH SALARIES WITH EARLY RETIREMENT AND MEDICAL BENEFITS, AS THEY PROVIDE CUSTODIAL CARE AND SUPERVISION INCLUDING FOOD, LODGING, MEDICAL CARE, RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE PREDATORS THAT IS BETTER THAN MANY “FREE INDIVIDUALS” CAN AFFORD. SHOULD ONE SEARCH FOR ANY BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH FREEDOM, IT MIGHT BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL DOES “SUFFER” FROM A LACK OF “TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES”.

WITHOUT SUCH AGGRESSIVE INDIVIDUALS AND THE PRESENT “CRIMINAL RECYCLING SYSTEM”, MANY “GOVERNMENT LACKEYS” AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION WOULD BE FORCED TO “SEEK GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT”, WHICH MIGHT SEEM TO CONSTITUTE “CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT” TO THEM. HOWEVER, IT IS “INDISPUTABLE” THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN THE “CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM” ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON CONTINUED “ACTS OF VIOLENCE” FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD, JUST AS THOSE INVOLVED IN THE “COUNTLESS” WELFARE PROGRAMS ARE DEPENDENT ON KEEPING AS MANY INDIVIDUALS AS POSSIBLE IN THEIR “NEEDY STATE”. REST ASSURED THAT THOSE WHO ARE PAYING THE BILLS ARE “NOT AMUSED”, AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECENT TRAGIC DEATH OF A LITTLE GIRL IN FLORIDA THAT “TURNED INTO A FINANCIAL FEEDING FRENZY” (BONANZA?) FOR THE MEDIA AND THOSE INVOLVED IN “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”.

OF COURSE, BANISHMENT IS “ANOTHER POSSIBILITY”, BUT, IN THE MODERN WORLD, THERE ARE “FEW COUNTRIES” LOOKING FOR “IMMIGRANTS” WHO ARE DEEMED “PREDATORS” IN THEIR OWN SOCIETY. FOR A CENTURY OR SO, ENGLAND “SHIPPED” THEIR “PREDATORS” TO AUSTRALIA, THUS RELIEVING THEMSELVES OF THE RESPONSIBILITY (AND EXPENSE) OF CONTROLLING THESE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. IN THE 21st CENTURY, THERE ARE RELATIVELY FEW “UNINHABITED” LAND MASSES AVAILABLE, SO THAT OPTION IS “BASICALLY OUT”.

WHAT DOES EXIST, IN SOME, IF NOT ALL COUNTRIES, IS “AKIN” TO THE “SIBERIAN OPTION” IN RUSSIA. MOST COUNTRIES HAVE AREAS THAT ARE “SO ISOLATED AND UNDEVELOPED” THAT THEY COULD EASILY SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE THAT AUSTRALIA ONCE SERVED. OF COURSE, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME MEANS (A BERLIN WALL TYPE STRUCTURE?) OR NATURAL BARRIER, SUCH AS MOUNTAINS OR LARGE BODIES OF WATER (RIVERS?) THAT COULD ACT AS AN “IMPENETRABLE BARRIER” TO ESCAPE. UNFORTUNATELY, GIVEN THE “SUCCESS RATE” OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (NATIONAL DEFENSE FORCES?) IN CONTROLLING “ILLEGAL ENTRY” INTO THIS SOCIETY. ONE TENDS TO ASK “WHO” MIGHT DO AN EFFECTIVE JOB IN PROTECTING THIS SOCIETY FROM “INVASION NOT IMMIGRATION”, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC, WHICH IS ALSO DEALT WITH IN GREATER DETAIL BY THE AUTHOR IN ANOTHER TREATISE.

IN THESE “SET ASIDE AREAS”, THOSE WHO REFUSE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO THE “CODE OF ACCEPTABLE CONDUCT” THAT STATES THAT THE USE OF FORCE IS FORBIDDEN, BUT, NOT NECESSARILY, “ON PAIN OF DEATH” (ALTHOUGH THAT MIGHT BE PREFERABLE) COULD ROAM FREELY IN A “SOCIETY OF PREDATORS” AND SURVIVE (OR PERISH) ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN ABILITIES WHILE “CREATING A SOCIETY” THAT CONDONES “THE USE OF FORCE” AS A MEANS OF OBTAINING WHAT ONE WANTS BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS (VICTIMS, BY DEFINITION). PERHAPS, THERE COULD BE “NO MORE JUST PUNISHMENT” THAN THIS. (REF: HEINLEIN)

IN “MODERN SOCIETY”, IT IS ALSO EASILY POSSIBLE TO “DISABLE PREDATORS” SO AS TO PREVENT THEM FROM “REPEATING THEIR BEHAVIOR”, THIS WOULD “ELIMINATE” THE NEED FOR INCARCERATION AND/OR “MONITORING” IN ANY FORM THAT IMPOSED AN “EXPENSE” ON THE SOCIETY THAT THEY “CHOSE” TO DISRUPT BY FAILING TO ABIDE BY THE NECESSITY FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A SOCIETY TO LIVE TOGETHER IN PEACE, I.E. FREE FROM THE DANGER OF VIOLENCE BY OTHERS.

ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED CRUEL AND UNUSUAL BY “TODAY’S FAILING STANDARDS” (REVOLVING DOORS?), IT “MIGHT” BE PREFERABLE TO “HANGING”, IN CASE “SOME EVIDENCE PROVING INNOCENCE” SHOULD BELATEDLY TURN UP, (AFTER THE “HANGING” SO TO SPEAK). AGAIN, GIVEN THE “PERFORMANCE” OF THE “CRIMINAL" JUSTICE SYSTEM, ONE HAS “MORE THAN SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION” TO “QUESTION” THE EFFICACY OF WORK DONE BY THOSE INVOLVED. OBVIOUSLY, NO SYSTEM OF "JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS” HAS YET BEEN DEVELOPED, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC ALSO.

IN THE FUTURE, SOME “ENTERPRISING” SCIENTIST OR ENGINEER MIGHT BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A CHEMICAL OR ELECTRONIC “SOLUTION” WHICH WOULD BE SUPERIOR TO EXISTING ONES. STILL, THE “ULTIMATE GOAL” IS SIMPLY TO ALLOW “RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS”, I.E., THOSE WHO ABIDE BY THE RULES, TO LIVE IN “FREEDOM WITHOUT FEAR OF BODILY HARM”, WHILE ENSURING THAT THERE WILL BE “NO REPEAT OFFENDERS”. SECOND CHANCES (OR THIRD THROUGH TENTH), WHICH ARE THE “NORM” UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM, WILL “NOT” BE AN OPTION.

THE SECOND CLASS OF “PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR” IS ANYTHING INVOLVING “DECEIT” (IN ITS MANY FORMS) THAT INVOLVES INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, BUSINESSES, INCLUDING CORPORATIONS (WHICH ARE “NOT REAL PEOPLE” AS SOME WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE) AND “GOVERNMENTS”, LEST WE FORGET, USING THEIR “SUPERIOR POSITIONS” IN SOCIETY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LESS THAN ASTUTE HUMAN BEINGS WHO MAY BE LIMITED IN INTELLIGENCE, EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES (THINK AGAIN OF THE ELDERLY AND THE CHILDREN) AND ARE THEREFORE, UNABLE TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM “EITHER FORM OF PREDATOR”. THE "VICTIMS" OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM ARE BASICALLY, THE HARD WORKING, RESPONSIBLE, AND TAX PAYING CITIZENS WHO INHABIT THE “MIDDLE CLASS”, BUT, WHO ARE CONSTANTLY “PREYED UPON” BY “THE UNSCRUPULOUS”, NOT BY FORCE, BUT, BY “CHICANERY”, WHICH IS THE CURRENT “COIN OF THE REALM” FOR DECEIVING PEOPLE IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM .

