Climate Change versus Employment

Climate change is not a new phenomenon. It is a weather condition that has been taking part in cycles over the millennia; and by all accounts, the next cycle has been 50 thousand years in the making.

The bottom line is that climate change is a natural ecological event that is going to happen irrespective of humanity’s effort to stave it off; stave being the operative word.

Global-warming is another kettle of fish altogether: besides it being a natural ecological occurrence that takes place every-so years, it is also an occurrence that is aggravated by human consumption and industrial activity.

On the natural side, volcanic activity, solar radiation and the earth’s cyclic movement through the Galaxy/Universe, et al, all play a role in keeping the environmental scales in fine equilibrium, or not.

On the human side, industrial growth, human green-house gas generation and fossil fuel usage all contribute to upsetting the fragile balance that encompasses the environment, atmosphere and the way the eco system deals with these eventualities.

Although the Industrial Age is lauded and praised for much of the technological development that is being experienced today, it has brought with it unforeseen (maybe) side-effects; side-effects that have malignantly contributed to the many environmental problem and human enslavement being experienced today.

Yes, medically, technologically and financially, humanity finds itself riding the waves of success and development (although the last one is debatable.) Humanity is at an all time high: lofty life-spans, healthy bank balances and prosperity. And now that the ‘east’ has caught up and surpassed western developments, life has accelerated to the next level faster than anticipated.

Humanity has become technologically and information hungry. It has huge wants-and-needs that are being met by extravagant usage of natural recourses and over capitalisation of available real estate, all drawing upon the human propensity for avarice to drive those wants-and-needs along.

The main challenge facing modern Governments is employment: how to create avenues that help foster employment versus creating avenues that produce profits, thus keeping the economic status-quo fresh, is the quandary? It may be argued that other systemic life issues are of more importance but without employment, the system will consume itself to the overall detriment of humanity – the money energy cycle needs to be maintained.

To my mind, all the talk of climate change and or global warming will come to naught if the employment factor is not fixed. A hungry person does not care about the environment. A dejected unemployed person does not care about the environment. As a matter of fact, both types of people are more given to fits of pack-rage and destructive tendencies than those that are gainfully employed.

The South African Minister of Energy Affairs recently stated that renewable energy initiatives will cut employment as renewable-energy power generating plants, besides being more energy efficient, are also human real-estate efficient e.g. wind farms require less human-power to keep the equipment operational than that of a coal fired power station. Solar farms face the same employment dilemma.

With the growth in the human population expected to reach nine billion by the year 2030 (by recent extrapolations,) the employment quandary increases with each passing year. A prospect that is going to place even greater stresses on the environment due to the logarithmic growth in energy demand, food requirements, and other natural resources. A prospect that is neither positive nor captivating for the coming generations of humans.

I am of the opinion that the existing democratic (or whatever other forms of Government there are around the world) and capitalistic energies are in dire need of an overall. These energies worked well during the birth of the Industrialisation age to about 20 years ago. Since then, they have been faltering and overwhelming humanity at a dizzying pace of consumption. Changes to both systemic energies will not be easy, but the alternatives are worse.

Carl Sagan once said that if humanity can survive past its puberty stage (speaking of human development in the greater scheme-of-time,) the future will be humanity’s oyster. Unfortunately, very little positivity is pointing in that direction.

“The needs and wants of the people need to be addressed and pacified. Workable solutions have to be constructed in such a way that either gainful employment is generally guaranteed or alternatively, that a new means of income generation is implemented i.e. doing away with the traditional capitalist way of doing things.” ~ Global Warming: A Growing Woe

But, it is always easier to talk about climate change and the positives of life when one is gainfully employed!?

Murder most foul: An Oscar in the making

Of recent, my thoughts have been beset by the way people have been reacting to certain emotive news subject featuring Oscar Pistorius. Here is a person, disabled as he may be, that in the wink of an eye, has undergone a life changing experience. The incident in question refers to the ‘alleged’ murder of an up-and-coming female model at the point of his gun. The why it happened is the current furore of public speculation that is being driven to insanity by the media sharks, hungry for sensationalism, melodrama and sales.

