Might "Brother Sam" Be Rolling in His Grave?

Trey Smith

Several times per year we hear of an announcement from a major retail chain that they will undergo a "readjustment" or a "restructuring" because of sagging profits. What these sterilized terms mean is that the company will be shuttering stores across the nation. While the "restructuring" bug has hit a myriad of these retail chains, there is one corporation that it has not claimed: the ubiquitous Walmart. While their competitors weed out their under performing stores, Walmart seems to keep growing bigger and bigger. As of today, they have over 8,500 stores in 15 countries!

But, according to Joshua Holland, everything isn't completely rosy in the land of Walmart.

In a consumer-driven economy, you can only squeeze ordinary working people so far before they're no longer able to buy the goods and services required to keep the ship afloat.

Walmart may be learning that simple truth the hard way. On Friday, Bloomberg reported a series of emails between company executives freaking out over the super-store's dismal start to the new year. “Well, we just had one of those weeks here at Walmart U.S.,” wrote Cameron Geiger, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. Replenishment. “Where are all the customers? And where’s their money?” Another exec, Jerry Murray, Walmart’s vice president of finance and logistics, described the latest sales figures as, “the worst start to a month I have seen in my ~7 years with the company.”

While this may be nothing more than a momentary blip that will be laughed about by Walmart execs later this year, it stands to reason that sooner or later Walmart will be forced to contract. Nothing grows forever. At some point, everything gets too big for its own britches and starts to implode upon itself.

When I think of Walmart, I tend to think of the oft-quoted statement by author Edward Abbey: Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. 

In my mind's eye, Walmart is a cancer for local communities, workers, the environment and the world, in general. It has become far too wealthy and powerful through ruthless cutthroat tactics. It buys politicians by the bucket load and it has become very adept at skirting or demanding exceptions to a wide variety of regulations and laws. One of its worst sins is that it plays off one community against another and leaves the taxpayers of the "winner" subsidizing the corporate headquarters with millions of dollars in giveaways.

Before I leave this earth, one of my hopes is that Walmart will announce a great "restructuring." Will it happen in my lifetime? One can always dream!

Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 6

Trey Smith

The saying goes, "The fish should not be taken from the deep pool; the sharp weapons of the state should not be shown to men." The sage is the sharp weapon of the world, and therefore he should not be where the world can see him.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

As a general rule, if somebody tells you that they regularly sit with God or they have uncovered the secret to enlightenment, run as fast you can in the other direction! If either of these things was true, they wouldn't go around announcing it. They would lead by example and allow you to draw your own conclusions.

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

Money Makes Muddying the Water That Much Easier

Trey Smith

Suppose you're a guy and your girlfriend just broke up with you. Upset, you decide to "get back at her" in the worst way. So, you run around town telling anyone you come in contact with that she is a lesbian, kleptomaniac, sociopath or some other vile lie. Your actions could be referred to as "muddying the water." Your former girlfriend had good standing in your community and now, because of the vicious rumors you are spreading, a lot of people are beginning to doubt her credibility.

While word-of-mouth campaigns certainly can do damage, if you live in a large community, few people will ever get wind of it. In order to widen the scope of your campaign to reach people near and far, you will need money -- lots of money. With sufficient financial resources, you can fund a plethora of creative ways to get your slanderous lies before the public. In time, if you employ a variety of methods, you may be able to convince a significant number of the folks in your community that your former girlfriend is a person not to be trusted.

In a nutshell, this is what many wealthy conservatives are doing in terms of climate change. According to a report on Democracy Now,

While the secretive Donors Trust has given millions to a variety of right-wing causes, denying climate change appears to be its top priority. An analysis by the environmentalist group Greenpeace reveals Donors Trust has funneled more than one-third of its donations — at least $146 million — to more than 100 climate change denial groups over the past decade. In 2010, 12 of these groups received between 30 to 70 percent of their funding from Donors Trust.