IN “TODAY’S SYSTEM OF “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”, THOSE WHO ROB OTHERS OF “MILLIONS”, RATHER THAN A “FEW DOLLARS AT THE CORNER STORE”, ARE SELDOM “SANCTIONED” FOR THEIR CONDUCT. THAT THIS HAPPENS MAY BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY “LAX ENFORCEMENT” AGAINST THESE “”PILLARS OF SOCIETY” AND THE “LACK OF CLARITY” ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES “CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR”. ONE DOUBTS THAT THERE IS A “SINGLE COMPANY” (CORPORATION) THAT DOES NOT ENGAGE IN THIS FORM OF “CRIMINAL ACTIVITY”, I.E. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS THROUGH “DECEPTION”. IN REALITY, EXTREMELY “SKILLFUL CROOKS” (THOSE THAT SCHEME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS) ARE HIGHLY PRIZED AND COMPENSATED FOR THEIR “SPECIAL ABILITY” TO “RELIEVE OTHERS OF THEIR ASSETS”, BE IT MONEY OR PROPERTY, WHILE “AVOIDING” SANCTIONS FROM A “DEPENDENT GOVERNMENT” THAT IS “SUPPOSED TO “PROTECT” CITIZENS FROM THIS FORM OF “DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR”. THAT “DECEPTION” IS NOT CONSIDERED A CRIME UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF “CRIMINAL JUSTICE” SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE ISSUE OF A “GOVERNMENT” BEHOLDEN TO THE “PLUTOCRACY”. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT “CRIMINALIZING DECEPTION” (IN ITS INFINITE FORMS) WOULD GO FAR TOWARD CREATING A “JUST SOCIETY”, JUST AS “AVOIDING REPEATED VIOLENCE” WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MOST INDIVIDUALS.

BY PROHIBITING THE USE OF “FORCE AND DECEIT”, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS ARE “FREE” TO “CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN AND MAY LIVE WITHOUT FEAR OF “PREDATORS”, REGARDLESS OF THEIR WEAPONS OF CHOICE (THE GUN OR THE PEN). WHAT MORE COULD A HUMAN BEING WANT, SHORT OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT “OWES THEM A LIVING” AND RUSH TO RE-ELECT THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO “STEAL FROM THE SUCCESSFUL” AND GIVE TO THE POOR IN EXCHANGE FOR “VOTES”, BUT NOT BEFORE “ENSURING THEIR FINANCIAL WELL BEING BY “POCKETING A “HEFTY PORTION OF THE “TAXES IMPOSED” ON THE PROLETARIAT. THIS PRETTY WELL DESCRIBES OUR PRESENT “ROBIN HOOD” SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, ALTHOUGH IT IS BELIEVED THAT “POOR ROBIN” DID NOT “POCKET” ONE PERCENT OF WHAT IS PRESENTLY “SIPHONED OFF” BY TODAY’S “RULERS AND THEIR MINIONS”.

BEFORE EMBARKING ON SUCH A COURSE OF ACTION, IT MIGHT BE WELL TO LOOK AT THE “INTENDED CONSEQUENCES”. FIRST, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE PRESENT “FAILED SYSTEM”? ONE “SUPPOSES” (HOPES?) THAT THEY MIGHT TURN THEIR CONSIDERABLE ABILITIES TO “GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT” RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO “DRAIN” THE ECONOMIC LIFEBLOOD OF THE COUNTRY UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM. AT LEAST, THE REST OF US, WHO ARE FORCED TO SUPPORT THEM, WOULD BE FREED FROM THE BURDEN BROUGHT ON BY THE “CYCLICAL EMPLOYMENT SECURITY MODEL” EMANATING FROM “TOO MANY LAWS”; TOO MANY DOCUMENTS: TOO MANY LEGAL ACTIONS; AND TOO MUCH “INTERFERENCE” IN THE LIVES OF CITIZENS, UNDER THE “GUISE” OF PROTECTING US (FROM OURSELVES?).

THE “VAST EMPIRE” OF STRUCTURES, GOODS AND SERVICES PRESENTLY “SERVICING” THE SYSTEM WILL BE FORCED TO “FIND” NEW USES AND NEW CONSUMERS AND, PERHAPS WILL OFFER “BETTER” PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, SINCE THEY DO NOT POSSESS “A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE” (PUN INTENDED) THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PROVIDE “INFERIOR” PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, WHILE “OVER CHARGING” ANONYMOUS BUREAUCRATS, WHOSE SOLE INTEREST LIES IN PROTECTING THEIR JOBS RELATED TO “FEEDING THE BEAST” THAT WAS CREATED BY POLITICIANS AND IS PERPETUATED BY THE HOARD OF “BENEFACTORS”.

IT IS ALSO THOUGHT THAT 99% OF “PRESENT DAY ADVERTISING” WILL DISAPPEAR, BUT, PERHAPS A “NEW GENERATION” MIGHT FIND A “BETTER WAY” TO COMMUNICATE THE TRUTH, RATHER THAN MILLIONS OF WAYS TO “HIDE IT”. PURVEYORS OF INSURANCE; (ALL TYPES) MEDICAL SERVICES; DRUGS; FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS; TRANSPORTATION, ET. AL. WILL FINALLY BE CONSTRAINED TO ACTUALLY “TELL THE TRUTH” IN LANGUAGE THAT CAN BE “UNDERSTOOD” BY ANYONE DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM. ADVERTISERS; LENDERS; SELLERS; CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR PROVIDERS, ET. AL. MAY “NO LONGER” SAY ONE THING AND DO (OR NOT DO) ANOTHER, FOR SOME “FICTITIOUS PRICE” THAT THEY “HYPE” TO “ENTICE” THE “CONSENTING ADULTS” TO PATRONIZE THEIR BUSINESS, WHILE “HIDING” THE DETAILS IN “FAST TALK” OR “FINE PRINT” FROM ALL BUT THE MOST “ASTUTE” CONSUMERS.

ONE MIGHT ALSO ASK HOW WOULD THOSE WHO VIOLATED THE “”NO DECEPTION CODE” BE SANCTIONED? SINCE DECEPTION, AT THE SOCIETAL LEVEL, IS BASICALLY AN “ECONOMIC CRIME”, PERHAPS THE “PERPS”, INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, WOULD BECOME “SELF REGULATING IF THEY WERE CONSTRAINED TO PROVIDE “RESTITUTION” BY A FACTOR OF “TEN”.

NOTE: DECEPTION ON A PERSONAL LEVEL IS ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED AS AN OFFENSE AGAINST OTHERS, BUT, AS PEOPLE ARE LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE, A “WRITTEN AGREEMENT” IS THE ONLY PROTECTION FROM SUCH PERFIDY AND A “JUST SOCIETY” MUST RESPECT “AGREEMENTS IN WRITING” BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS, OR BE FOREVER CAST IN THE ROLE OF A “NANNY STATE”, AS IF ADULTS WERE NOTHING MORE THAN “INCOMPETENT CHILDREN”. OBVIOUSLY, ORAL AGREEMENTS, IF VERIFIABLE WOULD ALSO BE “RESPECTED”. HOWEVER, ANY “HE SAID; SHE SAID” CLAIMS WOULD HAVE “NO STANDING” AS A VALID AGREEMENT.

RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND, SINCE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WOULD BE HELD TO THE “POWER OF TEN” RESTITUTION, THE GREATER THE CRIME, THE GREATER THE PUNISHMENT. FURTHERMORE, AS IN THE CASE WITH “PHYSICAL VIOLENCE”, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SUCH INDIVIDUALS ARE SELDOM DETERRED FROM THEIR “FERTILE FIELD OF OPPORTUNITIES”, I.E. THEY SIMPLY “MOVE ON” AND RESUME THEIR PREDATORY ACTS UNDER A NEW NAME, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO “PREY” ON UNWARY NEW VICTIMS. THEREFORE, THESE INDIVIDUALS, OR THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN COMPANIES AND CORPORATIONS WHO BREACH THIS “CODE OF ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR”, WOULD BE “FOREVER BANNED” FROM POSITIONS WHERE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES EXIST, I. E. THEY WILL BE PERMANENTLY “CONSIGNED” TO THE “MENIAL LABOR” (AND COMPENSATION) OF THE “LITTLE PEOPLE”. THAT IS “TRUE JUSTICE”!

HAD I THE SKILLS, TIME AND RESOURCES, I WOULD SET UP AN “ECONOMIC WIKIPEDIA” SITE, WHERE “PROVIDERS AND CONSUMERS” EVALUATE ONE ANOTHER, MUCH AS IS DONE UNDER THE PRESENT “EBAY” MODEL. ANY CONSUMER COULD CHECK THE “SATISFACTORY RATINGS” OR LEARN OF “ANY COMPLAINTS” FOR ANY GIVEN PROVIDER OF GOODS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, INSURANCE COMPANIES, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, MANUFACTURERS, ET.AL.

