Incentives, who needs 'em?

As the self-destructive spiral masterminded by our elected representatives continues, now the Pentagon, in a masterful display of military intelligence, wants to move the military pension system to a defined-contribution plan.

Like certain other professions, such as teaching, one of the major incentives has always been a good, secure defined-benefit pension system. Now it is proposed to sweep the military pension system into the great dustbin of history to save $250 billion over 20 years. And in 20 years, what will our military look like in consequence? I suspect that the only thing that is holding up enlistment rates at this point is the recession that our leadership doesn't even like to mention.....and it may be that only if our economic malaise continues will sufficient numbers of high-quality recruits enter our Armed Forces.

And- are we to wait 20 years to see what the impact of all those savings have been on our national defense? I'd rather not.

Signs of the times....

The House of Representatives applauding themselves for their tardy actions in dealing with the growing economic mare's nest, a situation that they themselves are as responsible as any for helping to worsen. I would wish that they reap the full consequences of their corruption, stupidity and incompetence, except for the fact that those consequences will be visited on the rest of us with at least as much force.

Listening at altitude

What sounds good in a Boeing 737 at 35,000 feet? Anything but the roar of air outside that thin aluminum tube. Try Franz Josef Haydn, Quartet Op. 76 No. 2. Tokyo String Quartet on Sony is good.

If I were more generous....

I might believe that the events of the past week have nothing to do with a PR campaign to establish the current administration's "tough on terrorism" bona fides. I might. Since I'm in a credulous mood today, even with the primaries roughly 9 months away, surely it's only a coincidence.

More Modern Misinformation

We have arrived at a juncture where there seems to be no distinction between "history" and "prehistory." This is no minor affair. There is a vast gap between what is known through the human written record and that which preceded it. While the written record provides its unique set of issues in interpretation, they are nothing like the silence preceding ca. 4000 BC.

But now, some refer to a period like 10,000 BC as "history," as though there is some basis for direct observation from that period. This is patently false. While there were most emphatically human beings, with brains indistinguishable from today's Homo sap., and therefore it's certain they had spoken language, there is no record of a written one.

Therefore, there is still a point where we must stop, and say that any narrative about prehistoric events is based solely on inference and speculation on data collected from various scientific experiments. The conclusion that much popularized "science," particularly on television, would have us draw, is that enough data on fossilized plants or bones, geological strata, or gases collected from glacial ice will ultimately let us know what happened in prehistoric times in the same fashion we can know what happened in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, at Gettysburg in July of 1863, or on the Plain of Marathon in 490 BC. No. What we see, on far, far too many TV shows is simply compounded of speculation and inference, and is therefore fiction based on some data, the equivalent of a "historical novel."

I believe much of this feeds on the lapse into disuetude of the notion of scientific laws, in favor of the convenient fallback that "it's all theory, it's just that some theories are more proven than others." Then there is the nature of science itself, most of which is a tremendously tedious affair. The average human being is bored to tears in a few minutes b y actual science. While thousands labor in laboratories world-wide, the true scientific vocation is probably as rare as that of concert pianist. Scientific inquiry is rather analogous to what a Vietnam veteran said about what he went through: "War is a bore, interrupted by moments of sheer terror when men die." Science is a bore, interrupted by rare moments of insight when something is actually discovered. There is therefore obviously a need for good interpretation of science for the general population -also a very rare individual- that does not do things like present any sketchy collection of data as worthy of the collective title of "theory."

All that was solid.....

It's gone. The execrable journalism in the week since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has killed any residual credence or respect I my have had for the media. There is no information, only infotainment. I suppose this was never all that traumatic for me, since my connection with the ongoing events in the world has always been tenuous, at best. It wasn't a coincidence I worked as a history teacher for 32 years.

It's not information

We are told, and by no less an -authority- than CNN, about "lessons learned" from the Japanese earthquake / tsunami. The aftershocks continue, the cleanup has only just begun and relief efforts started, it's obvious that thousands more dead will be discovered, and we're already being lectured to by the media about "lessons."

It's only clear that it's impossible to learn anything about an event of this magnitude at this stage. This time next year, maybe. Some things that are clear:

1. As with hurricane Katrina in 2005, a natural event of sufficient magnitude is not controllable by mankind, not now, and not in any foreseeable future, and may only be marginally ameliorated by preventive measures.

2. A hard look needs to be taken at where people live, in countries that pretend to have the security of their citizens in mind. Sweeping legislation should perhaps be instituted to prevent future settlement in flood plains, along earthquake faults, on the slopes of volcanoes, and areas of coast likely to be affected by hurricanes or tsunamis. And maybe the building of ramshackle trailer parks in tornado alley.

There is little perspective possible, given our present means of "informing" ourselves, and at a time when we most need it.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it."

- Kay to Jay, MIB