In taking the time to read all the news reports on the Oscar troubles and their associated public commentaries, one gets the feel that all is not well in society at large. In breaking down the commentaries into their various headings, which range from Religious pundits quoting scripture and their brand of theological edits to explain or bless the embattled soul, to the downright obnoxious who relish in making what-really-happened extrapolations fact based on mostly yellow-page styled journalism, and their own narrow life experiences.

Of course, in between all the ‘listen-to-me’ commentaries, one does find the down-to-earth type comments that express sadness, disbelief, scepticism, and pose elucidating questions relating to the muddled hype traveling the internet, the printed word, and the airwaves.

To my mind, the issue arises from the inclination we have of putting people on pedestals based on certain of their witnessed above-normal human prowess while casually ignoring, or not taking into account, their very human side. A side that plagues Homo Sapiens across all walks of life. Had Oscar or his girlfriend been one of the average billions, would the dastardly incident have caused a stir or even the lifting of an eyebrow?

What is on the table, although complex in nature is a simple question of a human being, being human. Oscar is a real human being that has to content with real-life fears, aspirations, mental torments: depression; misery; despair; despondency; and bouts of ego.

Although there is a growing faction of activists who feel that the female girlfriend is being side-lined by the attention the fallen superstar is receiving while the victim lies dead, it cannot be denied that while she was an up-and-coming cover-model superstar, Oscar is the newsmaker of the day: he broke the moulds of human perceptions, he made history and he moved the human imagination to greater heights enforcing the new-age ethos that nothing is impossible.

Yet the pedestal was created, assembled, manufactured and cemented in place, firmly affixing the feet-of-clay of the disabled superstar to it. Is this because we need heroes to give credence to our feeble lives? Is this because we need hope to an otherwise humdrum existence? Is this because we need something to grab-onto which seemingly makes sense and affirms our desire to a better life?

There is of course the possibility that all the adoration and adulation that Oscar received over his period of fame played havoc on his frail human psyche which led to the development of the commonly known prima-donna syndrome: a rather common human weakness that has manifested itself in many Hollywood stars, musical idols and political statespersons. 

The way forward for him is going to be tough and brutal. Fortunately he has the money to employ a high-powered lawyer which by all accounts, gives him a decisive edge in maneuvering through the mazes of legalese and jurisprudence processes.

The way forward for the hapless family of the deceased model is likewise going to be filled with much despair, depression, anguish, sleepless nights and questions.

To me, the bottom line to the entire fracas is never to put a human being on a pedestal for in the end, it is only a human being. Yes, appreciate their achievements and accomplishments but there is where it should end.

Bestiality, Doping and Fickleness

So the famed American cyclist has ‘come clean’ to paraphrase the media hype. Really?

Given the American propensity for hype, truth-and-reconciliation marketing and self-aggrandisement, the well-publicised talk show was a beautifully choreographed piece of circus performance complete with a voluble ring-master, obedient slew of lawyers and agile camera shots. All that was missing were the wild animals, dogs and clowns; and maybe they were all present…just in disguise!?

I wonder what the famed cyclist’s appearance fee was?

And speaking of criminal congress, the constitutional court has found that the South African sex offender’s act is unconstitutional in that consenting persons should be allowed to entertain copulation without the fear of being labelled criminals. Of course the section in question is mainly about teenagers engaging in consensual sex and not really about adults but still, given the population growth, there are a lot of young orgasms taking place irrespective of laws, mandates and adult aversions.

Then there is a clip in the South African media about a ‘petite blond’ having been sent for mental evaluation for having had intercourse with a Terrier and a Labrador. Is this because the breeds in question did not give their consent or is it just because she found sex with the loving breeds sensual?

And speaking of defloration, I wonder if SANRAL will also be sent for mental evaluation due to them screwing the public without their consent; or the use of protection?

And on the subject of being screwed by the system, it was reported that some rating agencies have warned the USA that they will suffer a rating downgrade if they do not raise their debt ceiling. If one follows the line of logic, debt is master. In other words go ahead and create more debt i.e. print more money, and all will be well with you. Pity that the same opportunities are not afforded the masses. These will just have to continue to bend over and smile. After all, it is the American way.