You see, addressing climate change will cost many of these financial titans money in the short-term -- money they don't want to spend -- and so, to protect their largess, they are funneling millions of dollars into front groups whose expressed purpose is to muddy the water in terms of the scientific basis of climate change. By making it appear that the science itself is on shaky ground -- it isn't, by the way -- their goal is to block any sort of initiative that might jeopardize "business as usual."

As you may have noticed, this strategy is working to near perfection in the US. While the science community issues one dire warning after another, our elected leaders, government agencies and much of the public ignores them. It seems like we will keep on doing what we keep on doing until -- surprise, surprise -- one day soon we find we can't do it anymore.

Of course, at THAT point, it will be far too late to turn back.

I Ching: Hexagram 12 - The Lines, Part 3

Six in the third place means:
They bear shame.

Inferior people who have risen to power illegitimately do not feel equal to the responsibility they have taken upon themselves. In their hearts they begin to be ashamed, although at first they do not show it outwardly. This marks a turn for the better.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

True Forgiveness

Scott Bradley

Wenzi was studying with Zhouzi while holding a position of prominence under the feudal lord Bao, but others who sought gain in his departure slandered him before Bao so that he lost his position. After a few days he addressed Zhouzi saying, "Master, my heart wants to forgive those who have slandered me, but my will is unable. You have taught that where there is no forgiveness there can be no harmony. What should I do?"

"Are you then a consummate man without fault?" asked Zhouzi.

"Master, though I have tried to do no harm, still I manage to cause discord with others and within myself," answered Wenzi. "In this my faults are few and small, yet still they fill my mind. I have no harmony and thus relentlessly fault myself that I do not, causing more disharmony still. What should I do?"

"These faults small and few are now your best friends. You cannot forgive these others, because you cannot forgive yourself," replied Zhouzi. "Where there is no forgiveness in one thing there is no forgiveness in everything. What is forgiveness but the affirmation of things? What is affirmation but embracing things just as they are? When you are acceptable, all things are acceptable. When you are self-affirmed all things are affirmed. When you are self-forgiven, all things are forgiven. Harmonize with yourself as you are. This is the true and universalizing forgiveness. I have taught you nothing else but this."

"Then is the consummate person not without fault?" asked Wenzi.

"The consummate person is she who recognizes fault everywhere, and most clearly in herself, yet does not allow it to be the definition of things. What is Dao but the affirmation of all things? What is there that cannot be unconditionally affirmed? This is the Great Openness, the echo of life with a resounding Yes!"

"Then to forgive the incidental, is hardly forgiveness at all!" exclaimed Wenzi. "True forgiveness covers all the world!"

"You have understood with your mind, and that is a worthy beginning" replied Zhouzi, "yet how it becomes true in you I cannot say."

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

I Ching: Hexagram 12 - The Lines, Part 2

Six in the second place means:
They bear and endure;
This means good fortune for inferior people.
The standstill serves to help the great man to attain success.

Inferior people are ready to flatter their superiors in a servile way. They would also endure the superior man if he would put an end to their confusion. This is fortunate for them. But the great man calmly bears the consequences of the standstill. He does not mingle with the crowd of the inferior; that is not his place. By his willingness to suffer personally he insures the success of his fundamental principles.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

Don't Worry, My Little Chickadees

Trey Smith

Don't you just love it when some government agency or official releases a statement that warns about a danger and then, after a few folks become alarmed, declares that there is nothing to worry about? If so and you happen to live in the Pacific Northwest, you will be tickled pink over this glorious news item.

Six underground storage tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation along the Columbia River in Washington state were recently found to be leaking radioactive waste, but there is no immediate risk to human health, state and federal officials said on Friday.

The seeping waste adds to decades of soil contamination caused by leaking storage tanks at Hanford in the past and threatens to further taint groundwater below the site but poses no near-term danger of polluting the Columbia River, officials said.

