Folks, the Writer here, and many of you, are entitled to have any opinion that you wish. But, attempting to pass off Opinions as Fact, is Intellectually Dishonest; and, what I believe is a prequisite for the rise of a Mob. It certainly worked during the 1930′s in Germany and Austria. People want Facts – - not opinions, from every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

All great Nations or Empires seem to: over-extend their their reach for influence and exploitation – - thus, Militaries are stretched to the Max, until it crumbles. Leaders with power, also over-extend their Social Programs; Print Money in an attempt to make up for the hugh run-up in Deficits that resulted. One of the last Behavior Characterstics that surfaces is Greed, by those who have Power. In an attempt to, “keep it down,” among the Nation’s Goof-Ball Thinkers, an accomplished Author-Scholar, uses the term, “Extraction,” rather than, say “Robber Barons;” even though that’s what they are. ALL GREAT NATIONS HAVE PRACTICED the ART OF EXTRACTION, of an Empire’s Resources, at all levels, and from any source, just prior to the collapse. This means exploitation of Government, the Commoners; and literally any Body or Organization that has any semblence of a valuable Resource Base. Currently, there is a new book out that is all the rave among Economists throughout World. The Author is a Scholar from M.I.T., and has written on the COMMON Elements or Stages that ALL GREAT EMPIRES have experienced during their RISE and FALL. The United States seems to fit the Model rather well.

The operative word, that is now sometimes used, is, “Extractive Capitalism.” You might recognize the meaning if we use the familiar term, “Predatory,” Capitalism. In the final stage of decline, the lack of morality and ethics runs amok. There is a sense that something is terribly wrong, and, “I better get mine, while there is still time, and something left.”

For many of you, the Extractors are, or will pick your Carcass clean, during the final days.
No Nation has ever been successful in solving huge debt problems by printing money. The Dollar has been devalued by over 95%, since it was initially introduced back in 1913,

Our Puppet Masters just love it, when they see the Minions fighting over the, “ISMS,” Social Programs, the National Debt, etc., etc. These distractions are viewed as the, “Bread and Circuses,” of the modern era. The same thing is true of our Elections. Think it makes any difference whose elected? Lot’s of promises by both Parties; but, the outcome is the same. Look at the history of the past thirty years: Democrats Tax and Spend, while the Republicans Borrow and Spend. NOW, THESE ARE REAL FACTS!

Ask me to document these statements – - please! If you have any doubts, it probably is about the Republicans. Reagan and Chaney have repeatedly said, that, “Deficits don’t Matter.” True to their beliefs, Reagan and Bush II, more than doubled the National Debt during their Presidencies.

Papa Bush, called this kind of thinking, “Voodoo,” Economics. He knew that taxes had to be raised to pay for the first Iraqi War. He lost the election as a result. We don’t produce anything anymore; we want everything; and we don’t want to pay for any of it! Be honest, and do the Research. Playing the, “Blame Game,” and trying to push off one’s Opinions as Facts, is completely non-productive, and moves us closer to the edge.

don

How much different is a midle class life style to a rich person life style?
I’m not hungry. It may not be caviar and champaigne, but I eat.
I have a roof over my head. Not as many rooms, but I’m dry and warm.
I have clothes on my back and shoes on my feet. May be Wal-Mart and not Lord& Taylor. So What?
I have a car. It gets me from point A to point B. Ford not a Roll’s. So what?
I have a TV. 26 in. but if I sit in the same room I can see it. Rich & poor get access to the same channels though.
I have a computer and internet access. Same internet as rich people.
My yacht is a 15 foot canoe, but I can go floating.
Sex feels the same.
The trick is to be happy for what you do have and not worry so much about what others have that you don’t.

I assume that “Embematical Representations” is a book, however, I can’t find a listing for it anywhere. Can you give me some hints on where to find the book? Thank you.

The education system is ruining the country. I remember the “see, touch,feel”for 5-year olds in the 70′s, where kindergarten students were to touch and feel each other, including genitals….we now have the worst family situations, and more irresponsible parents as well as drug junkies. It was the highest educated who conned the public into that crap. The colleges basically look the other way when it comes to drugs, possibly ‘ ” the cream will rise to the top ” being the philosophy of such action. So why break the public for these idiotic concepts in education, all the way to overpay as well as incredible pension benefits and best benefits ever while working on about 9 1/2 months/yr. The lack of the ability to discipline youth who are in need of discipline is the clinker needing attended to. From the time they can participate in “see, touch, feel” they have “” rights “” against anything which would result in their becoming responsible for their actions. Yes, we have totally blown it in the education system….at ALL levels.

I live in SW Penna., and in this county we have “patches” where immigrant workers came to settle as coal miners. Let’s compare these immigrant workers to today’s american in this area.