Personally I find the whole flaccid affair distasteful. America is still classed as the greatest world economy yet it owes more than it has. What does that say for the people earning in US Dollars? How valuable is their money really? How will this whole sexual affair affect us as outsiders to the whole game play? Maybe our saving grace is the other American invention; Viagra.

As for erections, our dear farm workers down in the Western Cape have once again taken to the streets with whatever they could get their hands on to protest their miserable salaries, blaming everything and destroying everything in the process. What a warm afterglow the SAPS must be enjoying, having had to face the brunt of anything that can be thrown, hurled and chucked. Maybe the SAPS should take a step back, cordon off the area and let the protesters do what they do best. At least this way the SAPS can’t be blamed for hurting a poor protester or innocent onlooker. In retrospect, this type of passive action would also be judged as criminal by public opinion. I find the whole affair offensive and prejudicial to all concerned for winners there will not be; especially not for the workers.

Anyways, while I type in the afterglow of all the excitement I am confronted by the idiocy of it all. 

I am struck by what strikes people as important e.g. Lance Armstrong. Since when is the doing and screwing’s of a sport personality of such importance that it occupies center stage in world news; specially when wars are raging, unemployment continues to escalate, and the financial systems is in tatters?  Oh wait, Tiger Woods…and now he wants to re-marry his ex. 

I am in awe of the general commentaries made by those with access to on-line news sites and the blogosphere. Commentaries that judge and hold in abhorrence human infractions and public incidences without first checking on and ensuring that the facts are correct.

I find it interesting that for every ridiculing article written about dear uncle Zuma, the more the ire of the ANC rise against the press. In the laws of physics, sooner or later the one will disappear for no two forces can occupy the same place, space or time. History will tell.

And now that France has joined the conflict in Mali, all is as it should be: Fucked up! At least I know that the sun rises in the east.

In South Africa, News is not always 'The News.'

So Demi and Kutcher have split, gone their separate ways, tweeting and texting as they go. Will everyone who saw this ‘cat’ marriage going the distance please put up your hands!? Willis must be laughing under his breath.

Mr. Malema, he of African ANC Youth league and of implied ‘revolutionary’ beret fame, was heard saying that “I want the people of South Africa to treat me the same way they treat Nelson Mandela”!? Is this arrogance personified or is it all a case of short-man syndrome? The ‘less’ said, the better.

The Secrecy of Information Bill is again making headlines across all of the South African media channels. Those headlines are also being shouted from rooftops by self-serving social-minded groups and certain gregarious individuals. All punting the ‘public interest’ whipping horse as the ordination of all that is good-and-bad, as the saving-grace of democracy, and the bread-and-wine of a civilised society!?

The concept of whistle-blowing also forms part of that ‘public interest’ whipping horse rosary. The concept is being hailed as the alma-mater of civility, the cassock of all thinking persons, and the pulpit of the plebiscites. This concept is indeed a powerful tool, so powerful that it is the weapon of choice by all autocratic regimes and dictatorial rulers. And therein lays the danger of ‘whistle-blowing.’ Given the human propensity to self-interest, the dangers that the concept will be abused are enormous. Something that history well attests off.

I cannot help it but be sceptical of all this overwhelming having-our-best-interests-at-heart and noble-verbiage being dished out by these civil-minded personae and media moguls. I am all for the eradication of censure where freedom-of-expression is concerned but the lack-of-responsibility that mostly follows the freedom-of-expression culture around (humans being human,) makes me very anxious. Yes, history is a hard task master.

The murder of Chanelle Henning of Pretoria is another one of those stories that is very much on the forefront of all media reports. It is being classed as a travesty and tragedy that robbed a child of his mother. These sentiment are all good but not consistent with other if not stranger killings that have happened over the past months in South Africa. Why is this one so prevalent? Why is the media milking this senseless murder? Is there more to the story that we are not aware off? One’s motor vehicle can be high-jacked never to be found or heard off again, yet a small motorbike is found as in quickly? The ex-husband’s friend is locked up but not the husband?

