The New American Scheme Dream: Sodom & GaMOREah –
More & Without Risk (Payment or Loss)
“I’m a conservative investor. All I seek is 15% after inflation with no risk”
Actual Statement by A Then Fortune 1000 Chairman of the Board in the ‘90’s
It hasn’t changed.
On one hand, more, more, more (or you are less, less, less) is the siren call of our culture while, on the other hand, while we want more, more, more to be riskless (thus giving rise to the phenomenal growth litigation industry).
Ironically, I now append the motto more, better, now becomes less, worse, later to ‘more, better, now, without risk becomes less, worse, later, and loss.’
When Ben Franklin rhetorically asked ‘what is rich?’ and answered himself with ‘he is who is content,’ followed with the question, ‘who is that?’ and answered himself, ‘nobody!’
There is never ‘enough.’
Now it’s keep the profits private and socialize the risks (offing the risks to taxpayers) for banks; walk away from home loans and student loans individually playing the victim card rather than ‘manning up’ (1) and offing the risks to taxpayers.
Defaulting and bailouts are the same: the disintegration of responsibility as a virtue justified as social justice or for fear of systemic risk – but avoidance of accountability and payment just the same.
Heads I win – tails everyone else loses and pays ‘for me.’
This MOREonic behavior – has become normative.
The ‘Cultural Imperialism’: More, Riskless sans Responsibility.
Sodom & GaMOREah
(1) ‘manning up’ has become a perjorative in this politically correct nonetheless victim vulture culture society
Monday, November 14, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
More, Enough & Lack
More, Enough & Lack
Lack – survive (seeking externals to fulfill - never ending more)
More – strive (never ending comparative Hamster Wheel)
Enough – arrive & thrive (internal development of one’s portion – scoreboard internal)
Lack – survive (seeking externals to fulfill - never ending more)
More – strive (never ending comparative Hamster Wheel)
Enough – arrive & thrive (internal development of one’s portion – scoreboard internal)
Self Worthiness, Unequal Incomes (Income Disparity & Envy (Coveting
Self Worthiness, Unequal Incomes (Income Disparity & Envy (Coveting)
First, let’s stipulate: Capitalism produces unequal distribution of income
Secondly, regardless of excesses, no other economic system to date has produced the widespread prosperity of capitalism and it’s unequal distribution of income and resulting wealth.
Third, one principle America was founded on was to create an aristocracy of merit which in the negative was against an aristocracy based on birth (hereditary privilege).
And fourth, for capitalism to work there must be equality of opportunity – not equality of outcomes -which requires not only a level playing field for competition, and the rule of law but transparency.
Fifth, there has been remarkable abuses by the parasitic banks, investment banks whereby they leveraged 30-40:1 and got bailed out keeping the profits private and the risk socialized. Yet, there is no admission of primary culpability by the host predatory borrowers and their enablers (who made NINJAs – no income, no jobs, no assets) out of them (overwhelmingly Democrats/Fannie Mae) that THERE IS NO PARASITE WITHOUT A HOST.
Sixth, when, there is no skin in the game, be it the profits are private and the risk is socialized or no money or low money down mortgages – there is no buy in only abuse. Per Genesis ‘to be counted’ (and not just in the census literally) everyone – have, have not, have a little want some more – had to pay a ½ shekel.
Finally, while one can argue the excesses and abuses, let us not defeat the better for the perfect (which doesn’t exist). There are only ‘better’ tradeoffs rather than absolute solutions.
The above said, 1% pay 40% of the taxes, 53% pay all the income taxes, and the 47% pay who pay no federal income taxes - who have ‘no skin in the game’ are bitching about ‘income disparity’
What is at the bottom of the resentment?
MONEY EQUALS SELF WORTH.
More Money Equals More Worthiness (SUPERIORITY); Less Money Equals Less Worthiness (INFERIORITY).
