Ask anyone to define perfection and the simplest description of this vague concept won't be too far from the following: "A state of mind or a physical condition where imperfection is non-existent."
If I have to go back to our simian past (assuming you have no objection to the possibility that you once dangled from trees or roamed the plains hunting for anything to eat) that brings me to question why nature gave us just one opposable thumb on each hand. Would not two have been better? Perhaps 6 digits would be too much when we wrestle with a typewriter keyboard using six fingers. QWERTY would cease to exist and DFGHJK might take its place!
Assuming there was a missing link (to what one must ask) then there was no need for a tail, right? If that's true, how did we achieve balance as we learned to walk upright? Oh, the fluids in your ear took over the functions of the tail! And why not have four eyes instead of just two? Some insects have eyes that use many lenses (like the fly). Ah, that would be imperfect for us homos! Look at the fly - despite his having five thousand lenses in his eye he can't see my hand coming down on him! I know his trick - he takes off in a rearward direction so I aim two to three inches behind. And SWAT! He's flat as a pancake. If I don't soap my hands and rub vigorously, that'll be imperfection. And if I had more than two eyes I might be a more confused critter to be renamed "Homo confusius."
Fast forward to the real world. If I live in a society where I can't find a decent source of livelihood, that's imperfection. If I try and still fail to improve myself (because I'm lazy?) that's imperfection. If I elect a moron to public office, that's imperfection. If I protest the imperfections of the moron I elected into office (that's not imperfection) that's stupidity.
So where did imperfection start? It began from my inability to accept QWERTY because the Filipino alphabet has no "Q" and yet I spell my nationality with an "F" rather than a "P" when we have no "F" in our alphabet too. That's too much imperfection but it ought to make us think about the subject more deeply.
So, do we really need to be perfect? If the world were perfect, the weak will cease to exist, right? Wrong. If everything is perfect that would be an anomaly for we will be frozen into one condition - no forward nor backward movement. It's a status quo forever. Like the angels of old, we'll get bored and mount a rebellion!
In short, let the moron vote idiots into public office and let those crooks who get elected steal all they can and let the pseudo-intelligent ones mount protests and even go to the extent of rising in revolt! That will make life interesting. Let everyone be a movie star or a TV personality first before running for public office. It's a perfect preparation for a political career and the idiots who will vote for them are PERFECT patsies!
Long live Perfecto, Gregorio - a signatory to the 1935 Philippine Constitution!
I write this in memory of Gregorio Perfecto - signatory to the Constitution foisted on us by America. As member of the Supreme Court he's known more for his dissenting opinions than his agreeing with the majority. His wisdom ought to awaken Obama as well as Aquino: In Mercado v. People's Court (1948)... on search and seizure, he wrote: "May the government profit from an illegality, an unconstitutional act, or even a crime to serve its aims, including the loftiest? May justice be administered by making use of the fruits of a lawless action?"
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
The Pinoy Middle Class Lives Abroad!
Why is There no Middle Class in the Philippines?
There is a simple answer: they left! Four (4) million middle class Pinoys are in the US and another million is scattered around the world.
The Filipino expat in the US is the cream of the cream. They're highly educated and their incomes in the US often outstrip that of the educated White middle class. These Pinoys are the adventurous ones. Many are frustrated entrepreneurs who gave up in the Philippines where the incentive to succeed is blocked by rampant corruption in government. Unwilling to play the game of the billionaires and millionaires who use bribery as a business tool, these Pinoys struck out for really greener pastures. Following closely on their heels are the families of Filipino seamen and other overseas workers. Patiently, they remit their income to their families, encouraging the latter to improve their lot through education and other advance types of training.
The next step is migration. Doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, teachers - you name the calling - are leaving by the planeload every week. Since the Pinoy speaks a brand of English that's easy to understand, their ventures abroad often result in success. In the days of Jose Garcia Villa the Pinoy was viewed as an upstart by the Whites. Not anymore. We are seen as competition!
Today the Pinoy stands on equal footing with the elite Whites. The Hispanics are in second place when it comes to education and economic achievement in the US. The Hispanics, though superior to the Blacks in many respects, are still far away from the Pinoy when it comes to academic achievement. The Pinoy in the US is not going to be pushed against the wall anymore. He has become a force to be reckoned with. The Asians (Koreans, Chinese, Japanese) are also edging their White counterparts in small businesses as well as in many technical fields to the dismay of the White academe.
Koreans and Chinese owners of small business labor, on the average, 14 hours a day. While the rest of the city sleeps, the Korean grocer is in the basement packaging his wares for the next day's business. Like the Chinese, the Koreans shun, as a general rule, ostentatious displays. Proudly riding around in a used Kia, they don't mention the fact that they're very active in Wall Street. Most successful silicon valley businesses have backbones composed mostly of math and physics geniuses who saw light in India, Pakistan, Korean and China.
