First, Pastor Terry Jones of the Florida micro church announces he will burn multiple Korans on September 11. That date is of course tied to the largest hostile attack on the mainland United States since the War of 1812. Emphasis on the word "burn". Not only does he seek to insert his activity on a day of intense tragedy, he does it a way that hearkens back to an infamous image of Nazi Germany in the 1930's. What more unamerican act can there be than burning instruments of free speech and thought?
Then, Jones continues his ersatz media campaign by announcing his negotiation with the New York Imam who wants to build a mosque very close to the now destroyed World Trade Center site. If this is successful he will call off the offensive burning. As if he is a necessary intermediary in a larger process. Next, he appears before cameras again to say the deal either is off or may be off.
"The Rev. Terry Jones said Thursday he would call off the planned burning of Korans based on a deal negotiated with the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida that the location of a mosque planned near ground zero in New York would be changed. But Imam Muhammad Musri said he was clear on Thursday when he told Jones that he could only set up a meeting with planners of the New York City mosque, whose leader said he had spoken to neither the pastor nor Musri. Jones responded by opening the door, if only a crack, that he would go forward with his plan on Saturday. "We are just really shocked," Jones said of Musri. "He clearly, clearly lied to us." - Washington Times Website September 10, 2010
Book burning back on.
All this to say two simple things. Why is this pastor intent on this activity? He heads a congregation of 50 or so people. Forget the content of what they are doing for the moment. The public announcement screams publicity stunt. It could be that the hope was to marshall forces together so that the numbers of participants on the appointed day would be much larger. In that Pastor Jones failed. If his efforts were to force a change in the mosque construction, failed there too. There are so many more players involved than just Jones and the New York Imam. Standing before a mike stand won't work.
No this is a stunt. Its true meaning and plan is a mystery, as is this congregation and its "leader?". Whatever the case most important fact in this show has been unsaid until now. Jesus Christ admonished us to "turn the other cheek". That is, His followers are to be examples not enforcers. Koran burning is not in this teaching. Witnessing, praying, and living along side of is. We are not martyrs, but we are called to be fearless in our witness.
In this most important facet of our faith, Pastor Jones displays ignorance. Either purposeful or accidental.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Another Gameshow? Nope Its the Future
For at least twenty years I have tried to solve a puzzle. It's contained in the Bible.
Given the times we live in, the idea of the end of the age of man is not as far fetched a thought as it was, say in the 1960's. That golden decade was still some twenty or so years removed from the first two uses of the atom bomb (versus Japan). That decade also included history's next brush with conflagration, the United States versus the Soviet Union masquerading as Cuba in 1963. No fallout resulted from that one, no duck and cover response for real. But certainly a close call.
With the increase in technology in recent years, cable channels have included much more religious broadcasting. All kinds of formats, all kinds of churches. Prophecy is a frequent subject. Where would Bible prophecy be without the end of the age of man? The forties had Japan, the sixties had the Soviets, the eighties had something of a void with Reagan tearing down East Germany's wall, and now to the 21st century with 9/11 and all its tentacles.
Within the Bible there are many prophetic statements. Unraveling them is a huge intellectual task. But one stands out. Does the Bible accurately predict the rebirth of Israel on May 14, 1948? The chain of logic starts with the original nation of Israel going in to captivity in Babylon. The book of Ezekiel predicts 430 years of punishment for Israel. The book of Leviticus contains a rule saying the punishment will be 7 times that for specific reasons. When adjusted for the change from lunar to Gregorian calendar (360 day years to 365.24 day years) and the passage from BC to AD (no year zero)the calculation brings us from the aforementioned captivity in Babylon to May 14, 1948.
Why is this a big deal? Haven't all generations wonder if this is it? Likely so. I first heard about this news over 20 years ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since. First as an intellectual challenge, a sort of unmade bed of the mind. Then as a serious consideration our circumstances.
The truth is, the advance of technology has occurred in warfare as well as medicine. It has advanced our capacity to communicate so that catastrophes are seem closer to us than a scratchy far away radio voice from the European front sixty years ago. We are closer to the triumph and disaster that ever, which personalizes those things more.
The Bible that seems to predict the 1948 restoration of Israel also has other, more sinister things to say about the "End of the Age of Man". Hal Lindsey wrote his widely read book "The Late Great Planet Earth" in 1970. Man has always watched history unfold before his eyes. Our ability to make warfare has been on an ever upward technological trend over the same time span. It would be well to watch current events with a Bible close by. Not to evangelize so much as to exactly how divinely inspired it has always been.