Let me elucidate on the dualistic thinking that is pervasive through our culture proving that more is good, therefore less is bad – and by extrapolation, he who has more is worthwhile and he who has less is not comparatively worthwhile or worse ‘worthless’ which leads to envy, theft (redistribution of wealth – a synonym) is rationalized by victimization and euphemized as social justice, entitlement, and or rights
If we are useful, of service, functional, we are right. Today’s currency is being right and not being wrong. If we do what is useful, we are right (we get an and we are right even righteous (originally, right use ness). If we are right – we get ‘more’ otherwise we get less. If we get more, we are better; if not, we are worse. If we are better we are winners – otherwise losers. If we are winners we are worthy (not worthless). And we are worthy, we are good which is just one ‘o’ away from God.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that assets less liabilities is referred to as Net Worth – Net Worthiness. And the ‘more’ Net Worth – the ‘more’ Worthy (the less net worth – the more worthless comparatively!)
Therefore in order not to be wrong, less, bad, losers and worthless – theft/ larcency/redistribution – become legitimate renamed as ‘entitlement, rights, and (the be all end all of motherhood facockta rationalizations) ‘social justice.’
As a result, we should get, by hook or crook (least I be redundant – social justice, redistribution, entitlement, rights) MORE (SUPERIOR)otherwise we are LESS and WORTHLESS (INFERIOR) comparatively.
When all the ‘good reasons’ (abuse, excesses by the parasites but no culpability of the hosts) are exhausted – the real reason behind the theme of income disparity is lack of comparative SELF WORTH rationalizing theft so ‘we are not LESS.’
Ironically, the parasites and the hosts are both MONEY GRUBBERS defining their worthiness by MORE or LESS, the former by the legalized larceny spin words ‘entitlement, rights, victimhood and social justice’ the latter by keeping the profits private and the risk socialized
If anything, the Occupy Wall Street should be Occupying:
• Barney Franks, Chris Dodds’ & Andrew Cuomo’s home
• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac
• Colleges (who raise tuition 300%+ over the consumer price index)
You can’t change parasites but you can, first drain the incentives of the host, and secondly change the cage of the parasites. In particular:
• 20% down minimum on houses – period. (Does anyone believe we would have had these crazy overleveraged financial shenanigans were it not the NINJA subprime financing enabled by “Our Bettors” Dodds, Franks, Cumos’s etc?
• End tenure and go to contracts at Universities as well as go charter and or voucher for K-12 to put merit back into the system versus whining forever bitching and moaning we need more money as we continually get more for less and more student debt
• End revolving doors in Washington such that elected officials and staffs (nor their immediate families) can go to work for those whom they regulate for 5 years.
• Stop socializing the risk and keeping private the profits by increasing banks’ capital requirements lowering leverage.
• Keep estate taxes after both spouses pass. Inheritance is affirmative action for the rich. Being a member of the lucky sperm club doesn’t create jobs and violates meritocracy
• Taxation should be changed to a flat tax or a consumption tax with a negative income tax component (getting the federal government out of being the Nanny and reducing the bureaucracy telling those in need how and what to spend their money on.)
• End double/triple taxation as given demographic changes (88 million pulling money out of passive investments) the stimulation should be capital formation to create jobs and thriving passive investments given the demographics.
In the end, however, envy is envy is envy and coveting is coveting is coveting and More doesn’t define Worthiness (SUPERIORITY) unless one believes it does.
First, let’s stipulate: Capitalism produces unequal distribution of income
Secondly, regardless of excesses, no other economic system to date has produced the widespread prosperity of capitalism and it’s unequal distribution of income and resulting wealth.
Third, one principle America was founded on was to create an aristocracy of merit which in the negative was against an aristocracy based on birth (hereditary privilege).
And fourth, for capitalism to work there must be equality of opportunity – not equality of outcomes -which requires not only a level playing field for competition, and the rule of law but transparency.
