guns, guns and more guns

LINUZ90 / Foter / CC BY-SA

Several weeks ago there was a shooting at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices in Long Beach, CA.  The first question you might ask is how did an armed man get into the Federal building?  The stunning answer is this was a shootout between armed ICE agents, during an employee performance review obviously gone bad.  With one agent dead and another wounded I think it is fair to ask whether anybody, agents or otherwise should be armed in the workplace.  Are they armed because they expect gun play in a federal building that already has armed security and metal detectors at the entrances?

In most if not all states a weapon can be carried in the open with no training and a simple permit that may require a background check.  Even the background check can be easily and legally circumvented by purchasing the weapon from a private party.

I think this shooting is a cautionary tale.  These ICE agents were in fact “well trained”, yet this simple dispute turned deadly and irreversible because these men were armed.  If the agents were not armed I think any reasonable person would have to agree the outcome would have been much different.

Any discussion involving the individuals right to be armed always brings the second amendment front and center.  Anyone who is convinced that they know exactly what the framers meant when they drafted the second amendment should be obliged  study the endless stream of court cases that have been argued all the way to the supreme court.  I can say with some certainty they could not have conceived of a society where 44 million people own 192 million firearms, 65 million of those being handguns.  In 1791 the available guns were single shot muzzle loading rifles made by gunsmiths.  Also keep in mind that most of our laws are based on the principle that collective freedoms should supersede individual rights.

I also think it’s time we got over the idea of the infallibility of the framers and think that possibly if they were exposed to the weapons that are available today they may have been a little more careful about the way they structured of the second amendment.

When is black not black

Recently I received a forwarded email that included several glib statements and an unflattering photo-shopped picture of President Obama.  The sentences are included at he end.  The author challenged me to read the sentences and think of a reason why I shouldn’t pass them on.

With that thought in mind I got out an old textbook that has a chapter on propositional logic.  Compound propositional sentences express logical relationships between the simpler sentences that compose them.  If my explanation is not clear (very likely) you can find many references in your library or on the Internet.  These methods are important in the process of critical thinking and help us see where authors and/or advertisers are trying to lead us.  In fact we often apply them without thinking about it.

The sentences often include or imply the following connectors.

“and”, “or”, “if…then”, “if and only if”, “not”

example:

Assumption 1:  All Cats are black.  Assumption 2:  John has a cat.

This is an easy one.  I make two assumptions, one that all cats are black, and two that John has a cat.  From these two assumptions the only conclusion I can reach is that “John’s cat is black” (if..then).  Based on the assumptions I made this is a logically true statement even though in the ‘real’ world all cats are not black.  This example brings up a very important concept in propositional logic.  That is, a conditional sentence may be logically true even if one or more of the assumptions is not valid.

It is our job to go beyond the structure of the sentences and try to determine if the underlying assumptions are actually valid in the real world and if the conclusion we draw from those assumptions is also valid.  In a future blog entry I am hoping to provide a professional analysis of each one of these sentences,  In the meantime I encourage everyone to look at each one carefully.  Remember that your own bias will weigh heavily in your analysis so just try to apply the rules of logic.

My point here is that it’s important that we all evaluate everything we read so we can see where the author is trying to lead us.  We ask our children to use critical thinking when evaluating what they see and hear yet we are so easily manipulated ourselves by hasty generalizations, irrelevant conclusions, non sequiturs and other fallacious arguments designed to obscure the real issues and problems.  Party affiliation aside I think we owe it to future generations to not let ourselves be seduced by a few sound bites or glib sentences.

In conclusion, what can I say about a photo-shopped picture of the president to help illustrate the author’s version of future events.  I assure you I can find many pictures of past presidents, republican and democrat alike that do not require Photoshop to illustrate their ‘actual’ short falls.

Happy Holidays

Dean

PS   More to come.

Sentences to analyze:

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity, by legislating the wealth out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them; and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

Following these sentences was a photo-shopped picture of President Obama standing in a barren landscape with the caption “My work is done here”.