Given the times we live in, the idea of the end of the age of man is not as far fetched a thought as it was, say in the 1960's. That golden decade was still some twenty or so years removed from the first two uses of the atom bomb (versus Japan). That decade also included history's next brush with conflagration, the United States versus the Soviet Union masquerading as Cuba in 1963. No fallout resulted from that one, no duck and cover response for real. But certainly a close call.
With the increase in technology in recent years, cable channels have included much more religious broadcasting. All kinds of formats, all kinds of churches. Prophecy is a frequent subject. Where would Bible prophecy be without the end of the age of man? The forties had Japan, the sixties had the Soviets, the eighties had something of a void with Reagan tearing down East Germany's wall, and now to the 21st century with 9/11 and all its tentacles.
Within the Bible there are many prophetic statements. Unraveling them is a huge intellectual task. But one stands out. Does the Bible accurately predict the rebirth of Israel on May 14, 1948? The chain of logic starts with the original nation of Israel going in to captivity in Babylon. The book of Ezekiel predicts 430 years of punishment for Israel. The book of Leviticus contains a rule saying the punishment will be 7 times that for specific reasons. When adjusted for the change from lunar to Gregorian calendar (360 day years to 365.24 day years) and the passage from BC to AD (no year zero)the calculation brings us from the aforementioned captivity in Babylon to May 14, 1948.
Why is this a big deal? Haven't all generations wonder if this is it? Likely so. I first heard about this news over 20 years ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since. First as an intellectual challenge, a sort of unmade bed of the mind. Then as a serious consideration our circumstances.
The truth is, the advance of technology has occurred in warfare as well as medicine. It has advanced our capacity to communicate so that catastrophes are seem closer to us than a scratchy far away radio voice from the European front sixty years ago. We are closer to the triumph and disaster that ever, which personalizes those things more.
The Bible that seems to predict the 1948 restoration of Israel also has other, more sinister things to say about the "End of the Age of Man". Hal Lindsey wrote his widely read book "The Late Great Planet Earth" in 1970. Man has always watched history unfold before his eyes. Our ability to make warfare has been on an ever upward technological trend over the same time span. It would be well to watch current events with a Bible close by. Not to evangelize so much as to exactly how divinely inspired it has always been.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
What's it worth to you -
One and one half million dollars is a lot of money, as is 555 million. The first is roughly what the city pays the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce to promote the city around the nation and attract jobs. The second is the city's total budget for fiscal 2010-11.
There is an old Frank Sinatra song recorded in 1959 called "High Hopes", about an ant trying to move a large rubber tree plant. Part of the refrain goes "He's got high hopes, He's got high hopes, He's got high apple pie in the sky hopes."
Just when you thought the Tulsa civic leadership could not descend any lower in to minutia, they prove me wrong. We now have a news item involving the Mayor's wife. It's over a $16 bill for business cards used by the Mayor's wife. The cards had the city logo on it as well as a city e-mail address. This $16's is about to negate the efforts represented by the much larger numbers above. Not by itself but as a part of the overall drama at city hall.
Counselor G.T. Bynum thinks the following list is notable:
Community Development Block Grant allocations
Election reform task force
Traffic signal synchronization task force
Disparity study task force
Creation of the Economic Stabilization Reserve Fund
ShopTulsa initiative
Ethics advisory committee review
Approval of PlaniTulsa Comprehensive Plan update
Sale of former City Hall
See August 20 edition of the Tulsa World
Let's see how these things are playing out.
Election reform?, in the works, not finished.
Traffic signalization?, taskforce just started.
Disparity study taskforce? Maybe not even empanelled yet but will just issue a report.
Economic Stabilization reserve fund. Maybe voted in to existence but how much money is in it?
ShopTulsa? That's a good move. Counselor Christianson is to be commended for this effort. It serves as a reminder to encourage people to keep their money in Tulsa.
Approve PlanItTulsa? That's the long term work of a lot of people. All the council did was vote.
Sale of former City Hall. Again, they analyzed and voted, that's all.
Accomplishments are finished, completed items
Ethics advisory committee review. The circle is completed. Key word here is review. This is an interesting item considering the current climate. The Mayor's wife made use of $16 worth of business cards paid for by city money. This resulted in an ethics complaint being anonymously filed. The anonymity aspect is not an issue. Whistle blowers have to be protected, even to the extent of anonymity. It's necessary to encourage an organization to self police.
