Silent music

My, oh my. I just heard that the Honolulu Symphony has declared bankruptcy. No more concerts for them. The Seattle Symphony is also in some sort of trouble - the Utah Symphony as well. The Cleveland Orchestra might go on strike this weekend. I'm going to have to think about this for a couple of minutes.

Ok. Here's what needs to happen. It seems that forever, orchestras have been playing the same music over and over and over and over and over and over.... Composers have been writing new music - sure they have. Unfortunately, it's plain garbage that only conductors like or pretend to like because of peer pressure. Audiences don't like to pay to go hear garbage. They would rather sing in the shower. Someone in a position of authority needs to let composers know that music should be inspired and communicate something that inspires. Don't write music as if you were a mathematician or an engineer. That's for students. PLEASE.

Inertia

One of the causes of poverty is simple inertia. I am writing this only to make this account active again. You are free to ignore it. I will keep writing until I have enough lines to cover the photo to the left. I have not decided what photo that will be. Something nice I hope - if I can find something somewhere. In the meantime, I will only beat around the bush, saying nothing. The lady at left did not have to enhance her beauty by applying ink to her body but she did.

Robert Mugabe Interview

Coffee Club Newsletter ©
Volume 19 No. 3 – July 20, 2009

Another interview from the Timid Reporter… Any similarity to persons actually living or events actually happening is coincidental.

TR: Good afternoon sir. Are you President Mugabe?
RM: What would you do if I told you I wasn’t?
TR: I would say you’re pulling my leg.
RM: You’re a born diplomat my good sir.
TR: Thank you. Can we sit down?
RM: Yes, of course, but first come in please. I hope my security staff doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable.
TR: Not at all. I know there are forty four of them – I’m not going to try anything.
RM: You actually counted them!! I didn’t even notice. That’s very good.
TR: Well, I’m half Gypsy.
RM: Roma!!! Well, I’m all African. You’re welcome in my country.
TR: I know you only allowed either four questions or six minutes so may I get started?
RM: Which do you choose?
TR: The six minutes.
RM: I’ll warn you my answers can be lengthy.
TR: Ok, then, I’ll take the four questions.
RM: That’s the smart thing. Go ahead.
TR: Why can’t Zimbabwe feed itself?
RM: Its farmers can’t grow enough food.
TR: Yes, but why is that?
RM: They don’t know how.
TR: Why do I feel like you’ve tricked me?
RM: Because I have. You have one more question left.
TR: The world says you’re a scoundrel and a thief.
RM: I am an educated man and a good politician. If the world says this or that, what’s that to me? I’m still the boss here.
TR: You are very rich and your people are very poor.
RM: Nobody gave me anything. I worked for what I have.
TR: You have everything and your people have nothing.
RM: Look, someone has to be in charge. There’s nobody else to take my place.
TR: You are indispensable.
RM: Precisely. I was elected by the people. If they were unhappy with the way I run things, they would have voted me out, don’t you think?
TR: But you have all the guns.
RM: Democracy isn’t about guns. It’s about ballot boxes.
TR: People say you cheated in the last election.
RM: Well, if you know of any particular person or any box in any district which was somehow cheated, let me know.
TR: I don’t know.
RM: Well, you see?
TR: You don’t even provide basic services.
RM: Define basic services.
TR: Health care, schools, infrastructure, business controls, police protection….
RM: Ok, ok. The problem there is that there is not enough money to run everything. After I take my cut, what’s left is a fraction of what the country needs just to get by. We have to import all our food, too. On top of that, I have been cursed with people who don’t like to work.
TR: How do you expect them to work if your economy has not created any jobs since 1984?
RM: My political enemies have instigated all kinds of dirty tricks by outsiders to make things impossible for me. They are a bunch of idiots. I am aware of everything that goes on in my country. I am an educated man. As for police protection, I get plenty of it. That was your last question, by the way.
TR: You have a lot of honorary degrees from prestigious universities.
RM: You have done your homework.
TR: Some of those degrees have been revoked.
RM: They are a bunch of idiots.
TR: Your inflation is at 8000%
RM: That’s meaningless. There are precious few products that are affected by inflation.
TR: Precisely. Independence was a godsend for you.
RM: Precisely.
TR: You changed the names of a lot of places in the country.
RM: Not a lot but maybe a few. Salisbury became Harare but we didn’t change the name of the steak.
TR: Only your friends enjoy the good things here.
RM: Loyalty doesn’t come cheap.
TR: Things won’t change soon.
RM: We need nuclear power plants - that’s what we need.
TR: You need Uranium or Plutonium first.
RM: We have both already, just don’t tell anyone.
TR: I won’t.
RM: For whatever reason, I can sense you are an honest man. Just beware – even the most honest and just and kind can be corrupted. Since I like you, I will allow one more question.
TR: What keeps a man in power from ruling justly and benignly – for the good of the people?
RM: It all has to do with your relationship with your mother.
TR: Sigmund Freud.
RM: Yes. I told you I was an educated man.
TR: I knew Sigmund Freud – he was an idiot. He smoked smelly cigars, too.
RM: Now look who is pulling whose leg.
TR: But, you know he smoked cigars.
RM: That’s not what I meant. How can you say you knew Dr. Freud – you don’t look a day over forty…
TR: I just had a birthday – July 7. I am 232 years old.
RM: Hahahahahahaha… Prove it.
TR: I don’t carry my birth certificate with me but I can tell you that I was born in Florence in 1777. My father is Austrian and you know how particular and precise they are with facts.
RM: You said “is.”
TR: Yes, he is still alive.
RM: Where?
TR: He’s in the Himalayas right now, visiting my cousin.
RM: You have been smoking something.
TR: No. I used to smoke back in the 1890s but I gave it up.
RM: Made you sick?
TR: No, it got to be too expensive. If I hadn’t given up the habit, I would have spent $47,244 on cigarettes by now, plus the cost of matches and lighters.
RM: You are frugal, sir, but there must be some luxury which you can’t do without?
TR: I like Corona Light.
RM: Well, well. It just so happens I have in my private cellar, 192 different brands of beer. I’m certain we have this Corona Light you mention.
TR: Can I have one?
RM: That was one question too many, but I’ll let it go on one condition.
TR: Yes.
RM: While we have a drink, I want you to tell me all about your father. Please.
TR: Oh, of course. No problem. RM: Ok, then, we have a deal.