What does the foregoing indicate about the Pinoy stuck in the Philippines? He's either lazy or lacking in vision. All he wants in life is a steady source of employment and a retirement pension by the time he's 60! When his life takes a turn for the worse he complains about everything: lack of opportunities in the country; corrupt public officials; high prices; poor public transportation; bad TV shows; etc. He does not complain that he's lazy or lacking in ambition. He sees joining a march to Luneta or Malacanan as more practical than watching his expenses and going back to school for additional training. When the politician asks for his vote, the Pinoy puts out his hand, palm facing up!
Education and a change in attitude are the only things that will save the Pinoy. There's no need to explain the value of education. But attitude needs to be turned around on its head. The Pinoy has to stop depending on government, friends and relatives for help. He has to learn and accept the fact that only he can help himself. Opening an internet cafe, selling roasted peanuts, starting a tricycle or jeepney business are stupid enterprises. Becoming a 'born again' christian is more stupid.
Pinoy - go back to school! Learn the ways of the rich! Copy the business plan of the Chinese: eat lugaw and tuyo to build capital; ride the jeepney instead of buying a Mercedez Bens; learn to wear hand-me-downs. Then when you have enough capital, come up with a damn good business plan and work your fucking ass off! Don't start a BBQ stand, moron! That's for people without brains. Forget the lugaw business - that's "tubong nilugaw!"
And stop making babies you can't feed! The archbishop will send the collection money to Rome rather than share it with you.
I guarantee you, in two or three generations, life in the Philippines will really be more fun!
There is a simple answer: they left! Four (4) million middle class Pinoys are in the US and another million is scattered around the world.
The Filipino expat in the US is the cream of the cream. They're highly educated and their incomes in the US often outstrip that of the educated White middle class. These Pinoys are the adventurous ones. Many are frustrated entrepreneurs who gave up in the Philippines where the incentive to succeed is blocked by rampant corruption in government. Unwilling to play the game of the billionaires and millionaires who use bribery as a business tool, these Pinoys struck out for really greener pastures. Following closely on their heels are the families of Filipino seamen and other overseas workers. Patiently, they remit their income to their families, encouraging the latter to improve their lot through education and other advance types of training.
The next step is migration. Doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, teachers - you name the calling - are leaving by the planeload every week. Since the Pinoy speaks a brand of English that's easy to understand, their ventures abroad often result in success. In the days of Jose Garcia Villa the Pinoy was viewed as an upstart by the Whites. Not anymore. We are seen as competition!
Today the Pinoy stands on equal footing with the elite Whites. The Hispanics are in second place when it comes to education and economic achievement in the US. The Hispanics, though superior to the Blacks in many respects, are still far away from the Pinoy when it comes to academic achievement. The Pinoy in the US is not going to be pushed against the wall anymore. He has become a force to be reckoned with. The Asians (Koreans, Chinese, Japanese) are also edging their White counterparts in small businesses as well as in many technical fields to the dismay of the White academe.
Koreans and Chinese owners of small business labor, on the average, 14 hours a day. While the rest of the city sleeps, the Korean grocer is in the basement packaging his wares for the next day's business. Like the Chinese, the Koreans shun, as a general rule, ostentatious displays. Proudly riding around in a used Kia, they don't mention the fact that they're very active in Wall Street. Most successful silicon valley businesses have backbones composed mostly of math and physics geniuses who saw light in India, Pakistan, Korean and China.
What does the foregoing indicate about the Pinoy stuck in the Philippines? He's either lazy or lacking in vision. All he wants in life is a steady source of employment and a retirement pension by the time he's 60! When his life takes a turn for the worse he complains about everything: lack of opportunities in the country; corrupt public officials; high prices; poor public transportation; bad TV shows; etc. He does not complain that he's lazy or lacking in ambition. He sees joining a march to Luneta or Malacanan as more practical than watching his expenses and going back to school for additional training. When the politician asks for his vote, the Pinoy puts out his hand, palm facing up!
Education and a change in attitude are the only things that will save the Pinoy. There's no need to explain the value of education. But attitude needs to be turned around on its head. The Pinoy has to stop depending on government, friends and relatives for help. He has to learn and accept the fact that only he can help himself. Opening an internet cafe, selling roasted peanuts, starting a tricycle or jeepney business are stupid enterprises. Becoming a 'born again' christian is more stupid.
Pinoy - go back to school! Learn the ways of the rich! Copy the business plan of the Chinese: eat lugaw and tuyo to build capital; ride the jeepney instead of buying a Mercedez Bens; learn to wear hand-me-downs. Then when you have enough capital, come up with a damn good business plan and work your fucking ass off! Don't start a BBQ stand, moron! That's for people without brains. Forget the lugaw business - that's "tubong nilugaw!"