On the other hand, we have Jub Jub who, together with a fellow motorist, raced their cars into a group of kids killing them; all this in full view of onlookers. Yet, till today, no conviction has been forthcoming. Maybe his well-off parental money is the cause of this inadequacy?

Then there is the case of Satan being blamed for the torching of two girls in the Westrand. I must admit that I was surprised that heavy metal music was not blamed for the atrocious act. Throw away the keys I say.

And finally, banks have introduced biometrics to curtail identity theft and other dark aberrations. The concept will use fingerprint readers to communicate with ‘Home Affairs’ to check and verify that the person is whom it claims to be. All good; or is it?

What happens when the two way communications between a specific bank branch and home affairs goes down: sorry, computers are down. Came back later (Ok, this already takes place, so this will become another one of those acceptable irritations)? What happens to people that have faint or illegible fingerprints (this is more frightening given the level of client service prevalent in SA)? Who is going to pay for all this technology installations (Wait, given the entire for-your-own-protection bumph being pushed down our throats, I surmise that we the public are going to pay for it)?

I cannot help it but be weary of concepts riddled in for-your-protection rhetoric and combating-crime euphemisms.

And Bahrain is introducing Human-Rights into their schooling curriculum. Maybe, just maybe, miracles do happen!?

Money is only paper, nickels and dimes

We know (or have been told) that America is in the Red and China is in the Green; financially speaking of course. Same goes for the countries in the Euro zone: some are in the green, others in the red. In other words, some have true money while others only have printed money.

Not being a financial person I am fascinated by the machinations of the money energy!?

Take the following speculation: A country has a huge deficit base. To overcome its repayment responsibility, it raises its deficit base so as to allow for the printing of more money which also allows for the borrowing of more money.

The monies of a country is regulated and issued by its Reserve Bank.

The company that I work for gets its operating money from a Commercial Bank who in turn is supplied by the Reserve Bank.

Does this not imply that, because of the high deficit base of the country, the printed money I receive as a salary is not worth much if at all (here I am not referring to the inflation factor)?

How does negative money turn into a positive entity just because it exchanged hands?
If America’s negative money is of a larger proportion than that of China’s positive money, does that not mean that the negative difference turns China’s real money into baseless paper money?

Similarly, I understand that SA has positive reserves that can be used to offset its national deficit base. Money that can be used to bail out the economy should the negative offshore effects of all the negative ‘developed’ economies reach our shores. This is good news, yes?

But does not the same mathematical principle apply: if a negative is higher than the positive, the difference is still negative? Thus, are we not fooling ourselves into believing that all is Ok in the land of finances?

What intrigues me further is the fact that when Uganda’s Idi Amin tried the same stunt i.e. he wanted to print more money, he was shot down by the developed world!?

But I must be missing something for investors (people of whom I presume know what they are doing) are still throwing their money around...and getting richer by the day (an interesting aphorism seeing that it is mostly negative paper money that they are playing with.)

Life should be Just and Fair!

It is said that the ideal behind civilisation is for humanity to continually grow and evolve by making life that little bit more just and fair with each passing generation.

How can that ideal be achieved when most of the information floating around is biased one way or the other?

If life is to be made that little bit more just and fairy with each passing generation, change is required, for that is what human progress is all about. History attests to that.

It is all very well and noble but the reality is not that simple.

Change to capitalism will mean that most will have to forego some of their material gains which mean that the governmental types will not get their due recompense through taxes and other clever manipulations of the fiscal system.

Change to Democracy also carries with it much risk. Loss of voter control being one of the major concerns. Control of the masses is paramount to enabling cash flow and continued existence and survival.

Both change scenarios form the vicious circle of everyday existence that prevents any virtuous progress from taking place.

It is for this reason that Governments spend millions in advertising initiatives trying to convince the populace that a certain way of action or thought is the best way forward. It is for this same reason that media moguls spend time and thought into shaping public onion. The same goes for the feel-good lobbyists who throw money at telling all and sundry that life will be ok if one just keeps a positive outlook on things.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French political philosopher, once stated that “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”

The will to affect change, whether political, personal or financially, is paramount to our continued development and human progression.

