Fooling the Masses -- Again

Once again President Bush is playing the fear game to promote his agenda. Today he moved to lift the executive ban on offshore drilling. His reasoning, of course, is to provide relief to Americans who are suffering at the pump.

How is this playing on fear? It's simple. Many Americans are feeling the squeeze of gas prices inflated by the oil corporations and speculators. They fear that they will have to give up some of the luxuries they rely on to make them feel better about themselves. Others, wait in fear of having to give up more food and clothing to fill the tank to go to work.

To say 'let's get drilling offshore now to help you' exploits these fears to get an OK from the public. Typical to the administration, the overall lie far outweighs the truths.

Lie? What is the lie? Offshore drilling could provide billions of barrels of oil per year. The operative word is could.

There are no guarantees that these reserves can actually be tapped. Moreover, if they can, it will be years before the supply would become available. So there's the lie. There is no such thing as immediate relief.

What a grand play on fear and the American desire for instant gratification.

OK, so we drill offshore - what then? America taps into the oil reserve under the ocean, in typical fashion with total disregard for the environment and ecosystem. This oil is found, brought up refined and American dependence on foreign oil decreases a few percentage points.

Woo Hoo! Problem solved.

Not so much. By the time this all happens what will the price at the pump be? $10.00 a gallon, $15.00, maybe $20.00?

And who reaps the rewards? The American public?

No. The oil companies who would undoubtedly be offered subsidies, tax breaks and relaxed EPA standards. Thus, it is the American taxpayer who will be footing the bill in higher taxes to pay the subsidies to Exxon to get a few cents worth of relief in 10 years?

But Bush knows how Americans think. He knows fully well that the masses do not think beyond today and will buy into anything that they are told will make things easier for them. He knows our fears and plays up half-truths to present an image of alleviation.

And, our beloved President, has called upon Congress to do the same as him.

No, Mr. President. It is time for Congress and the Senate to tell you and your minions of oil-evil to STFU. It's time the American people tell you to STFU. It's time for the United States to stop pandering to a culture of fear that you created and start becoming rational and responsible again.

It's time to think about the future and realize that oil is a limited resource and the only one who reaps the benefits of exploiting this are the oil corporations. It's time for the American public to force a revolution. An energy revolution.

More of the same old, same old can only lead to our devastation.

Read the F----ing Manual

Have you ever wondered, "how did this person make it through potty training?"

You know what I mean. You are dealing with a person who is so incapable of trying to do anything for themselves, though they are both physically and mentally fit, that you start wondering how they have made it this far.

I'm sure those of you who work in retail, customer service or any position that deals with people are already thinking about an interaction that you've had.

I don't know but, in my opinion, if you are going to invest $5000.00 in a high-definition television, you probably should be able to comprehend how to program it.

Yes, I understand that not every person is technically adept, but I am referring to those who make this investment and refuse to even take a verbal instruction - over the phone or face to face - on how to work the appliance.

Additionally, I have seen the diagrams on how to hook up these devices and do agree you may need help. BUT, if you need ask for the help and it is offered, take it.

It is disconcerting to speak with a person who has spent enough money on a TV to feed a third world nation for a year, who complains that their TV isn't working. Moreover when they don't want to try to learn how to work it, they just want a "guy" to come over and do it for them.

This is why the Owner's Manual was created. It gives the instructions on how to use that precious remote control to access the menu to set your new, feed the third world luxury appliance to the right input to receive the signal.

Instead of bitching about waiting for the "guy" all day, read the fucking manual and learn in 5 minutes how to access the menu, find the source selection and press the button until the picture shows up.

Read the fucking manual and learn how to change the channel from 13 to 3.

Seriously, you don't believe that there are people who can't change a channel? Spend a night with me and I'll prove it.

Somehow, it becomes crystal clear that there are people who are obsessed with showing status and worth with technology, but don't have a clue what to do with it.

To demonstrate how some people are so incapable of reading let's look at wireless internet service in your home. The basics are easy, if you read the manual. You create a network using something called a wireless router or wireless modem. This modem sends the signal to the computer with the receiver. It works like radio and TV. Signals go to receiver, recover get and you have sound, picture or both.

The wireless router/modem is the key ingredient.

So why would you invest $1000.00 in a laptop with wireless capability and start screaming at someone because you can't connect to the internet, refuse to plug the phone line, ethernet or USB cord directly and then state you don't have or know what a wireless router is.

You still don't know though it has been explained to you several times. What? Do you think meat magically appears at the market and nothing had to die for it to get there?

In this day when so many complain that other countries are advancing in technology faster than the US. When people and politicians complain that other countries are taking jobs, providing better education and harder working citizens than the US - we need to look at ourselves.

When we become a country of over paid dolts who can barely flush a toilet on their own, there is a big problem.

A problem that either demonstrates we have released too many illiterates from colleges or more likely demonstrates that Americans need to take some responsibility for themselves and read the fucking manual.