THE STORY SO FAR: YR2 PART 5: SATURDAY

SO WHAT ARE THE TOP TEN STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS THE U.S. FACES?

It would be nice to think the U.S. faces only ten structural problems. The reality is much more serious.

However, a blog shouldn’t be too long—so let me make a start with ten. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination—for the moment. You’ll be quite justified if you wake up screaming. Laughing hysterically will be fine too.

HEALTH & HEALTHCARE. This is a ‘wicked problem’ in the true sense of the phrase. I’ve written about these issue elsewhere enough, so I won’t elaborate further. However, it is important to note that we are in trouble, not just because of costs (which are completely out of line) but because of our health, itself. Americans are not healthy compared to the rest of the world. Something fundamental is wrong.

FOOD & DIET. Good food is integral to good health. Our food chain is broken, from the antibiotics we pump into the animals we raise, to the excesses of fat, salt and sugar which affect all our processed foods. After that, consider the damage inflicted by Fast Food. Our food is undermining our health, and, in some cases, actively poisoning us. A further factor is that our water supply is extensively polluted by medications and other products we do not even regularly test for. Enter cancer and a host of other ailments.

A DEEPLY CORRUPT POLITICAL SYSTEM. Our political system is money based—and such funding comes from the rich and special interests. Research shows that our politicians don’t listen to those who don’t fund them. Add in lobbyists, gerrymandering, and voter suppression—and  perhaps the word ‘corrupt’ is inadequate. This problem exists at federal, state, and county level—and probably even lower.

THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL CONGRESSIONAL COMPLEX. Eisenhower warned about this. The MICC is a coalition of interests who conspire to achieve a steadily increasing money flow spent on defense. As a consequence we spend more on National Security than the rest of the world put together, and are near constantly at war—with debts to match.

CORPORATE POWER & GREED. Corporations have their uses, but when they corrupt the political system, are considered ‘people’ by the legal system, debase our food system and pollute the environment, matters have got out of hand. In addition, they have excessive power compared to their workers, and are largely indifferent to their local communities and the National Interest.They also pay remarkably little tax, yet receive vast corporate subsidies. This isn’t capitalism. It’s crony capitalism, combined with corporate welfare, and leavened with corruption.

FINANCIALIZATION. A banking system should serve the real economy, not dominate it. Currently our financial sector collects over 40% of corporate profits, operates a system which keeps most Americans in debt for much of their lives, is so unstable that it recently caused the worst recession since the Great Depression—and has proved itself nearly immune to reform. In addition, even when caught behaving illegally, it has proved near impossible to prosecute. The financial sector needs root and branch reform—and there is no sign of it. It also does an entirely inadequate job supporting the small business sector. Fundamentally, speculation has taken over from investment. Another term for speculation is gambling.

GREED & CONSUMERISM CARRIED TO EXCESS. Americans are assailed by advertising, and other highly sophisticated marketing tools, from birth to death—to the point where the entire population has been conditioned like Pavlov’s dog. Add in the the inadequacies and distortions of our corporately owned media, and you have a society well set up to regard greed as no more than normal, and consumerism downright healthy. The end result is a society short on integrity and long on careerism, where all that counts is getting ahead no matter what you have to do. Byproducts are that cheating at school is considered acceptable, lying is fine if it serves your purpose, loyalty is considered a weakness—and so on. Here, I don’t wish to suggest that all Americans are so affected, but palpably many are—and for a first rate example of this, look no further than the financial sector.

EDUCATION. The U.S boasts many outstanding Third Level institutions, but many others are mediocre and 12-K has long been in deep trouble. Consistent failure to implement successful reforms affects virtually all aspects of the American Way of Life. It helps to explain why our corporations largely discourage initiative, but rely on process; and government is so bureaucratic. In contrast, the more efficient governments that characterize Sweden, and many Northern European countries, stem from excellent educational systems plus less consumer oriented cultures.

AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT FAILS TO DELIVER FOR MUCH OF THE POPULATION. The U.S. is now the most unequal country in the developed world. The rich are becoming ever richer, corporate profits are at an all time high, while the earning power of most families is actually falling. Meanwhile, unemployment is excessive, investment is inadequate, we are losing ground in market sector after market sector, health costs are ever increasing, savings are inadequate, and pensions are vanishing.