Fifth, there has been remarkable abuses by the parasitic banks, investment banks whereby they leveraged 30-40:1 and got bailed out keeping the profits private and the risk socialized. Yet, there is no admission of primary culpability by the host predatory borrowers and their enablers (who made NINJAs – no income, no jobs, no assets) out of them (overwhelmingly Democrats/Fannie Mae) that THERE IS NO PARASITE WITHOUT A HOST.
Sixth, when, there is no skin in the game, be it the profits are private and the risk is socialized or no money or low money down mortgages – there is no buy in only abuse. Per Genesis ‘to be counted’ (and not just in the census literally) everyone – have, have not, have a little want some more – had to pay a ½ shekel.
Finally, while one can argue the excesses and abuses, let us not defeat the better for the perfect (which doesn’t exist). There are only ‘better’ tradeoffs rather than absolute solutions.
The above said, 1% pay 40% of the taxes, 53% pay all the income taxes, and the 47% pay who pay no federal income taxes - who have ‘no skin in the game’ are bitching about ‘income disparity’
What is at the bottom of the resentment?
MONEY EQUALS SELF WORTH.
More Money Equals More Worthiness (SUPERIORITY); Less Money Equals Less Worthiness (INFERIORITY).
Let me elucidate on the dualistic thinking that is pervasive through our culture proving that more is good, therefore less is bad – and by extrapolation, he who has more is worthwhile and he who has less is not comparatively worthwhile or worse ‘worthless’ which leads to envy, theft (redistribution of wealth – a synonym) is rationalized by victimization and euphemized as social justice, entitlement, and or rights
If we are useful, of service, functional, we are right. Today’s currency is being right and not being wrong. If we do what is useful, we are right (we get an and we are right even righteous (originally, right use ness). If we are right – we get ‘more’ otherwise we get less. If we get more, we are better; if not, we are worse. If we are better we are winners – otherwise losers. If we are winners we are worthy (not worthless). And we are worthy, we are good which is just one ‘o’ away from God.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that assets less liabilities is referred to as Net Worth – Net Worthiness. And the ‘more’ Net Worth – the ‘more’ Worthy (the less net worth – the more worthless comparatively!)
Therefore in order not to be wrong, less, bad, losers and worthless – theft/ larcency/redistribution – become legitimate renamed as ‘entitlement, rights, and (the be all end all of motherhood facockta rationalizations) ‘social justice.’
As a result, we should get, by hook or crook (least I be redundant – social justice, redistribution, entitlement, rights) MORE (SUPERIOR)otherwise we are LESS and WORTHLESS (INFERIOR) comparatively.
When all the ‘good reasons’ (abuse, excesses by the parasites but no culpability of the hosts) are exhausted – the real reason behind the theme of income disparity is lack of comparative SELF WORTH rationalizing theft so ‘we are not LESS.’
Ironically, the parasites and the hosts are both MONEY GRUBBERS defining their worthiness by MORE or LESS, the former by the legalized larceny spin words ‘entitlement, rights, victimhood and social justice’ the latter by keeping the profits private and the risk socialized
If anything, the Occupy Wall Street should be Occupying:
• Barney Franks, Chris Dodds’ & Andrew Cuomo’s home
• Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac
• Colleges (who raise tuition 300%+ over the consumer price index)
You can’t change parasites but you can, first drain the incentives of the host, and secondly change the cage of the parasites. In particular:
• 20% down minimum on houses – period. (Does anyone believe we would have had these crazy overleveraged financial shenanigans were it not the NINJA subprime financing enabled by “Our Bettors” Dodds, Franks, Cumos’s etc?
• End tenure and go to contracts at Universities as well as go charter and or voucher for K-12 to put merit back into the system versus whining forever bitching and moaning we need more money as we continually get more for less and more student debt
• End revolving doors in Washington such that elected officials and staffs (nor their immediate families) can go to work for those whom they regulate for 5 years.
