Newt Gingrich, Liz Cheney, and Saul Alinsky

Why does it all seem so....so formulaic? Like it's scripted, right down to the pause waiting for the applause. Then it hit me, they are playing from Alinsky's text "Rules for Radicals."

1. Ridicule is the most potent weapon
2. A good tactic is one your people enjoy
3. Keep the pressure on
4. The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself
5. The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure on the opposition
6. If you push a negative hard enough it will break through into its counter-side
7. The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative
8. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

Wow, 8 out of 13 that I can easily see. Now these tactics aren't what you call playing nice. They are not designed to be, they are about winning, and in the process of trying to win you destroy.

Those that now control the right have found these tactics to suit their needs, just like they found torture to help them accomplish their goals. In the process something is lost and that is discourse and debate.

The right seeks to control the lives of over 300 million people, control them by putting in place what they think is the standard that we should all live by. Now there is nothing fundamentally wrong with pushing forward an agenda you think works or works better than what is taking place. But that is not what is being pushed. Instead we get the poisoning of the waters and the demonization of a party and its supporters. Let's look at what was said recently by Newt Gingrich and Liz Cheney:

• most radical administration in American history
• secular socialist machine
• founded on freedom, not serfdom.
• founded on the work ethic, not the redistribution ethic
• founded on defending America, not hiring lawyers for terrorists
• put down America and diminish our achievements
• dishonors this nation and the brave men and women who have fought and died for our freedom

If the right has a better plan, lets see some action - not rhetoric. From my point of view, you had four years under Clinton and eight years under Bush to fix health care and put forth the ideas expressed in the "step-by-step, common-sense approach to health care reform."

Those that control the right say they have a better way but all they fixate on is poison and rhetoric. We have serious problems that are fixable but can only be fixed if all sides are considered and the best approach is hammered out through compromise. But compromise is such an ugly word to conservatives - it's seen as weak and capitulating. However that's what governing is all about.

But governing is not what is sought, it's power and when you have power you needn't compromise. You can have your cake and eat it too. All that matters is obtaining and keeping the power regardless of how it's obtained or who you destroy in the process.

A word of warning though: Be careful when you demonize, because some of us hold our truths to be self evident and don't take too kindly to being tagged as something we are not. I'll debate my views with anyone - but you had better be able to tell me why I am wrong and/or why your way is better. If it's six of one or half dozen of another - then you got nothing more substantive then me.

Compromise and governing - now there's a radical approach!

I pooh-pooh in your general direction!

It was a simple statement of encouragement. Offered by a friend to another in hopes of giving the recipient some much needed strength for they were looking at a task and finding it to be daunting. I can understand the genesis behind the comments, not because I know the commenter’s, but because I too have been stirred in the same pot.

It is easy to attack back, especially when one finds their particular beliefs attacked or downplayed by others. It is even easier to see one’s views as superior, propped up with logic and deductive reasoning to the point where one cannot believe the ignorance – nay – stupidity of those who have not come to the same understanding.

So we comment in ways that assumes either everyone believes as I do or you are worthy of my contempt. I am guilty of this too so far be it for me to call them out on this. But that’s what is wrong with discourse – it has lost its civility, its empathy, its bottom-line support of your right to think and do what fits best for you. And who can blame us? We attack each other’s beliefs, rendering them stupid or making light of them.

So I am faced with looking at a monster rearing its ugly head. Maybe I failed in my rhetoric, my rantings, my take on things, to convey the necessary criteria of valuing another person’s beliefs. To belittle someone’s comments simply because you have determined them to be insignificant in your own life was never my intention. “To each their own” I have always said. “But that’s not how they play!” will be their response. “They force it down our throats, change our text books, ignore the constitution – it’s not to each their own – it’s always their way!”

OK, so let me be clear, let this be my new mission statement for everything I say and do from now on: “First do no harm.”

1. Are my comments designed to belittle or make a point for consideration?
2. Am I attacking the individual or their actions?
3. Will they be better served if I took away their belief system?
4. Can I differentiate between a true believer and a charlatan?
5. Will my comment serve a purpose other than making me feel righteous?