Interestingly enough, area residents have been receiving reports of leakage for...decades! Every time, however, we're told that there is nothing to worry about. Yes, it is true that some of the most poisonous and lethal chemical compounds known to humankind are leaking into the soil and groundwater, but don't worry your pretty little heads about it. Keep shopping in area stores and PLEASE do not move away.

What I find interesting is that this gambit works time and again. A good majority of the people who live downstream from Hanford don't seem all that concerned. Oh sure, there are a few of those "wild-eyed environmental hippie types" who go bouncing off the walls each time they announce new leaks, but the majority who live in this most conservative area of the state simply yawn and continue reading their bibles.

Hmm. Maybe they are on to something. If the leaks make their way into the Columbia River and a giant plume of radioactive muck surges downstream towards the Tr-Cities area, they can throw their bibles in the water to make a holy dam to save everybody.

Oh yeah, I'm sure THAT will work!

Afternoon Matinee: Protest - We Are the World

Performed by USA for Africa

There comes a time when we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one.

There are people dying and it's time to lend a hand

To life - the greatest gift of all.

We can't go on pretending day by day

That someone somewhere will soon make a change.

We are all a part of God's great big family

And the truth

You know

Love is all we need.

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving.

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives.

It's true

We'll make a better day

Just you and me.

Well

Send them your heart

So they'll know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free.

As God has shown us by turning stone to bread

And so we all must lend a helping hand.

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So lets start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we make a brigther day

Just you and me...

~ from Lyrics Mode ~

The Days of Golden Watches

Trey Smith

My current situation of involuntarily hermit-ness is providing me with some insights on the issues many seniors face upon retirement.

At the outset, it must be acknowledged that I was a bit of a hermit anyway. For most weeks, I probably didn't spend any more than 10 - 15 hours per week out in the social world. I was anti-social by choice. That time range has been whittled down considerably. These days I'm lucky if I interact with other people face-to-face for more than 3 or 4 hours in a week! Were it not for the frequent phone calls from my wife, brother, father and one local friend, I could easily go for several days without hearing another human voice.

When individuals retire -- particularly mandatory retirements based on age -- they often have trouble filling their time day after day. It's not uncommon at all for the newly retired to miss the hustle and bustle of many work situations. If a senior retires in conjunction with health issues, the feelings of loneliness and isolation can be prevalent.

Unless a newly retired person has a large nest egg -- the funds for travel, country clubs and other social outings -- they often face few options. This is painfully true for those who retire on little more than their Social Security. Some seek to blot out the pain of isolation with booze and drugs. Some become mean and cranky or, if they were always mean and cranky, they become more so.

One "remedy" that a lot of seniors fall back on is the television. It provides the opportunity to hear other human voices and this can be very important if you live alone.

Over the past two decades, I had gotten to the point in which I watched very little on TV. Aside from the local news, a few shows on ESPN, The Young Turks, Bill Maher and, maybe, a smattering of documentaries every now and then, I watched no more than a few hours per week. This pattern has changed, however, over the past month. With Della gone and no transportation of my own, I find myself craving other human voices. So, I watch more mindless television.

What can I say? It is what it is.

Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 5

Trey Smith

Cudgel and cane the sages and let the thieves and bandits go their way; then the world will at last be well ordered! If the stream dries up, the valley will be empty; if the hills wash away, the deep pools will be filled up. And if the sage is dead and gone, then no more great thieves will arise. The world will then be peaceful and free of fuss.

