Led By The Nose…..Have we passed this mark yet?

Talk about a new concept, it’s amazing how many people in the world today are “led by the nose” so to speak.
As the world turns, yes just like a bad soap opera, deceit and falsehoods are the order of the day. AIG, taking the taxpayers money for an “economic” bailout, and then padding their own pockets with millions of dollars in benefits. In Texas, the Governor’s Mansion burns and immediately massive fund raisers are set up to rebuild his home while people are going to the unemployment line. Taxes are going up, the oil companies are still posting major profits, gas prices are fluctuating like a mad dog without a rabies shot, and they want more bail out money around the industrial special interests in the world. Humm, makes one think what’s going on around us.
Pondering this entire situation, it’s enough to make one cringe at the very thought of dealing with personal issues, such as love, respect, camaraderie, loyalty, business ethics and the ozone layer. These seem to be the least of our problems at the present time.
Questions of self worth arise left and right….the former major breadwinner is now the bag boy at the supermarket and glad to have that job. The previously voluminous realty market is heading into a major slump. Education, at least to a standard of excellence, is relegated to a testing system where the teachers are encouraged to teach the test and not the acquisition and exploration of the knowledge base of the world. Canalization skills and logic seem to be a thing of the past as more and more time is spent in mundane activities around the video games and the piecemeal family life we seem to have become accustomed to be at the root of the decimation of family values.
Oh well, back to the drawing board we go as we try to extricate ourselves from this virtual self destruct cycle of over consumption without the replenishment of the vital needs of our world.
Suggestion….there are tax breaks and shelters in the United States, that make the Stanford Financial scandal seem like child’s play. Take for instance, the tax breaks and incentives given to the oil industry for development and processing of depletable energy. Seems a bit confusing on the outside, since there is a major push for renewable energy to coincide or replace depletable energy. Just an FYI, these tax breaks include, but are not limited to ……. IDC’s Producing Wells, 70 to 85% of investment – write off the first year exemption, TDC’s, Labor Intensive Costs, Professional Services (usually the crony/family network) and the Accelerated Cost Recovery System, make the oil business a wonderful, in country, tax write off, contributing to the wealth of the nation, yeah, right…humm, seems a bit one sided there. Of course, if we, as taxpayers try these same things on our taxes, look out, audit city!
But Wait, there’s MORE! For a “dry hole” on an oil well, it’s a 100% write off as ordinary income. Leads one to believe the “exploration” phase of any major, minor or independent oil company is running a racket from self gratification and negating their fair share of taxes. A bit unfair for us plebeians I do believe…
Speaking of Oil Companies and the environmental damage they seem to produce worldwide, well, what one can say. The processes are out there for a cost efficient system to keep the mud pits clean and return back to the environment some livable lands. Instead, through negligent acts worldwide, groundwater and other aspects of the land are destroyed and tainted for generations to come, creating a waste land of once fertile ground and perhaps destroying potable water for thousands of miles around. Take for instance, the toxic red lake in Ecuador. For this ecological depravity, it will take generations to get it back up to snuff, so to speak, and be completely capable of producing foods and living space for humans or animals.
Of course, a Chevron employee was heard to say of this catastrophe, and the lawsuit from Ecuador that followed, “We can’t let little countries (people) screw around with big companies”. Oh Well, I guess they must be right, because Chevron, which took on the responsibility of this mess from Texaco, must be some divine figure that we haven’t learned about yet…Watch Out, that can be dangerous claming divinity in this day and time….But that statement does seem to make them feel “God Like”.
I could go on and on about other catastrophes, but I believe I’ll just go to bed and contemplate truth, honesty, justice and the American Way for a bit, perhaps I’ll re-read the Constitution of These United States and see what it really says about things.
Have a good one, sleep tight and pray your not anywhere around an industrial site!

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