Conservative media

From an article by Ron Kessler, a conservative columnist:
“Six months into his presidency, it’s clear that neither President Obama’s economic plan nor his world peace plan is working. After pushing Congress to pass the $787 billion stimulus, Obama has seen the unemployment rate rise from the 8 percent limit he predicted if the bill passed to 9.5 percent. After apologizing to the world for America’s imagined failings, Obama has seen Iran and North Korea continue their nuclear programs and become even more belligerent than when George Bush was president. Behind Obama’s failure is a blind spot when it comes to understanding that people respond to incentives and disincentives. Looking at Obama’s approach, I am reminded of sitting in the dining room at the National Hotel in Moscow when writing my book “Moscow Station” during the Cold War. Since they were government employees, the waiters milled around and chatted in groups, ignoring my wife Pam and me. Why should they wait on us? They were paid by the Soviet Union regardless and got no tips. Their bosses had the same lack of incentive to do anything. As a result of Obama’s wild spending spree, over the next decade, the public debt will rise from 41 percent of GDP in 2008 to an astounding 82 percent of GDP by 2019, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Hardest hit by tax increases will be the highest-earning Americans, who are often small businesses which file taxes under Schedule C as individuals.”
I suspect that many of these job-creating individuals will soon be moving to Europe. Taxes are high over there too, but their national debt is much lower, so the possibility of a catastrophic economic collapse is far less. Besides, their quality of life is much higher too. What I would like to know is how many Washington politicians already own property over there. That would certainly tell us something, no?

That's the way it is

This morning, with the passing of Walter Cronkite, I am reminded that even the best showman, the greatest statesman, the most honest person, the kindest, the most beautiful, the smartest, the most inspiring, the sexiest, the best artist, the most creative, the most knowledgeable, dies. That's the way it is but nobody knows why.

The Electocracy

So, what is an Electocracy? It is a group of elected officials - bureaucrats - who act like royalty - the "...let them eat cake" type. It seems like it is deeply entrenched and here to stay. How to get rid of them? There is definitely no need for a revolution - just vote them out. I guarantee you, however, that the next batch will grow to love their place in bureaucratic society and eventually become very much a part of the Electocracy. That is what government all over the world has turned into. Sorry.

Reality

I don't know if this is Snow White or some other fairy tale character but that does not matter. What does matter is the image of reality - what comes after the wedding. There's nothing wrong with seeing life through a pink lens but then we have to always remember that we are human. After the honeymoon, we cannot spend the rest of our lives on vacation. Even if you're royalty, there are mundane things to attend to. Enjoy them. One thing - don't watch so much TV. It will make you downright stupid. Someone needs to tell the prince to get up and help with the kids or throw the trash out or something - anything more productive than watching the sports channel while drinking beer (or whatever it is he's drinking.)