To me blogging is not to share a personal point of view but
to take a more general or subjective stance to the world while still remaining,
in most cases, personal in nature.
There are four types of blogs:
Distraction
blogging: Sometimes our motives are
purely self indulgent. “It’s all about me”. We are inherently narcissistic and
alarming to the observers of social media. We are driven to blog for selfish
reasons by our troubled situation. Our “real life” is bringing us down or trapping
us in oppressive obligations. Have you
heard of Twitter and Facebook?
Archive
blogging: Sometimes we are motivated by
our own expertise and continuing, passionate pursuit of those subject areas. We
want to share what we know in ways that help other people. We have found our
expertise functions as solutions and effective strategies in many contexts. We
build up an archive of our wisdom and watch it get searched long after we wrote
the postings. We offer our gifts generously and unilaterally for the good of
anyone who can benefit from them.
Conversation
blogging: Often our motives are
reciprocal. We get by giving. Our sharing comes back around. We are growing,
changing, learning and creating in the process of giving. Mutual benefits
abound. Everyone involved is affected by our exchanges and collaborative
explorations.
Democratic
blogging: Our motives may be political and
grounded in the realities of particular circumstances. By blogging, changes are
occurring in the social dynamics, distribution of power and control of
outcomes. We are motivated by our envisioned future and the signs of progress in
that direction.
My blog is a combination of all these with a personal touch.
As I am well into my third year of blogging, what have I learned this far? That
writing is not easy, sharing is not easy, and sometimes I can take things way
to seriously. So we move forward, learning, communicating, and laughing. To
those who read this effort every week or now and then. I thank you and always
welcome your comments and critiques.
"WHY OBAMA IS WINNING," So Far: "Unemployment is
over 8 percent. Nearly 60 percent of Americans ... believe the country is on
the wrong track. The number of people on food stamps is at a historic high and
the median net worth of American families is at a 20-year low. If it was true
that winning elections is mostly a matter of numbers - as some political
scientists and campaign operatives like to argue - Barack Obama's reelection as
president should be close to a mathematical impossibility. ... But 2012 is
proving that politics isn't just about numbers ... With Obama holding a narrow
but so far sturdy lead over Mitt Romney in polls, many incredulous Republicans
sound like the Michael Dukakis character in a 1988 Saturday Night Live skit: 'I
can't believe I'm losing to this guy.'
"The phenomenon is the result of three
powerful factors,
according to interviews with some two dozen political veterans from both
parties. ... 1) A Democratic landscape: The state-by-state polls this fall make
it clear: The 2008 presidential election was no anomaly. The Upper South and
interior West are now competitive terrain and will be in future White House
races. That means Democrats have more margin for error than Republicans ... 2)
The incumbent's staying power ... Obama ... remains in the minds of many voters
a historic figure - not just another embattled incumbent. ... 3) The
challenger's flaws."
FIRST LOOK - Sunday's N.Y. Times Magazine, "'A BORN POLITICIAN':
Joe Kennedy III is trying to follow in the steps of his father (and grandfather
and great-uncles and so on)," by Edith Zimmerman: "When Patrick J.
Kennedy relinquished his Rhode Island House seat in early 2011, it marked the
first time since 1947 that there was no Kennedy in national elected office. ...
Joe Kennedy spent the summer traveling in Massachusetts' newly redrawn Fourth
District - the one that Barney Frank has represented since 1981, a year after
Kennedy was born. Last winter, after Frank announced his retirement, Kennedy
moved into the district and soon began his campaign. During the past few
months, he has visited senior citizens at bingo night in Taunton, eaten
gluten-free cupcakes at a bakery in Millis, cheered at a tractor pull in
Rehoboth and greeted Green Line commuters. Through individual donations and
about $200,000 from various PACs, he has taken in nearly $3 million, about six
times the total of his nearest opponent. He clinched the Democratic nomination
on Sept. 6.
"Part of Kennedy's appeal
is that ... he has led a decidedly drama-free life. Joe and his fraternal twin,
Matt, grew up in the Boston suburbs and went to the prestigious Buckingham
Browne & Nichols school. ... He went to Stanford, where he co-captained the
lacrosse team, then to the Peace Corps and then to Harvard Law School. After
graduation, he became an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, in
eastern Massachusetts. In mid-January, he resigned from the district attorney's
office. A few days later he announced his engagement to his longtime
girlfriend, Lauren Anne Birchfield, whom he met at Harvard (they've been
together for six years - 'I was on borrowed time,' he told me). A month after
that he declared his candidacy. He also adopted a puppy."
