The Curse of Questioning

 

The Curse of Questioning

   Questioning the truth of the propositions being daily proposed to you will put you at odds with many of the folks that surround you.  You will find yourself living in a different world.  This morning a breakfast experience pointed this out to me.  The milk bottle proudly displayed:

 

                                    “2% Milk*

                        * 37% Less Fat Than Whole Milk,

            2% Milkfat, Vitamins A&D, Grade A

                        Pasteurized, Homogenized”

 

   A question entered my mind when I read the above on the milk bottle.  “What is the fat content of whole milk?”  Apply a little algebra and the answer is: whole milk fat = x/.63, or 3%.  That is to say, “When one buys 2% milk they are reducing their fat consumption from 3% of the glass of milk to 2% of it (A one percent reduction in fat consumption).  I believe that “37% Less Fat Than Whole Milk” gives the reader a different image.  This is an example of the questioning curse.  Asking questions will put you in a different reality.

   Successful advertising makes great use of this lack of questioning mind set.  A perfect example (mentioned in a previous blog) is Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance.  A successful ad of theirs tells you that you can customize your coverage to fit your needs and what you can afford.  I started buying auto insurance in 1956 and have been able to customize my auto policy coverage from every company I have ever insured with.  It’s not a competitive advantage.  They all offer it.  We know that … and yet Liberty has run this ad consistently on TV for over a decade.  Someone must think it is quite an advantage.  You can fool a hell of a lot of people for a very long time.  When money rushes in … truth rushes out.

   One of my favorite examples of not questioning what you see is not questioning how those two buildings that fell on 9/11, in the manner that they did, without the aid of demolition.  You saw that they fell nearly as fast as a freely falling body and did not tip, but landed directly on their foot print.  Would the steel beams that support the structure have allowed that?   My first question in viewing that event was where are the beams?  The government answer is they melted.  My question from that answer is, if an aircraft can fly from Los Angeles to Hawaii burning the same fuel, yet not melting its engines (made of pretty much the same material as the beams) how the hell did the beams disappear?  And if melting of beams was involved, how could they have melted evenly on all sides of the buildings at the same moment thereby allowing the building not to tip during its fall, but land on their own footprint?  One building would be a miracle.  Two would be impossible.  A little research on the happening, not simply using reason, reveals that kerosene (jet fuel) burns at 1800 degrees and the beams melt at 2800 degrees.  The beams did melt.  Yet they had to; requiring modern demolition.  If you would like to see samples of modern demolition, watch the demolition of Trump Tower in Atlantic City or the demolition of the second half of the townhouse tower in Surfside, Florida.  They have the same signature of demolition as the Twin Towers.

   When you see one ex-football coach Senator hold up the promotion of over 300 military officers, do you question what rule of the Senate allows that?  When you see the majority leader of The Senate not allow any bill passed by the opposing party’s majority House (over 300 bills) not brought to the floor for discussion or a vote, do you wonder if our democracy is functioning.  Both houses of congress must pass a bill before it is signed into law.

  If you would like some alone time, question the prevalent world view.

Cheers, Old Buz          1/12/2024

Iambloggerbuz.blogspot.com

“He who knows all the answers has not considered all the questions.” – Confucius

"Presidential Immunity"

“Presidential Immunity”

   The Presidential Campaign for 2024 seems to be centering on Presidential Immunity.   Democracy seems to be secondary, but perhaps it is the basic issue.  The Ex-President, Donald Trump and his law team seem to be arguing that a president should not be held responsible for his illegal acts during or after his presidency.  The man Trump will run against in 2024, Joe Biden, would argue that a President is responsible for his acts in office and that the Legal Branch of the government is responsible for judging the legality of those acts.  Which position would best guide the Nation forward?  Only Hope will protect the Nation if Trump is elected.  I would rather rely on logic and history.

   Mr. Trump stated in 2015 that a “star” such as him could grab a woman by her private parts, if he found her appealing, and that he could shoot a person on 5^th Avenue, with impunity.  He demonstrated this attitude throughout his time in office and beyond.  It is his guiding light.  He said yesterday that a depression in our economy before the 2024 election would help his campaign.  It is true, but what will it do for you?  Are you going to vote for your and your neighbor’s benefit or for the benefit of Donald Trump?  That has always been the question.