But until the sage is dead, great thieves will never cease to appear, and if you pile on more sages in hopes of bringing the world to order, you will only be piling up more profit for Robber Chih. Fashion pecks and bushels for people to measure by and they will steal by peck and bushel. Fashion scales and balances for people to weigh by and they will steal by scale and balance. Fashion tallies and seals to insure trustworthiness and people will steal with tallies and seals. Fashion benevolence and righteousness to reform people and they will steal with benevolence and righteousness. How do I know this is so? He who steals a belt buckle pays with his life; he who steals a state gets to be a feudal lord-and we all know that benevolence and righteousness are to be found at the gates of the feudal lords. Is this not a case of stealing benevolence and righteousness and the wisdom of the sages? So men go racing in the footsteps of the great thieves, aiming for the rank of feudal lord, stealing benevolence and righteousness, and taking for themselves all the profits of peck and bushel, scale and balance, tally and seal. Though you try to lure them aside with rewards of official carriages and caps of state, you cannot move them; though you threaten them with the executioner's ax, you cannot deter them. This piling up of profits for Robber Chih to the point where nothing can deter him - this is all the fault of the sage!
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Both Tawney and Weber noted that the rise of capitalism occurred hand-in-hand with the spread of Christianity. While the namesake of the religion -- one Jesus Christ -- was something of a communist revolutionary (based on his core message), the Church has utilized his teachings to legitimize exploitation and repression. Were it not for the Christian Church, capitalism may never have succeeded!

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

Of course:

Ta-Wan

Plants and insects communicate in ways we can not quite imagine. We may comprehend or attempt to explain how they murmur signals to one another, but that is their world. 

That our future ancestors may wonder how we failed to see how planets, suns and comets communicate...well, so too they shall fall to a similar prejudiced focalism of their time. 

Yet none shall be so wise as they who die - seeing that there are not two. Just this Dao.

You can check out Ta-Wan's other musings here.

I Ching: Hexagram 12 - The Lines, Part 1

Six at the beginning means:
When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it.
Each according to his kind.
Perseverance brings good fortune and success.

The text is almost the same as that of the first line of the preceding hexagram, but with a contrary meaning. In the latter a man is drawing another along with him on the road to an official career; here a man is drawing another with him into retirement form public life. This is why the text says here, "Perseverance brings good fortune and success," and not "Undertakings bring good fortune." If it becomes impossible to make our influence count, it is only by retirement that we spare ourselves humiliation. Success in a higher sense can be ours, because we know how to safeguard the value of our personalities.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

Miserably Wise

Scott Bradley

Jiao approached Zhouzi in the garden and said, "Master, while visiting my home village I shared your way with all I thought might listen, but none seemed to care. I met their indifference with greater stridence and thus showed them what your way is not and myself as but another self-absorbed contender. I dishonored both your way and myself. Now, I feel so miserable I wish to retreat to the forest that I might fade into my own obscurity. I try to affirm myself as I am, but fail at even this."

"'Even this?!'" exclaimed Zhouzi. "Were you able to do 'even this' all else would be done! Yet though it may be true that you cannot do this, can you not affirm yourself as one not able to do it? It is said that every journey begins with one step; and every step begins precisely where you are. Are you ever anywhere other than in the Great Emerging? Are you ever other than Dao? Yet you think you must journey to somewhere when to journey is but to live and living has no end."

"What good fortune you have to have failed so completely!" Zhouzi continued. "What greater fortune still that you feel so miserable! You are your own best teacher, why do you come to me? Surely you have asked yourself why you are miserable at your public failing?"

"I have, Master," replied Jiao, "and know that it is that I want to be esteemed. I wanted my village to exclaim, 'Behold, Jiao has become a sage!' Instead, they saw me as I have always been. I want to be seen as special. I want to be someone. I know that self gives rise to other and other gives rise to self, yet I cannot break the chain.”

“My dear Jiao,” Zhouzi continued, “you are wise in your misery, and thus are you more miserable still! Now, are you able to become still wiser? Indeed it is written, “He who nurtures what it within, cares nothing for name.” Your misery is founded on only this. Caring for the opinion of others is the beginning of misery. How much more when you have made of yourself some other to yourself! Here in this misery you can discover the joy of no-conditions-to-meet.”

“As for dishonoring ‘my way’, that it could be dishonored at all would be dishonor enough. Think not to bring it where it already is, nor that it needs to be known where it is not.”