• Stop socializing the risk and keeping private the profits by increasing banks’ capital requirements lowering leverage.
• Keep estate taxes after both spouses pass. Inheritance is affirmative action for the rich. Being a member of the lucky sperm club doesn’t create jobs and violates meritocracy
• Taxation should be changed to a flat tax or a consumption tax with a negative income tax component (getting the federal government out of being the Nanny and reducing the bureaucracy telling those in need how and what to spend their money on.)
• End double/triple taxation as given demographic changes (88 million pulling money out of passive investments) the stimulation should be capital formation to create jobs and thriving passive investments given the demographics.
In the end, however, envy is envy is envy and coveting is coveting is coveting and More doesn’t define Worthiness (SUPERIORITY) unless one believes it does.
Monday, October 17, 2011
From My Forthcoming Book: (Inner) Journeys with Goodie: Wanting What You Have & Conniving
(Inner) Journeys with Goodie: Wanting What You Have & Conniving
He who knows he has enough is rich – Tao Te Ching
Finally, I got a bedroom (maybe 10’ by 15’) that I didn’t have to share with my brother in our small row house. Still, if our neighbors Terry and David were fighting I could hear the muffled yelling through the common wall – but I didn’t care, I had my own room.
Now I live effectively in the largest doghouse (Bet Kelev – The House of Dog) in Colorado at the mercy of three standard poodles (who think they hold a first by their mere presence), frustrated that I can’t find room on my bookshelves for another unread book, I forget that 10 by 15 room.
Others have told me stories of scrimping and saving to have that Friday afternoon ice cream soda with their insignificant other when struggling and now gvetch about the wonderful house with kitchen granite tops they live in – fully paid off – forgetting the formica counter top of old.
What we came from becomes merely nostalgia rather than today remembered in gratitude.
It seems there is ‘never enough.’
Yet, never enough is the hamster wheel, wanting what you have that’s the cheese (though there is never enough cheese – in particular – Monterey Colby – for Her Royal Highness).
Given Elle’s cancer and both Moses’ and Goodie’s brushes with death this year alone, each day additional day with them reminds me of ‘what’ is enough and to ‘want what I have’ putting the book mischagass (craziness) in perspective.
Wise guy Goodie hasn’t yet gotten this message of ‘enough.’
At fetch, Goodie still hasn’t given up on getting two tennis balls into her mouth even if at she loses the ball already in her mouth to an ever waiting Elle.
More, better, now becomes less, worse & later and that is the “less”on.
Regardless, this doesn’t deter my Goodness Gracious Goodie the AKC ‘Best in Class’ Conniver Schemer for ‘more.’
Goodie’s food portion (cooked or prepared tar tar served with a waiter’s cloth napkin adorning my forearm) seems to never be enough. (You’d think she was another scamp from the cast of Oliver singing ‘More’). Thus, if I’m not looking, she goes for anything left over in Elle’s or Moses’ bowl or worse and I go in the other room – she’s counter cruising.
And when caught, she just licks her lips, gives that Eddie Haskell smirk as if threatening to call social services or Jerry Springer.
Fetch, food, wrestle – it’s not enough for Goodie.
She’ll learn.
‘More’ than I can say for the human condition.
“Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion”
Talmud
He who knows he has enough is rich – Tao Te Ching
Finally, I got a bedroom (maybe 10’ by 15’) that I didn’t have to share with my brother in our small row house. Still, if our neighbors Terry and David were fighting I could hear the muffled yelling through the common wall – but I didn’t care, I had my own room.
Now I live effectively in the largest doghouse (Bet Kelev – The House of Dog) in Colorado at the mercy of three standard poodles (who think they hold a first by their mere presence), frustrated that I can’t find room on my bookshelves for another unread book, I forget that 10 by 15 room.
Others have told me stories of scrimping and saving to have that Friday afternoon ice cream soda with their insignificant other when struggling and now gvetch about the wonderful house with kitchen granite tops they live in – fully paid off – forgetting the formica counter top of old.