   Mr. Biden has a history of favoring large dollar interests.  That is the guiding force of Our Government as well.  When as a senator he argued against Harvard professor, Elizabeth Warren, Joe was on the Bank’s Team and Elizabeth sided with The People.  Senator Biden won that Senate vote and later Senator Warren lost a Presidential Primary against Biden, while withdrawing from the election and throwing her support to Biden.  Gold Rules!  This putting dollars ahead of people is a small amount helpful to people (you).  But Trump’s philosophy of “Me First” (Presidential Immunity) is only possibly advantageous to you if you are a criminal.

   That is why Biden will win the independent vote.  Those folks are not locked in.  Hopefully their vote will be based on history, reason and a realistic view of the future.  The independent vote hopefully will carry the election.  The independents are a large (about a third of the electorate) and growing group.  They are fueled in their independence by the childish partisan acts of elected officials.  Joe Biden is not the perfect candidate.  His guiding stars are the economy and its people.  Joe is too old for the job.  Donald Trump is not the perfect candidate either.  His sole guiding star is Donald Trump.  His star isn’t very bright and he is also too old for the job.  Biden has empathy.  Trump is a pompous ass.  Who are you going to vote for?

   In the previous post I quoted Albert Einstein saying in satire, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.”  If Trump wins in November, Einstein has something there and perhaps a democracy is not the best way to govern.

Cheers, Old Buz           January 9^th, 2024

Iambloggerbuz.blogspot.com

 

“It is far easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.”     

     - Mark Twain 

Einstein on Human Stupidity

 

Einstein on Human Stupidity

   In reading quotes in goodreads.com/quotes, I came across this quote of Albert Einstein, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.”  I’m not sure that I see this as a compliment, but I am certain that Einstein said it satirically.  I know this as surely as Einstein did because if the statement were true no human would be smart enough to accurately assess the data available on the subject.

   That infinite stupidity is certainly applicable to certain large groups of humans.  Especially to those who place loyalty above reason.  Loyalty to flag, loyalty to religion, loyalty to science, loyalty to skin color, loyalty to family these are the main drivers away from individual logic and reason.  A good example of faith and loyalty in The Holy Land can be observed by watching the daily news.  The Holiday Season is a good time to keep this in mind. 

   I realize that few of you reading this are potential Trump voters.  No independent thinking woman would vote for an admitted and convicted rapist, but I did ask a Republican female friend if she intended to vote for him and she said, “Yes, I don’t respect him, but I do believe that he will be good for my 401K.”  Albert may have something.

   We on the American continent speak of the Greek belief of gods fathering offspring with human females as Greek Mythology.  Yet when we speak of this improbable mating we call it Religion.  Is this a valid example of loyalty to one’s religion?

  Now for the Holy Grail, Science.  Ask a friend in the scientific field if he or she believes in the Big Bang Theory (the theory of something from nothing).  I have found that most will say that they do.  Question them further and if honest, they will admit that they don’t fully understand it.  Their belief is based on faith in Science.  I then propose my Infinite “Big Plop Theory” and am laughed at.  Big Plop will be the next belief by the scientific community and they will probably be wrong again.  I admire scientific inquiry since it questions its own findings and admits when previous conclusions appear to be errors.  Science involves itself in a never ending search for truth.  Along the way it finds some answers.  As an agnostic, I understand that.

   At this point in time my greatest fantasy wish would be to join Albert Einstein during his lifetime for a cup of coffee and a conversation about his love of satire.

Cheers, Old Buz                         12/18/2023                                                                                             

Iambloggerbuz.blogspot.com

“The loyalists follow the under tail scent of the lemmings in front of them.”                       – Old Buz

Draconian Pharma

Draconian Pharma

   I live by the grace of a drug marketed by AbbVie Pharmaceuticals.  You and your children will die by their hands.  The vehicle that will be your demise is called greed.  It is the driving force behind many other drug companies as well.  Here is my and your story.  I told the story in a previous blog, Golden Goose Economics, but I employed satire to tell the tale.  Satire is a language not understood by some, so here is the threat without satire.

   In 2009 my annual blood tests showed that I had CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) a deadly malignancy.  It remained in the “wait and see” stage until in 2019 the lymphocyte count went up to stage three.  At that time my oncologist recommended a drug called Imbruvica (the generic name is Ibrutinib) at a cost to Medicare of 195 thousand dollars/year/patient.  It required that I pay a three thousand dollar a month copay.  I don’t have three thousand dollars a month over and above my living costs.  So, I turned the offer to extend my life down.