THE CONSTITUTION. The Constitution was designed to be modified over the years in the light of changing circumstances. Currently, the case for a Constitutional Convention is overwhelming. There are numerous issues to be looked at including the matter of corporate personhood, worker rights, the relevance of privacy—and much else besides. The constitution is not a sacred cow.

THE STORY SO FAR: YR2 PART 4: FRIDAY

I HAVE WRITTEN REPEATEDLY ABOUT STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IN THE U.S.—HERE IS A DOOZY!

I don’t recall ever using the word ‘doozy before—it seems to belong to an earlier age—but clearly my subconscious thought otherwise. Writing never ceases to surprise me—normally pleasantly.

Back to the matter at hand.

While on the subject of quality of life—see yesterday’s blog—I thought it might be useful to follow up by providing some data on the World Standing of U.S. healthcare.

Now, many American friends have told me that “American healthcare is the best in the world,” so I thought I would a extract some gems from a recent Huffington Post article on a Bloomberg study of healthcare.

It's remarkable how low America places in healthcare efficiency: among the 48 countries included in the Bloomberg study, the U.S. ranks 46th, outpacing just Serbia and Brazil. Once that sinks in, try this one on for size: the U.S. ranks worse than China, Algeria, and Iran.

But the sheer numbers are really what's humbling about this list: the U.S. ranks second in healthcare cost per capita ($8,608), only to be outspent by Switzerland ($9,121) -- which, for the record, boasts a top-10 healthcare system in terms of efficiency. Furthermore, the U.S. is tops in terms of healthcare cost relative to GDP, with 17.2 percent of the country's wealth spent on medical care for every American.

In other words, the world's richest country spends more of its money on healthcare while getting less than almost every other nation in return.

The most remarkable finding in the Bloomberg survey would seem to be the fact that Hong Kong spends only 3.8% of its GDP ($1,409 per capita)on healthcare, yet life expectancy is an impressive (more like mind-boggling) 83.4 years.

The U.S. spends 17.2% of GDP on healthcare and life expectancy here is 78.62 years.

Those wily Orientals live nearly five years longer than we do, and spend so much less on healthcare, it is ridiculous.

In this blog, I write regularly about structural problems in the U.S.—but people ask: “What is a structural problem?”

Well, U.S. health and healthcare is a ‘mother of a’ structural problem (with apologies to Saddam Hussein for borrowing, and adapting, his epic phrase). It doesn’t work well, and it is siphoning money away which could best be spent on other things. It also holds down pay, impedes growth, puts people into debt, is a major cause of bankruptcy, and makes us less competitive that we might otherwise be. And Americans tend to be sicker than the inhabitants of other nations as we age.

Why do we put up with this disastrous situation? Arguably, because such a large percentage of the population is drugged to the eyeballs—with prescription drugs at that. 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: YR2 PART 3: THURSDAY

DO ANY COUNTRIES WORK BETTER THAN THE U.S.?

ACTUALLY, THEY DO—QUITE A FEW

A common reaction to any serious discussion about the U.S.’s problems—and genuine discussion, in the form of considering each other’s views, is disturbingly rare—is the observation: “Yes, I know that America has a few problems, but so does every country. After all, look at Europe. It’s a mess.” And the word ‘mess’ is said with such glee.

Such comments, apart from displaying impressive (but common) ignorance, miss the whole point. What matters—at least in my view—is not primarily the growth of GDP, but the quality of life of the inhabitants (and here I do not mean 1 percent or a similar privileged elite—I mean ALL).

Let me also observe, in passing, that although parts of Europe face serious issues, large parts of it are positively thriving, and offer a quality of life that is generally superior to that of the U.S.

Let’s take Sweden, for example, and let me quote from an article by C. Fred Bergsten, in the Washington Post of August 29, 2013.

Sweden’s economic growth has been much higher than that of the rest of Western Europe, or the United States, since 2006. Data from the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show that Sweden has one of the lowest inflation rates in Europe; it runs a budget surplus every year; its corporate tax rates are considerably lower than U.S. rates; and it spends more on research and development, as a share of its economy, than we do. Its firms are highly competitive in the world economy, and it runs sizable current-account surpluses.