And stop making babies you can't feed! The archbishop will send the collection money to Rome rather than share it with you.
I guarantee you, in two or three generations, life in the Philippines will really be more fun!
The Middle Class Pinoy is Imaginary
Middle Class People are Unicorns
In the Philippines, there are only two classes of people: the rich aristocrats and the barefooted servant class. The not-so-rich almost aristocrats invented the fiction of the middle class. But before I go on let me define the aristocratic class. These are the people, no matter whether they are billionaires or not who can afford to hire other people to serve them. That simplifies the definition of the servant class: specifically - those who serve for pay.
For statistical convenience and no other reason, the middle class was invented. This is composed of non-millionaires who are employed as blue collar workers. Many are lucky to be counted as being part of "junior management." Many rent houses or apartments and a few own modest-size houses and may also own a car or two and probably a second home. A lucky few become entrepreneurs and become millionaires. The rascals go into politics and become multi-mllionaires.
When we moved to BF Resort Village in Las Pinas back in the mid-70's, I was under the impression that my family belonged to the middle class. We owned a small house for which the mortgage was a mere PhP400 pesos. Back then the exchange rate was about PhP17 pesos to a dollar. We owned a TV set, a refrigerator, a stereo, an electric cooking range, CB radio, sewing machine and a few minor doodads. The car came later. I was employed as a lowly advertising kigmy called "a/e."
Initially, we did our own house cleaning in BF but since we could afford it, we hired a servant to do that chore. We even had a cook! See? we were almost "aristocrats" but that's where the similarity ended for I still worked for the capitalist. The laundry was done by Andeng, a middle-age professional laundrywoman from Pangasinan married to Pedro, a diabetic gopher who did odd jobs when he's not driving a jeepney for a living. Andeng and Pedro lived in a rundown shack built on somebody's land. They were the encargors of the owner (surnamed Leelin) The two had six children who sporadically attended public school only when Pedro had a driving job. When driving, he can give his children free rides to school 3 miles away. That is a long walk under the burning sun or pouring rain hence when no free ride is available their children stay home or hire themselves out to do odd jobs such as gardening, driving a tricycle or running errands.
One quality Andeng possessed was unquestionable honesty. If she finds money or anything of value in the clothes she's laundering she returns them. Her honesty also meant she had no secrets from us. If they had no food she lets us know indirectly and we share with her whatever extra we have. Andeng also helped my wife do some cooking. The most she enjoys doing is help us roast a leg of pork in the oven. Andeng collects all the fat that dripped into the baking pan plus some of the crispy skin and some lean meat to bring home with her.
"We'll fry our rice with this pork lard, add some anchovy paste and tomatoes to it and we'll have a delicious supper," she'd say. "I'll save the crispy skin and meat for Pedro so he'll have more energy when he drives the jeepney." Since we also had plenty of vegetables growing in our yard (spinach, sweet potatoes, taro, gourds, etc.) she would ask my wife for some to take home to add to the vegetables she harvests from her own yard (which is frequently picked and therefore almost bare). We didn't complain if one or two of her kids hang out with her while she's washing or pressing our clothes. We felt we had no reason to complain as we shared our meals with them for we were well off, comparatively speaking. However, we did feel uncomfortable and somewhat guilty when they eat the crab gills that we normally throw away.
When anyone in her family fell ill, their recourse is the public health center and their major "medicines" were Vicks, aspirin, oil of wintergreen and some watery cough syrup.
We left BF Resort Village around 1985 and my first visit was in 2008. My former neighbors said I missed Andeng by a few minutes. I passed by their former shack on the way home and saw a big modern apartment there. I asked people which apartment Andeng occupied. They never heard of her. I did learn that Pedro had passed away long ago about two years after his legs were amputated. I failed to learn where Andeng and her family were by the time I returned to New York.
Yes, Andeng was still hiring out her services to people but since washing machines were already everywhere, Andeng's work was mostly pressing clothes. I'm now 78 and Andeng must be 5 or 6 years my senior and she's still a part time servant. Never having held a factory or office job she doesn't qualify for social security pensions.
Andeng, as I write this, is probably dead by now. And all the billionaires (mostly Chinese) and millionaires in the Philippines will not feel the effect of Andeng's passing. There will be millions more of Andengs to take her place to make the rich richer. And there will be millions too of Pedros who will lose their legs or fingers or eyes before they die.
The middle class? It's a pigment of the imagination. A few wrong turns and I could have been another Pedro, or even worse. And the people are saddled with a government composed of aristocrats who work mainly for the benefit of fellow aristocrats! To paraphrase Lincoln in a negative way "it is now our hope that a government of aristocrats, by aristocrats and for the aristocrats shall perish from the earth."
