Saturday, March 12, 2011

Japan's Quake -- Where Next?

With Japan in mind, I am puzzled by what I've heard seismologist say about the relationship between one earthquake and another. I have heard and read them to say that there is no relationship between an earthquake in one geographical area to another that occurs in a distant geographical area.

In my simple untrained mind I think that position is wrong. To say there is no relationship between these events goes too far. I think all physical phenomena is interrelated -- we just don't know what those relationships are.

Adolphus Ward

Friday, March 11, 2011

Governor Walker small player -- Bigger game

Governor Walker of Wisconsin: a small player in a much bigger game.
To have a better understanding of what is happening in states around our country and indeed in the United States Government itself one should read "Commanding Heights" – The Battle For The World Economy by Pulitzer Prize-winner Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw. More conveniently, there is a three disc DVD video set by WGBH Boston Video which visually lays out the text in story form.
In short the story begins with ideas – ideas about who should own and control the natural and economic resources of a country. Should it be the government or private entrepreneurs? At one extreme government does everything – central planning was the name of that game and government decided what to produce, when, where, who should get it and how much it should cost: this idea was called Communism. There is a middle idea which arranges a mixture: where government/private entrepreneur collectively acts as controls: this idea was called Socialism. At the other extreme private entrepreneurs would take the lead in determining how a country’s natural and economic resources would be controlled: this idea was called Capitalism.
The United States adopted the idea of Capitalism with an add mixture of Socialism. What capitalist are attempting to now do is strip away all socialist elements from government controls. This would move to country toward pure capitalism.
Knowing that there would be dissent from labor groups and others, capitalist are moving to take away that voice of dissent or at least quiet it, presently without violence. Governors are the vanguard of this movement – it should be obvious why.
It is my opinion that Pure Capitalism would tend to concentrate rather than distribute wealth – as capitalism is now doing.
Adolphus Ward
March 2011