UNIVERSAL VISION

The United States and the West are in a world of trouble. I say this for probably not the reasons that you expect and are so obvious to most concerning debt and a poor economy. I say this because the USA & the West are in serious trouble due to poor schooling and with that, are you ready for it? The current hate of the rich and wealthy.

Send your kids to the best school you can afford

Yes. Far too many people in the west seem to hate the rich these days. It’s a very bad situation and if this continues will certainly have seriously bad repercussions for all nations and even poor people. Why? Well, Karl Marx would be happy, but hating the rich translates into people thinking it is OK for the government to increase taxes and get more involved with wealth redistribution.

Folks, more government is not the answer. Government is the problem. If more government were a good solution to our problems then the Soviet Union would have been a very successful country. But they weren’t.

One thing good about Japan, though, is that I don’t notice the Japanese hating the rich. The Japanese have their problems too but they have their heads on straight and do not hate the rich. They aspire to become the rich. That’s logical and normal behavior. It used to be normal behavior in the west too. But now? Now in the USA and the west, people have probably started hating the rich because they can’t find a way out of their debt and their financial troubles so they become jealous of what others have. I know this trend is definitely forwarded by the mass media.

Just think how much derision was scorned on Mitt Romney because he is rich! Sure, Romney is might be a jerk, but being rich is not one of the reasons why.

It hasn’t been that long ago that books like “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki was a best-seller, was it?

The seeds of this current trend of hating the rich (around for a long time on Liberal Arts university campus) seem to me to have been really accelerated from the so-called “99%” trend that came out of the “Occupy movement” that says the 1% are evil and somehow got their money through dishonest ways. Certainly there are some who were involved in criminal enterprises but I’d wager they pale in comparison to the crimes our government commits on a daily basis. Certainly it was the government who bailed out the banks and zombie industries. But how that now translates into the current trend of hating the rich is a curious leap indeed.

It’s not the rich who are our problems here folks. It’s the poor who are the problem; the poor have no money and, in many cases, a bad education. If you think I am wrong then go to some rich neighborhood and check it out then, after that, go to the ghetto in Los Angeles, New York or Detroit look around and then tell me that you think it’s the rich that are “part of the problem.”

Recently, I posted an article entitled, “Japan is Collapsing” I wrote:

I am angry at the stupid Japanese government for taking our tax money and bailing out these zombie banks and keeping the status quo intact at the expense of the people and our children’s future. I am furious that the situation has gone on for so long. I am angry that it is not only us who is feeling the pain but everyone else I know… I get angry when I read the news and see that 15.7% of all Japanese are under the poverty level. I get pissed off when I see that our debt to GDP is over 237%….

And I really get angry when I read that these idiots in government want to raise our taxes and keep with the failed policies of these last twenty plus years.

And it really really astounds me that the people who got us into this mess can get reelected again. What a farce.

Due to that article, I’ve been infuriated with socialists making absurd claims. The most ridiculous (and incorrect ones) one from a reader who still insists that “one of the problems with Japan’s economy is that everyone assumes a paternalistic company to pay for all these benefits for their employees?”

This is just so wrong on so many levels that I don’t know where to begin. First of all, companies do not pay for the local Japanese to send their kids to private schools; this is a practice limited to hiring and recruiting top-class foreign labor. To think that such a small .078740157 percent of the population is part of the reason of Japan’s economic funk is mind-boggling.

Anyway, it shows what I mention above: a bad education and a trend for hating the rich. There are rich foreigners in Japan, for sure, but most of us do not get paid that well… Sure they might drive nice cars and live in big houses, but those houses and cars are paid for by the corporation. Also, ex-pats are only here for a short number of years. Their children cannot be allowed to fall behind in school compared to their peers back home (otherwise the experienced foreign talent won’t come here). The companies pay for these expenses as a tax break (individuals paying for private schooling in Japan is not tax-deductable).

Think about it; a corporation pays for good talent to work for them in order so that the company can make more money. The schools receive these funds and pay for employees and those employees take that money a recycle it back into the economy. And some people think this is a part of Japan’s economic problems?

What the heck? Don’t people understand basic economics anymore?

There’s 127 million people in Japan and ex-pat westerners don’t even number over 100,000…

So the debt to GDP of 237% and 15.7% of all Japanese living below the poverty line is, in part, fault of the .00078740157% of the population of the country and, people who comprise folks living in the upper-class of wealth. (100K divided by 127 million is .0007874015 or .078740157 percent).