In the Philippines, there are only two classes of people: the rich aristocrats and the barefooted servant class. The not-so-rich almost aristocrats invented the fiction of the middle class. But before I go on let me define the aristocratic class. These are the people, no matter whether they are billionaires or not who can afford to hire other people to serve them. That simplifies the definition of the servant class: specifically - those who serve for pay.
For statistical convenience and no other reason, the middle class was invented. This is composed of non-millionaires who are employed as blue collar workers. Many are lucky to be counted as being part of "junior management." Many rent houses or apartments and a few own modest-size houses and may also own a car or two and probably a second home. A lucky few become entrepreneurs and become millionaires. The rascals go into politics and become multi-mllionaires.
When we moved to BF Resort Village in Las Pinas back in the mid-70's, I was under the impression that my family belonged to the middle class. We owned a small house for which the mortgage was a mere PhP400 pesos. Back then the exchange rate was about PhP17 pesos to a dollar. We owned a TV set, a refrigerator, a stereo, an electric cooking range, CB radio, sewing machine and a few minor doodads. The car came later. I was employed as a lowly advertising kigmy called "a/e."
Initially, we did our own house cleaning in BF but since we could afford it, we hired a servant to do that chore. We even had a cook! See? we were almost "aristocrats" but that's where the similarity ended for I still worked for the capitalist. The laundry was done by Andeng, a middle-age professional laundrywoman from Pangasinan married to Pedro, a diabetic gopher who did odd jobs when he's not driving a jeepney for a living. Andeng and Pedro lived in a rundown shack built on somebody's land. They were the encargors of the owner (surnamed Leelin) The two had six children who sporadically attended public school only when Pedro had a driving job. When driving, he can give his children free rides to school 3 miles away. That is a long walk under the burning sun or pouring rain hence when no free ride is available their children stay home or hire themselves out to do odd jobs such as gardening, driving a tricycle or running errands.
One quality Andeng possessed was unquestionable honesty. If she finds money or anything of value in the clothes she's laundering she returns them. Her honesty also meant she had no secrets from us. If they had no food she lets us know indirectly and we share with her whatever extra we have. Andeng also helped my wife do some cooking. The most she enjoys doing is help us roast a leg of pork in the oven. Andeng collects all the fat that dripped into the baking pan plus some of the crispy skin and some lean meat to bring home with her.
"We'll fry our rice with this pork lard, add some anchovy paste and tomatoes to it and we'll have a delicious supper," she'd say. "I'll save the crispy skin and meat for Pedro so he'll have more energy when he drives the jeepney." Since we also had plenty of vegetables growing in our yard (spinach, sweet potatoes, taro, gourds, etc.) she would ask my wife for some to take home to add to the vegetables she harvests from her own yard (which is frequently picked and therefore almost bare). We didn't complain if one or two of her kids hang out with her while she's washing or pressing our clothes. We felt we had no reason to complain as we shared our meals with them for we were well off, comparatively speaking. However, we did feel uncomfortable and somewhat guilty when they eat the crab gills that we normally throw away.
When anyone in her family fell ill, their recourse is the public health center and their major "medicines" were Vicks, aspirin, oil of wintergreen and some watery cough syrup.
We left BF Resort Village around 1985 and my first visit was in 2008. My former neighbors said I missed Andeng by a few minutes. I passed by their former shack on the way home and saw a big modern apartment there. I asked people which apartment Andeng occupied. They never heard of her. I did learn that Pedro had passed away long ago about two years after his legs were amputated. I failed to learn where Andeng and her family were by the time I returned to New York.
Yes, Andeng was still hiring out her services to people but since washing machines were already everywhere, Andeng's work was mostly pressing clothes. I'm now 78 and Andeng must be 5 or 6 years my senior and she's still a part time servant. Never having held a factory or office job she doesn't qualify for social security pensions.
Andeng, as I write this, is probably dead by now. And all the billionaires (mostly Chinese) and millionaires in the Philippines will not feel the effect of Andeng's passing. There will be millions more of Andengs to take her place to make the rich richer. And there will be millions too of Pedros who will lose their legs or fingers or eyes before they die.
The middle class? It's a pigment of the imagination. A few wrong turns and I could have been another Pedro, or even worse. And the people are saddled with a government composed of aristocrats who work mainly for the benefit of fellow aristocrats! To paraphrase Lincoln in a negative way "it is now our hope that a government of aristocrats, by aristocrats and for the aristocrats shall perish from the earth."