My mom always told me “if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all.”

It was just a simple statement of encouragement – nothing more.

Fix It.....Phase II

OK, I am trying. Sent the following last week on Sunday. One week later - no response from the folks at corporate NBC. So on to Phase II.5 - like I said, I am trying to get this fixed in a much more calm and collective way. But I aim to play hardball if that's the way they want it. So today I wrote a letter (on paper!) addressed to Jeff Zucker the CEO of NBC. I'll drop it in the mail Monday and will post it if I still don't get a response. No response - move to Phase III, like I said, they will not like Phase III. All they have to do is fix it.

Here is what I sent NBC in an email (feedback@nbcuni.com)last Sunday:

Hello;

At the end of this email is the email I sent to the local station - KCEN - responsible for broadcasting NBC through our cable provider, Suddenlink. At this point in time the same issue with lips not matching the voices is still going on. It has been over a month since I voiced my complaint but this issue has been dragging on for longer than that. I am not the only one complaining in College Station/Bryan Texas.

KCEN TV told me in a phone call the next day that the problem with lip syncing was not theirs but was a corporate problem from your feed to them. OK, so fix it. Nobody at KCEN has been able to get you to fix this problem, so I thought I would give it a try. Now I have been watching TV for a long time. Rabbit ears were able to get voices to sync with lips - unless it was a Japanese monster movie. So how come in the age of computers and digital, and fiber optics, and satellites, and......you guys can't get voices to sync with lips?

I would be curious to know how disappointed the folks spending their advertising dollars with you would be should I need to take my complaint to get this problem fixed to them?

Anyway something to chew on while you work this out.

Cheers!

Jeff

P.T. Barnum would hate you son!

The following was sent to me as proof that his education has not been wasted.

The initiating source (from a girl he went to high school with):

Hey hunny:

Hey, So I know that you are an entrepenour so I wanted you to look at something. I'm working for a company called cieaura that does marketing for an emerging company called harmonic fm. Basically what we are putting out on the market is a set of adhesive chips which are each set at a different frequency to balance the bodys natural vibrations. There right now are sleep chips which encourage better deep sleep, energy chips which provide a no crash no rush constant energy, and pain chips who help to make pain go away. The also have an athlete chip that helps with longer better performances and makes it so you aren't tired and aren't in pain. I'd really like you to check it out, the website is [redacted].com. This isn't a scam and I'm not trying to sell you anything I just want you to try the product and if it intrest you I will gladly come talk to you about how it can make you a ton of money like it already has for a lot of people. The best part is it makes you money while you help people. We don't sell the product we sample and refer. But yeah go check out the site and if it interest you at all then text me or call me at [redacted]. Can't wait to hear from you!

His response:

Hi [redacted],

I see that you paid [redacted] your $39.99 to start your own store. I am sorry for your loss. You probably won't see that money again. Then again, you might sucker some really stupid people into buying the "products" from your store.

I am going to throw out a couple words here. Transparent holographic nanotechnology transdermal chips. Say that out loud. Now say STICKER. Does it sound ridiculous? Yes, because that's exactly what it is. And they claim that these chips are set at different frequencies that provide pain relief, better sleep or energy?

Sounds like a bona fide miracle product!

Oh and there are stickers that limit the EMF caused from your phone which the website claims are very harmful and hazardous to your health. Oh but we do have this little regulatory agency, called the FCC, that actually regulates the small amount of radiation that is produced by the radiating device, i.e. antenna. Yes, I like this company's science. Basically if you say it, without any study or evidence, its true! Just like the SmogBuster sticker that was supposed to reduce pollutants and give you better MPG (but was completely proven to be false, and a pyramid scheme type scam).

But wait, not convinced? Lets check at the bottom of the website, after each of it's products:

"[redacted] products are sold for learning, self-improvement and simple relaxation. No statement contained in this writing, and no information provided by any [redacted] employee or retailer, should be construed as a claim or representation that these products are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease or any other medical condition. The information contained in this writing is deemed to be based on reliable and authoritative report. However, certain persons considered experts may disagree with one or more of the statements contained here. [redacted] assumes no liability or risk involved in the use of the products described here. We make no warranty, expressed or implied, other than that the material conforms to applicable standard specifications."