What we came from becomes merely nostalgia rather than today remembered in gratitude.
It seems there is ‘never enough.’
Yet, never enough is the hamster wheel, wanting what you have that’s the cheese (though there is never enough cheese – in particular – Monterey Colby – for Her Royal Highness).
Given Elle’s cancer and both Moses’ and Goodie’s brushes with death this year alone, each day additional day with them reminds me of ‘what’ is enough and to ‘want what I have’ putting the book mischagass (craziness) in perspective.
Wise guy Goodie hasn’t yet gotten this message of ‘enough.’
At fetch, Goodie still hasn’t given up on getting two tennis balls into her mouth even if at she loses the ball already in her mouth to an ever waiting Elle.
More, better, now becomes less, worse & later and that is the “less”on.
Regardless, this doesn’t deter my Goodness Gracious Goodie the AKC ‘Best in Class’ Conniver Schemer for ‘more.’
Goodie’s food portion (cooked or prepared tar tar served with a waiter’s cloth napkin adorning my forearm) seems to never be enough. (You’d think she was another scamp from the cast of Oliver singing ‘More’). Thus, if I’m not looking, she goes for anything left over in Elle’s or Moses’ bowl or worse and I go in the other room – she’s counter cruising.
And when caught, she just licks her lips, gives that Eddie Haskell smirk as if threatening to call social services or Jerry Springer.
Fetch, food, wrestle – it’s not enough for Goodie.
She’ll learn.
‘More’ than I can say for the human condition.
“Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion”
Talmud
Friday, October 7, 2011
Long Term Care Coverage: Reducing Cost & Increasing Coverage
Long Term Care Coverage: Reducing Cost & Increasing Coverage
The insurance industry is minor league preparation for government employment. (Instead of hoarding Oxycotin to commit suicide, just stand outside a major insurer’s headquarters at 4:20 PM in the afternoon and by 4:30 PM you’ll be stampeded to death).
The insurance industry never been accused of being a bastion of innovation. (Actuaries, some say, are accountants without personalities). Due to patent structural barriers to trade, if anything, the industry has encouraged theft of the little innovation that has occurred without recourse. The larger insurers just take the second bite of the apple knocking off the smaller insurer’s innovation and plays chicken daring the innovator to sue with the threat of deep pocketing them.
So the suggestion below relative to matching needed long term care coverage with reducing the ever escalating costs long term costs (only rivaled by higher education cost theft and health insurance inflation) will probably go on deaf stampeding ears. And the suggestion below assume continuation of the same failed long term care model of care which in itself is unsustainable.
Background
In the late 80’s the geniuses in the life insurance business to reduce premiums engaged in a practice called lapse supported premiums. Lapse supported premiums are akin to a Tontine (an investment or insurance plan in which contributors pay equal amounts into a common fund and receive equal dividends and benefits from it, with the final surviving contributor receiving everything). Thus, in the life insurance tontine, the surviving policyholders reap all the benefits of the premiums and dividends forfeited by the lapsing policyholders.
Given that up to 70% of all ‘permanent’ life insurance is gone by the 10th year, for those who stick it out – dividends just magically increased (lowering the comparative premium costs for competitive comparison sake.
Well, the brilliant actuaries did lapse supported pricing on long term care. But insured didn’t lapse but nursing home and at home care costs skyrocketed. (And they say actuarial is a science!)
No wonder so many entered and exited long term care. Yet, the insurers, having learned their lesson from pricing disability insurance on a guaranteed price and renewal basis, issued long term care guaranteed renewal but the price was not guaranteed. (And they still are eating their lunch but at least not canabolizing themselves as they can raise premiums)
Result – long term care premiums have gone out of sight – where life time coverage for most is unaffordable.