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Pork Barrel - Good for People in Developing Countries
You read it right - pork barrel is not evil. To be blunt, pork barrel makes things happen. It's a lubricant. Pragmatically, it may be viewed (in a cockeyed way) as a key survival ingredient in a developing society that depends mainly on agriculture for a living. From another angle, pork barrel is the first step to the more insidious practice developed western societies refer to as "lobbying." Hell, that's like telling the thief to wear a tuxedo while he/she plies his/her trade!
With pork barrel, the recipient of benefits is the unschooled hoi polloi and, of course, the politician who decides who gets what and how much. Consequently, much of the pork barrel funds is spent on local projects that have nothing to do at all with promoting national progress. As a result, the agricultural system is prolonged through this system of patronage. On one hand, the politician who dispenses the wealth grows in influence and power with the unthinking mass obeying his/her bidding.
Pork barrel must be distinguished from bribery, however. More on this later.
Meanwhile, in the agricultural world, time will come when succeeding generations will start to lose interest in tilling the soil, seeing it, correctly, as too much work for very little returns. More and more rural yokels will migrate to the cities, attracted to the urban settings where opportunities for advancement (and failure) abound. Many who turned their backs to the farm will ultimately fail and congregate in slums while a lucky few will find chances for some self-improvement through better training in schools.
Fast forward to a more advanced time where some manufacturing (low level types) exists. The rural populace sees their kin who moved to the city have become better off than they who were left behind in the farms. More and more find it tempting to cast aside the plow and move to the city in search of employment. The number of factories increase. More schools are opened. Back in the farms, life goes on without any progress to speak of. In this scenario we still have the politician who desires to perpetuate himself in positions of power and influence. That objective requires money... lots of it! As a result, petty bribery (and rackets, too) become rampant. Corruption escalates but the popularity of corruption has an expiration date. Complaints will rise in volume. This is a natural law.
Move forward some more to a very advanced society with tentacles reaching across the seas and oceans. This society, to a certain extent, has slowly distanced itself from a corrupt society by labeling such activities as serious crimes. The kettle is not comfortable being seen as made of black iron and decides to wear stainless steel. Here comes a new invention: lobbying. It is bribery in a different form. Beneficiaries of lobby money are politicians who craft "laws" that will benefit the business sector. It doesn't take too much imagination to see this as a disguised form of bribery. Who cares about the public? They can, when things turn sour, go to a soup kitchen or line up for food stamps.
Now, which is preferable: pork barrel where wealth is distributed among the masses or, lobbying where the politicians alone get the money? Who pays for lobbying in the end? The consumers (you and me) of course, as a result of the new "laws" the "leaders" enact.
Twisted conclusion: people who still live in an agricultural society must take advantage of the pork barrel system. It will become less popular and pervasive as the country progresses if our ignorant hoi polloi (love that Greek phrase!) cease electing to public office entertainment personalities (Vilma Santos, Joseph Estrada, Fernando Poe, Jr., Nora Aunor, Ronald Reagan, etc.), family members of deceased politicians (Meldy, Bongbong, Gloria, Noynoy) and pseudo politicians(Yoyoy Villame, Ben Cosca, etc.). Someday though, they'll be complaining about the rich who owns much of the land being tilled. That's lobbying by the people! Label it "people power" and get a bishop to be the poster boy for the movement and it might work. Threaten violence and the courts and Congress will declare land reform!
In the meantime, pork barrel is beneficial to the poor people of undeveloped countries such as the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, etc. It's alright to aspire for the status of the US, UK, Vatican and France but don't hold your breath, honey - they still have corruption over there. For the moment they labeled thievery "lobbying" to make it a respectable profession - just like licensed prostitution.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
47% - Or, How to Succeed While Being Poor!
We all have choices in the kind of academic route to take:: the "hard knocks school," "Ivy League institution," or the "So-so school."
A very few who dropped out were able to resume their education via hands on training and made billions. But don't even think that that's the best way, Bubba! That's hard work and it can lead to an early cardiac failure. For every charmed guy (or gal) who winds up on top of the hill there are hundreds of millions that got ignored by Lady Luck. Oops! Luck is a very minute element in the scheme of things.
The Cinderellas and Cinderfellas up there have enviable traits most of us mere mortals don't possess: a sharp eye for possible opportunities and a single-minded determination to shape circumstances to their advantage. The classic examples are Carlos Slim and Bill Gates. Okay, okay... I don't know much about Slim except that he's the son of a Lebanese immigrant who kept on winning every time he rolled the dice in real estate and other endeavors. Everybody knows Gates' story - he bought a crappy OS, made improvements on it and gave it away to program developers. Wasn't it IBM who scrapped that shitty OS to the trash can?
Now, where's IBM? Still struggling to defend its turf against the new geniuses.