See these guys are smart. They sucker people like you in, who in turn sucker other people in. Maybe you'll make some money off of [redacted] other people. Probably not much though. But Ken Rasner will! Hey wasn't he in another [redacted] for a similar product? Oh yeah, it was called LifeWave. They sold similar "stickers" which didn't really work too!

Now Sam, if this is really a hoax, why are there other companies selling a similar like product? There's eight, Advita and Biosync who sell holographic chips. Oh they are run by Harmonic FM, LLC as well?!?! Which is in turn run by Ken Rasner? So what you are saying is that there are a lot of [redacted] corporations for Harmonic FM. And they all sell the same exact product from the same exact people?

Yes that is exactly what I am saying.

Maybe these "stickers" make you stupid instead of curing all your ailments.

Wait a minute. I just made a claim about a fancy new technology product and there is no way you can prove me wrong! Science, isn't it GREAT?!

I can go on and on about your little pitch. But I feel like I've wasted enough time today listening to your, and Rasner's, drivel. Instead I will sum up my final points in a picture:

Regards,

Sam

P.S. The fact that you use "hey hunny" as a hook to get me to read this trash sickens me. I'm not your hunny. And it's not cute when women pull that crap.

I am also not an "entrepenour." I am an electrical engineering student.

You don't get it do you?

The Eagle's "Cardinals defend pope on church abuse scandal" gives a pretty good picture as to what is wrong with the Catholic church. I grew up Catholic and never had any complaints about my experience, but looking back it is now obvious that any entity is only as good as the people who run it.

We don't - regardless of geography - put the best and brightest in place. That's what we hope happens, but the reality is that to move up in any bureaucracy - and there is no bigger one than the Catholic church - you gotta play the game.

Being a good game player does not necessarily equate to being wise, smart, aware, or even competent. But that's how most folks move up through the ranks. Now I don't know the Pope or any of these Cardinals, Bishops, or Priests so I cant really say who is, and who is not good at what they do.

What I do know is that how the Catholic Church has handled the sexual abuse by its clergy has been disappointing. Now they are in a particularly difficult situation here, caught between the mandate to absolve one of their sins - regardless how heinous and the need to protect their flock and holdings.

But I am more and more convinced that they really do not get what has taken place, still takes place, and will take place in the future.

[Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn] had also reflected on the issue at a Wednesday evening service: "I admit that I often feel a sense of injustice these days. Why is the church being excoriated? Isn't there also abuse elsewhere? ... And then I'm tempted to say: 'Yes, the media just don't like the church! Maybe there's even a conspiracy against the church?' But then I feel in my heart that no, that's not it."

Why is the church being excoriated?: Because you - the leadership - have ignored it -participated in it - denied it - allowed it to perpetuate for decades. Don't you get it? You are the church, not a business or a club or a group of uneducated people. You represent the path to God. You mishandled this problem for many, many years and it ruined many, many innocent lives. Why didn't you fix the problem you knew was taking place?

Isn't there also abuse elsewhere?: Really? Are you serious? To repeat: You are the Church, you - of all people - must rise above hurtful degenerate behavior like this. We are not talking about random incidents here - this was pervasive and known all the way up to the top. And you did nothing - you failed your flock and the people that depended on you for leadership, compassion, Godliness, spirituality, all the things that should be in a Priest. You abused not just children but trust. Your sins are worst than the same sin committed by most all others. You were supposed to be men of God.

You guys really don't get it do you?

Truth is universal....perception of truth is not.

Interesting NPR story today called "The Rules About How Parents Should Make Rules."

Larry Nucci, a research psychologist at the Institute of Human Development at the University of California, believes that parents should respect a child's personal domain and that this is where most conflicts between parents and children are generated. Personal domain rules have to do with what children consider to be their own business and that they consider to be private: Friendships, playmates, who they want to play with, who they want to be around, leisure time activities like what sport they want to do or toys they want to play with and ways in which you express yourself through your appearance such as clothing.

