NATIONAL PUZZLEMENT IS, ITSELF, A PUZZLEMENT!

This is being written on Veteran’s Day . . .

. . . or, Armistice Day as we used to call it (and, as they still do in Europe).

As I was freezing my butt off at 6:00 A.M., whilst putting up the flag, two thoughts crossed my foggy mind:

1. WHY do I do this on every national holiday - but for sure, on Veteran’s Day? After all, not a single member of my family served in the armed forces and other than my late friend, Hameed (who was a fighter pilot in the Indian/Pakistani war) I do not even have a close acquaintance who did.

Well, my paternal grandfather, Noah, was a member of the Michigan National Guard: THAT was so long ago I believe it was actually called the Michigan Militia when he was stationed in Grayling.

2. We’ve been getting a whole lot of feedback from our recent posts here vis-B-vis ‘’the'’ election. The messages seem to fall into these categories:

A. Folks seem to be puzzled as to our position, which essentially, favored NEITHER of the presidential candidates.

B. People seem to be wholly mystified by the way - and the speed - with which our national (and the international) economy has devolved.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

I continue to put the flag out when appropriate because that’s what I was taught to do and it is what I have done all my life. Sometimes, even as rebellious as I am, it seems like a good idea to adhere to certain traditions - IF they have value and make sense. To my mind, religiosity in the sense that most people view it has NEVER made sense, so I abandoned it long, long ago.

But honoring men and women who have ‘’served their country'’ whether by choice or having been forced to do so (via conscription) is simply, ‘’the right thing to do.'’ So . . . up goes the flag several times a year.

AS FOR THOSE PUZZLEMENT ISSUES

Sometimes, when a situation seems so clear to a person, they may find it difficult to understand why others fail to comprehend. Such is the case with where we all find ourselves now as regards our failed economy, to wit:

A. About our lack of enthusiasm for either Obama or McCain: Forget race, the candidates’ qualifications (or lack thereof), military service, decades of experience (or lack thereof) and so forth.

The principal reason that we could not get behind either of those men was simply that each, in their own way, was strongly endorsing what amounts to little more that a fast-track to socialism and as such, a repudiation of our free enterprise system and capitalism.

When, as Senators, both signed on to the 750 billion-dollar bailout of various failed business entities - they failed miserably in our eyes as leaders.

When each pledged to, in one way or another, support homeowners who had entered into ‘’bad mortgages'’ - by playing modern-day Robin Hoods - taking money from the true producers who were smart enough to NOT enter into such ridiculous deals and give to those who had not earned it . . .

. . . when they sanctioned that billions of taxpayers’ funds be given to Wall Street scofflaws, miscreants, crooks and assholes . . . well, ’twas just a further example of just how far THINKING - let alone actual actions - by politicians have deteriorated.

B. How can ANYBODY not see how, over the past couple decades of ever-expanding ‘’entitlement programs'’ (that) we have made a major shift from rugged individualism - the sort of self-reliance that built this country in the first place - to a society that constantly has its collective hand out expecting . . . no, DEMANDING  that Big Brother give ‘em some more: More, More, More - and all, of course, for absolutely NOTHING IN RETURN?!

Geeze, people - GET REAL! This society was NOT built to its once world-class greatness by GIVING AWAY THE FARM! People used to work diligently for whatever they wanted or needed - and if they worked hard enough - they GOT it.

If they sloughed off and did NOT earn money - well, they did NOT get what they wanted - or even needed. Then, along came government bailout/hand-out/entitlement programs and before long, entire generations began to realize that in a very real sense, they no longer had to work for anything or PAY for anything!

At DAX, we saw the inevitable result of all that years ago but in this article I will NOT spend any time on the ENTIRE DAX Dogma of why our nation is now where it is (based on our theory that mass communication - starting with television in 1948 was the larger cause) - as we have covered that in detail in the past.