Me? I dropped out of school several times and that's where the similarities with Slim and Gates end. While the two are running to the bank, the banks are running after me!
Is success supposed to be measured by riches? Oh... oh... here it comes: "Hey dude! Are we going to hear a litany of sour grapes?" I don't really know how to measure it. A friend (Alex Castro) observed that it sure would be fun to have 3 Rolls Royces, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari in the garage, several mansions around the world and a couple of jet planes ready to take off for a round of fresh sushi in Tokyo (like Kim Jong Il).
I certainly see some downside there: I can't drive that pink Rolls Royce without fear of being abducted somewhere in London or, getting mugged while shopping in Manhattan. And each time I board that jet plane I put my life in the hands of a total stranger behind the controls. For all I know he could have discovered his wife cuckolded him and he's now bent on crashing my $10 million dollar Lear jet against the Empire State Building!
Having gone to a so-so school and rented my brains and brawn to capitalists, I'm now way, way past my best years and just waiting to grow daisies. Everyday I wonder how far Social Security, Medicare and SNAP will take me. Each time I hear somebody cough behind me I jump out of my skin thinking that's a bill collector out to jump me! Yes, I belong to the 47% Romney detests so much. Idiot! I may not be a member of his golf club but my Forty-Seveners club clobbered him at the polls!
And so, as each day boringly passes by, life is occasionally spiced up with a trip to a Chinese buffet or an Italian resto (thanks to my son, Dondi) instead of a sumptuous lunch at the Savoy! Alas, my having attended "So-so University" disqualified me from becoming Verizon's CEO and I never even got a chance to apply for a Wendy's franchise. When I kick the bucket I'll be lucky if I get a decent burial and a 15-minute eulogy. Even the thought of cremation frightens me: it's getting to be expensive, thanks to OPEC's high-priced oil.
Regrets? None, Bubba. I wouldn't have it any other way. My Hyundai took me to a lot of places that a Porsche couldn't without putting me in harm's way. Thank heaven I didn't acquire millions of dollars I'd be forced to donate a part of to my alma mater out of "gratitude." To hell with Princeton, Ha'vard and Yale! University of the East took me through life safely.
And my epitaph? "Rest in Peace" is the best yet. See you in Wormville!
A very few who dropped out were able to resume their education via hands on training and made billions. But don't even think that that's the best way, Bubba! That's hard work and it can lead to an early cardiac failure. For every charmed guy (or gal) who winds up on top of the hill there are hundreds of millions that got ignored by Lady Luck. Oops! Luck is a very minute element in the scheme of things.
The Cinderellas and Cinderfellas up there have enviable traits most of us mere mortals don't possess: a sharp eye for possible opportunities and a single-minded determination to shape circumstances to their advantage. The classic examples are Carlos Slim and Bill Gates. Okay, okay... I don't know much about Slim except that he's the son of a Lebanese immigrant who kept on winning every time he rolled the dice in real estate and other endeavors. Everybody knows Gates' story - he bought a crappy OS, made improvements on it and gave it away to program developers. Wasn't it IBM who scrapped that shitty OS to the trash can?
Now, where's IBM? Still struggling to defend its turf against the new geniuses.
Me? I dropped out of school several times and that's where the similarities with Slim and Gates end. While the two are running to the bank, the banks are running after me!
Is success supposed to be measured by riches? Oh... oh... here it comes: "Hey dude! Are we going to hear a litany of sour grapes?" I don't really know how to measure it. A friend (Alex Castro) observed that it sure would be fun to have 3 Rolls Royces, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari in the garage, several mansions around the world and a couple of jet planes ready to take off for a round of fresh sushi in Tokyo (like Kim Jong Il).
I certainly see some downside there: I can't drive that pink Rolls Royce without fear of being abducted somewhere in London or, getting mugged while shopping in Manhattan. And each time I board that jet plane I put my life in the hands of a total stranger behind the controls. For all I know he could have discovered his wife cuckolded him and he's now bent on crashing my $10 million dollar Lear jet against the Empire State Building!
Having gone to a so-so school and rented my brains and brawn to capitalists, I'm now way, way past my best years and just waiting to grow daisies. Everyday I wonder how far Social Security, Medicare and SNAP will take me. Each time I hear somebody cough behind me I jump out of my skin thinking that's a bill collector out to jump me! Yes, I belong to the 47% Romney detests so much. Idiot! I may not be a member of his golf club but my Forty-Seveners club clobbered him at the polls!
And so, as each day boringly passes by, life is occasionally spiced up with a trip to a Chinese buffet or an Italian resto (thanks to my son, Dondi) instead of a sumptuous lunch at the Savoy! Alas, my having attended "So-so University" disqualified me from becoming Verizon's CEO and I never even got a chance to apply for a Wendy's franchise. When I kick the bucket I'll be lucky if I get a decent burial and a 15-minute eulogy. Even the thought of cremation frightens me: it's getting to be expensive, thanks to OPEC's high-priced oil.