IT IS “ONLY” THROUGH THE PERPETUATION OF “SECRECY” (WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO RAISED TO AN “ART FORM”) THAT “VIOLATORS” (PREDATORS) CAN CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS. CHOOSING A “PROVIDER” BY ACCESSING THEIR “PAST PERFORMANCE” AND “VOTING WITH ONES FEET” WHEN “VIOLATORS” ABUSE THE CONSUMER’S TRUST, IS THE “MOST POWERFUL SANCTION” OF ALL, BUT, IT IS ONLY APPROPRIATE IN THE AREA OF “DECEPTION” (ECONOMIC PREYING). INCARCERATION OF DECEITFUL INDIVIDUALS “CHANGES NOTHING” AND PLACES A BURDEN ON “ALL OF SOCIETY” WHILE RELIEVING “THE DECEIVER” OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO “MAKE WHOLE” THE “VICTIM” BY A “POWER OF TEN”. EVEN THOUGH “MENIAL LABOR” MAY NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE RESTITUTION, IT DOES “ENTITLE THE VICTIM(S)” TO A PORTION (YET TO BE DETERMINED) OF THE PREDATOR’S MEAGER INCOME.

TO AVOID REACHING THIS “BANISHMENT FROM BUSINESS”, THE “PREDATOR, THREATENED BY THE SPECTRE, “POWER OF TEN”, WOULD HAVE A “GREAT INCENTIVE” TO:
1) CONDUCT BUSINESS IN AN HONEST MANNER, AND
2) TO CORRECT “ANY ERRORS” FOR WHICH THEY MIGHT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, SUCH AS DEFECTS IN PRODUCTS; SHODDY SERVICE; FAILURE TO PERFORM; ETC.
ANY PREDATOR GUILTY OF “DECEPTION” COULD “AMICABLY RESOLVE” THEIR DIFFERENCES WITH THE “DISGRUNTLED CONSUMER” AND, HAVING “SATISFIED THE CUSTOMER/VICTIM” HAVE THEIR “RESOLUTIONS” DULY NOTED IN THEIR “DOSSIER”.
TO BE FAIR, “PERPETUALLY DISGRUNTLED CONSUMERS” (I.E. THOSE WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS FILING EXCESSIVE COMPLAINTS ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHICH ARE OFTEN FALSE AND NOW THE “BANE” OF MOST INDUSTRIES), ARE ALSO QUICKLY IDENTIFIED AND ANY PROVIDER WOULD DO WELL TO “AVOID” SUCH INDIVIDUALS, JUST AS CONSUMERS WOULD DO WELL TO “AVOID” PROVIDERS WITH “TARNISHED REPUTATIONS”.

HENCE, WE HAVE A UNIVERSAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (DATA BASE) INCLUDING:
1) TRANSACTIONS;
2) SATISFACTORY RATINGS OR UNSATISFACTORY RATINGS, NOTHING MORE.
NOTE: JUST AS “INCREMENTAL USE OF PUNISHMENT OF FORCE IS A FALLACY IN PROTECTING SOCIETY, INCREMENTAL “SCALES OF PERFORMANCE” ARE ALSO FALLACIOUS, SINCE “NO ONE” KNOWS WHAT THE INCREMENTS MEAN.
3) COMPLAINTS, AND
4) RESOLUTIONS.

ANOTHER “INTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCE” ALSO ARISES. SINCE THE “BASIS OF OPERATION” FOR A “JUST SOCIETY” NOW BECOMES “AGREEMENT BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS”, THE QUESTION OF “CIVIL RIGHTS” BECOMES “MOOT”. A “PROVIDER” MUST HAVE “EQUAL RIGHTS” TO CHOOSE HIS/HER CUSTOMERS, JUST AS CUSTOMERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREQUENT OR AVOID ESTABLISHMENTS, AS THEY CHOOSE. IN ECONOMICS, AS MOST PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED, THE ONLY COLOR THAT MATTERS IS “GREEN”. PROVIDERS AND CUSTOMERS IGNORE THIS AT THEIR “ECONOMIC PERIL”. TARGETING A DEMOGRAPHIC THEN BECOMES A “BUSINESS STRATEGY” NOT ONE OF “DISCRIMINATION” ALTHOUGH THE “DEMOGRAPHIC” MAY BE RELATED TO “CERTAIN TRAITS” (AGE; RACE; GENDER; SEXUAL ORIENTATION; ETHNIC BACKGROUND; RELIGIOUS BELIEFS; BALD; BLOND; FAT; TALL; SHORT; ET. AL.). HOWEVER, WITHIN THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS SPHERES IN A “JUST SOCIETY”, “FREEDOM TO CHOOSE” IS A “BASIC RIGHT” THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE ABRIDGED BY “POLITICAL OR JUDICIAL” FIATS ACTING AS THE “WATER CARRIERS” FOR PRESSURE GROUPS WITH “VESTED INTERESTS”. THE GREAT PARADOX IN OUR CURRENT QUEST FOR A JUST SOCIETY IS THAT “MOST” CLAIMS FOR “EQUAL RIGHTS” UNIVERSALLY IGNORE THE ASSUMPTION OF “EQUAL RESPONSIBILITIES” AND, BECOME, IN REALITY, A VEHICLE FOR “SPECIAL PRIVILEGES” FOR ONE “DEMOGRAPHIC” OVER ANOTHER.

REMEMBER, THE “STATED PURPOSE” OF ANY SYSTEM OF JUSTICE IS TO “PROTECT THE PEOPLE” FROM THOSE WHO WOULD HARM THEM AND TO “ALLOW” CITIZENS AND/OR LEGAL RESIDENTS TO LIVE AS THEY “CHOOSE” WITHIN THE LIMITS OF “DOING NO HARM” (PHYSICAL OR ECONOMIC) TO OTHERS. THE ENUMERATION OF “THE SPECIFICS”, I.E. LAWS”, WHILE IT DOES PROVIDE “AN EXCUSE” FOR A LOT OF “UNNECESSARY ECONOMIC ACTIVITY” SERVES NO PURPOSE EXCEPT TO PERPETUATE THE “FAILED SYSTEM”, NOW KNOWN AS “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”. ONE CAN THINK OF NO MORE “APPROPRIATE NAME”.

ENJOY, T.O.M.

Localnotions.blogspot.com



.

THE AMERICAN APOCALYPSE

AVITW

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL WITH CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN:

I SEE WHERE EVEN THE HUMORISTS ARE TAKING NOTE OF THE "SERIOUS ISSUE” OF DEBT TO THE CHINESE, AMONG OTHERS. WHEN THAT LEVEL OF BANALITY IS REACHED, IT "MAY" BE TIME FOR EVERYONE TO PAY ATTENTION. OBVIOUSLY,THE "FEDS" (AS WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS) HAVE "NOTHING ELSE" TO PAY WITH. (SIC) I CAME UPON A "BRILLIANT SOLUTION" (MY TAKE) TO "RESOLVE" THE CONGRESSIONAL BICKERING, AS WELL AS THE DIRE STRAITS OF ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. OF COURSE, NO ONE "ASKED ME", NOR WILL THEY LISTEN SO "WHY BOTHER?".

FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS I HAVE TOLD THOSE WHO WOULD LISTEN THAT 2015 IS "ABOUT" THE YEAR THAT "OUR SYSTEM" OF ECONOMICS,(ERGO GOVERNMENT) WILL "FALL APART". THAT CONCLUSION WAS BASED ON "SIMPLE DEMOGRAPHICS" ABOUT 5 YEARS AFTER I STARTED TEACHING (1962) AND, OBVIOUSLY, COULD NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SUBSEQUENT "DISASTROUS ACTIONS" TAKEN BY ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. PRIOR TO THAT TIME (1967), I FELT THAT IMPROVING THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WAS THE "MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE" FACING THE COUNTRY AND DEDICATED MY LIFE TO BEING A “PART OF THE SOLUTION, RATHER THAN A PART OF THE PROBLEM". OBVIOUSLY, I "FAILED" TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND "PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE" FOR TRYING, BUT I DIGRESS.

OF COURSE, THE ISSUE OF "IMPROVING EDUCATION" COULD BE RESOLVED AT ANY TIME, SHOULD ANYONE CARE TO LISTEN, BUT, THOSE "INVOLVED" SIMPLY CONTINUE TO "USE” THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WITH STUDENTS AS THE VICTIMS, AS AN "ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FOOTBALL" TO FURTHER THEIR "OWN OBJECTIVES". SADLY, THESE OBJECTIVES HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH ANY IMPROVEMENT IN ACTUAL TEACHING AND/OR LEARNING, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC.

SINCE 1967, THE "POPULATION BOMB", NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, HAS BEEN "TICKING" AND THE "CONSEQUENCES" ARE BEGINNING TO BE "NOTICED", NOT THAT ANYONE (OTHER THAN JAPAN AND CHINA) IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. STILL, I HAVE "NOTICED" THAT "IMPENDING ECONOMIC DISASTER" DOES SEEM TO BE "THE TRIGGER" THAT CHANGES BEHAVIOR, THUS LEADING TO "CORRECTIVE ACTION", WHETHER INDIVIDUALS (OR BUSINESSES; OR COUNTRIES;) LIKE THE "MEDICINE" OR NOT.