Reframing The Problem and Reinventing The Long Term Care Policy
10,000 deaths is a statistic; 1 death is a tragedy
Stalin
Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die
Comedian Timmie Rogers
National Nursing Home 1999 Survey: According to the data the average length of stay for current residents is 2.44 years and for discharged residents is 272 days.
The length of stay in nursing homes as long as 3 years was 5% of women and 3% of men or 97% of men and 95% of women were in nursing homes less than 3 years.
However, in National Nursing Home Survey, the cognitive impairment among the 65+ age population was 40%. Assuming even 100% of those in nursing homes are 65 and older (it is less) and 40% of those in more than 3 years (1.2% of males and 2% of females) are likely to have cognitive disorder.
So given these probabilities and escalating nursing home costs 300%-400% of consumer price index, would it not make more sense to offer 3, 5 or 7 year policies but with a lifetime rider for cognitive impairment? The underwriting would rate the cognitive impairment rider based on family history (Alzheimers etc.)
Accordingly, overall cost for LTC would come down as exposure to claims (other than cognitive) would be for a shorter duration matching probabilities BUT allowing for lifetime on cognitive.
Of course, the probability of being stampeded to death 4:20PM in front of an insurer’s home office is 10,000% higher than adoption of the aforementioned policy suggested.
The insurance industry is minor league preparation for government employment. (Instead of hoarding Oxycotin to commit suicide, just stand outside a major insurer’s headquarters at 4:20 PM in the afternoon and by 4:30 PM you’ll be stampeded to death).
The insurance industry never been accused of being a bastion of innovation. (Actuaries, some say, are accountants without personalities). Due to patent structural barriers to trade, if anything, the industry has encouraged theft of the little innovation that has occurred without recourse. The larger insurers just take the second bite of the apple knocking off the smaller insurer’s innovation and plays chicken daring the innovator to sue with the threat of deep pocketing them.
So the suggestion below relative to matching needed long term care coverage with reducing the ever escalating costs long term costs (only rivaled by higher education cost theft and health insurance inflation) will probably go on deaf stampeding ears. And the suggestion below assume continuation of the same failed long term care model of care which in itself is unsustainable.
Background
In the late 80’s the geniuses in the life insurance business to reduce premiums engaged in a practice called lapse supported premiums. Lapse supported premiums are akin to a Tontine (an investment or insurance plan in which contributors pay equal amounts into a common fund and receive equal dividends and benefits from it, with the final surviving contributor receiving everything). Thus, in the life insurance tontine, the surviving policyholders reap all the benefits of the premiums and dividends forfeited by the lapsing policyholders.
Given that up to 70% of all ‘permanent’ life insurance is gone by the 10th year, for those who stick it out – dividends just magically increased (lowering the comparative premium costs for competitive comparison sake.
Well, the brilliant actuaries did lapse supported pricing on long term care. But insured didn’t lapse but nursing home and at home care costs skyrocketed. (And they say actuarial is a science!)
No wonder so many entered and exited long term care. Yet, the insurers, having learned their lesson from pricing disability insurance on a guaranteed price and renewal basis, issued long term care guaranteed renewal but the price was not guaranteed. (And they still are eating their lunch but at least not canabolizing themselves as they can raise premiums)
Result – long term care premiums have gone out of sight – where life time coverage for most is unaffordable.
Reframing The Problem and Reinventing The Long Term Care Policy
10,000 deaths is a statistic; 1 death is a tragedy
Stalin
Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die
Comedian Timmie Rogers
National Nursing Home 1999 Survey: According to the data the average length of stay for current residents is 2.44 years and for discharged residents is 272 days.
The length of stay in nursing homes as long as 3 years was 5% of women and 3% of men or 97% of men and 95% of women were in nursing homes less than 3 years.
However, in National Nursing Home Survey, the cognitive impairment among the 65+ age population was 40%. Assuming even 100% of those in nursing homes are 65 and older (it is less) and 40% of those in more than 3 years (1.2% of males and 2% of females) are likely to have cognitive disorder.