When the immigrants came here, not even speaking the language, they got jobs digging 400-foot deep holes in the ground, to mine the coal. Using steam-powered sawmills they cut down local firests and built the “patch houses”, actually small villages with all the same type of houses for the workers and nicer houses for the coal bosses. Since it was the coal companies that paid for everything, these houses became known as “company houses” A great many of these houses still stand and many of the small communities are still vital. Let me tell you about one called “Edenborn” which is near where I live. Edenborn had originally about 250 houses, some duplexes, some single families, and probably had a rooming house or two for the long-term bachelor or bachlorette. Outhouses were used and “honeydippers” would come around frequently to pump out the sumps of the outhouses. In the early fifties A man named Galbreath made a deal with U S Steel, and took over the patches and installed indoor bathrooms and septic tanks, these septic tanks all drain to several-acre leech beds , usually located somewhere referref to in each patch as “down over the hill”. Very functional system except the tanks were 500-gallon steel tanks, which rusted out. After 20-30 years people ended up with holes in their yard with a whole lot of stink The steel tanks were then replaced with concrete tanks, 1,000 gallon tanks. Worked great as long as the leech fields were maintained right….usually not the case….and lifestyles changed to where automatic washers use a lot of water and the detergents were not of the environmentally-friendly type at that time.. Some patches developed conventional sewer systems then, with government grants. This is great, one would think. I know in another patch called “Footedale”, this occured. The government, in about 1981, had a 1 1/2 million dollar grant to put sewage there. No tap-on fee, and it was only gonna cost $4.00/month for sewage….pretty good deal if you ask me. Well, when it started operating, with this little patch where everything is gravity drain, and only a simple system…..on the second year of operation, one of the tanks cracked, had to be redone. It started then at $4.00 per half louse if a duplex, $4.00 for a whole house if single-family. The game was, the water company would require two meters now, if a duplex, and eventually the water company came to be the collection agency for the “sewer authority”The sewer bills 30 years later are now $22.00 per month per unit, and the water is now about twice as expensive, also coming from an “authority”. These authorities are legal monopolies. The funds collected by the water authority for sewage are paid to the “Footedale Community Improvement Association. I suspect they also fund to a great extent, the Footedale Voluntary Fire Derpartment” which is a great fire station, and all volunteers who live in the community….absolutely great set-up. They have weekly bingoes at the community hall, which also helps the fire dept, with the cost of firefighting equipment being really high.

Edenborn had a fire dept. but as the population decreased in the 70′s and 80′s. it closed and that building was torn down, and then the school was consolidated and that building is now the Township building (has a new section for offices) and the machines are kept there for road use, and so on. Across from the school and firehouse was the memorial for the members of Edenborn who died in WW2 in service to the country. It was a brick structure with the names of those who gave their final devotion to our nation in brass. Today, 2012, there are various trees grown up around the lot of land holding the honor memorial, only the brick pillars remain, the glass was broken and the brass letters with these soldiers names stolen, and then junked for money, presumably for drugs maybe? Or maybe baby diapers for a child born out of wedlock due to marriage decline and welfare not being quite enough today since car insurance is so high, etc. etc…when the mines closed down, the patches went to hell. Every patch had it’s own slate or ash dump as well.

This generation today has a problem with responsibility. We avoid any willingness to have other peoples arrive at our shores who have solid work ethics and require an incredible level of laws protecting our workers who have extreme resentments against others who are successful, and want to strike down the winners in life under the guise of “fairness”. I would say we should coddle the Mexicans who risk life and limb to get to the land of opportunity, and put in concentration camps these lazy freeloaders who are destroying our country. Looking at the destroyed memorials at both Footedale and Edenborn….shows how far we have slid down the path to ruin. What a bunch of whining little non-achievers.Hands out for grant? We should cut their hands off…..sharia law would permit that, I believe. Hey, let’s throw a few lawyers in there who represent, at the taxpayers cost, these hopeless bums.

WELL, THE PUNDITS HAVE MANY ANSWERS, THE PROS AND CONS. SO WE STAND AT THE BED OF A DYING MAN AND ELABORATE ON THE COMING CONSEQUENCES. LOOKS LIKE THE BIG DUDES HAVE US IN A NARROW GAP GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER, USING EACH MOVE OF OUR SIMPLE BUT TRUTHFUL COMMENTS AGAINST US. AND WHEN THE TALKING IS OVER, HUNGER AT THE DOOR, KIDS CRYIN FOR FOOD, DOG PACKS SCOURING THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THUGS LOOKING FOR AN EASY PREY. SEEMS THAT THE SOON COMING TERMINUS OF THE POLITICAL GAME SHOW IS NOT COMMON SENSE BUT THE ANSWER WILL COME FROM THE MOUTH OF THE THUNDERSTICK. SAD? YES, VERY SO, BUT JUST AS VISIBLE AS THE WINDOW VIEW OF THE COMING STORM.

Through most of our country’s history, and the world’s history as well, the range of wealth/privilege (high to low) and favored vs. oppressed has been relatively small. In this country and elsewhere in the world that range has grown dramatically in more recent times, greatly accellerating in the last few decades, in this country at least. Yes, I am getting to the 1% issue. Wealth is being concentrated in a very small portion of our population while there is less and less for a growing proporion of our population. When the majority of the work is being done by those who benefit less and less – THAT is class warfare.