A RECENT "CHART" OF U.S. DEBT (WHICH I FAILED TO COPY) SHOWED THE DRAMATIC INCREASE OVER THE LAST DECADE (ALMOST DOUBLE ALL THE PREVIOUS DEBT ACCUMULATED IN OUR TWO PLUS CENTURIES OF EXISTENCE AS I REMEMBER) AND IS PROBABLY THE "MOST SIGNIFICANT THING” FOR WHICH THE "BUSH/OBAMA" STEWARDSHIP WILL BE REMEMBERED. JUST AS THE "FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS" BANKRUPTED THEMSELVES WITH THEIR "CORRUPT DEALINGS", GOVERNMENT HAS NOW DONE THE SAME. ONE CANNOT KNOW HOW TO PREPARE FOR SUCH AN "ECONOMIC MELTDOWN", BUT, IT HAS BEEN MY SUPPOSITION THAT "BACK TO BASICS" WILL BE THE ONLY ANSWER FOR SURVIVAL IN THE LOOMING "BRAVE NEW WORLD OF ANARCHY".

RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT, GIVEN THAT THOSE WHO "PROVIDE SERVICES" (INFRASTRUCTURE; EDUCATION; MEDICAL CARE; LAW ENFORCEMENT; ET. AL.) DO NOT DO SO OUT OF THE "GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS", WHEN THE "MONEY STOPS FLOWING" (OR HAS "NO VALUE"), ONE SERIOUSLY DOUBTS THAT THE PROVIDERS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE. REPORTEDLY, THE "EXTREMELY WEALTHY" ARE "STOCKPILING" SURVIVAL SUPPLIES AND THE "MEANS" WITH WHICH TO PROTECT THOSE ASSETS, SINCE HUNGRY MOBS SELDOM "RESPECT TRADITIONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS". THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL HAS NO SUCH RECOURSE AND WILL "SUCCUMB" TO WHATEVER SUPERIOR FORCES ARISE FROM THE ASHES.

EVEN "KNOWING" WHAT COULD/SHOULD BE DONE, ONE IS UNSURE AS TO WHETHER THE EXISTING STRUCTURE HAS TAKEN THE COUNTRY TOO FAR TO RECOVER. THIS IS GENERALLY KNOWN AS THE "TIPPING POINT" OR IN AVIATION, "THE POINT OF NO RETURN. THE "CHARADE" OF “SAVING THE COUNTRY”, AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, IS REMINISCENT OF "NERO FIDDLING" WHILE ROME WAS BURNING AND THE "CURRENT CROP" OF "WOULD BE LEADERS" OFFER "NO HOPE" OF AVOIDING THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES" OF PAST INIQUITIES.

ONE HOPES, BUT, IN VAIN ONE SUPPOSES, THAT THIS "ASSESSMENT" IS WRONG, BUT, IT IS "INEVITABLE" ON OUR "PRESENT PATH TO SELF-DESTRUCTION". ONE "SUSPECTS" THAT THE CHINESE WILL NOT BE INCLINED TO "FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS". WE, THE ELDERS, WILL "ESCAPE", BUT, THE RESULTS OF "OUR FOLLY" WILL BE SUFFERED BY OUR PROGENY FOR "WE" ARE THE ONES WHO ELECTED THOSE WHO HAVE LED US TO "THE BRINK" IN THE PROCESS OF ENRICHING THEMSELVES (AND THEIR CONTRIBUTORS) AT THE EXPENSE OF "FUTURE GENERATIONS".

ENJOY, TOM

"SCULPTING" AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE

AVITW

I SEE WHERE THE WORLD POPULATION IS APPROACHING 7 BILLION AND IT IS REPORTED THAT THOSE 7 BILLION HUMANS HAVE DEVELOPED APPROXIMATELY 7 THOUSAND LANGUAGES, NONE OF WHICH FILLS THE NEED TO “COMMUNICATE” OUTSIDE OF THE “TRIBAL GROUPINGS” THAT EVOLVED FROM RACE; RELIGION; ETHNICITY; NATIONALITY; AND CULTURAL PREJUDICE.

A FEW ELITE INDIVIDUALS HAVE DEVELOPED COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE, BUT, NONE APPROACH THE LEVEL NEEDED FOR UNIVERSAL PEACE AND COOPERATION BETWEEN “TRIBES”, ASSUMING THAT IS A REASONABLE GOAL TO WHICH “HUMANS” MIGHT ASPIRE.

IT OCCURRED TO TOM, (NEE, “THE OLD MAN”) THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS OF VALUE AMID THE TRAVAILS OF EARTHLY EXISTENCE. OF THESE, PEACE, HEALTH AND LOVE SEEM TO ENDURE. THAT IS NOT TO DENY THE EXISTENCE OF OTHER VALUABLE PURSUITS, SUCH AS LEARNING, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PLEASURES AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ONES GOALS, BE THEY MUNDANE, AS IN FINANCIAL SECURITY, OR ESOTERIC, AS IN PARTICIPATION IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF A GIVEN SOCIETY IN SERVICE TO OTHERS.

THESE ENDEAVORS MAY BE EXPERIENCED AT VARYING LEVELS, E.G. PERSONAL, COMMUNITY, COUNTRY OR WORLDWIDE AND IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THE GREATER THE SCOPE, THE GREATER THE POTENTIAL FOR GOOD. AT THE PRESENT TIME, EACH LANGUAGE SEEMS TO EXIST AT TWO LEVELS E.G. A LOCAL DIALECT (VULGAR?) AND A STANDARD VERSION, WHICH IS MORE OR LESS USEFUL FOR THOSE WHO CLAIM IT TO BE THEIR “NATIVE TONGUE”, ALBEIT WITH SOME DISCREPANCIES AMONG THE USERS, IF ONE CONSIDERS “ENGLISH” AS SPOKEN IN GREAT BRITAIN VERSUS THE U.S.A. OR AUSTRALIA.

WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY MISSING, SINCE FEW INDIVIDUALS CAN CLAIM FLUENCY IN THE PREDOMINANT LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD, SAID TO APPROXIMATE 30, IS SOME FORM OF COMMUNICATION THAT WOULD ALLOW “ANY” EDUCATED PERSON TO CONVERSE WITH HIS/HER COUNTERPART IN ANY REGION OF THE GLOBE. THAT THIS IDEA IS NOT ORIGINAL IS ACKNOWLEDGED. THE AUTHOR IS WELL AWARE OF NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO DECLARE, OR DEVELOP THIS OR THAT LANGUAGE INTO A UNIVERSAL ONE, E.G. LATIN, FRENCH, ESPERANTO OR EVEN “PIDGIN ENGLISH”.

WHAT IS EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE, AT LEAST TO TOM, IS THE “LACK OF INTEREST” IN PURSUING SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF SUPPOSEDLY ADVANCED SOCIETIES. ONE WASTES WHATEVER ACUMEN ONE POSSESSES BY DEALING WITH THE PLETHORA OF ABSURDITIES UTILIZED TO AVOID THIS ACHILLES HEEL IN WORLD ORDER. THE TIME SEEMS LONG PAST FOR AN INTERNATIONAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

WHILE CERTAIN PAROCHIAL INTERESTS HAVE ATTEMPTED, FOR PRIVATE GAIN, TO INSTITUTE AN ELECTRONIC FORM OF TRANSLATION, THOSE WITH MORE THAN A MODICUM OF ABILITY TO CONVERSE IN MORE THAT ONE LANGUAGE, UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEFICIENCIES OF SUCH PROGRAMS ARE OBVIOUS TO THE POINT OF ABSURDITY. OF COURSE, THAT “COULD” CHANGE, BUT, PROBABLY NOT IN MY LIFETIME.

IT IS SUGGESTED THAT NO EXISTENT LANGUAGE, FROM LATIN TO CHINESE, POSSESSES THE CHARACTERISTICS NECESSARY TO QUALIFY IT TO ASSUME THIS VITAL ROLE IN MODERN SOCIETY. HOWEVER, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH A LANGUAGE WOULD MEAN THAT EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS WOULD ONLY NEED TO BE “BILINGUAL” IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE WITH LIKE INDIVIDUALS IN ANY CORNER OF THE WORLD.