HOT CHARTS: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SURPLUSES? - what happened to
the Clinton-era budget surpluses: "From 2002-2011, about three-fourths (73
percent) of the $12.7 trillion growth in federal debt was spending and tax
legislation, the rest being the product of projection inaccuracies-such as
expecting higher growth, increased revenue, or lower spending. ....
The shortfall in tax revenue-caused by
legislation such as 2001/2003 tax cuts, the tax relief implemented as part of
the stimulus bill in 2009, and the Tax Act of 2010-accounts for about a quarter
(24 percent) of the shift from surplus to deficits. However, spending increases
over the 10-year period is the main factor contributing to the current
deficits. ... 49 percent ... comes from increase in spending [including] the
defense budget, Medicare, and the stimulus bill of 2009.
BIRTHDAYS
THIS WEEK – Birthday
wishes and thoughts this week to: Lou Dobbs (67), Michael Douglas (68), Grant
Fuhr (50), Joe Greene (66), Joseph Kennedy II (60), Meat Loaf (65), Cheryl
Tiegs (65), Catherine Zeta-Jones (43).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF
THE WEEK – Saturday
9/29, 3:30 PM ET ABC: #14 ranked The Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) visit the #20
ranked Michigan State Spartans (3-1). Big game for the Big Ten since so far
this season the critics have been all over the quality of the football; this
should be a good one. MSU 28 OSU 24. Season
to date (2-2).
SMALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK
OF THE WEEK – Saturday
9/29, 1:00 PM ET, Bravo: it is a battle of the New England preppies, Colby
White Mules (0-1) entertain the Middlebury Panthers (1-0). The best thing about
this game will be the fall scenery in Waterville, Maine. The Panthers hold on
to the Preppie of the Year, Middlebury 35 Colby 21. Season
to date (4-0).
NFL FOOTBALL PICK OF THE
WEEK – Sunday
9/30, 1:00 PM ET, Fox: San Francisco 49ers (2-1) at New York Jets (2-1). It comes
down to what quarterback does not stink as bad as the other one. 49ers 20 Jets
10. Season
to Date (2-1).
THE SWAMI’S TOP PICKS – MSU 28 OSU 24, Middlebury
35 Colby 21, SF 20 Jets 10, U.S. to win a close Ryder Cup this weekend over the
Euro Trash 15 to 13. Season
to Date (10-5).
DRIVING
THE WEEK - Paul Ryan begins the Romney-Ryan ticket's Ohio
bus tour today with event in Lima at 3:10 p.m.EDT ... Romney and Ryan meet up
in Vandalia, Ohio on Tuesday ... ... Romney has an event in Pueblo, Colo. today
around 1:00 p.m. MDT ... President Obama will also be in Ohio this week,
heading to Bowling Green and Kent on Wednesday to urge voters to take advantage
of early voting, which starts Oct. 2 in the state ... Obama will campaign in
Virginia Beach, Va. on Thursday ... Both Romney and Obama address the Clinton
Global Initiative in NYC on Tuesday. ... Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner also
speaks to CGI on Tuesday ... Senate to join the House in recess until Election
Day ... POLITICO's Manu Raju reports a new idea for the lame duck is a spin on
the sequester idea that would require a long-awaited overhaul of the tax code.
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks
at the Peterson Institute on Monday ... IMF on Tuesday releases it latest
report on the safety of the global economy with commentary expected on the
potential impact of the U.S. fiscal cliff ... S&P/Case-Shiller Home Prices
at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday expected to rise 0.8% ... Conference Boar consumer
confidence at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday expected to rise to 63.2 from 60.6 ... New
homes sales at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday expected to grow 2.2% to a pace of 380K
... Final revision to Q2 GDP at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday expected to be unchanged
at 1.7%.
Next week, movie and Jack Ass of the month.
Until Next Monday, Adios.
Claremont, CA
September 24, 2012
#III-22, 127
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