   Soon after my turn down I received a call from a foundation ready to pay my required copay.  The young woman asked me what my annual income was, and then said that I had qualified for the assistance.  I have applied for many financial programs in my life and have never had one approved without income verification.  This fact prompted me to ask, “Who funds this foundation?”  She confirmed my suspicions by answering, “The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.”  I understood that the Pharmaceutical (AbbVie) had priced the drug so high that the bulk of the potential patients could not afford the copay.  And, they would receive their donation back from the foundation when the copay was returned.  This draconian plan was probably engineered by Richard Gonzales, CEO of AbbVie.  The CLL organization estimates that there are presently, approximately two hundred thousand Medicare patients with CLL.  With this number of clients AbbVie would recover its investment of twenty one billion dollars for the patent rights of Ibrutinib in about a year and a half.  This is an excellent return on investment and spells out the end of Medicare.  There are other pharmaceuticals joining the program.  The financial success is no secret among them.

   Who is to blame for this egregious future ending of Medicare?  Let’s start at the bottom.  I am.  I am willing to participate in this scam so that I may live longer.  Next up, my oncologist.  They do not prescribe the drug without knowledge of the preceding events.  They could try to change it with their powerful AMA lobbyists.  But, in the short run, if they like being willfully blind, the drug offers effective patient care.  Next up, the pharmaceuticals and their lobbyists, they fully understand the game.  The CEOs like Gonzales are so infected with greed (the malignant form of self-preservation) that they are willing to sacrifice the lives of their children and their children’s children.  At the top of the corruption are your elected representatives.  They are the folks that create and enforce patent rights.  You elected them to serve the people, not the soulless wealth of the nation.

   What are patent rights?  They are designed to protect the rights of the creator of a desirable product and to reward the toil of a creator.  When Celera Pharmaceutical sold Ibrutinib to Pharmacyclics for three million dollars it was probably for a fair profit and to a company capable of logistics required to produce and distribute the product.  Then Johnson & Johnson paid Pharmacyclics for its patent rights $975 million.  Are you starting to smell a foul odor?  The next transaction has AbbVie paying $21 billion for these patent rights.  A billion is a thousand millions.  Twenty-one of them is going to result in a very high price for a lifesaving drug.  Are we dealing with greed now or protecting an inventor?  The purpose of any law is a shield for those in need of protection, not a sword for the greedy.  A well written patent law would protect the creator and perhaps a distributer with the purchase at perhaps 15% over the book value of the company, but no protection to a third purchaser.  This would be fair and effective.  With the large dollar influence on those who govern us, fair and effective is rare.

Cheers, Old Buz                   December 4^th, 2023

Remember:

“One cannot fool all of the people all of the time … and that is why we have two political parties.” - Anon                                                                                                                                             

A Black Santa !?

A Black Santa !?

   Today I watched an advertisement for a Disney film featuring a Black Santa and Black Elves.  After spending my entire life as a Honky (a Fade) I was shocked and offended by having a white mythological figure portrayed by a black mythological figure.  The Santa myth is ours, not theirs, just as the Jesus myth is ours.  Ask yourself, “What will it take to Make America Great Again?”   

   There is an assault taking place on white privilege.  It must be stopped at any cost.  Even the election of Herr Drump, Verminemeister to the office of President, is not too much of a mistake.  Those who run Disney are WINOs (White In Name Only) and must be eliminated.  The previous words are my view of MAGA (Morons Against Government, Association), of those still on the Trump Train.

   There is no valid reason for the mythological Santa to be a white man.  He represents the imaginary Christmas gift giver to small children.  But, small Black children actually get their gifts from a Black Santa.  My children got their gifts from Mrs. Clause, since my wife has always been the parent to shop for gifts in our family.

   So Santa can be black or white or of color or a man or a woman or a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim.  The Santa mythology can be owned by any of us, as can the Jesus mythology.  Jews and learned theologians will say He was a Jew, born of a married Jewish virgin and the Creator of a Universe, 47 Billion Light Years in diameter and growing at the exact same rate as the power of our telescopes.  Right Wing Christians may claim Him as theirs and people of color may do the same.  I don’t know where Mary and The Creator met, but their serendipity meeting sure changed the future of the Western World.  Realizing that this story is mythology should take place at about the same age that a child learns who Santa actually is, but somehow in some, the delusion persists throughout their lives.

   Why is this important?  Because belief in religion can lead to love and joy or it can lead to hate and murder as it presently does in The Holy Land.  As an agnostic, I can live without it.