Right. You see, it’s the rich people who are the problem?????

Like I said, the real reason (and the real part of the world wide problem of too much government spending and too many people on the dole) someone makes a claim that “one of the problems…” (is because of foreign corporations paying for ex-pat children schooling) is actually a symptom of what’s really wrong with American & western society today: People have a poor education and can’t think. They watch too much TV and have been indoctrinated (brain washed) into thinking that being rich and having money is a bad thing (Why not hate what you can’t have, right?) Whereas decades ago, being rich and having a nice car, a large house, a beautiful wife, were things to aspire to, today they are something that people criticize and hold in suspicion.

The mass media has done a good job of marketing to the unwashed masses.

I have written volumes about mass media brainwashing. It shouldn’t surprise me at all how easily people are duped… But it still does sometimes.

Interestingly, over at Zerohedge, there is an article today that explains exactly what the problem is with these people who think private industry or the wealthy are the problem… Please refer to “Hating the Rich:

Western culture is presently defined by many things; one of which being an instilled sense of extreme jaundice toward wealth. No doubt Karl Marx would beam with pleasure in seeing how the contemporary bourgeoisie is regarded with hateful suspicion.
…
Before the twentieth century and the ascendance of the all-intrusive state, sumptuous living was typically seen as something to aspire to. It aroused jealously which fueled a lust for reaching such heights of luxury; not to pick away at success.
…
The bourgeoisie values of prudence and temperance are no longer respected in the Western world. They are seen as anachronistic and not in tune with the needs of society. This is a self-defeating attitude that will only lead to further impoverishment. For as long as success is punished and high time preferences are rewarded, the capacity for productive efforts deteriorates.
Coercive egalitarianism based on ill feelings of Schadenfreud is a cancer.
Absolutely. How anyone could think that people who create private business and create jobs and wealth (and pay huge taxes) are a part of the problem is beyond comprehension.

It is they who have no money and think the government should do more, along with that government interference in the economy and our lives that is the problem.

What a pathetic situation indeed. I’m teaching my children that being rich is good and that emulating and aiming for that in life is what each and everyone of us should do.

My kids deserve the best. Don’t yours?

I used to have respect (sort of) for Ryan Dawson, the young man who runs “Anti-Neo Con.” But I have lost it all recently. I had a very unfriendly conversation with Ryan yesterday (he said he was drinking, so I considered that) and, now today, I have unfriended him on Facebook (big deal, right?) The guy thinks he is some sort of genius that comes up with new ideas (that are 150 years old) and he seems to believe that it is some sort of revelation that he has to present to the choir!

Oh, the foolhardiness of youth!

I got a bit upset at Ryan due to a video that he placed on his Facebook page that appeared at the public (anyone can see) Facebook wall. It had, as an explanation, “Not Funny” and below that was “Breaking taboo to express a point.” That’s all it said. No other explanation… Being Ryan, I expected an anti-war video…

The video was extremely poorly made. Frankly speaking, quality and conceptually wise, it was first year high school film class level work, if that. The visual and sound editing was terrible and the music wasn’t synched at all. It included Rap music with scenes of people dancing, with scenes of the handicapped. The lyrics were (over the dancing) “This is what you want…” Then (over the scenes of handicapped people falling down) “This is what you get.” These scene kept repeating. There was even a scene with a sort of belly dancer (what was that about?)… After over 15 seconds of watching the video, disgusted, I turned it off.

If you want to see this amateurish production, be forewarned, it is very poorly made (technically and conceptually)… But at least here there is a better explanation, than was on the public Facbook wall, yet still, not enough, click here. You’ll have to watch it for over one-minute and about ten-seconds, before you are let in on the point: http://www.myspace.com/rys2sense/videos/so-wrong/109037253

Like I said, I watched this 1’40″video for over the first 15 seconds then got disgusted and turned it off. The repeated falling down of the handicapped (same shots) got tiring very quickly.

Ryan, hasn’t anyone ever told you that a joke doesn’t need to be told more than once?

Here, now, is the conversation with Ryan Dawson and why I have unfriended him. Now, remember, this video appeared on the publicly viewed Facebook wall. I didn’t see it on Ryan’s wall. I have copied all the correspondence. Now, you, dear reader, tell me if you think he is out of line or am I?