You can check out Scott's other miscellaneous writings here.

I Ching: Hexagram 12 - The Image

Heaven and earth do not unite:
The image of STANDSTILL.
Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth
In order to escape the difficulties.
He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue.

When, owing to the influence of inferior men, mutual mistrust prevails in public life, fruitful activity is rendered impossible, because the fundaments are wrong. Therefore the superior man knows what he must do under such circumstances; he does not allow himself to be tempted by dazzling offers to take part in public activities. This would only expose him to danger, since he cannot assent to the meanness of the others. He therefore hides his worth and withdraws into seclusion.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.

Those Nasty Cuts

Trey Smith

Every now and then, I pick up a copy of The Daily World, the newspaper out of Aberdeen. Yesterday's edition features two prominent headlines: 1) Defense Cuts Would Be Devastating and 2) Sequester Cuts: State Has Much To Lose From Cuts.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what the article under the first headline is about. Folks in the military-industrial complex are simply aghast that the federal government's plan of austerity means that they too must shoulder a wee tad of the budget cuts. You see, the people and corporations that benefit financially from the most bloated line item in the federal budget can't be shorted one penny or, according to them, the US military will no longer be able to function.

These folks truly believe that we need to "tighten belts" -- just not theirs!!

What surprised me a bit -- though I suppose it shouldn't have -- is that the second article is much about the same damn thing. I was expecting at least a mention of education, infrastructure, job training or a sentence or two about the middle class and poor. But no cigar! This article discussed how potential cuts in the military budget would impact our state negatively.

For the most part, this seems to be the sole concern of our elected leaders and the mainstream media. Congress MUST strike some kind of deal or the American military machine will immediately look like the army of Fiji or Luxembourg! Few of the big wigs seem concerned at all about how across-the-board cuts will impact the rest of us. I guess we don't matter.

Afternoon Matinee: Protest - Army Dreamers

Performed by Kate Bush

(B.F.P.O)

(Army Dreamers)

(Mammy's hero)

(B.F.P.O)

(Mammy's hero)

Our little army boy

Is coming home from B.F.P.O.

I've a bunch of purple flowers

To decorate a mammy's hero.

Mourning in the aerodrome,

The weather warmer, he is colder.

Four men in uniform

To carry home my little soldier.

"What could he do?

Should have been a rock star."

But he didn't have the money for a guitar.

"What could he do?

Should have been a politician."

But he never had a proper education.

"What could he do?

Should have been a father."

But he never even made it to his twenties.

What a waste --

Army dreamers.

Tears o'er a tin box.

Oh, Jesus Christ, he wasn't to know,

Like a chicken with a fox,

He couldn't win the war with ego.

Give the kid the pick of pips,

And give him all your stripes and ribbons.

Now he's sitting in his hole,

He might as well have buttons and bows.

"What could he do?

Should have been a rock star."

But he didn't have the money for a guitar.

"What could he do?

Should have been a politician."

But he never had a proper education.

"What could he do?

Should have been a father."

But he never even made it to his twenties.

What a waste --

Army dreamers.

Oh What a waste of

Army dreamers.

Oh What a waste of

Army dreamers.

Army dreamers.

Army dreamers.

Do-de-do-de-do-de-doh.

Yea-de-do de-de-do-do.

(B.F.P.O)

Do-de-do-de-do-de-doh.

(Army Dreamers)

Yea-de-do de-de-do-do.

(Mammy's hero)

Do-de-do-de-do-de-doh.

Yea-de-do de-de-do-do.

(B.F.P.O)

Do-de-do-de-do-de-doh.

(Army Dreamers)

Yea-de-do de-de-do-do.