THE AUTHOR DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOCIAL IMPERATIVE, MOSTLY AMONG THE LOWER CLASSES, TO BE TRILINGUAL, I.E. TO SPEAK THE VULGAR VERSION OF THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR CULTURE. IT IS POSTULATED THAT THIS NEED WILL NOT DISAPPEAR UNLESS THERE ARE SEVERE, BUT UNFORESEEABLE, CHANGES IN WORLD DEMOGRAPHICS. FOR NOW, IT MUST BE ASSUMED THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A SEGMENT OF EVERY SOCIETY THAT IS UNABLE, UNWILLING, OR LACKING IN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN THE STATUS OF BEING “EDUCATED”. THEREFORE, THE EXISTENCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE MAY NOT MEET THE COMMUNICATION NEEDS FOR THESE UNFORTUNATE INDIVIDUALS.

AT THIS POINT IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION AND, LACKING ANY OTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, THE AUTHOR HAS THE TEMERITY TO SUGGEST THAT THE MOST VIABLE LANGUAGE PRESENTLY AVAILABLE TO SERVE AS A BASIS FOR WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATION IS “AMERICAN ENGLISH”. THIS IS NOT BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE ITSELF IS SO STRUCTURED, BUT BECAUSE, IT SEEMS TO BE THE MOST COMMONLY ACQUIRED SECOND LANGUAGE IN ALL COUNTRIES AND, FORTUNATELY, IT HAS A PLETHORA OF “EXCESSIVE CHARACTERISTICS” WHICH COULD BE ELIMINATED TO FORM A RATIONAL INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE.

ONE CHALLENGE FACING OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS THE NEED TO TEACH “STANDARD ENGLISH” TO THE MULTITUDES WHO PRESENTLY SPEAK ONLY THE “VULGAR FORM”. ESSENTIALLY, THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BECOME BILINGUAL IN THEIR OWN TONGUE. THIS “REALITY” WAS DELIGHTFULLY EXPOUNDED UPON IN THE CINEMATIC PRODUCTION OF G.B.S.’S PYGMALION ENTITLED “MY FAIR LADY”. THE “REWARDS” THAT AWAIT THOSE WHO MASTER “STANDARD ENGLISH” ARE AS EVIDENT AT EVERY LEVEL OF ECONOMIC SUCCESS IN THIS COUNTRY AS THEY WERE FOR “LIZA” IN HER ENDEAVORS. FOR THOSE PROFICIENT IN STANDARD ENGLISH AND FOR THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WHO HAVE STUDIED ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS, THE TRANSITION TO INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH SHOULD PROVE TO BE A MINOR INCONVENIENCE. SADLY, THE FAILURE TO TEACH STANDARD ENGLISH IN OUR SCHOOLS IS THE CROWNING DISGRACE WITHIN THE PRESENT SYSTEM. OF COURSE, MANY OF THE TEACHERS, WELL PROTECTED BY “UNION RULES” AND “POLITICAL CORRECTNESS” (E.G. THE “THREAT” OF LAWSUITS UNDER THE “GUISE OF DISCRIMINATION”), LACK SUCH SKILLS, BUT, I DIGRESS.

A WELL KNOW SCULPTOR REPORTEDLY OBSERVED THAT THE BEAUTY OF HIS WORK EXISTED WITHIN EACH PIECE OF MARBLE AND IT WAS ONLY NECESSARY FOR HIM TO STRIP AWAY THE UNNECESSARY PARTS SURROUNDING EACH ONE IN ORDER TO DISCOVER THAT BEAUTY WITHIN. USING THAT ANALOGY, TOM SUGGESTS THAT IT IS ONLY “NECESSARY” TO ELIMINATE AND OR MODIFY THE “VAGARIES” OF AMERICAN ENGLISH, THAT ONLY SERVE TO CONFUSE THOSE WHO WOULD LEARN IT, IN ORDER TO “CREATE” A “MORE PERFECT” INTERNATIONAL VERSION.

IT MUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THOSE FEW WHO EARN THEIR LIVING BY PERPETUATING THE ARCHAIC RULES OF SPEECH AND THOSE WHO SERVE AS “TRANSLATORS” WILL, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, OBJECT STRONGLY TO ELIMINATING THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME. LIKEWISE, THOSE WHO WISH TO MAINTAIN THE TRADITIONAL FORM OF ENGLISH OUT OF A MISPLACED LOYALTY TO PERPETUATING THE PROBLEMS IT CAUSES IN COMMUNICATION WILL PROBABLY JOIN THE FRAY.

HOWEVER, “IF” THE PURPOSE OF LANGUAGE IS TO COMMUNICATE (ANOTHER SUBJECT FOR DEBATE, TO BE SURE, SINCE MANY GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS, AS WELL AS MANY COMPANIES AND THEIR LAWYERS, USE LANGUAGE TO OBSCURE ANY MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION), THEN THE MANY “LANDMINES” (DIFFICULTIES IN SPELLING, PRONUNCIATION, CONJUGATION, PARTS AND TENSES OF SPEECH, ET. AL.) PRESENTLY ENCOUNTERED IN AMERICAN ENGLISH NEED TO BE ELIMINATED OR SIMPLIFIED, THUS ALLOWING MOST PEOPLE TO ACQUIRE THE SKILL OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER SKILLS THEY MIGHT POSSESS IN SPEAKING THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE CORRECTLY. SHOULD VARIOUS GROUPS DESIRE TO PERPETUATE THE “VULGAR” FORM OF THEIR PARTICULAR LANGUAGE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT “THE STREETS”, NOT INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING ADDICTED TO “POLITICALLY CORRECT PERMISSIVENESS”, ARE THE PROPER FORUM FOR THIS ENDEAVOR.

AT THIS POINT, THE AUTHOR WISHES TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS LIMITS WITH RESPECT TO THE STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGES PRIOR TO SUGGESTING “SOME” PROMISING MODIFICATIONS LEADING TO THE CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. LONG AGO, I ENCOUNTERED THE ONE PERSON I BELIEVE HAD BOTH THE INTELLIGENCE AND EDUCATION TO “ASSIST IN CREATING” SUCH A LANGUAGE. ALAS, SHE WAS “MUCH TOO INTELLIGENT” TO UNDERTAKE SUCH A TASK, SO IT REMAINS FOR TOM TO PROVIDE THE “HUMBLE BEGINNINGS” OF SUCH A PROJECT.

AS PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS READILY ADMIT, WHEN THEY “STUMBLE” ON A SMALL “ORIGINAL NUANCE” WITHIN THEIR AREA, THEY ARE SIMPLY “BUILDING” ON THE WORK OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE AND ARE MINDFUL THAT THOSE WHO COME AFTER MAY ENCOUNTER YET “BETTER UNDERSTANDINGS” BASED ON THEIR PERCEPTIONS. TOM WISHES THEM WELL. STILL, LIKE JULES VERNE, WHO COULD CONCEPTUALIZE TRAVELING TO THE MOON, BUT LACKED THE ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME OBVIOUS FUNDAMENTALS READILY AVAILABLE TO BEGIN THE TASK OF RESTRUCTURING THE “CAMEL” KNOWN AS STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH.

A FINAL CAVEAT: THE AUTHOR DOES NOT TAKE THE POSITION THAT CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH NEEDS TO, OR SHOULD BE, REPLACED. AS IN THE PAST WITH ELIZABETHAN OR KING JAMES ENGLISH, THERE IS A CERTAIN RICHNESS INHERENT IN THE LANGUAGE WHICH IS UNIQUE AND LENDS ITSELF TO THE CREATION OF AN EVEN RICHER VERSION OF THE “NOT SO ORIGINAL” AMERICAN VERSION. AT THE TIME OF WRITING, “CHICK FLICK” AND “BIKINI WAX” SEEM TO HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE LEXICON. ONE WONDERS HOW “THE TRIBE” SURVIVED WITHOUT THESE “GEMS”? SOME EVIDENCE OF THIS MERIT ALSO LIES IN THE FACT THAT CERTAIN WORDS AND PHRASES FROM AMERICAN ENGLISH HAVE ALREADY BEEN INCORPORATED INTO OTHER LANGUAGES WITHOUT TRANSLATION, ALBEIT WITH SOME INTERESTING VARIATIONS IN PRONUNCIATION AND SIGNIFICANCE.

LIKE THE MOSQUITO AT A NUDIST CAMP, ONE WONDERS WHERE TO BEGIN. HOWEVER, WHEN MOVING A MOUNTAIN, ONE MUST START, NOT SIT AND STARE AT EACH BOULDER TO DECIDE WHICH ONE GOES FIRST. PERHAPS IT IS WELL TO START WITH THE ALPHABET. THE AUTHOR (ALONG WITH OTHER “ASTUTE” OBSERVERS, USUALLY INVOLVED IN ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING) HAS NOTICED THAT CERTAIN LETTERS SEEM REDUNDANT AND COULD POSSIBLY BE ELIMINATED, OR SUBSTITUTED ACCORDING TO THEIR SOUND, THE PREMISE BEING THAT SIMPLICITY, WHICH DOES NOT SACRIFICE SIGNIFICANT MEANING, IS PREFERABLE TO COMPLEXITY. THEREFORE, THE INTERNATIONAL VERSION OF THE ALPHABET (ALFABET?) MAY NOT NEED TO USE 26 LETTERS OR MAY COMBINE THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR EXAMPLE, “C + ANY VOWEL” WHICH HAS A “K” SOUND (COME/KUM) IS PROBABLY SUPERFLUOUS.