But we believe it was subsequent to 1993 when our current nationwide troubles commenced in earnest: It was that year when we launched the monthly print version of PERSONAL SUCCESS™ - The Newsletter.

It was hugely successful from day one. People from all over the world signed on at the $99.00 per year subscription rates - with NO gifts, premiums, gimmicks or discounts offered.

That publication continued to grow unabated for several years until . . . we and tens of millions of others became enthralled and entrenched in the Internet: All of us were inexorably ‘’caught in the web!'’

Eventually, we noticed a gradual decline - and subsequently, a steep nose-dive in new subscribers coming on board, thus we started to extricate ourselves FROM the print publication business - especially, as regards a periodical - and in February 2006 we closed it down - in favor of this on-line effort.

But it would not be until just recently, that others finally ‘’saw the writing on the screen'’ (cute, no?!) and closed down their print operations.

Recent victims include the Christian Science Monitor and the U.S. News & World Report. Other magazines, newsletters and newspapers across the land are currently phasing out, as well.

HAVE YOU FIGURED IT OUT, YET?

No? Let me hit you over the head with a tired-old phrase: ‘’Why buy a cow if you can get the milk for free?'’

No longer are people wiling to PAY for . . . well, much of anything! Why should they, when they can merely ‘’click-click'’ and bring forth most anything they want - at hardly any cost whatsoever beyond the cost of their computer and the ISP charge?

The ‘’problem'’ for those of us who actually produce ‘’unique data'’ is that the current generation which, again, has been raised to believe they are ENTITLED to receive anything and everything they want for NOTHING - is also naive enough to think that whatever information, intelligence or other potentially helpful intel, as they call it (too lazy to actually say the whole word, ‘’intelligence'’) - those misguided - misguided by their parents and their government - just assume that whatever someone is SELLING can be had for free from a different source.

That, of course, is NOT totally true - but people do believe that it is. Adding to the problem, is that in many cases, they are probably right! Traditionally, we have purchased or receive gratis, publisher copies of most every new book or course in our field. We blow ten grand or more every year for such stuff.

I personally have NEVER read any of ‘em as I do not want to directly or subconsciously be influenced by others in my own writing. But we do have people who evaluate the stuff and in most cases nowadays, the materials being pushed - mostly on infommercials - is just plain schlock!

No wonder people hesitate to shell out good bux for much of anything. How can they tell the difference between the good and the bad? Judging by logic - such as how long a company has been in business is no longer any assurance:

DAX here has been a leader in this biz for 46 1/2 years, BUT General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have been around for twice that long - and they no longer appear to be reliable . . .

Anyway, the reason that our economy is in the dumper is due to:

Far too many people wanting everything for nothing. They expect the producers of the world to provide for them - the NON producers - with no consequence to the latter. Both Obama and McCain have bought into that philosophy.

Either man, as President, would fail - regardless of how ‘’good'’ their intentions. It just cannot work that way: Ya gotta have more braves than chiefs to successfully wage an uprising!

The recent failures of major household-name business entities - as well as those which are on the brink of failing as we speak - can all be attributed to the ‘’everything for nothing'’ wrong-headed thinking, and yes, a few truly professional, greedy bastards. But their number is tiny compared to those in the general population!

Examples of where a combination of greed, stupidity, naivety and lack of sensible education has gotten us as a society:

Just before the recent election, a supporter of Obama actually was quoted as saying, ‘’I'm voting for Barack! He is going to pay off my mortgage and buy me gas for my car!'’ Boy, is SHE gonna be pissed when good ol’ Barack fails to come through on HER wish list!

A major reason why domestic car manufacturers are failing is that each of the big three has several thousand dollars PER VEHICLE they must recover just for various freebies the unions have been able to incorporate into their contracts over the decades.

What that means is this: When a domestic auto maker has his accountant draft up the cost specifications of a new vehicle, the first numbers that will appear on the print-out are about $5,000.00 to cover the costs for all the perks they’ve been forced to underwrite.

