Monthly Archives: June 2017

Repeating History

29 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in Germany

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I consider myself far more knowledgeable about history than most people because of my age and I have studied it for over fifty years. I read a massive well-regarded biography of Hitler thirty years ago but it all really come together during a documentary about him I recently saw. We can always learn more.

He convinced Germans to support him by convincing them of the following: that Germany was better than other countries, that he will build their economy by making jobs for everyone, that the Jewish religion is responsible for many of the ills of the German people, and a stronger military will protect them. He often said he had done things no one else had ever done.

He utilized the newspapers and radio to spread their propaganda to the people and claimed any other news was treason. He broke international agreements and treaties. He told other countries he was going to make Germany great again. He made Jews and communists the enemy of the Germanic race. He locked up, forced deportation, and finally killed all his Gestapo and SS troops could find. He maintained control of the Nazi Party and the military by requiring them to swear loyalty to him.

The above caused over fifty million deaths. One of History’s most used sayings is “History repeats itself”. Scary thought!

—END—

American in Retreat

18 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by in Military, Politics, U.S. Economy

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During the seven decades after the end of World War II, only two military super powers (U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.) and one economic super power (U.S.A.) existed. Previously both nations had controlled their military alliances and much of the world’s trade. The rest of the world was a loose confederation of quasi-non-aligned nations that played one power against another. Today, the world is basically divided up among the three military super powers.

Currently the world has only two economic super powers (U.S. and China) with China being the second temporarily. Temporarily, because we are retreating into isolation allowing China to move into the growing vacuum. We are turning our backs on our traditional partners and in many cases they are being offended by presidential statements. Many countries have already changed their trading alliances. Trade alliances allow for more than just trade. Three new Chinese trading partners are Cuba, Mexico, and Canada.

In the Pacific, we had worked out an alliance with Japan, Australia, Philippines, Canada, and several smaller countries to counter China’s trade pact. Now those countries are going to join the China pact after Trump backed out of TPP!

Economic power is translatable to military power because trade is usually the basis of all military alliances. Soon our isolationist policies will mean the world has only one economic super power and for the first time in nearly a century — it won’t be the United States.

Hours of Peace

18 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by in Politics, Uncategorized

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The night of the Alexandra, Virginia ball field shooting, the four main leaders asked their senators and representatives to tone down their rhetoric about the other party and each other. Even Trump said much the same thing — his tone-down lasted until 5:00 a.m.

Two representatives and a senator violated that suggestion in attacking the liberals by saying they caused it. All three are well-known attack dogs for the G.O.P. so perhaps they should look in a mirror.

Another attack came forth from one who wasn’t sure how long he could hold back because the people who he represented wanted him to attack the liberals. It’s the not my fault excuse! Wouldn’t it be great to have a president and 535 moderates in Washington D.C.?

A Catastrophic War

11 Sunday Jun 2017

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Many of the people I talk with are very concerned about how President Trump is communicating with North Korea. Some are extremely scared he will start or goad North Korea into a bloody war with U.S. and South Korea. They are concerned because we have never had a less competent, less prepared, less knowledgeable President at the start of a bloody war. He does have three capable military advisors to guide him and his inexperienced cabinet. People on both sides of the aisle express concern.

At least four previous Presidents should have done more than put a few sanctions on North Korea. They did next to nothing and left it for another President to confront them. On and off sanctions only increased their isolation and paranoia. Sanctions do not work when a country cannot be contained, doesn’t have a financial base, or a long land border with two supporting allies.

I have studied conflicts and the geo-politics from the Peloponnesian Wars to Desert Storm. Most wars have started because of economics, religion, territory, or the leader’s personality. The God-like personality cult North Korea’s 25 million people have for Kim Jong Un means his people will fight to the death for him.

Strategically and tactically any war with the North will mean the destruction of the South’s capitol area killing hundreds of thousands. Un will hit our bases in Japan and Okinawa with nuclear or non-nuclear weapons pulling Japan into it. Few wars limit the number of participants to the original two.

If President Trump’s administration can somehow keep China and Russia out of the fighting supporting North Korea, he may decide this is the “last best time” to affect regime change ending the threat to our mainland

The war will be extremely violent and last a few months at most. America’s and South Korea’s military will lose thousands, North Korea will lose most of its 1.2 million army, and many hundreds of thousands of Korean civilians will die.

Will Americans rally behind Trump if he goes to war? Will Congress support a war? Will the people support or condemn him? Is there a “last best time” to kill millions to maybe save tens of millions?

—END—

Future Occupations in Doubt

06 Tuesday Jun 2017

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A FedEx ad has a little robot being allowed into a place by a human. How prophetic! In the future that guard will be a robot, too. Will and Grundy Counties have brought in lots of warehouses for real estate taxes and unskilled jobs. Within a few years most of those jobs will be robotic.

Rudimentary artificial intelligence (A.I.) can replace most of those jobs now at a cheaper price, at a more reliable rate, and for a 24 hour workday. Most of the rest will be replaced by higher A.I. that is being designed now.

The future of those warehouses is this: an autonomous truck brings the products to the warehouse where it is unpacked, shelved, repackaged per an order, put on an autonomous vehicle, and delivered to the customer. This level of A.I. and the machine to do it are here now or a few years away.

Every time I see an interview with an A.I. or robotic engineer, the number of jobs I foresee a teenager aspiring to do reduces. Robots are learning to be nurses and doctors. A.I. is teaching kids without any human teacher. Truck drivers and garbage collectors can already be replaced. Factories to build houses are now being automated so robots can build and ship pre-fabricated sections to the site. Robots are being designed to do the site work.

Is it possible for a sit down restaurant or a fast food to operate without any human? I can foresee the day when every human occupation could be done better by a robot.

What will happen to the ninety-nine percent needing work to survive? None of the “Star Trek Series” or “The Jetson’s” tells us. Only the “Terminator” gives me insight. We have opened a Pandora’s Box.