THERE ARE OTHER LETTERS, LIKE “Y”, THAT HAVE SOME VALUE AT THE BEGINNING OF WORDS, BUT, ONLY ADD TO THE CONFUSION AT THE END OF A WORD. “PROBABLY” AND “OBVIOUSLY” READILY COME TO MIND. :-) IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT “MISLEADING COMBINATIONS” INVOLVING DUPLICATE VOWELS AND/OR DIPHTHONGS (REED/READ) SHOULD ALSO BE EXAMINED, IF NOT BANNED COMPLETELY. FINALLY, FOR NOW, WHERE “T” HAS AN “S” SOUND, MANY DIFFICULT WORDS WOULD BECOME “RATIONAL” IF THE SOUND TOOK PRECEDENCE OVER TRADITION, E.G. PRODUCTION (PRODUKSHUN).

IN A RATIONAL LANGUAGE, A VOWEL WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE SOUND AND SPELLING, NOTHING MORE OR LESS. THE ELIMINATION OR MODIFICATION OF “ARCHAIC” MODES OF SPELLING, WITH LETTERS THAT HAVE NO SOUND IN PRONUNCIATION, IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF “CREATING” AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE. EVEN “PHONICS” (FONIKS) MUST BE CONSIDERED “AN OXYMORON” AND THE “SILENT “E” USELESS (USLES). IT DID SEEM IRONIC TO TOM THAT SOME “DEFENDERS” OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM USED THE RATIONALE THAT, WITHOUT SUCH “IDIOSYNCRASIES”, SPELLING BEES WOULD CEASE TO EXIST. PERHAPS THAT “SACRIFICE” WOULD NOT BE SO DISASTROUS IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.

ACTUALLY, ONE WONDERS IF SUCH PERCEPTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE “PRIMA FACIE” EVIDENCE OF THE VALUE OF “PHONICS” WHICH WOULD ALLOW MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO READ AND WRITE AS THEY ALREADY SPEAK, WITHOUT MASTERING “STANDARD, BUT, ILLOGICAL ENGLISH”. THE SAME “ARGUMENT” CAN BE MADE FOR ELIMINATING THE PRESENT “SYSTEM” OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND REPLACING IT WITH “METRICS”, AS HAS HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD “EXCEPT” IN OUR OWN “ENLIGHTENED” COUNTRY. SOME THOUGHTFUL INDIVIDUALS SEE MANY OF THE PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION, NOT WITHIN THE STUDENTS, BUT IN “WHAT” IS BEING TAUGHT, BUT, THAT IS ANOTHER SUBJECT.

ANOTHER DIFFICULTY WITH STANDARD ENGLISH LIES IN THE USE OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS FOR THE SAME LETTER, WHEREAS, SOME OTHER LANGUAGES, WHICH ARE MUCH EASIER TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND, USE ONLY ONE SOUND FOR EACH VOWEL. HOWEVER, TOM SUGGESTS THAT THEREIN LIES “ONE” OF THE BEAUTIES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. VOWELS THAT HAVE ONLY ONE SOUND LIMIT THE VOCABULARY POSSIBLE. STILL, BEGINNING WITH THE VOWELS, PERSONS WHO STUDY ENGLISH ARE CONFOUNDED BY THE LONG AND SHORT SOUND ASSOCIATED WITH THESE LETTERS WHICH IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY PUTTING IDENTICAL VOWELS TOGETHER OR BY USING THE “DREADED DIPHTHONG”.

LOGIC SUGGESTS THAT HAVING TWO SOUNDS TO A VOWEL IMMEDIATELY DOUBLES THE POSSIBILITIES FOR MEANINGFUL VOCABULARY AND MIGHT “NOT” BE SUCH A “TROUBLESOME INCLUSION” “IF” THEY COULD BE DIFFERENTIATED IN A UNIFORM MANNER. FORTUNATELY, THIS IS A RATHER SIMPLE PROCESS. IF AN “I” (i) CAN BE DOTTED, WHY NOT PLACE A MARK (-), SIMILAR TO THE SPANISH TILDE, OVER THOSE VOWELS THAT HAVE A “LONG SOUND” OR AN “UNDERLINE” BENEATH THEM? ELIMINATION OF “DOUBLE VOWELS” (AND CONSONANTS) WOULD ALSO HELP IMMENSELY. (WILL/WIL) COMPUTERS CAN PROBABLY DO THIS AUTOMATICALLY WITH AN ADAPTATION OF “SPELLCHECKER” ACCORDING TO CONTEXT. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT “LEARNERS” WOULD EASILY RECOGNIZE THE CORRECT WAY TO PRONOUNCE ANY WORD AND TO ASSOCIATE A GIVEN MEANING WITH IT. “SHOOT/SHUT(LONG U)/SHUT (SHORT U)” COME TO MIND.

AS MENTIONED BEFORE, ANOTHER DIFFICULTY LIES IN LACK OF ANY SOUND AT ALL ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS LETTERS IN NUMEROUS WORDS. “KNOW” AND “EXCUSE” ARE TWO SUCH WORDS. IT IS OBVIOUSLY EASY TO CRITICIZE AND, AS MANY PUNDITS HAVE DISCOVERED, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EXCUSE FOR GARNERING EXORBITANT REMUNERATION. HOWEVER, SUCH SHOW OF CONCERN IS HELPFUL, "ONLY" IF SOME FEASIBLE RESOLUTION TO THE DIFFICULTY IS OFFERED. SADLY, LIKE THE DEMISE OF THE “SPELLING BEE”, RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ENGENDERED THEIR “OP. ED. PIECES” WOULD SOON DEPRIVE THEM OF THEIR INCOME AND THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO SEARCH FOR “USEFUL EMPLOYMENT”. STILL, ONE SUPPOSES THAT THE HUMAN CONDITION WILL NEVER APPROACH PERFECTION, WHICH VIRTUALLY GUARANTEES THESE “PROFESSIONAL COMPLAINERS ABOUT THE IMPERFECT” CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. AGAIN, I DIGRESS, BUT THE “FRUSTRATION” PERSISTS, HENCE THE “PREMISE” OF “localnotions”.

ALL LETTERS WITHOUT SOUND, OR WITH MISLEADING SOUND(S) WOULD SEEM TO BE “LIKELY TARGETS” FOR ELIMINATION, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF MANY WORDS SUCH AS SILENT “E’S”; MISLEADING “Y’S”; SILENT “K’S”; AND THE CONSTELLATION OF “P’S/PH’S/PS’S”. EXAMPLES INCLUDE: SILENCE; (SILENZ) CONCRETE; (KONKRET) PHILOSOPHY (FILOSOFE); PSYCHOSIS; (SICOSIS).

NOTE: ONE NEED NOT “DROP DOWN” TO THE “LETTERS CHOSEN BY TEXTERS” WHICH HAVE A MEANING UNTO THEMSELVES AND ARE EVEN WORSE THAN THE “SUPERFLUOUS” AND/OR MISLEADING LETTERS IN STANDARD ENGLISH. (“U” FOR “YOU”?) (“C” FOR “SEE”?) (LOL) ETC..

WITH EACH SOUND “IDENTIFIED”, INDIVIDUALS CAN QUICKLY UNDERSTAND THE PRONUNCIATION AND, THEREFORE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EACH WORD. ONE “SUSPECTS” (GIVEN THE EXISTENCE OF “SPANISH LANGUAGE COMPUTERS”) THAT ALL COMPUTERS COULD QUICKLY BE PROGRAMMED TO AUTOMATICALLY INSERT A “MARK/TILDE” (OR UNDERLINE) TO SIGNIFY WHICH VOWELS HAVE A LONG SOUND, WHILE THE “SIGN” IS OMITTED FROM THE VOWELS WITH THE “SHORT” SOUND.

ANOTHER “LANDMINE” IN ENGLISH IS THE DIPHTHONG, A COMBINATION OF VOWELS WHICH DEFIES LOGIC IN ALL BUT THE MOST ASTUTE STUDENTS OF LANGUAGE. WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JOB SECURITY FOR THOSE WHO PROFESS TO TEACH ENGLISH, ONE SUSPECTS THAT THEY ARE UNNECESSARY IN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION.