That expense is before even a CENT is added for actual material costs, labor, other overhead and such. THAT means that when you or I go to buy, say, a new Cadillac, Lincoln or 300-C, WE - the people who have worked and saved so that we have the wherewithal to buy a new car - WE will be paying all that insurance and other added costs - instead of the people who will most benefit from that largess: Is that fair in your mind?

Where did people get the idea that it was sacrosanct for employers to pay for their medical/dental expenditures instead of taking personal responsibility? Should the employer also give them a new car, kitchen appliances and a closet full of clothes? How absurd!

Yet, most Americans think that it is wholly correct and something they are just entitled to - to get all that free and very costly insurance. A totally related sad tale is the REASON medical costs are so exorbitant in the U.S. which is due mostly to the above facts:

As long as all those involved in the medical field are assured huge sums for whatever they do - from insurance that has been underwritten, in the main, by EMPLOYERS - rather than employees - they will continue to overcharge as they have increasingly done for many years.

Meanwhile, SMART car makers from abroad - who do NOT succumb to being bullied into the ‘’from womb to tomb'’ Big Brother funding mentality - have out-paced, out-sold and will probably, out-LIVE the domestic behemoths now begging for bux at the Federal money trough . . .

PERHAPS, GREEDY BASTARDS DID CAUSE THE BIG MESS . . .

. . . but it was not the greedy bastards we were all led to believe: It was NOT the Wall Street ‘’bad guys'’ or others who have sucked more than they should from the public coffers - it’s the other way around:

The MASSES of citizens who have grown up believing that in the good ol’ U.S.A. everything is free - or damn well SHOULD be - THEY are the true greedy bastards. However, we cannot really blame them!

If you encourage your child to smoke, drink, do drugs or engage in other destructive behavior, two things will happen:

His or her health will deteriorate - and the kid may eventually drop dead - well, like my own son did ten years ago - although, I can tell you that not only did I NOT countenance his behavior - I FIRED HIS DUMB ASS when I discovered what he was doing - and never saw him again - dead or alive!

The other thing that happens when you allow a child to do whatever they want - they will naturally believe that whatever ’tis they are doing or more accurately, indulging in is . . . okay!

So again, we cannot blame the young people of today - and in my mind the definition of ‘’young'’ in this instance is anyone 50 or less.

Instead, we should, blame ourselves, but I refuse to take any serious responsibility, because all of the nasty forgoing stuff was far beyond our control. ‘’You can’t fight city hall'’ but for sure and for certain, you cannot fight the federal government - they will do whatever they want to do - and there’s no stopping them: After all, they have the BIG guns, eh wot?

I HAVE NOTHING SPECIFIC TO SELL YOU, TODAY!

Actually, I have MANY things to sell you - if you are amongst the few who remain ambitious, self-reliant and/or possess the other vanishing good entrepreneurial traits. But I won’t highlight anything here at this time.

Whatever you may want or could possibly need to help you get ahead in this world is now, as it has been for quite awhile - available to you via the various links you’ll find on this page - as well as other DAX sites you may access.

But for those who read this and think they’re going to get yet another handout - nope - not a cotton-pickin’ thing do I have for them . . .

ALWAYS LEAVE ‘EM LAUGHING

As an 85th birthday gift, a man and his wife treated her mother to a trip to the Holy Land - something she had wanted to do all her life. Unfortunately, whilst there, she passed away.

The local undertaker told the man that he could have his mother-in-law’s body shipped back to the U.S. for $10,000.00 or, she could be buried right there in the Holy Land for just $500.00.

The man did not hesitate and said, ‘’We’ll have her shipped home and buried there.'’

The undertaker was surprised and asked why the man would spend so much money to ship home his mother-in-law when her own preference may well have been to be buried in the Holy Land?

‘’Well, 2000 years ago a man died here, was buried here and three days later arose from the dead. I just cannot take that chance.'’

-30-

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