Sweden remains a social welfare society, and government spending still accounts for half of its economy; it finances all education and health care, as is common throughout Europe. Sweden did not dismantle the social system but, in addition to drastically reducing its costs, adopted macroeconomic and structural reforms to make it sustainable and greatly enhanced its efficiency by privatizing the delivery of many educational and medical services. The country’s guiding principle is that a successful social welfare society must be fiscally conservative and administratively efficient. This is the central Swedish lesson for the crisis countries of the euro zone and elsewhere.

Sweden now combines a social welfare society with a free-market economy and a high degree of government efficiency. The other Scandinavian countries pursue similar policies and have enjoyed similar success (if not quite as spectacular). This subregion of stability demonstrates that, with the right policies, European countries can prosper inside the euro zone (Finland, de facto Denmark) or outside it (Sweden and Norway).

You did know all that, didn’t you?

And these are the people we condemn outright as ‘socialists.’

 

THE STORY SO FAR: YR2 PART 2: WEDNESDAY

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRONES—AND WRITING (I’m only exaggerating a little)

AND MY THOUGHTS ON WHERE THE REAL THREATS LIE

Mark Bowden is best known for for his book, BLACKHAWN DOWN, and the movie which followed.

His latest piece in The Atlantic (one of may favorite magazines) is a 10,000 word tour-de-force entitled The Killing Machines: How To Think About Drones. It is about as fine an example of current long-form journalism as you are likely to encounter.

Many subjects are far too complex to be explored and explained in a typical media article of 1,000 words or less – yet for years articles have been getting shorter and shorter to the great detriment of the understanding of the American public. Bowden’s remarkable piece shows what we can be done if the writer has adequate maneuvering space. In the business, we call it long-form journalism. It used to be routine, if the content justified it. Then print discovered the ‘sound bite.’

Here is a brief extract from this throwback to fine writing:

Drones collect three primary packages of data: straight visual; infrared (via a heat-sensing camera that can see through darkness and clouds); and what is called SIGINT (Signals Intelligence), gathered via electronic eavesdropping devices and other sensors. One such device is known as LIDAR (a combination of the words light and radar), which can map large areas in 3‑D. The optical sensors are so good, and the pixel array so dense, that the device can zoom in clearly on objects only inches wide from well over 15,000 feet above. With computer enhancement to eliminate distortion and counteract motion, facial-recognition software is very close to being able to pick individuals out of crowds. Operators do not even have to know exactly where to look.

“We put in the theatre [in 2011] a system called Gorgon Stare,” Lieutenant General Larry James, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, told me. “Instead of one soda-straw-size view of the world with the camera, we put essentially 10 cameras ganged together, and it gives you a very wide area of view of about four kilometers by four kilometers—about the size of the city of Fairfax, [Virginia]—that you can watch continuously. Not as much fidelity in terms of what the camera can see, but I can see movement of cars and people—those sorts of things. Now, instead of staring at a small space, which may be, like, a villa or compound, I can look at a whole city continuously for as long as I am flying that particular system.”

What really impressed me—apart from the sheer clarity of the writing—was how much better optics have become; and they are improving all the time.

I was also struck by the feeling that if we put as much effort and resources into solving our various economic and social problems, as we put into the hardware and software of war, the U.S. would be a significantly better place for its inhabitants.

The real threats we face are not emanating from terrorists, or conventional enemies, but from a corrupt political system, a deeply flawed economic system, and endemic social injustice. Our problems are structural, incredibly serious, and we are doing remarkable little to resolve them. Indeed, despite the truly extraordinary surveillance capabilities we now have at our disposal, we don’t even seem to see them.

 

THE STORY SO FAR: YR2 PART 1: TUESDAY

THIS TRULY EXQUISITE BEAUTY IS MY NIECE, FAITH

THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS HER MOTHER, MY SISTER, LUCY

I’m not sure today’s blog needs any more words—or that they would be anywhere near adequate. Just look, and feel better about life.

Still, this vision of beauty does make me recall the Ernest Hemingway quote: “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.”

“Yes,” you did hear it in the Brad Pitt/Morgan Freeman movie, SEVEN – but Hemingway wrote it first.

More than you might think originates with a writer.