Gee, Ryan. Well done. I ask you a question. “If so, how does that relate to handicapped people? Please explain.” and you write back “I think your brain is handicapped” and “Seriously, F*ck you!”

Wise words from an expert and a professional trying to spread the gospel. Well done, Ryan. I’ll make sure we hire you as a speaker at our next event! Sheesh!

A very good friend and activist friend of mine said to me, “You know, you’ve really got to wonder about these sorts of “peace-activists” or “anti-war activists” who are so full of vitriol and say fighting words like “F-you!” yet they claim to profess peace. It doesn’t make sense.”

It goes on… Ryan starts foaming at the mouth more and more. What an excellent spokesman for the anti-war movement, eh? My, the art of debate is alive and well today!

Get it? Ryan thinks it’s the duty of the viewer to watch his message all the way to the end (without the courtesy of his explanation at the beginning) and if the viewer does not, it’s the viewer’s fault? Hardly, Ryan. It is the filmmakers and the presenters responsibility that they do the proper ground work to prepare the viewer and, after doing at least that, to make the video powerful enough to stand on its own and motivate the viewer want to watch to the end. That’s just plain common sense!

If you knew what you were doing, which you obviously don’t, when it comes to making these videos, you might have written text at the very start of the video that said, “What makes you the angriest? This… Or?” Or something along those lines.

Like I said, this video is extremely poorly made and conceived; the work of a rank amateur.

We’ll ignore his nonsense remarks about “African-Americans for Obama” as not being racist… Like I said, “How about white people for Romney?” Nah…. No one would raise an eyebrow over that, would they, Ryan?

He also starts of with “Don’t start with that American collectivist bullsh*t, either!” Duh, Ryan, your entire concept concerning this post of how “Americans will get upset over criticism about the handicapped people, but not about war” is founded totally and completely on the concept of what you call, “American collectivist bullsh*t!” Or are you so used to selective morality that you can write, “Picking on the disabled, hurting animals, racism sexism etc (all dispicable)will get a rise out of Americans”(sic) and not see the gross hypocrisy in your own words (or are you even thinking at all?)

Uh, Ryan, it’s spelled “despicable”… Get a dictionary, will ya? And, duh, you just figured this out?

Now, Ryan goes on to rationalize his words and the corner he keeps painting himself into. Let’s keep in mind that what Ryan said about American collectivism:

Rationalization by Ryan. Continued profanity. My, what a fine and intelligent young man. Excellent debating skills too!… More like my pompous, self-centered little 14-year-old niece… Like I said, it is the filmmakers or the presenters duty to create something that people will watch to the end to get the message. If the viewers turn it off halfway through (I turned off before 1/4 way through) then the presenter or filmmaker failed… Or, Ryan, our arm-chair philosopher with this brilliant new discovery, do you consider yourself the expert on marketing, video production and mass media too?

Again, though, Ryan continues with the vitriol for no apparent reason until he writes, “You can’t judge sh*t. I am sitting here drinking a chu-hi and playing Marvel Alliance…” (Chu-hi is a cheap Korean liquor)… Like I said, I figured Ryan was drinking (he often looks hung-over in his vlogs – I know I am a TV professional for 30 years… All of pros can recognize these things immediately)… But then he confirmed it… It tried to be civil again, but Ryan just couldn’t control himself…. He starts off, again, by using invective when none was ever called for…

For some bizarre reason, Ryan Dawson thinks he is some sort of wise all-seeing witch-doctor who must be the only one who has realized that while the average American gets angry at racism, sexism, or “discrimination,” they will say nothing about the wars and killing brown-skinned people all over the world in an American Empire since 1861…

He also thinks, for some weird reason, that people wouldn’t get upset at seeing dead Iraqi children within the first 15 seconds either! My god, Ryan, are you surrounded by nothing but neanderthals? Oops, there I go with his “American collectivism” retort.

The video ends with:

Because worst than any of this is the very real acts of murdering children in for profit wars based on deception. Picking on the disabled, hurting animals, racism sexism etc (all dispicable)will get a rise out of Americans. But torturing people to death and murder by drone and robbing trillions is all ok because MURDER still isn’t taboo yet. (sic)

Wow! Ryan! Have you just figured this out? Incredible deduction! Was this like some kind of revelation for you? If so, what cave have you been living in for the last 170 years?