Global Warming: A Growing Woe

I am of the opinion that the whole so called global warming/climate change issue is too complex a subject to just apportion blame willy-nilly onto the veritable human being, especially as no real workable solutions are put forward by the activists and pundits of global warming/climate change theories.

We live in a self perpetuated and accepted way of life that puts much emphasis on finances and wealth. We mostly all work for a living because of that culture: Those that sponge of the system are looked upon as just that; spongers (why don’t you get a job, you lazy good-for-nothing so-and-so.)

The accepted capitalist system is devoid of emotion and empathy: two human qualities that make life liveable and mostly comfortable. We are becoming automaton of technology and convenience while overlooking the consequences of those actions (I have money, why should I care.) Anyway there are enough charities to contribute too to pacify that nagging conscience.

I am also of the opinion that the capitalist system as we know it is long overdue for a makeover. The fact that the living-wage gap (rich vs. poor) is getting larger by the moment, is enough of an indication that all is not well in the land of finances.

Add to the above equation an emotional subject such as global warming/climate change and a calamity is created at the forefront of the human perception and psyche. The situation is mostly aggravated by the fact that traditional means of incomes are threatened by the call for closure/minimalisation of factories, manufacturing plants and energy utilities – oil is bad, coal is bad, CO² is bad, methane is bad, flatulence is bad, meat is bad, mercury is bad, sugar is bad, cholesterol is bad, obesity is bad, paper is bad, planes are bad, motor vehicles are bad, smoking is bad, fertiliser is bad, et al.

The above-mentioned commodities supply a large percentage of workers with employment/wages on a global basis.

The call for cleaner and renewable energy utilities is adding to this woe for most of the proposed renewable energy generating theories require little human intervention and hands-on skills (not labour intensive); and are expensive to boot.
Developed countries are being asked to provide assistance (money) to developing countries so that they too can implement ‘earth saving’ initiatives. This in itself is seemingly the-proper-thing-to-do, but the underlying catch is that it’s the tax-payers living in the developed countries that will have to foot this noble expense. It must be said that altruism and charity, although seemingly noble, do not fix the underlying problem(s).

So yes, global warming and climate change is a reality of life on earth. It has been for countless of centuries and nothing we do will stave off that inevitably. And yes, our contribution to that ‘inevitably’ can also be counted and measured. And yes, many proposals have been put forward by pundits and activists alike – some more aggressively than others, to what needs and must be done to put off that ‘inevitably.’

What most do not want to take-in is that the problem is not that simple to solve. Those that are at the forefront of the war for change, are mostly gainfully employed or living of the welfare of others, or living on some plot of land (usually wrongly occupied or left behind as an inheritance) growing their own meagre crops feeding themselves and their offspring: close to nature, so to speak.

What most also do not take in is that there are factors outside the control of the veritable human being viz. Volcanic eruptions, solar flare-ups, earth’s passage through the galaxy/universe, moving tectonic plates, etc, that add to the ‘inevitably’ equation.

The ‘legacy’ issue also plays an emotive role in the whole cry for survival i.e. what of the future of my children, what about the poor animals, etc.

And then there is technology; another detractor.

Technology has provided a portion of the human race with tools that have made the acquisition of knowledge easier and cheaper. Technology has also provided a portion of the human race with powers that were previously not easily enacted i.e. freedom of expression (good and bad,) global empathy (good and bad,) power to circumvent despotism, cyber anarchy, etc.

Technology has also provided a portion of the human race with feelings on invincibility and immortality i.e. blogs will live long after one has expired, I can say what I like to whom I like without fear of physical consequence, the power of anonymity, governmental/corporate feel-good marketing campaigns, etc.

And not forgetting the power that technology has granted the giants of human-thought-manipulation i.e. the media, the swaying of public opinion, bending of outcomes to suit a given objective, popularising a certain way of life, sensationalising a happening for the sake of profit, etc.

