Pragmatic

Pragmatic (01/04/2012) Taking my son to school recently I was listening to an interview on NPR with a spokesperson from Merriam-Webster dictionary. I have always loved the dictionary and can remember scouring the unabridged version when I was in school, searching for words I needed to learn and finding words of which I had never heard. Today, I never pick up a printed dictionary and instead relay on a digital search. Companies like Merriam-Webster benefit because in the digital world the company captures data about users, like the most common search. For 2011 Merriam-Webster reported the most searched word is “pragmatic.” Coincidentally, in conversation the day before the NPR piece I was commenting “I’m a doom and gloomer” when it comes to the economy, currencies, resources, or general outlook. My friend Katie quickly corrected me and said, “I don’t think you’re a doom and gloomer; your pragmatic.” Like many of us looking for the meaning of the word pragmatic I cannot say I gave much thought to it before our economic downturn several years ago. In September 2007, I lost my job and found myself selling unneeded items, downsizing through multiple garage sales, and finally having to leave my friends and children in New Smynra Beach, Florida. I started reading, learning, and understanding government, money, commodities, food chains, and even media interpretation of events. Ultimately, this led to my opportunity to write weekly newspaper columns in several papers and publishing my book, Clearly Ambiguous. Encouraged by personal change I started identifying trends and taking an umpire-like view of the world, “calling it like it is.” Specifically I remember a meeting with a group of realtors in spring 2008, part of a leads group I had formed, and the realtors commenting the housing market would return by the end of the year. I challenged their thoughts, stating it would be five to ten years before real estate made any return to the prior levels. Challenged, I stood my ground sharing statistics, facts, and observations. Recent data by the National Association of Realtors has reiterated the markets have been worse than reported and instead consistent with my assertions. Each week I work hard to share events whether identifying infringements on our liberties, disputing economic optimism, or calling out the idiocy of our leaders’ decision making. My friend has accused me of being negative, another of living on the mountain too long and become radical. I think Katie got it right, I am “pragmatic.” prag•mat•ic (adj \prag-ˈma-tik\) 1: archaic a (1): BUSY (2): OFFICIOUS b: OPINIONATED. 2: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters : practical as opposed to idealistic.

Defending Yourself

Defending Yourself (06/22/2011)

I wrestled with the title and content of this column realizing I wanted to challenge thought processes. My context is asking, “When would you take up arms?” Recent Supreme Court rulings, at state level and the federal level have eroded 4th Amendment rights. These freedoms have been held sacred since the Bill of Rights passed and evolved from British tyranny and further back to feudal tyranny. Looking around I see this erosion becoming the norm, no longer the exception. Sadly, people who raise questions are now “domestic terrorists” or “troublemakers” harassed through detention, no-fly lists, and watch lists.

If you are pulled aside for additional screening at an airport and suddenly find yourself touched inappropriately by a TSA officer are you willing to yell “Stop!” Are you willing to kick and punch to defend your person? Are you willing to engage local law enforcement to file assault charges? What if you are an 18 year old girl attending your high school prom and security guards run a hand up your bare thigh under your dress? Would you be willing to complain, or more importantly file a lawsuit like Candice Herrara of Santa Fe, New Mexico?

Examples of concern abound. Recent state and federal Supreme Court rulings have changed search and seizure rules allowing police offers more leeway. My question, without cause and absolutely wrong in your view and demanding entry to your home would you let them in? Similarly, what if you are legally and rightfully openly carrying a gun and police officers, not knowing the law, are now threatening you at gunpoint and moving to arrest you, as recently occurred in Philadelphia? What if you were selling unpasteurized milk or free range eggs on your farm and USDA Officials raided your homestead, guns drawn, and arrested you even though no crime was committed.

In theory we are all safe in our homes, our cars, and while traveling. Our founding fathers experienced British tyranny and knew fundamentally they had to protect themselves, their families, and their property. Obsequious citizenry today is leading to a government police state that turns neighbors against each other and infallible beliefs in lawmakers. Sooner or later “Dancing with Stars” will end and a confused America will realize they lost the freedom to defend themselves. Our children will believe pat-downs to attend prom are the norm and police can enter homes anytime. Are you willing to speak up and defend yourself? “The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted,” James Madison.