Regrets? None, Bubba. I wouldn't have it any other way. My Hyundai took me to a lot of places that a Porsche couldn't without putting me in harm's way. Thank heaven I didn't acquire millions of dollars I'd be forced to donate a part of to my alma mater out of "gratitude." To hell with Princeton, Ha'vard and Yale! University of the East took me through life safely.
And my epitaph? "Rest in Peace" is the best yet. See you in Wormville!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Slavery Exists in America Today!
When the topic of slavery comes up in everyday conversation, it immediately conjures images of Africans, American Indians or, convicts from Europe shipped over to the colonies and the Caribbean islands. Even President Obama fell into deep thought when he visited South Africa's holding pens for slaves that were exported to the colonies and the Caribbean islands. To be historically correct, the slavers in Africa were also Africans or Arabs. The Europeans were merely buyers and users. No, "merely" doesn't sound right. Had there been no market for slaves, there wouldn't have been any merchandise for sale. It doesn't take much to imagine American Indians being captured to work for free in the farms and forts of the colonists. But the North American Indian has a different spirit compared to their counterparts in the southern continent: they rebelled! As a result, we now get "regaled" with tales of victories over the savage "injun." Since the White Man is the victor, he gets the right to portrait the "injun" as worthless vermin. Sometmes, to inject romance to his tales, he calls them "noble savages." Still savages, no less. Unfortunately, the Indian nations were many and remained fractured hence their resistance was, to borrow a phrase from Star Trek, "futile." Even the descendants of the Incas, Toltecs, Mayas, etc. fared no better.
Had there been unity among the native inhabitants of the western hemisphere, it is doubtful if the European land grabbers would have succeeded in their adventure. The third category, convicts from European jails, fared a little better. Many were jailed for failure to pay debts and, to be sure, the rest was composed of prostitutes, killers, rapists, thieves, etc. The American colonies got some of the latter category but Australia got most of this type. The American variety eventually got absorbed into the society since they looked the same as their masters. The Australian variety evolved into one of today's jingoistic countries, rivaling radical Sunni and Shi'ite nations.
Abraham Lincoln will be spinning in his grave today at the sight of modern slavery: people of all color, race and ethnic origin forced to work for a pittance. Many are forced by the circumstances to work at two jobs. What elements make their existence synonymous to slavery? It's the new phenomenon of the 20th century: part time work!
Initially made popular by temp agencies to satisfy the labor needs of established businesses wishing to avoid long term commitments, the temps labored for a fixed sum (usually a little over the minimum wage but without pension, retirement, vacation and sick day benefits unless they accumulate lots of hours fixed by the "temp agency." Oh, yes, the "temps" still qualified for Social Security benefits but if they're undocumented, kiss that goodbye. 30 year ago, a displaced friend of mine who was a licensed chiropractic, was able to eat by temping for a Boeing parts supplier. In California, PhD's found no shame in doing landscaping work. But those were temporary (no pun intended) setbacks, though.
Today, business establishments have almost wiped out the temp agencies from existence by doing their own part time hiring. As a part time worker, the only benefit assured is Social Security. Vacations? Sometimes! Sick leave? Forget about it! Holiday pay? Are you dreaming? Raises? If you get 12 cents and hour you're an exemplary slave!
And it's all legal! The labor pool is huge, composed of students, new graduates, displaced aging professionals, undocumented aliens, children of radicalized Latter Day Saints cults and over-aged seniors. Employers no longer have to pay severance pay if they wish to terminate the employment of their "employees." The new escape hatch for them is "termination at will" which requires no reason for being let go. If the boss' wife thinks you're too sexy for the safety of the boss, out you go. Of course, there's unemployment insurance to fall on but that doesn't last long and if the Department of Labor tries to extend it (Democratic administrations tend to do this) the other party (GOP) is adamantly against such an undeserved "gift" to the 47% who refuse to take responsibility for their lives - a new labor philosophy coined by Mitt Romney.
Since the primary objective of business is profit, the labor force (e.g. part timers) is just a resource that can be used "at will." Just like steel, when it becomes too expensive a component of the finished product, it's replaced by anodized plastic to make it look like steel (as in bumpers, bathroom fixture handles, etc.). Considering that the American resource (part timer) is expensive at $7.95 an hour, the new resource will have to be a Bangladeshi ($1.00/hour) or a Chinese ($1.25/hour)! A telephone tech help in the US used to get $36,000 to $48,000 a year including benefits, remember? Now, US companies go to Manila where many speak a brand of English easier to understand than the Chinese, Japanese and New Delhi varieties. The pay ranges from $10K to $12K. If you happen to be a Fil-American living in New York and you call Verizon for help, you will, occasionally, hear people in the background saying expletives such as "putang-ina-mo" and "hindot."