"Mrs. Bartlett is not an employee or official of the city. Therefore, she is not entitled to be provided with business cards," states an Aug. 10 letter sent to Ethics Advisory Committee Chairman Michael Slankard. (Tulsa World article by P.J. Lassek dated August 21. The issue is one of magnitude. Large contracts tainted with preferential treatment of vendors? Sure. Business cards printed with ambiguous references costing $16? Not on your life.
The aforementioned spending for city government and economic development and jobs stunted by a tempest in a teapot of acrimony? Priceless and jobless.
There is an old Frank Sinatra song recorded in 1959 called "High Hopes", about an ant trying to move a large rubber tree plant. Part of the refrain goes "He's got high hopes, He's got high hopes, He's got high apple pie in the sky hopes."
Just when you thought the Tulsa civic leadership could not descend any lower in to minutia, they prove me wrong. We now have a news item involving the Mayor's wife. It's over a $16 bill for business cards used by the Mayor's wife. The cards had the city logo on it as well as a city e-mail address. This $16's is about to negate the efforts represented by the much larger numbers above. Not by itself but as a part of the overall drama at city hall.
Counselor G.T. Bynum thinks the following list is notable:
Community Development Block Grant allocations
Election reform task force
Traffic signal synchronization task force
Disparity study task force
Creation of the Economic Stabilization Reserve Fund
ShopTulsa initiative
Ethics advisory committee review
Approval of PlaniTulsa Comprehensive Plan update
Sale of former City Hall
See August 20 edition of the Tulsa World
Let's see how these things are playing out.
Election reform?, in the works, not finished.
Traffic signalization?, taskforce just started.
Disparity study taskforce? Maybe not even empanelled yet but will just issue a report.
Economic Stabilization reserve fund. Maybe voted in to existence but how much money is in it?
ShopTulsa? That's a good move. Counselor Christianson is to be commended for this effort. It serves as a reminder to encourage people to keep their money in Tulsa.
Approve PlanItTulsa? That's the long term work of a lot of people. All the council did was vote.
Sale of former City Hall. Again, they analyzed and voted, that's all.
Accomplishments are finished, completed items
Ethics advisory committee review. The circle is completed. Key word here is review. This is an interesting item considering the current climate. The Mayor's wife made use of $16 worth of business cards paid for by city money. This resulted in an ethics complaint being anonymously filed. The anonymity aspect is not an issue. Whistle blowers have to be protected, even to the extent of anonymity. It's necessary to encourage an organization to self police.
"Mrs. Bartlett is not an employee or official of the city. Therefore, she is not entitled to be provided with business cards," states an Aug. 10 letter sent to Ethics Advisory Committee Chairman Michael Slankard. (Tulsa World article by P.J. Lassek dated August 21. The issue is one of magnitude. Large contracts tainted with preferential treatment of vendors? Sure. Business cards printed with ambiguous references costing $16? Not on your life.
The aforementioned spending for city government and economic development and jobs stunted by a tempest in a teapot of acrimony? Priceless and jobless.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
What Stimulus?
Let's remember something about the jobs picture and the pallet on which it's painted.
As of 2008, the Gross Domestic product of the United States was $14.6 trillion dollars. According to the Americans for Prosperity website in an article titled "Can Government Spending Stimulate the Economy, the various stimuli packages cost about 900 billion dollars. To put it in perspective. about 6.2 percent of GDP. What or who gets excited about that?
The overriding principal here is that jobs from government stimulus are temporary. The level of spending on that effort can't continue year after year, or the budget would be further bloated, as would the national debt. Government stimulus yields temp jobs, not full time or career jobs. What we have is 900 billion dollars of unemployment benefits under a different name.
Pumping 6/10's of a percent of GDP in to the economy is not to create anything except a ripple. And a temporary one at that. It does get some needed(?) projects done(?). But that's about all. It's a small pot of catch up money.
Only the private sector generates permanent jobs. Here's the catch. New jobs are created out of profits. Profits come from well managed companies. Well managed companies need certainty and profits to make investments in new products, new markets, new technology, as well as sustain existing products. Growing government spending and deficits create uncertainty.
Therefore, the very presence of a government stimulus of any amount in the current deficit situation leads to the exact opposite of what is needed for the job picture to turn around. Government can say it jumped in to the breach to save American workers, but will it last to the next payday and beyond?
As of 2008, the Gross Domestic product of the United States was $14.6 trillion dollars. According to the Americans for Prosperity website in an article titled "Can Government Spending Stimulate the Economy, the various stimuli packages cost about 900 billion dollars. To put it in perspective. about 6.2 percent of GDP. What or who gets excited about that?