Alan Kazdin, director of the Yale Parenting Center doesn't believes that children must have autonomy and that if parents are looking for compliance, the primary thing is to frame rules properly and not approach children in an authoritarian mode, because that tends to set off oppositional behavior.

OK, so I was a parent - still am to be technical about it. I choose the Nucci method, without knowing that it was a method. I found that respecting their privacy and making sure they had some control over their lives would work better. I also have been a big proponent of what Kazdin proposes having always subscribed to "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

I have always had a distaste for authoritarian parenting. My parents were not, although my dad could get madder than a red hot ember and my mom yelled a lot they were not authoritarian just because they were the parent. I took a different approach with my kids, adopting their good attributes and culling out the things - like yelling - that I hated. Bottom line is finding something that works for both parent and child and adopting to their needs. Ask any parent and they will almost universally tell you that their kids were different requiring a variety of tactics to get them to behave. Unless you have some ego problem where you gotta be number one - my way or the highway - varying one's tactics works well.

So I am always interested in research that looks at how we humans interact so I thought this story was interesting, especially how these two scientists come up with different views based on observing the same thing.....kids.

Where I must respectively disagree with Dr. Kazdin is the last part of the story:

One basic difference between these two approaches is this: Nucci will argue that it's important for children to actually have control over a part of their lives, while Kazdin says that it's only important for them to have the perception of control.

Children grow up and when they see that the person they looked to for love, guidance, substance, protection, and all the other things that come into play between a child and a parent has manipulated them, has given them a falsehood, a lie, a make believe world in which they thought they had control but did not, "well what else have you lied to me about?"

Perception works but when the curtain is pulled back what will the child see?

Fix It.....Phase I

OK, being a former business owner and working for a large entity, I know the trials and tribulations of trying to get something corrected. I am really aware of how tough it can be and so I try to be nice when I finally reach the point of complaining and I give what I consider a reasonable amount of time before I follow through with another course of action.

So I reached my limit way back on 2/24/10 - which for those of you counting is about a month ago. Here is the email I sent to the TV station complaining about their poor broadcasting during the Olympics:

To: Comments@kcentv.com

Re: Poor technical quality of broadcast

OK, I am going to be blunt. Watching the Olympics on your channel through SuddenLink in College Station has been brutal and I find myself yelling at the TV - which I am too young to be doing.

1. Last night, watching figure skating, young skater from Turkey, moving story of parents sacrificing everything for her, there she is on the ice and 2/3 through her routine you knuckleheads cut to an advertisement.

2. After knucklehead move we get dead air - nothing - black screen - only your channel is out. SuddenLink states its not them.

3. Tonight - advertisements not coming in at the right time, dead air only this time we get to see the peacock icon animation. Over and over again, same thing, poor placement of advertisements and local adds not coming on at the right time.

4. And my number one yell-at-the-TV issue: Get the gosh darn voices to match the lips. This has been an ongoing issue with your station not just for the Olympics. Your news cast seems to sync but the Olympics is aggravating to watch as well as the advertisements that are also out of sync.

You have some serious issues here, enough so that if it were not for the Olympics I would personally block your station so as to not have to deal with what appears to be incompetence on someone's part. Fix it or you will forever lose my eyeballs. I get the feeling that you must not watch your own station - because if you did you would find this unacceptable and would fix it. Oh, and if you want to blame SuddenLink don't bother writing me back. Fix it.

I received a phone call from their tech guy apologizing and giving me the sadsack story of "we purchased new equipment"...."digital to analog"....."I noticed it too"....."its not us its NBC."

One month later - same issue. Don't believe me? See other complaints here.

So what to do.... apparently my email to them did not stir them into action. Apparently I am the only one who complained or they really don't give a hoot about the quality of their broadcast - which in a round about way is telling me they don't care about me as a viewer of their NBC product.

I wonder if corporate NBC cares?

So today starts Phase II of "Operation Fix It." Let's see what corporate NBC has to say before I move to Phase III. They won't like Phase III, but sometimes you gotta play hardball with folks in order for them to do what they are supposed to do in the first place. Fix it!