So given these probabilities and escalating nursing home costs 300%-400% of consumer price index, would it not make more sense to offer 3, 5 or 7 year policies but with a lifetime rider for cognitive impairment? The underwriting would rate the cognitive impairment rider based on family history (Alzheimers etc.)
Accordingly, overall cost for LTC would come down as exposure to claims (other than cognitive) would be for a shorter duration matching probabilities BUT allowing for lifetime on cognitive.
Of course, the probability of being stampeded to death 4:20PM in front of an insurer’s home office is 10,000% higher than adoption of the aforementioned policy suggested.
Friday, August 12, 2011
One Nation Under The ‘MORE’ god– A Nation of MOREons.
One Nation Under The ‘MORE’ god– A Nation of MOREons.
The stock market whipsawed and slide 500 points up 400 points another day to only be down again 500+ points the next day
And I got calls – though out of practice 16 years.
One case of a retired couple selling their house and buying up another $150k for another house. This $600K plus would be dead money (to the income needs of their goal which they need now in retirement. After a discussion of reverse annuitization to create income with this otherwise dead money, what were the questions about? The goal? Nope – how to make more – and they know better than to ask me those type of questions that I haven’t answered in 36 years.
Another called about timing? Should I sell now – are we close to the bottom – is it going down further – what should I reposition to?
The More god.
Then there is the apologetic call, ‘I know I should have. I know I told you before I would, but this time I will, if you will just tell me, what should I do – are interest rates going up so I should short my bonds?
The More god.
Another who doesn’t have sufficient income nor assets convertible to income production, called about gold and silver. I told the individual it doesn’t make sense relative to his goal (as these metals are insurance/ hedges for goals and he is far away from the income he needs). Besides you can’t eat gold or silver. He persisted. I indicated what I did using these hedges as insurance – how volatile they are but if someone is going to do the wrong thing – the better way to play it was a particular silver royalty company on the big board. I reiterated, even then, this would be, at best, doing the wrong thing right. And again, I repeated gold and silver didn’t fit his goals. He did it anyway. Then, he complained at me (not to me) on the way down bringing seemingly forgetting what I told him not to do, and when it went up – he didn’t sell and when it was volatile (up and down) I reminded him of what I said during his denied complaining.
What did I get for my efforts (besides his bitching which he denies) accusation that I was ‘patronizing him.’
Managing goals instead of assets – patronizing?
The More god.
The More god extracts the sacrificing of what one needs for what one doesn’t need from its more-on followers.
The More god’s blessing: more, more, more becomes less, worse later..
Now I’m sure I’ll hear how I’m being hard hearted as people are scared. Markets go up and down – sometimes with extreme volatility – and not just in 2008 and today. People forget the Arab oil embargo or 1987 – saying ‘this is different.’
Hard hearted or realist – that The More god is what not just the US but this world be it socialist, communist or capitalist – the religious or the atheist worship as the savior.
The root cause goes back to Cain & Able & man’s fear & belief that his bodily physical demise will be his extinction in contrast to one scapegoating caller blaming business (which will be a subject of a subsequent blog entry).
This fear of extinction (and desire of imMOREtality) gives rise to the delusional primal strategy of acquisition to palliate, ‘hinder, delay’ and defraud (if it would work) necessary ‘defraud’ the inevitable physical death. (As comedian Timmie Rodgers would sing on Ed Sullivan, ‘everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.’
The derivative of acquisition (Cain in Hebrew is acquisition) is More.
Whereas Shaddai (God, God Almighty, God All Sufficient, Enough) was Enough for Able, Cain /Acquisition had to have his nut covered before he made his sacrifices to God (which while greater than Able’s were not ‘the first yearlings’)
The More god of Cain – The Citizen Cain/Kane.
The culture of the More god never ceases to amaze me.