OBVIOUSLY, THE MORE COMPLICATED A SUBJECT CAN BE MADE, THE GREATER NEED THERE IS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD PROFIT FROM SUCH “OBFUSCATION”, BUT, I DIGRESS. STILL, THERE IS PROBABLY NO GREATER EXAMPLE OF THIS CHICANERY THAN BY THE PIONEERS OF COMPUTER SCIENCE. HAD THEY NOT CHOSEN TO WRAP THEIR BINARY NUMERICAL SYSTEM IN TERMINOLOGY SO OBSCURE AS TO ALIENATE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE POPULATION (THEIR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS), IT IS POSTULATED THAT COMPUTER LITERACY WOULD BE UNIVERSAL TO THE EXTENT THAT POWER IS AVAILABLE. BY “GEEKIFYING” THE USE OF THE COMPUTER INSTEAD OF USING NORMAL LANGUAGE, EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY AVERAGE PRACTITIONERS OF COMMERCE (POTENTIAL CONSUMERS), THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THEIR BOTTOM LINE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH WAS SEVERELY LIMITED AND PROGRESS RETARDED. IT SEEMS “SELF EVIDENT” THAT, THE MORE “USER FRIENDLY” A PRODUCT IS, THE MORE IT PROLIFERATES, BUT, I DIGRESS AGAIN.

RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF I.E., (INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH) TOM SUGGESTS THAT THE REMOVAL OF EVERY UNNECESSARY AND/OR MISLEADING LETTER ASSOCIATED WITH THE CORRECT SOUND PROVIDES THE MOST RATIONAL OPTION TO CREATING A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. “USER FRIENDLY” DEFINITELY APPLIES TO COMMUNICATION! THE CONCEPT OF PHONETICS OFFERS A CLUE TO IMPLEMENTING THIS CONCEPT, BUT, THE REASON WHY IT WAS/IS SPELLED WITH “PH” ESCAPES ME.

THE FACT THAT SOUNDS SEEM TO REQUIRE A VOWEL TO BE RATIONAL DOES COMPLICATE THE ELIMINATION OF SILENT LETTER USE. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE CAN EASILY DROP THE SILENT “E” WHICH TERMINATES HUNDREDS OF WORDS, THEREBY SIMPLIFYING THE LEARNING OF A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. HOWEVER, ONE CANNOT ELIMINATE THE “E” IN FRONT OF CERTAIN WORDS, SUCH AS “EXCUSE OR ESCAPE” IF THE CONSTANT OF USING A VOWEL FOR EACH SOUND (SYLLABLE) IS TO BE MAINTAINED. LIKEWISE, THE “I” AND “U”, WHEN USED IN FRONT OF SUCH WORDS AS “ IMPROVE OR UNKIND” REQUIRES DEVIATION FROM THAT PRINCIPLE. GREATER MINDS, BUT NOT COMMITTEES, MAY BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS DILEMMA. ONE THOUGHT PERSISTS AND THAT IS A COMBINATION OF THE TRENDY USE OF “NOT” IN COMBINATION WITH THE AFFIRMATIVE FORM, TO WIT: NOT MATURE, RATHER THAN IMMATURE; NOT KIND, RATHER THAN UNKIND, ETC. COULD AGAIN SIMPLIFY RATHER THAN COMPLICATE AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE. VAMOS A VER!

ADJECTIVES LEND THEMSELVES BEAUTIFULLY TO THE CONCEPT OF REGULARITY, NOT IRREGULARITY WITH RESPECT TO “DEGREE”, OR SO IT SEEMS, AND, THEREFORE, ANOTHER COMPLICATION CAN BE ELIMINATED. THE USE OF “GOOD; BETTER; BEST” AMONG THE MOST “ILLOGICAL” IN STANDARD ENGLISH AND THE USE OF MORE/MOST, AS IN BEAUTIFUL; MORE BEAUTIFUL; MOST BEAUTIFUL, ARE EVEN MORE DAUNTING TO LEARNERS,BUT, CAN BE SIMPLIFIED BY USING THE BASIC ADJECTIVE AND ADDING “ER” OR “EST”. THUS, GOOD; GOODER; GOODEST (GUD; GUDER; GUDEST) AND BEAUTIFUL; BEAUTIFULER; BEAUTIFULEST (BUTIFUL; BUTIFULER; BUTIFULEST) RESOLVE “THIS LANDMINE”. THE ORIGINATOR OF “HIGH; HIGHER; HIGHEST”MIGHT NOW SEEM LIKE A “GENIUS”, EXCEPT, OF COURSE, FOR THE “GH”. WHERE DID “THEY” COME FROM? (HI; HIER; HIEST) ANOTHER “GENIUS” SUGGESTED “BIG; BIGGER; BIGGEST”. (BIG; BIGER; BIGEST). ONE MUST AT LEAST ASK, WHAT DID HE/SHE HAVE TO GAIN FROM “DECIDING” (DECREEING?) THAT THE CONSONANT MUST BE DOUBLED IN ORDER TO SPEAK/WRITE THIS ADJECTIVE CORRECTLY?

ANOTHER DREADED AREA, AMONG POTENTIAL LEARNERS OF STANDARD ENGLISH, ARE THOSE WORDS POLITELY KNOWN AS VERBS WHICH TEND TO COME WITH FRIGHTENING REGULARITY IN THE “IRREGULAR” FORM. :-) THE AUTHOR HASTENS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT VARIOUS UNPRINTABLE ADJECTIVES ARE OFTEN ATTACHED TO SUCH VERBS. THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NO IRRATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS IN OTHER LANGUAGES, E.G. THE RANDOM ASSIGNMENT OF GENDER TO INANIMATE OBJECTS. SUCH CHARACTERISTICS DEFY REASON TO THOSE INTERESTED IN COMMUNICATION. THOSE WHO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE(S) MAY OFFER A PROFOUND ETIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR THEIR EXISTENCE, BUT THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, “WHY CONTINUE THE INSANITY”? USING PARSIMONY AS THE BASIS FOR I.E. IS PARAMOUNT TO THE AUTHOR.

THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT REGULARITY IN VERBS IS ALSO A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN A USEFUL INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE. AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT, THIS NECESSITATES THE SIMPLIFICATION OF VERB USAGE, MUCH THE SAME AS N.A.S.A. NOW CONCLUDES THAT MANY OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE “CAMEL”, KNOWN AS THE SPACE SHUTTLE, DERIVE FROM AN OVERLY COMPLICATED VEHICLE WHEN LOOKED AT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF “SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY” ENTERING AND RETURNING FROM SPACE, BUT, THAT IS ANOTHER SUBJECT.

IN COMMUNICATING WHAT OCCURS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE PURPOSE OF VERBS, IT IS THOUGHT THAT ONLY A TIME FRAME IS NEEDED TO GIVE MEANING TO THE SUBJECT. HOWEVER, BOWING TO “CONVENTION”, ONE MUST ALSO DEAL WITH “AGREEMENT IN NUMBER” BETWEEN SUBJECT AND VERB. SINCE THE AUTHOR KNOWS OF ONLY THREE TEMPORAL CONCEPTS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE THAT ARE “NECESSARY” TO FRAME COMMUNICATION, THEY SHOULD SUFFICE FOR I.E.. A VERB WHICH EXISTS IN THE PRESENT FORM, IF SPELLED USING THE PRINCIPLE OF VOWELS WITH TWO SOUNDS AND DELETING SILENT LETTERS, LEAVES AVAILABLE THE ADDITION OF “ED”, AS A SEPARATE SYLLABLE, TO THE VERB TO INDICATE THAT THE ACTION OCCURRED IN THE PAST. IMMEDIATELY, THE CONFUSION PRESENTLY ENCOUNTERED, AS TO WHETHER THE WORD THEN RETAINS THE SAME NUMBER OF SYLLABLES OR REQUIRES ANOTHER, IS RESOLVED BY THE AUTHOR’S “NEW NORMAL” OF HAVING A SYLLABLE FOR EACH VOWEL. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PAST OF “RUN” IS NOT “RAN” BUT IS WRITTEN BY ADDING “ED” (RUNED), TO BE PRONOUNCED IN TWO SYLLABLES, “RUN-ED”. FORTUNATELY, THE USE OF A “SINGLE” MODIFIER, “WILL” (WIL), RATHER THAN A PLETHORA OF INDICATORS (MIGHT, COULD, SHOULD, MAY, ET. AL.) UNIFORMLY PLACES THE ACTION IN THE FUTURE.