Cheers, Old Buz        11/15/2023

Iambloggerbuz.blogspot.com

Biblical Wisdom

 “Live by the foma* that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.” – The Book of Bokonon I:5 – Translation by Kurt Vonnegut

*foma = harmless untruths 

"I don't care what people say ..."

   The full sentence from this song of my youth was, “I don’t care what people say.  Rock and Roll is here to stay.”  This song introduced in 1957 by Danny & The Juniors was an instant hit and a gold record.  There was obvious wisdom in the lyrics.  There was also a small unimportant untruth.  Two things can be true at the same time.  The small lie was, “I don’t care what people say.”  Danny’s group cared very much about the size of their concerts and the sales of their records.  They were professional entertainers.  Their prediction that, “Rock and Roll is here to stay” has proven to be correct.

   “Rock and Roll is here to stay,” I don’t see as a compliment to the listener.  The melodies of the music are not particularly pleasing.  The lyrics are simple, repetitive, not poetic and generally offer little message.  The instruments are more pounded on than played.  On occasion, a guitar is destroyed at the end of a song being performed.  I would guess that it is all about the beat.  It is easily danced to.  And that is a good thing.  Perhaps, the only good thing about it.  If one were only to listen to it and not dance to it, I would venture that it is to music what cage fighting is to sports.  Both are here to stay.

   Why am I writing this?  And better yet, why are you reading it?  Perhaps the basis for this blog is that the simple majority here in America has no taste.  The proof of this was in the presidential election of 2016, when they elected Donald Trump.  To be fair to the voters, the majority did not vote for him, but we do accept a system where it doesn’t require a majority to be elected.

Rock & Roll is here to stay, Old Buz               11/06/2023

 

Remember:

“One cannot fool all of the people all of the time … and that is why we have two political parties.” - Anon          

In His Name

 

In His Name

   I have just been watching a couple of hours of the cable news coverage of the war in Gaza.  It is being fought “In His Name.”  The casualties are primarily civilian.  It involves burning small children alive, having parents killed before their children’s eyes and having children killed before their parents’ eyes.  Human intelligence cannot be underestimated in time of war. “In His name.”  The name, “God” is mythological, but the results of this biblical delusion are very real.  How long will humans march to the music of “Our god is the only true god and the others (nonbelievers) must die?”  History would tell us that these gullible folks will always be and have always been and that they are most often in the majority.  The Gaza War is biblical.  Future mythology will have it in God’s name and the victors will have God at their side, while the vanquished will be punished for their sinful existence.  Could there be truth in this evaluation of human slaughter?  Is God’s justice being carried out in the slaughter of women, children and yes innocent men?  It is after all the same justice as was carried out in the Passover story or the story of Noah and his ark.  In the Passover story the first born sons of a population were killed by God and His army of angels while they knew not of their sin.  God saved Noah and his family (along with two of each living critters) while drowning the rest of the innocents on the planet.  I suppose that the fish were also saved.  How could a fish be a sinner?

   The faithful believe that the first woman was born of the first man’s rib about six thousand years ago, when God created The Universe in six days and rested on the seventh.  Once again, “You cannot underestimate human intelligence.”  The recent Gaza event started when the Muslims of Gaza kicked the Jews of Israel in the groin.  This is an act very similar to kicking Superman in the groin.  Superman, in response, will predictably leave Clark Kent far behind.   Those heroes (butchers) of Hamas knew that they were killing their own families with that kick.  However their leaders saw it as a worthwhile endeavor.  Once again, you cannot underestimate human intelligence.  So, the innocents will continue to die in the name of a mythological figure.  I have heard some very well educated individuals say that the mythology has a good effect on society.  I would prefer truth.  Truth is a better pathway from the past to the future.  Will we see truth prevail in our next era of Artificial Intelligence?  One can only hope so.

   As a retired American, in his eighties, witnessing the human slaughter on his Cable TV, I am not able to put on a uniform and carry a weapon into the mayhem, killing strangers or being killed by them.  I can only scratch my head and say, “Why is this happening?”  I believe the answer lies with our US Senate, a group of one hundred (primarily attorneys) who cannot figure out how to overrule one member who is holding up the formality of military promotions of over three hundred officers in the time of war in the world.  “It’s the rule!”  Well, change it, God damn it.  Again, you cannot underestimate human intelligence.

Cheers, Old Buz                      November 4^th, 2023

 

“To the common folk, religion is truth.

To the wise, religion is false.

To the leaders, religion is useful.”

- Seneca the Younger (4 BC – 68 AD)