Simple Thought # 1 – China vs. United States

June 3, 2009 · Posted in Funny and Odd, Government, Rant · Comment 

This is a new section called simple thoughts. They are not well thought out concepts, but rather just topics to hopefully stimulate your bar conversation.

Thought # 1 –

People say the United States is becoming socialist, because they are taking over the automakers, providing health care for all, managing private businesses, and much much more, and in the same breath these same people often say “the Chinese own America and make everything we buy”. So my simple thought is if socialist China makes everything, and owns the most powerful country in the world, why is socialism bad for the United States long-term financial welfare?

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Top 10 deadliest natural disasters – How many do you know

February 5, 2009 · Posted in Society, The World, Things to think about · Comment 

The point of this post is just to bring to light a simple fact, which is, no matter how bad things in the world appear to be, your day can always get worse. Most people, as is our nature, tend to think of the world as revolving around them. Their financial issues, health issues, family issues and love issues are all they feel they can focus on, and sometimes it may help if you just take a step back and realize things are actually awesome, and the fact that you are breathing and have a chance to live your life is really all you need, or should ever ask for.

Today and tomorrow take one minute out of your day and let someone you care about, know that you appreciate him or her, and you a grateful for every moment you have spent and will spend together. Additionally, take a moment to step outside, and feel the world on your face. Whether the sun is shining on you, or behind the clouds, keep in mind it is still there, and still providing the energy you need to go on with your life.

I realize this seems like a very touchy-feely post, but sometimes, touchy-feely is just the recipe we need to brighten our day.

Now on to the list of awful events that can happen with or without notice, and when they do happen it will make you realize how insignificant your problems are and were just moments before.

Top 10 Deadliest Natural Disasters

Top 10 Deadliest Natural Disasters

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Ahhhem…oh excuse me, I just coughed up a piece of China

December 3, 2008 · Posted in Featured, Political Issues, Social Change, Social Issues, Society, Things to think about · 2 Comments 

The Bejing summer games have been over for months now, but the Chinese air is back in the news.  I don’t know whether to applaud the futile effort or cringe at just how bad the average Chinese air breather has it.  I admit – I think our Olympians showing up to the airport earlier this summer with masks on was a bit on the condascending side, but I wasn’t there – maybe it was too much to bare.  Point being, the Chinese government has apparently executed an all out assault on reducing air pollution.  Funny that this assault took place after billions of TV viewers were bombarded with snippet after snippet exposing just how deadly the air is over one of the biggest industrialized countries in the world.

Maybe the summer games was a great motivating catalyst to push at least one country’s leaders into doing the right thing.   Now granted – there is no inference here that the Chinese always do things the right way, however, when they want something done, they do it.  Or, they make it appear as if they did something. 

I will congratulate the country for “appearing” to push a national movement for noticeable and measurable differences in air quality.  Not just for the people of China, but for the rest of us who are affected by the particulates that factory ridden nations spew into the heavens.  

While we watched the games, we learned that China went to extremes to improve the air quality for the athletes ranging from halting traffic to ceasing all major construction projects.  The village which housed the athletes was awarded the LEED award.  This is some retarded award given to projects that meet large scale energy efficiency and “green-ness” ratings.    Well done folks!  You gave us 16 days of less smoggy air, underaged gymnasts, and Phelps. 

Well – maybe this same technology should be retro fitted for the Chinese factories who produce one third of the world’s sulphur contaminated skies. (Ouch!) 

or…

It can explain how the pollution statistics detailing how many Chinese citizens die early every year were magically left out of a major world report.  (Yikes!)

or…

Remedy the fact that a World Health Organization (WHO) report estimates that diseases triggered by indoor and outdoor air pollution kill 656,000 Chinese citizens each year, and polluted drinking water kills another 95,600.  (Whoa!)

Now all that nastiness and riducule aside, kudos to a government that can put on one hell of a environmental show for the world.  They built a green Olympic campus, they built a pool that used primarily solar light (remember that cool building?)  It looked like an oversized mattress from the air and, if anything, they kicked off a global awareness of how much attention this issue needs. 

Did they really do anything with a long range goal in mind?  Maybe.   Did the world get swindled into viewing a sugar coated event which was actually hiding an even bigger and catastrophic health issue?  My positive outlook tells me at least they made an effort, my doubtful side says you bet they did.   

However, it saddens me that it takes a large event such as the summer games to motivate the power privileged to cough up cash to build something environmentally sound.  I am not a tree hugger, I will not beat up the local butcher while wearing a cow suit, and I will not run naked up and down the street protesting leather goods.   I do however like the idea of cleaner air. 

I don’t want pollution reduction efforts to be paraded on TV as a flash in the pants marketing scheme, which at times I feel like that’s what we saw during the games.    

Let me see the Olympic village be built everywhere!

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