AGREEMENT IN NUMBER IS ANOTHER DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE NOUN CHANGES FROM ONE TO “MORE THAN ONE”. FOR EXAMPLE, I, YOU, HE, SHE, IT “GO” IS SUFFICIENT FOR UNDERSTANDING. WE, YOU, THEY) (PLURALS) IS WRITTEN AS “GOS” TO AGREE IN NUMBER WITH THE SUBJECT. IF THE ABOVE ACTION OCCURRED IN THE PAST, SIMPLY WRITE/SAY “GOED” (TWO SYLLABLES, GO-ED) OR GOEDS FOR PLURAL. AS FOR THE FUTURE, “WILL GO” (WIL GOS) COMMUNICATES ALL THAT IS NEEDED IN THE REAL WORLD.

SOME ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES MAY BE IN ORDER. THE VERB “TO BE” IS NORMALLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE ALL BUT THE MOST TALENTED AND PERSISTENT STUDENTS OF STANDARD ENGLISH TO GIVE UP. I “AM/WAS”, HE “IS/WAS”, WE “ARE/WERE”, ALL “WILL BE” AND “?”, CAN EASILY USE “ARE” SINCE THE PLURAL INCLUDES THE SINGULAR RATHER THAN THE REVERSE. TO EXPOUND; I “WALK”/”WALK-ED”, YOU WALKED/WALK-ED. THEY WALKS; WALK-EDS; AS THE PLURAL. THE FUTURE IS “WILL WALK/WALKS” DEPENDING UPON THE NUMBER INVOLVED.

AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE USE OF DOUBLE LETTERS, WHERE SINGLE LETTERS (LETERS) WILL (WIL) DO, CAN BE DISPENSED WITH. (REALLY “BAD GRAMMAR”, I KNOW) STILL, ONE MIGHT REJOICE AT THE IMPROVEMENT IN SPELLING (AND TEST SCORES) AMONG THE USERS OF I.E. WHEN THESE “LANDMINES” ARE REMOVED FROM THE SKILLS (SKILS) NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE. (KOMUNIKAT)

AS SUGGESTED BEFORE, THE CREATION OF PLURALS IS ACHIEVED BY SIMPLY ADDING “S”, WITHOUT CREATING A NEED TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SYLLABLE. CARS ARE SIMPLY “KARS”. HOMES ARE SIMPLY “HOMS” ET. AL. OBVIOUSLY, ABANDONING THE USE OF SYNONYMS WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE NEED FOR VOCABULARY, WHICH SHOULD (WIL?) BE GOOD NEWS TO LEARNERS (AND TREES). FORTUNATELY, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HOMONYMS MAY BE “DEFINED” BY CONTEXT.

USING THE ABOVE CRITERIA (KRITEREA) A PERSON (PERHAPS NOT A COMMITTEE) COULD CREATE A DICTIONARY OF I.E. IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME AND RETIRE ON THE ROYALTIES. ONE DOUBTS THAT “ANY” INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COULD RESIST THE LURE OF A MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR ASSOCIATES AND CLIENTS. OF COURSE, GOVERNMENTS, INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THE UNITED NATIONS AND CULTURES MORE CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AND DIVERGENT TONGUES ACCORDING TO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WILL PROBABLY DITHER THEMSELVES TO DISTRACTION WHILE COMMON SENSE WILL LEAD THE PROGRESS IN WORLD COMMUNICATION.

AS NOTED, THIS IS THE “SAME PROCESS” USED IN THE TRANSITION TO THE METRIC SYSTEM, WHICH GREATLY SIMPLIFIED THE MATHEMATICS INVOLVED IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND COMMERCE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, (EXCEPT IN THE “GOOD Ol’ U.S.A.). IN TIME, THE HACKS IN GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION WILL EVENTUALLY BE FORCED TO PROVIDE FOR SUCH CHANGES OR BECOME EVEN MORE IRRELEVANT AND PROVINCIAL IN THEIR EFFORTS TO BURY THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND AND PROTECT “TRADITION”. WHY, THE AUTHOR WONDERS, HAVE NOT THE INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING TAKEN THE LEAD IN A WORLD WHERE ARTIFICIAL BOUNDARIES ARE INCREASINGLY BREACHED IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE?

GIVEN THE MELDING OF WRITTEN AND ORAL LANGUAGE IS IMMUTABLE, SOME THOUGHT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THE MODE OF INTEGRATING THESE FORMS. THESE COMPLICATED PARTS OF WRITING, WHICH ARE OBVIATED IN ORAL COMMUNICATION (FOR ALL EXCEPT THE GREAT VICTOR BORGE), DEAL WITH PUNCTUATION AND CAPITALIZATION. POSSIBLY, A DECISION SHOULD BE MADE TO WRITE EVERYTHING IN EITHER CAPS OR SMALL LETTERS. OBVIOUSLY, THE AUTHOR PREFERS CAPITALS, BUT, IF ONE IS REQUIRED TO WRITE BY HAND (CURSIVE), IT IS THOUGHT THAT SMALL LETTERS MIGHT LEND THEMSELVES BETTER TO THIS ENDEAVOR. STILL, IN THE EVOLVING WORLD OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND THE DWINDLING ABILITY OF NASCENT GENERATIONS TO WRITE LEGIBLY, IT IS PROBABLY BETTER TO ACCEPT WHATEVER FORM THE WRITER CHOOSES TO USE AND DISREGARD THE “PRECEDENT/EDICT?” THAT SAYS “CAPITALS DENOTE YELLING”. WHAT PLANET DID THAT “GENIUS” COME FROM?.

TO REVIEW, (A COMMON PRACTICE OF ALL TEACHERS) ELIMINATING “SUPERFLUOUS” LETTERS; USING THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF PHONETICS; AND ELIMINATING AS MANY “IRREGULARITIES” AS POSSIBLE ALLOWS USERS OF LANGUAGE TO DEAL MORE RATIONALLY WITH THE OVERRIDING NEED FOR “COMMUNICATION” NOT “CONFORMANCE” TO AN “IRRATIONAL IDIOM”. THE ARCHAIC PROCESSES OF DECIDING BETWEEN “S”; “ES”; CHANGING “Y” TO “I” AND ADDING “ES”; ONE SYLLABLE OR TWO, ET. AL. ARE ALSO ELIMINATED.

IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE ELIMINATION OF IRREGULAR VERBS MAY CONSTITUTE THE “GREATEST ADVANTAGE” OF INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH OVER THE TRADITIONAL VERSION. FURTHERMORE, BY LIMITING TENSES TO “STRICTLY” PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, ONE SIMPLY USES THE PRESENT FORM OF THE VERB AND ADDS “ED” (AS A SEPARATE SYLLABLE) TO SIGNIFY THE PAST OR INSERTS “WILL” (WIL) TO DESIGNATE THE FUTURE.

A FINAL EXAMPLE MAY CONSTITUTE “SUFFICIENT CLARITY” FOR THOSE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO “CHANGE”, EVEN IF THE “CHANGE” IS OBVIOUSLY BENEFICIAL TO ALL. THE VERB “GO” IS CHANGED TO “WILL GO” OR “GOED” (GO-ED). THE PLURAL BECOMES “GOS”; WILL GOS; OR “GOEDS” (GO-EDS)AND IT IS NEVER NECESSARY TO “GUESS” WHETHER A NOUN IS SINGULAR (SHEEP ) OR PLURAL (SHEEP) BEFORE USING THE “APPROPRIATE VERB”.
THE EXAMPLE: SHEP GO; WILL GO; GOED! OR SHEPS GOS; WILL GOS; GOEDS TO THE BARN.

“PLEASE” REMEMBER, THE FOCUS OF AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE IS COMMUNICATION. WHATEVER LENDS ITSELF TO THAT GOAL IS THE CORRECT WAY TO GO. TO PARAPHRASE AN OLD MAXIM, “COMMUNICATION” IS TOO IMPORTANT TO BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF “EXPERTS”. DOES ANYONE RECALL “A LANGUAGE EXPERT” IN MODERN TIMES THAT WAS THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED WITH “COMMUNICATION”?

ENJOY. TOM

Localnotions.blogspot.com

P.S. IT SEEMS PRUDENT TO “ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS”, E.G. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL (UNIVERSAL?) LANGUAGE IS A “WORK IN PROGRESS”. AS IN THE “WIKIPEDIA PROJECT”, ANY “IMPROVEMENTS” TO THE PROCESS ARE ‘MORE THAN WELCOME”. STILL, THE AUTHOR HARBORS THE “HOPE” THAT THIS FRAMEWORK WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE THAT WILL BE “USEFUL” TO ALL HUMANS.