Dad's Money

Dad’s Money (2/23/2011)

Nightly we are bombarded by incomprehensible numbers regarding Federal government spending: $14 trillion debt, $4 trillion budget, $1.5 trillion deficit and $180 billion interest payments. There are too many zeros on each number to print in this column, twelve each for the debt and deficit. Sadly, like gamblers in Las Vegas using colored poker chips we have lost sight of reality because no one touches the monies. As taxpayers our view of the government has become like a child’s view of Dad’s spending. A five-year-old watching his father has no idea where he gets money, but feels there is an endless supply. Sometimes Dad reaches in his pocket and uses green currency or coins like nickels and pennies. Other times Dad uses colorful plastic cards and swipes them in machines, and Dad has a book with checks where he illegibly scribbles names and amounts and declares the bills are paid. Of course, he also logs on his computer and banks via the web. Similarly, the government engages in a playful deception of payments, using computers, checks, and cash cards to move monies around.

Dad always seems to have money and as five-year olds we know he leaves each day and goes to work to make more. A connection between work and money seems obvious because doing chores sometimes brings allowance to children. As young children we always seem to have food, clothes, and toys. We don't know how the lights operate or anything about mortgages and rent, insurance, gasoline, or car payments. However, we know dad takes care of us and most citizens view the government the same way with no understanding of tax income or expenditures

Right now we are enjoying historically low interest rates, easing interest payments on our $14 trillion debt. If interest rates return to historic norms of 6% the payments will increase to approximately $840 billion, nearly 23% of our current budget. Like a five -year-old trusting Dad to make money and spend money to care for the family we believe our elected trustees will do the same. However, re-election drives decision making, not the tough longevity of parenting and sadly our federal government is recklessly spending money. Congress must be held accountable for the deficit spending because they are bankrupting our country. Every parent and grandparent should know what is happening and encourage Congress to stop today’s fiscal negligence. Congress is punishing our future generations with inflation, high interest rates and more taxes. Sadly a five-year-old cannot stop Dad’s recklessness, but as a voter you can stop Congress.

Crisis Preparation

I have read a lot about preparation for TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) lately. However, I think there are other issues of greater concern than that which one must consider. I am repeating, changing, and re-writing some of what I have read. But, I go back to the root of what I have always known; preparation is about facing a threat. A threat can be measured three: probability of occurrence, intensity of destruction, and duration. A matrix should be made to consider the likelihood of a threat, where you might be during the occurrence, and what preparations should be made.

Supplies need consideration next. Preparation for supplies can be broken into several categories. Once the categories are identified a second stage of analysis must be completed – do you require mobility or will this preparation be to hunker down and stay in one location?

I feel most people fail to make any preparations in their lives because it is overwhelming to analyze “what-if” scenarios and planning around them. At the same time, ridicule of preparations is easy due to the old stereotypes of bomb-shelter fanatics, in the woods survivalists, and hippies living in communes off the grid. Ironically, these are the people that the unprepared will flee to.

Living in New Smyrna Beach, Florida I constantly faced a hurricane threat, but yet, like many friends and neighbors, brushed off this threat. I felt I could go to Wal-Mart, Lowes, or Home Depot and retrieve what I needed on demand. Although not as destructive as a ground-zero events like Katrina I faced three hurricanes in six weeks time. We faced a long duration of inconvenience – no credit card machines, gasoline shortages, lack of groceries, building materials shortages, and no ice. I had friends without electricity for 10 days. I could not locate a chainsaw chain to remove and cut trees. There was no ice available to keep food safe because there was no electricity. Gas stations were closed due to lack of electricity, the pumps would not work and they had no credit card machines. All of the foods spoiled in the grocery store meat and frozen sections. Thus, they were forced to close to clean up their stores and no groceries were available. This was a modern crisis of long duration.

Events like Katrina, 9/11, the Northridge earthquake, and spring floods make headlines. However, watching a crisis on the evening news is entirely different than living through it. One side of 9/11 often forgotten was the travelers stranded away from home – if you had boarded a plane on 9/10/2001 and traveled across the country for business you suddenly found yourself stranded without a way to return home. There was a sense of suspicion in the country and finding yourself stuck as an outsider with only business clothes to wear could create problems. Fortunately, the banking system stayed intact and credit card machines were not shut off. Had the financial industry been questioned, cash would have been required just to eat, pay hotel bills, and get new clothing. In this case it was not a significant event for those away from New York but an event of extreme inconvenience. Again, even telecommunications worked, but it is not hard to imagine the government shutting telecom to prevent communications among terrorists. In this case contacting family would not have been feasible, lending to panic among those stranded away from home.

Copyright (c) 2009 John R. Nelson. All Rights Reserved.