I have over the past years made it my business to follow the reasoning behind the global warming malady by reading, watching, researching and pensively thinking about the issue at hand (from both sides of the spectrum.) I have also, in view of the few points mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, tried to formulate an opinion that encompasses the problem as a whole, without going off the activist deep-end.

My take on the problems facing the required ‘global warming’ mindset change always comes back to one glaring point: economics. What happens to the petrol industry workers when the petrol plants are done away with? What happens to the meat farmers when people minimalise eating meat? What happens to the livestock when people discontinue feeding on them? What happens to the pilots when people minimise flying? What happens to the motor vehicle industry workers when motor vehicle manufacture is minimised or done away with?

Thus in essence, solve the economics of living and the problem at hand is minimised!

Although the predicament of the human-inflicted global warming danger is a growing one, being self-centred and antagonistic in forcing people to change their sceptical fearful mindsets will not change the internal motivational drives of the human being.

The needs and wants of the people need to be addressed and pacified. Workable solutions have to be constructed in such a way that either alternative gainful employment is generally guaranteed or, that a new means of income generation is devised i.e. doing away with the traditional capitalist way of doing business.

Irrespective of what is said and done, my overriding opinion is that the inevitable will happen and that no amount of political posturing and or activist will and or new-age bluster will change that ‘inevitably.’

It is the now-or-later scenario that remains on the table.

Online Shopping: The New Cup of Tea

During the past holiday season, my fancy took me to surfing online shopping sites. A form of consumerism that is becoming popular in leaps and bounds.

All at once I could view, compare and critique items across a wide spectrum of commodities and articles and suppliers; all from the security of my home PC. It was like entering a new world. One where fancies, likes and imagination could be satisfied on the spot. Of course, the money issue did put a damper on the googly eyed adventure. In essence, a reality very much like the traditional way of shopping; except for the armchair bit.

In between the hours spent online, I kept thinking as to the popularity of the medium at hand: Is the South African populace in tune with this medium? Which population demographic finds this electronic shopping experience attractive? What is popular? What about the legal paperwork? Probability of scam attacks and phishing expeditions?

To the first and second question, in speaking to friends and acquaintances, I derived that generally middle to high income households have shopped online: be it tickets to a movie, to a motor car. Most also tried their hand at grocery shopping. Thus the appeal is there.

What was fascinating is how members of the lower income demographic made use of internet cafes (the least of all secure sites) to carry out their order of business (The numbers in question were few but growing.)

The interesting bit came in the guise of some using the information at hand to do comparisons, then going to a physical shop to purchase the selected item in question. Fear of Credit Card information theft and of the faceless entity behind the online façade were the greatest deterrents to actually buying online; specially when substantial payment had to be made (I use one dedicated credit card with low limits to transact across the world wide web.)

Thus more questions came to mind: What would make the online experience more palatable and attractive? What would make the existing system more secure? What would quell the fears a consumer has about shopping online? What impact would the incoming consumer protection act have on the online shopping fraternity (would online service providers have to be RICA’ed or FICA’ed?) Would this action put to the inherent consumer fear of shopping online? Would a ‘comment box’ assist the consumer in voicing their opinions on the service, articles, etc?

The one avenue I found in my searches relates to the commonality of after-sales support more so than the offering of an online shopping portal. In the whole, retail companies offer online after-sales support structures: An operator will contact a consumer after a certain lapse in time to find out about the satisfaction perception. If positive, then all is well, if negative, then how can they assist!?

The above process tends to mostly placate and pacify consumers to the inferred ethos that the company cares.

As a whole, those that can, make use of online shopping to buy low to mid-priced items. The caution factor kicks in where huge payments have to be made. Here the consumer will go to the physical shop and pay there.

The lower income groups use the net more for comparison and availability purposes rather than outright online buying. The picture with the lower income groups is that the mindset is changing as the costs of internet hosting are dropping. The advent of intelligent mobile phones is also helping to change the mindset.

Personally I found the whole exercise insightful and calming: the threats are there, but with a small amount of internet savvy, threats can be managed and overcome.

Will I continue to buy online? Yes! Sensibly so.