Ryan thinks this is some sort of epiphany, I guess. Finally after being repeatedly insulted and called profane names by Ryan, I lost my temper and wrote this:

It’s true. If anyone were right 55% of the time they’d be trading stocks and be rich.

I mean every word of it too. Ryan, there’s smart and there’s stupid. You certainly cannot be doing it the smart way… If you are too stubborn to listen to the advice or constructive criticism of someone who has made a good life in the mass media for over 30 years then you are just, as Malcolm X would say,…. “a chump!”

Sorry, Ryan, I know 14 year old kids who act more adult than you do…

“Brevity is the soul of wit.” This says in 1 second what Ryan takes 2 minutes to say. Sorry, Ryan Get a life. Some of us do have a life to live… We don’t have time to sit around and play video games and drink cheap booze.

NOTE: Yeah, I know that by writing this, I am actually giving this guy promotion. (I am a professional about that too, you know)… But, being the nice guy I am, I’m hoping that, if Ryan is smart, he’ll learn a lesson… That is if he’s smart… So far returns aren’t so promising… Especially since he doesn’t know the first basic rule about drinking: Once you start drinking, DON’T touch the computer!

NOTE TWO: If I come off as feeling dis-respected, I do. I mean, I may be old-fashioned, but I don’t think that anyone, who asks a straight question, deserves to be insulted by someone who is supposedly, “a public figure.” But Ryan brags that he “Can be on Russia Today anytime he likes and on the radio” so, it seems quite clear that he is, as they say, “full of himself.” There’s nothing wrong with pride, but there’s no reason to be insulting people.

There’s something weird going on at Facebook… Well, who doesn’t know that? But recently I’ve noticed something really strange.

You know that if you send out “Friend” requests to people you don’t know, Facebook will lock your account, or even delete it. Before, I’ve had my account locked so that I couldn’t add “friends” even though I hadn’t been sending out requests.

But now? Something is really fishy!

In the last several weeks, I’ve been shown “offers” from Facebook to “friend” people I don’t know, have no mutual friends with, nor can I even read their names! Lots of these “People You May Know” photos show pretty girls and they often show impressive cleavage and are in very seductive poses…

You know, like ads you’d see for online porn or “dating” sites?

I’m wondering if this is some sort of trick? Is Facebook trying to get me to “Add Friend” to these people so that they can shut down my account? Or is the CIA trying to trick me into some sort of international money-laundering sting? Is this some sort of trap for a prostitution ring? Or, is it more likely, just some smart Russian Pimp using Facebook to get his girls customers? Are these photos of these girls even those real women?

Anyway, I’ve been wanting to screen capture these for a while but keep forgetting… But I did last night. Here, look for yourself:

I’m sure they are all very nice girls. We’ve got seductive poses and even the “girl next door!” Oh! And there’s even other nice girls who look like the “marrying type.” I’ve blocked out their names because, well, maybe this is just a coincidence that this looks like a dating or mating or prostitution ad… But, then again, NO! I wasn’t born yesterday!

I am not insinuating at all that any of these women are prostitutes. That is not my intention at all. What I’d like to point out is how Facebook is presenting them. Why in the world is Facebook showing me a menu of people with the words, “People You Might Know” written above them when it is obvious we have no mutual friends and many of them don’t even use the English language?

What sort of kooky algorithm is that? It’s not me that is saying these women are prostitutes, all I’m saying is that they should be pretty pissed off at Facebook as to how they are presented to complete strangers.

I also have nothing against Russian women. In fact, I think Russian women are quite beautiful! But I also know that there is a worldwide Russian prostitution ring running and it isn’t a well-kept secret (gee, I guess if you are running a prostitution ring, then you wouldn’t want it to be so secret that even customers can’t find you!) And, probably most westerners don’t know this, but, Russian prostitutes are very popular in Japan… You can see them everywhere in Tokyo on any night of the week and my friend, Kevin, who lives in Osaka tells me it’s the same thing there.

Could the FB algorithm be set up to show these to men in Japan?

Could this be another use of Facebook that we’re going to see much much more of in the future? Maybe. If Facebook started being used for dating and prostitution, then maybe they would have finally found a profit model that works!

* Note: Come to think of it, since I rail on Facebook so much as in Facebook Shares Plunge After Lock-Up Expires, FB is looking for an excuse to cut off my account!!!…