The overriding principal here is that jobs from government stimulus are temporary. The level of spending on that effort can't continue year after year, or the budget would be further bloated, as would the national debt. Government stimulus yields temp jobs, not full time or career jobs. What we have is 900 billion dollars of unemployment benefits under a different name.
Pumping 6/10's of a percent of GDP in to the economy is not to create anything except a ripple. And a temporary one at that. It does get some needed(?) projects done(?). But that's about all. It's a small pot of catch up money.
Only the private sector generates permanent jobs. Here's the catch. New jobs are created out of profits. Profits come from well managed companies. Well managed companies need certainty and profits to make investments in new products, new markets, new technology, as well as sustain existing products. Growing government spending and deficits create uncertainty.
Therefore, the very presence of a government stimulus of any amount in the current deficit situation leads to the exact opposite of what is needed for the job picture to turn around. Government can say it jumped in to the breach to save American workers, but will it last to the next payday and beyond?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
To Mosque or Not to Mosque
"From statehouses to state fairs on Tuesday, Republican incumbents and challengers unleashed an almost unified line of criticism against the president days after he forcefully defended the construction of a $100 million Islamic center two blocks from the site of the 2001 terror attacks"
Wall Street Journal - August 17, 2010
Craig McMurtry - ABC News - Debra Burlingame, who lost her brother in the 9/11 attacks, is adamant the Islamic cultural centre will never be built.
"Saudi Arabia has partnered with this Imam on other programs. Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest funders of 9/11 where 15 of the hijackers came from, this man and this mega mosque will never happen there, no," she said. Yahoo 7 News
From the WSJ to Yahoo News, this debate has taken over every new outlet you can find. It would be one thing to dominate the three old line news outlets (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX?, Tulsa World?). But the Inernet? Yahoo News, the bastion of journalism, was full of it too.
How do you find an issue that can do this? Easy, the "issue" is like a search and destroy topic. News stories have always developed a life and behavior of their own, but they were filtered through a much narrower neck of the information bottle. The internet opened a much larger number of outlets, like this blog. It can make a story seem bigger than the same topic used to seem. Its analogous to the three mainstream outlets breaking, thirty years ago, breaking in to game shows every 30 seconds with an update. Or, like a weather event in Tulsa today.
Now, the New York governor has said he will offer state land in a different location for the Mosque. Did the shrill nature of news coverage of this event move the governor to act? Did the public outcry (private citizens speaking out) move government to act? Did multiple politicians acting on their own initiative, bring or will bring, this issue to a palatable conclusion? The huge growth in the number and variety of "news media" options has created an instantaneous flow of information for the reader/surfer. Opinions can be formed much faster, sometimes out stripping the ability of politicians to react. Obama's explanation was an example. He had to clarify on a weekend.
Is more better? Maybe just the fact that politicians have to pay closer attention is the biggest benefit of all.
Wall Street Journal - August 17, 2010
Craig McMurtry - ABC News - Debra Burlingame, who lost her brother in the 9/11 attacks, is adamant the Islamic cultural centre will never be built.
"Saudi Arabia has partnered with this Imam on other programs. Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest funders of 9/11 where 15 of the hijackers came from, this man and this mega mosque will never happen there, no," she said. Yahoo 7 News
From the WSJ to Yahoo News, this debate has taken over every new outlet you can find. It would be one thing to dominate the three old line news outlets (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX?, Tulsa World?). But the Inernet? Yahoo News, the bastion of journalism, was full of it too.
How do you find an issue that can do this? Easy, the "issue" is like a search and destroy topic. News stories have always developed a life and behavior of their own, but they were filtered through a much narrower neck of the information bottle. The internet opened a much larger number of outlets, like this blog. It can make a story seem bigger than the same topic used to seem. Its analogous to the three mainstream outlets breaking, thirty years ago, breaking in to game shows every 30 seconds with an update. Or, like a weather event in Tulsa today.
Now, the New York governor has said he will offer state land in a different location for the Mosque. Did the shrill nature of news coverage of this event move the governor to act? Did the public outcry (private citizens speaking out) move government to act? Did multiple politicians acting on their own initiative, bring or will bring, this issue to a palatable conclusion? The huge growth in the number and variety of "news media" options has created an instantaneous flow of information for the reader/surfer. Opinions can be formed much faster, sometimes out stripping the ability of politicians to react. Obama's explanation was an example. He had to clarify on a weekend.
Is more better? Maybe just the fact that politicians have to pay closer attention is the biggest benefit of all.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Jungle Boogie - Unemployment
In order to draw unemployment, they determine your income and average in some way. It appears the more you make, the less the benefit amount. That's me making an assumption. I haven't asked the question of an authority.