(Mammy's hero)

(B.F.P.O)

(No hard heros)

(Mammy's hero)

(B.F.P.O)

(Army Dreamers)

(Mammy's hero)

(B.F.P.O)

(No hard heros)

~ from Lyric Wiki ~

Let's Do a Little Math

Trey Smith

If every single resident of Allentown, PA or Surprise, AZ received an average of $300/month in Food Stamps for the entire year, it would add up to around $429 million. As I reported in an earlier post, that is the same amount as an anticipated federal tax refund for Facebook. Of course, unlike Facebook, none of the people receiving those Food Stamps would have over $1 billion in pre-tax income. In fact, some of those people might be lucky to bring home $25,000!

Since Facebook certainly isn't the only mega wealthy corporation that will receive a huge tax refund this year, using the calculation above, maybe we could plug in the population of Wyoming, Vermont or South Dakota! Heck, since I don't know how high the aggregate figure is, it might be more accurate to juxtapose the final tally to the population of states like Nebraska or Connecticut.

Whatever the true ratio is, it is mind boggling that a significant number of the wealthiest corporations in this nation constantly whimper and cry about the supposedly too high federal income tax rate and yet they don't ACTUALLY pay ANY federal income tax and many of these sniveling crybabies ACTUALLY receive huge refunds year after year after year!!!!!!!

To add insult to injury, the execs of these same corporations lecture the rest of us about patriotism and fiscal responsibility.

Bit by Bit - Chapter 10, Part 4

Trey Smith

One of Robber Chih's followers once asked Chih, "Does the thief too have a Way?"

Chih replied, "How could he get anywhere if he didn't have a Way? Making shrewd guesses as to how much booty is stashed away in the room is sageliness; being the first one in is bravery; being the last one out is righteousness; knowing whether the job can be pulled off or not is wisdom; dividing up the loot fairly is benevolence. No one in the world ever succeeded in becoming a great thief if he didn't have all five!"

From this we can see that the good man must acquire the Way of the sage before he can distinguish himself, and Robber Chih must acquire the Way of the sage before he can practice his profession. But good men in the world are few and bad men many, so in fact the sage brings little benefit to the world, but much harm. Thus it is said, "When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; when the wine of Lu is thin, Han-tan is besieged." And when the sage is born, the great thief appears.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

The snippet above reminds me of something my mother preached incessantly: In whatever you undertake, always put your best foot forward. What is the point of doing anything half-ass? If you're not willing to put forth your best effort, then you would be better off doing something else.

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

Darn Galling (To Say the Least)

Trey Smith

In news that is no longer surprising, another corporate behemoth has figured out a clever way to shirk its tax responsibilities. According to Business Week, financial titan Facebook earned more than $1.1 billion in pre-tax profits and yet "it will probably pay zero federal and state taxes — and even receive a federal tax refund of about $429 million."

Think about this. Facebook makes money hand over fist, but it doesn't owe a single penny in taxes? That's absolutely insane! Even more insane is that Facebook is getting a refund!!

But you probably won't hear ANY of our elected leaders grousing about this legal crime. You also won't hear them complain about all the other Fortune 500 companies who have somehow managed to shirk their tax responsibilities too. No, what we have been hearing and will continue to hear is that the federal budget is such a mess because of all of us leeches on Food Stamps or all those old fogies on Social Security.

Yeah, we are the problem. Certainly NOT Facebook!

I Ching: Hexagram 12 - The Judgment

STANDSTILL. Evil people do not further.
The perseverance of the superior man.
The great departs; the small approaches.

Heaven and earth are out of communion and all things are benumbed. What is above has no relation to what is below, and on earth confusion and disorder prevail. The dark power is within, the light power is without. Weakness is within, harshness without. Within are the inferior, and without are the superior. The way of inferior people is in ascent; the way of superior people is one the decline. But the superior people do not allow themselves to be turned from their principles. If the possibility of exerting influence is closed to them, they nevertheless remain faithful to their principles and withdraw into seclusion.

Translator of this version of the I Ching is Richard Wilhelm. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the I Ching label below.