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 365: MONDAY

KISS THE GIRLS! RING THE BELLS! BREAK OUT THE CHAMPAGNE!

THIS BLOG—IN ITS PRESENT FORM—IS ONE YEAR OLD!

I have written many blogs before, of course, but never managed to be consistent. Not good!

Consistency, which gives the reader predictability, is the first rule of blogging. People like to know, if they take the trouble to check out your blog, that you will have written something fresh.

It would be nice if it was good too, but they expect something—and they are forgiving of the occasional substandard entry. In fact, if they like you, they will settle for almost anything—for a while 

Maddening to find nothing—and not to know when the next entry will appear.

I flinch! True, I was learning—but I still feel bad about it. I feel great loyalty towards my readers. I owe them—you—everything (don’t take that too literally). But I certainly owe you a great deal.

Though I wrote some quite good blogs prior to this series, I was never entirely comfortable with the format. Something was missing. It turned out it was spontaneity. I had been trying too hard. I planned; I thought deeply; and I experimented to find some magical formula.

The magical formula was to have none. Yes, that pretty much defines counterintuitive.

How ironic! The SAS (those guys) have a saying: “Piss poor planning prevents proper performance”—whereas here was I advocating no planning at all. Decidedly strange—even to me. This approach wasn’t based on logic. It was pure, undiluted, visceral, instinct.

What the …!  Quite so.

For this series, I challenged myself to write one blog a day—albeit I would have to write in arrears sometimes, because I was unwell, or traveling, or whatever—and to write about whatever came into my head when my fingers hit the keyboard.

Now you might think that would have induced Writer’s Block—that legendary scourge of the writing profession—but I found the challenge of not knowing what I was going to write about in advance had the opposite effect. It was a challenge for my brain to show what it could do—when not relaxing in a deck chair with a gin and tonic.

Actually, I don’t know what my brain drinks—though I am damn sure the thing imbibes something. Here, I had better explain that I tend to think of my conscious brain and my subconscious as two separate ‘people’—with my subconscious doing most of the work. The rest of me just follows orders—and, by the way, I prefer wine.

No, I don’t literally think of my conscious and subconscious that way—I don’t want to be dragged away by strong people in white coats—but I do find it a helpful literary device.

So now you know (nearly) all my secrets. Go forth and write! Better yet, read! But first keep reading this blog—and spread the word.

An additional secret is to have a really good friend who encourages you to keep going. I am singularly fortunate in that regard.

I have said it before, but it is worth repeating: No one does anything worth doing entirely alone. Support may be no more than an encouraging word at just the right moment—but such gestures make all the difference. Talent is a fine thing, but it is never quite enough. 

It speaks well of humanity that such is so. We writers, poets, sculptors, and artists may revel at our solitude—and the truth is that we really do—but the reality is that we all belong to a community based upon mutual support.

It took me a long time to fully appreciate that. Now I find it comforting. That said, I still revel in solitude.

A whole uninterrupted day to write! How much better could you define paradise?

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 364: SUNDAY

SHOULD REAL WRITERS USE SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE THEIR WORK (or is it cheating?)

As far as I am concerned, writing is the most wonderful thing in the world—and an endless joy—but I would be first to admit that to write entertainingly, and with clarity, is incredibly difficult. Making it look effortless is the hard part—as is so often the way. Nothing done really well is ever easy.

Accordingly, it seems a great pity to spoil your brilliant prose with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

In a nutshell, I regard correction software as a tool—much as my computer is a tool—and have no compunction about using it. However, the day it starts reworking my prose on its own initiative—and I wouldn’t put it past Microsoft to introduce such a tendency in the years ahead—then I will drown such software in acid (unless I can think of a worse fate).

I hold to the notion that it is my job to write—and correction software should know its place. Where style is involved, I don’t mind having individual passages drawn to my attention, but I follow my inner voice.

What correction software do I use? Well, I use Word’s built-in package, and also PerfectIt 2.2. Are there better packages? I look forward to finding out in the months ahead—and I’ll pass on my findings.

Grammarly have asked me to write about their product. I’ll be delighted to when I have put it through the ringer first. If it proves to be as good as it claims—and few products are—then I’ll welcome it to my writing tool-box. Then I’ll tell it—politely, of course—to shut up while I write.