What's for sure is that unemployment benefits are taxable both by the state and federal governments. The government giveth and the government taketh away. Some of the giveth anyway.
If you get part time or temp work, you must report what you were paid. So you deduct off your unemployment check the gross weekly employment payment. So it's better for us not to work while drawing unemployment benefits? Not entirely. Work is therapeutic when you are unemployed. It's best to stay in the workforce simply because it looks better on your resume. A prospective employer can't tell the difference between lazy, and chronically unemployed. The can't tell the difference between lazy, and selective about who you work for and what you do.
Given the above, there is no financial analysis about whether you make more money on unemployment benefits or working part time. Its what you would look like to a prospective employer.
Take it from one who knows.
What's for sure is that unemployment benefits are taxable both by the state and federal governments. The government giveth and the government taketh away. Some of the giveth anyway.
If you get part time or temp work, you must report what you were paid. So you deduct off your unemployment check the gross weekly employment payment. So it's better for us not to work while drawing unemployment benefits? Not entirely. Work is therapeutic when you are unemployed. It's best to stay in the workforce simply because it looks better on your resume. A prospective employer can't tell the difference between lazy, and chronically unemployed. The can't tell the difference between lazy, and selective about who you work for and what you do.
Given the above, there is no financial analysis about whether you make more money on unemployment benefits or working part time. Its what you would look like to a prospective employer.
Take it from one who knows.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Government ? Size gets in the way
One of the great reliefs as well as burdens of life is unemployment. You get a rest from the daily grind of the work world. You also get a sabbatical from the paycheck.
In the world of work, part of your paycheck is a deduction for unemployment funds. Plural because their are both state and federal funds. We pay in to these funds on speculation. They are used "if" we need it.
Stay employed for 40 or so years, then find out you need it. In the intervening your amount paid in builds and builds. So far, nothing innocuous. All funds are governed by rules to prevent fraud and abuse. However, bureaucracies are self perpetuating. They absorb people from the private workforce in to the protected field of government service. Smart people become drones. This is only a small percentage the total workforce.
It's not these employees that make the rules but politicians who may have no experience in the area they seek to regulate.
Case in point. The Oklahoma version of an unemployment fund says that you must be available for work in normal work hours. Seems logical. Except if you take a class in the daytime, you are not "available" for work. You get your unemployment benefits terminated or suspended. That would be a class that can upgrade your skills to get a job.
Case 2. If you find part time work, you must report those earnings. They will then be deducted from your benefits. Still fine. But wait, there's more. YOU must report those earnings in the week you worked, not week you are paid. What's deducted from UE benefits is the gross pay, not net of taxes. So if you're a good (sensible) boy or girl and pay the feral and state taxes in advance you are screwed, blued. and tattooed (to coin a phrase). Not to mention the fact that more is deducted from you UE benefits than that which you actually received.
This rant was brought to you by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. What's secure about this? How does this help the un-EMPLOYED? To my way of thinking, it doesn't. But we elect the boobs that cause this. What are you doing to do about it?
In the world of work, part of your paycheck is a deduction for unemployment funds. Plural because their are both state and federal funds. We pay in to these funds on speculation. They are used "if" we need it.
Stay employed for 40 or so years, then find out you need it. In the intervening your amount paid in builds and builds. So far, nothing innocuous. All funds are governed by rules to prevent fraud and abuse. However, bureaucracies are self perpetuating. They absorb people from the private workforce in to the protected field of government service. Smart people become drones. This is only a small percentage the total workforce.
It's not these employees that make the rules but politicians who may have no experience in the area they seek to regulate.
Case in point. The Oklahoma version of an unemployment fund says that you must be available for work in normal work hours. Seems logical. Except if you take a class in the daytime, you are not "available" for work. You get your unemployment benefits terminated or suspended. That would be a class that can upgrade your skills to get a job.
Case 2. If you find part time work, you must report those earnings. They will then be deducted from your benefits. Still fine. But wait, there's more. YOU must report those earnings in the week you worked, not week you are paid. What's deducted from UE benefits is the gross pay, not net of taxes. So if you're a good (sensible) boy or girl and pay the feral and state taxes in advance you are screwed, blued. and tattooed (to coin a phrase). Not to mention the fact that more is deducted from you UE benefits than that which you actually received.
This rant was brought to you by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. What's secure about this? How does this help the un-EMPLOYED? To my way of thinking, it doesn't. But we elect the boobs that cause this. What are you doing to do about it?
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