Is the Computer mightier than the pen

 

Recently I’ve been hearing people lament the loss of some USPS services while at the same time using their computers to send and receive emails.  While contemplating this paradox a very simple truth hit me.  If you get communications in whatever form from someone close to you the method shouldn’t matter.  To me, if someone I love takes the time to compose and send a text message it means just as much as if they sat down and wrote it with pen and paper.  It just gets to me a lot faster.  I know most of us would not give up air travel in favor of covered wagons just because that’s the way we used to travel.  Sure, eliminating some USPS services is going to be an inconvenience for some people but over time when finally we have to look at a Norman Rockwell painting to remember what a postman looked like and we’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.  Meanwhile we have to be tolerant of everybody whose fear is causing them to cling to their pens and pencils.  We have to help them overcome their fear of the new technology and usher them into the brave new world.  Remember, telling someone you love them and are thinking about them transcends the communication medium.  Texting and emails are hear to stay, at least until the next technology outdates them.

Happy Holidays

Here’s todays conundrum Are we saving too…

Here’s todays conundrum.  Are we saving too much or spending too much?  Depending on which talking head you listen to the answer could go either way.  One head says we should save like our grandparents and pay cash for everything.  Another head says that we are now saving to much and smothering the economy.  After all 70% of our economy is driven by consumer spending.  In the halcyon days of the early 2000’s we were racking up mortgage and credit card debt, spending money we didn’t have like we would never have to pay it all back.  Oops, we were wrong.  I don’t have to rehash the mortgage meltdown or the upcoming credit card and student loan fiasco.  It’s sufficient to say that as a society we have lost our financial way.  It’s popular to blame big banks, but we were the ones buying the houses we could not afford and we knew we couldn’t.  We were the ones swiping our credit cards for our morning cappuccino.  It’s time to take responsibility for our own behavior.  Remember, there would have been no mortgage meltdown if we would have all behaved responsibly.  Let’s all think twice before we buy the next dodad or trinket we really don’t need. 

 

Wealth Transfer!

Monday, November 7, 2011

A few days ago a loyal reader of my blog brought up an interesting point, what about credit card users who pay their balance on-time each month.  If you have a card that gives cash rewards, airline miles or any other form of incentive you actually benefit from the use of the card if you pay on time and in full each month.

In my original post I was talking about the use of credit cards in general and how they increase the price of the goods that we purchase.  What I did not consider or mention in that post was the price of goods goes up for everyone including the cash buyers.  But because the cash buyers do not benefit from the credit card incentives there is an implicit transfer of money from the cash users to the credit card users.  The subject is covered nicely in this white paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Good Eye Amy and keep those cards and letters coming.  More on actual fees in a future post.

Getting old but looking young. Really!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

This morning I was watching CBS Sunday Morning, one of my favorite shows.  They featured an aging actress who had obviously undergone cosmetic surgery in an attempt to stave off the relentless march of time.  Have the people who undergo this type of surgery never seen one of their peers and said, “what the hell happened to them”.  I guess we are all vain to some extent and the astonishing sales rate of cosmetics is evidence of that.  But something to keep in mind is that applying cosmetics is reversible process while cosmetic surgery is usually not.  You just can’t fool mother nature.

 

When are we going to see cooperation in politics

Last night Martha and I went to a Republican (we’re democrats) sponsored meeting that we thought was meant to raise awareness of a planned iron mining operation in Iron County that is being held up by environmental concerns and a long permit process. It actually was a dinner to raise money for the party. In fairness the subject of the mining operation was discussed and I must say that I am in favor of the mine as long as everyone’s environmental concerns are address. To anyone who doesn’t think it’s a concern you simply have to Google Earth White Pine, MI and check out the 10 square mile tailings pond to the east that has resisted re-vegetation for decades. This is the subject of another blog entry. In attendance was Rep. Sean Duffy(R) who won a long time democratically seat when Dave Obey(D) retired.

While I was listening to various Republican speakers from local, state and federal levels giving their speeches it became clear to me that compromise, at least their public view on it was as far away as Mars.

It was profoundly disturbing to me that their vague generalizations about the problems we’re facing were laid directly at the doorstep of the democrats and the equally vague solutions were going to be attributable to republicans if only the democrats would stay out of the way. This does not sound like the spirit of cooperation. I think what we all would like from both parties is specific, collective solutions to the problems that are stalling our country.