When the economy is good and we are ‘in the pink’ (a precursor to ‘in the red?’), there is never enough. Papagallo is out Jimmy Choo is in; Dewars is out; McCallister is in. One Louis Vuitton isn’t enough – 12 is needed for accessorizing and ‘besides, it’s an investment.’
And then when the economy goes south, we bargain. In 70’s the phrase was ‘please God, one more good economy and I promise I won’t piss it away.’ The 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s had similar phrases all promising again not to urinate it away – and sacrificing it away to the More god.
Ironically, with each downturn, the concept of Enough I’ve preached now for 36 years becomes popular and even though retired from practice 16 years, I get calls about Enough. The personal financial planning calls are ‘how to get more so I can have enough which I don’t know what enough is to begin with.’ Masked in the calls are the Moreonic hail Schwartzie prayer questions: ‘so what should I sell or buy and where are interest rates going’ rather than focusing on what is their goals and resources.
Sneaky planners – regardless fee or commission- and who are really just asset gatherers in personal financial planning clothing -calls are the most disingenuous. These putzes are just trying to get the lingo of Enough to repackage themselves with an envelop of Enough still selling/ worshipping at the Golden Calf idol of the More god .
In the end, this 36 years of Enough(sm) has proven to me that we may say we really believe in despite rosary beads, going to religious services weekly, sending kids to Hebrew, Catholic school etc, New Age Blather etc is NOT God, NOR Jesus as the redeemer, or a greater force nor Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, etc but in:
• More as our savior
• The More the merrier
• Believe in MORE and MORE will set your free.
MORE is god – represented (no coincidence) by the Bull at Wall Street & Broad in New York. In biblical times, Baal (the bull) was worshipped in one ceremony where the congregants threw their defecation at Baal and then fornicated. (The derivation of Baal/Bull Sh*t: More???
It’s not In God We Trust but In More We Trust.
So please, don’t wear one’s faith on one’s sleeve when it’s in the thickness of one’s wallet.
These and other recent incidents have hermetically sealed my personal financial life planning hermitization.
Without regards,
Pinchas * Schwartz
*Pinchas shish kabobed (impaled) both Cozbi and Zimri for their idolization defecation Baal Sh*t worship with one spear..
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Going Down From The Bimah: An Enough Story
Going Down From The Bimah: An Enough Story
Judaic thinking has it that greater help should be given to the rich – wealthy who lose it than those who are poor to begin with. How come?
A Jewish fable.
One of the traditional perks for the President of the Synagogue is to sit next to the Rabbi on the bimah (the raised platform/”stage” in the synagogue from which the Torah is read and services are led). When the President’s term of office was up, so was his perk sitting next to the Rabbi on the bimah where the newly elected President now would sit.
It seems, once out of office, the former President didn’t adjust to well to not being the Synagogue President as he made life difficult for the new President at almost every juncture – causing splits in the congregation.
Finally, the Rabbi got the two together and revolved the situation after much inner squabbling and difficulty. (Rumor has it the title of President Emeritus was created as well as a prominently displayed photo of this past president and all past Synagogue presidents now adorns a wall outside the sanctuary.)
The morals of the story: it is easier to go up to the ‘bimah’ than to come down from it; it is harder to go from wealth to loss of wealth versus not having wealth to begin with.
Given our more, more, more culture accentuated by the Obama Administration spend, spend, spend (shop till you drop) multiple trillion deficits (spun as investment), the bill (less, worse, later) & coming down from the bimah has come due.
In more, more, more culture transforms spending oughtas and nicetas into must required ‘gottas.’ The prospect of less –means that those gotta nouveau nicetas and oughtas are reduced or eliminated. The oughtas and nicetas come down from the bimah for most but for others they stay on & are elevated on the bimah via theft & confiscation euphemized as ‘social justice, hope and change, socialism via regulation and redistribution of wealth).
It’s ‘enough’ to drive one to drinking Jim Beam-ah..
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