Sanctions are penalties applied to countries, organizations and individuals because of economic, political, military and social disagreements. Sanctions typically include trade barriers, tariffs and/or restricted access to money and are administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), an agency of the US Treasury Department. The effectiveness of sanctions is debatable: In a report to the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights in 2000, Marc Bossuyt suggests “these international economic sanctions are based on the assumption that economic pressure . . .
The Selfish Model for Progress
It appears to be impossible to accomplish what we need with our current hope-throttling congressional partisanship. Maybe we need to look at the real costs to society of holding back investment in the people, us? Real Embedded Costs: A current federal minimum wage of $7.25: In July 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage in steps to $15 by 2025. This increase would affect 23 million Americans with a direct boost . . .
The Cost of Progress?
Obviously the planet is choking! Unfortunately human behavior demonstrates that altruism and fairness are not always baked in. Too often we see the Tragedy of the Commons. Pollution is a great 21st century example: certain stock holders get rich while passing the cost on to the rest of us. CAFO’s (Concentrated animal feeding operations) as the name implies, are industrial livestock factories which cram as many animals together as economically possible. The animals are fed vitamins, antibiotics, various other supplements . . .
Critical Theory vs Discrimination
Garden Variety Casual observation of human nature reveals individuals in any crowd with prejudices. In some cases, these attitudes are benign (which car brand is best) and in others not so much. There will always be someone who disagrees with your heartfelt beliefs. In our current evolutionary state as sapiens, prejudice and discrimination occur in the random chaos of life. Cultural and Structural Another branch of discrimination is more oppressive. It is addressed by the Critical Race Theory movement. A . . .
Time For Metric?
8 ounces in a cup, 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard,16 ounces in a pound, 4 quarts in a gallon,43,560 square feet in an acre What a Number Stew! The US is the outlier. The other 95% + of the world use the metric system. Canada established a Metric commission in 1971 and over Labor Day weekend in 1977 every speed limit sign in the country was changed from MPH to KPH. US Metric History 1968 . . .
Save the GOP!
We wait as four years of embarrassing histrionics come to an end, before a normal transfer of power on January 20 as called for by the 20th Amendment of the US constitution. Fraudulent Election? A joint session of congress will open on January 6th, 2021 to record the electoral votes from each state and District of Columbia in alphabetical order. But, most of the GOP Representatives and eleven GOP Senators plan to object to the results from several key . . .
Profits and Common Good
Obviously, we live with and depend on business corporations to provide us with what we need. Competitive markets encourage innovation and invention to our benefit. What motivates these corporations? According to Milton Friedman the only purpose of a corporation is to make a profit for the shareholders. There are some well-known companies that pursue a broader and socially responsible agenda: Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s are prominent examples. But corporations are run by a variety of people who sometimes make . . .
Short Term Decisions
The outgoing administration has a self-served view of the world. Behind the obvious distractions and pandering to the benighted, are destructive tampering with relationships and regulations and short-sighted decisions. Purged Cuban Doctors The US along with Brazil’s Bolsonaro (“Trump of the Tropics”) expelled 10,000 Cuban medical workers from poor areas of Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and El Salvador months before the Covad19 pandemic struck. This was done to curb Cuba’s most important export, medical experts. How the doctors and nurses get . . .
Anti Fascism
Is the US descending into fascism?What would be the indicators? Fascism: authoritarian ultra nationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, as well as strong regimentation of society and of the economy which came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe. Chicago Anti Fascism Rally 9-5-20: I wanted to learn more about the current anti-fascist movement which is worried about encroaching authoritarianism in the US. So, I attended an anti fascist rally in Chicago sponsored by a few different organizations. There . . .
Tragedy of the Commons
There are resources which belong to us all, for example, fresh water, clean air and healthy oceans. Unfortunately, human nature has a tendency to exploit these vital resources for selfish and short-term rewards. Although it would be nice and simple, it does no good to exhort individuals to be less selfish. So, what happens? Benefits accrue to the exploiter and the costs are borne by all of us. The resource is eventually depleted or ruined and lost to everyone. There . . .