I understand the lack of specifics in short time Rep. Duffy was allotted but I what I don’t understand is that in this electronic age information on his positions is not available on his web site but it does give a phone number where you hopefully can get info. It’s almost like he doesn’t want anything in writing.

One last thing. Did anyone see the irony in chastising President Obama for being on the campaign trail when that’s exactly what Sean was doing in Mercer.

Sean Duffy
1208 Longworth HOB

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-3365 or (855) 585-4251
(toll-free)
Fax: (202) 225-3240

Credit Card Anathema

Anybody who keeps paying attention to this blog will know how I feel about credit cards. They are anathema to me and they should be to you as well.
Recently, Visa has been trying to appeal to our heart strings by announcing that they are giving a percentage of their fees to cancer research. Certainly a laudable gesture. But wait a minute! Whose money is this? Who gets the tax deduction? You? I don’t think so. Visa is announcing that they are doing something they probably do already, getting mileage from that and maybe making us feel a little better about ourselves.
Is there a better way to do it. I think so but first a confession. Although I no longer carry a balance, which was not always the case, I do use a credit card simply because the current financial system makes it the most viable and in some cases the only way to buy stuff both online and at store fronts.
And if you think debit cards are any better, think again. The same onerous fees are charged the merchant, who then passes them on to you, each time you use the card. Imagine that, charging you a fee to remove your money from your bank account. And this is where the lines blur. If you have overdraft protection on your account the bank will loan you incremental amounts of money automatically, for a fee and then charge you usurious interest rates. Sounds a lot like a credit card, doesn’t it.
In the past I have fallen prey to the seductive advertising of buy now pay later, but as I have and many of you know waiting until you can actually afford something is a far more gratifying than piling on debt. Those of you who do not know this feeling have a pleasant surprise in store for you.
I always hear that we are a consumer oriented society. We need these credit and debit cards to fuel the growth of our economy. Is this news to anyone, that we’re a consumer oriented society? We’ve been this way since Henry Ford gave us the Model T and we got our first Sears Roebuck Catalog. The difference is that we used to pay for the stuff that we bought when we bought it. Does anyone who is reading this remember the expression “lay away”. This is when we went shopping at a merchant and made a down payment on an item we wanted, they stored it away until we came back the next payday and paid in full. At that point we were given our merchandise.
Is there a better way? The answer is yes. We simply don’t buy things until we can pay for them. Then we can be giving directly to cancer research or whatever our favorite charities are and get the tax deduction. Like anything, it isn’t easy at first but as time goes you will appreciate doing business this way. Imagine waking up one morning and having no unmanageable debt. Ask anyone who has just made their last mortgage payment or their last car payment.

Stand Up and be counted

Am I the only person that is annoyed by the way way politicians, whenever they are in front of a camera, refer to us as the “American People”.  Aren’t they the “American People” as well.  And what is the unemployment rate of congress?  If you haven’t already guessed it is 0% for both republicans and democrats.  Very nice gig when your job, pay and benefits are completely disconnected from the state of the economy.  Sounds a lot like wall street executives.

And do you ever wonder why we keep re-electing the same people to public office when they seem to have a complete lack of regard for their constituents on any issue if it is in conflict with their own ambitions or the people who financed their campaigns?

It’s time to sound off.  If your not happy with the way things are going, call, write, email, tweet, or text your representatives.  Let them know their time in office is limited if they don’t listen to our concerns and act on them.

Bank/Wall Street regulation

The only people who profit from an unregulated financial system are the people who run the system.  As a comparison let’s use our favorite shade tree mechanic as an example.  Most people know nothing about the cars they drive beyond what they can see from behind the wheel.  As a result when there is a problem we must depend on the mechanic to be honest.  Does that always work?  No, that’s why we have the consumer protection agency.  Regulators are always looking over the shoulder of manufacturers to make sure they are not taking advantage of the consumer.

Financial oversight is a much more difficult problem because the people who would appoint regulators (elected officials) are in the pockets financially speaking of the wall street bankers.

Deregulation of the banking industry was tantamount to giving the highway patrol their walking papers and then hoping that everyone would behave like full grown adults on the highway.

Like the people who are marching in the streets as I write this you can tell that I am very upset about this.  We are going to look back at the Greenspan era as some of the darkest days in our history.  More to come on this in the future when I learn more about it myself.