The latest statistics indicate over 40% of Americans (excluding the Mexicans and others who sneak under the barbed wire) are either below or near the poverty line. This fact bodes ill for the American economy. America will soon cease to be a producer of products and become a financial hub exclusively dedicated to making money. Other countries will produce and the US will just shovel in the profits! If today's present crop of American managers (who get salaries and bonuses big enough to feed a boatload of tourists) they will ultimately be replaced by Pakistanis, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese managers who will be very happy with lower remuneration. As they say, what goes around, comes around. Or, is it the other way?
When that day becomes reality, how will the US government feed a population of 500 million jobless American slaves?
(To be continued...)
Had there been unity among the native inhabitants of the western hemisphere, it is doubtful if the European land grabbers would have succeeded in their adventure. The third category, convicts from European jails, fared a little better. Many were jailed for failure to pay debts and, to be sure, the rest was composed of prostitutes, killers, rapists, thieves, etc. The American colonies got some of the latter category but Australia got most of this type. The American variety eventually got absorbed into the society since they looked the same as their masters. The Australian variety evolved into one of today's jingoistic countries, rivaling radical Sunni and Shi'ite nations.
Abraham Lincoln will be spinning in his grave today at the sight of modern slavery: people of all color, race and ethnic origin forced to work for a pittance. Many are forced by the circumstances to work at two jobs. What elements make their existence synonymous to slavery? It's the new phenomenon of the 20th century: part time work!
Initially made popular by temp agencies to satisfy the labor needs of established businesses wishing to avoid long term commitments, the temps labored for a fixed sum (usually a little over the minimum wage but without pension, retirement, vacation and sick day benefits unless they accumulate lots of hours fixed by the "temp agency." Oh, yes, the "temps" still qualified for Social Security benefits but if they're undocumented, kiss that goodbye. 30 year ago, a displaced friend of mine who was a licensed chiropractic, was able to eat by temping for a Boeing parts supplier. In California, PhD's found no shame in doing landscaping work. But those were temporary (no pun intended) setbacks, though.
Today, business establishments have almost wiped out the temp agencies from existence by doing their own part time hiring. As a part time worker, the only benefit assured is Social Security. Vacations? Sometimes! Sick leave? Forget about it! Holiday pay? Are you dreaming? Raises? If you get 12 cents and hour you're an exemplary slave!
And it's all legal! The labor pool is huge, composed of students, new graduates, displaced aging professionals, undocumented aliens, children of radicalized Latter Day Saints cults and over-aged seniors. Employers no longer have to pay severance pay if they wish to terminate the employment of their "employees." The new escape hatch for them is "termination at will" which requires no reason for being let go. If the boss' wife thinks you're too sexy for the safety of the boss, out you go. Of course, there's unemployment insurance to fall on but that doesn't last long and if the Department of Labor tries to extend it (Democratic administrations tend to do this) the other party (GOP) is adamantly against such an undeserved "gift" to the 47% who refuse to take responsibility for their lives - a new labor philosophy coined by Mitt Romney.
Since the primary objective of business is profit, the labor force (e.g. part timers) is just a resource that can be used "at will." Just like steel, when it becomes too expensive a component of the finished product, it's replaced by anodized plastic to make it look like steel (as in bumpers, bathroom fixture handles, etc.). Considering that the American resource (part timer) is expensive at $7.95 an hour, the new resource will have to be a Bangladeshi ($1.00/hour) or a Chinese ($1.25/hour)! A telephone tech help in the US used to get $36,000 to $48,000 a year including benefits, remember? Now, US companies go to Manila where many speak a brand of English easier to understand than the Chinese, Japanese and New Delhi varieties. The pay ranges from $10K to $12K. If you happen to be a Fil-American living in New York and you call Verizon for help, you will, occasionally, hear people in the background saying expletives such as "putang-ina-mo" and "hindot."
The latest statistics indicate over 40% of Americans (excluding the Mexicans and others who sneak under the barbed wire) are either below or near the poverty line. This fact bodes ill for the American economy. America will soon cease to be a producer of products and become a financial hub exclusively dedicated to making money. Other countries will produce and the US will just shovel in the profits! If today's present crop of American managers (who get salaries and bonuses big enough to feed a boatload of tourists) they will ultimately be replaced by Pakistanis, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese managers who will be very happy with lower remuneration. As they say, what goes around, comes around. Or, is it the other way?
When that day becomes reality, how will the US government feed a population of 500 million jobless American slaves?
(To be continued...)
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