John Masters, Author at Deep Something

Toronto Travel Travails

October 20, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 509 Views 0 Comments United, Airlines, Toronto, Air Canada, Chicago, Weather delays

I know, I have not been posting much lately. Once again, work has been extremely busy with some travel thrown in for good measure. Since my work involves a lot of writing, by the time I have time to write here, I’m just too wrung out to carry on. I do have some things percolating in my mind that I want to get set down here, so I’ll to get more posted this evening, and I do owe you a few movie reviews. I guess the biggest story though is my first trip outside the U.S. You got it, I’m 49, and just now have crossed the border. I went to Toronto on business, and must say, I was impressed with the little I got to experience of the city. As is so often the case though, air travel chaos accompanied me as I headed home last Wednesday (and then into Thursday).

Politics Religion Society Gay Issues Culture Featured

Courage In The Face of Hate

October 6, 2008 B. John 347 Views 0 Comments Catholic, California, Gay Marriage, Amendment 2, Florida Constitution, Proposition 8, Ballot Initiatives, Priest, Clarity, Courage

“What most Catholics hear about being gay or lesbian at their parish church is–silence. A numbing silence, which slowly and insidiously tells them, “You don’t belong here, this is not for you, and you are not welcome.” It is not the crude overt vulgarity of some churches. But rather, it is the coldness of a maitre d’ who simply won’t seat you, or the club which has put you on a waiting list with no intention of allowing you to join. And simply asks you to wait in polite almost, apologetic tones.”

Once in a rare while, in the political discourse of this country, there is a flash of courage and clarity of thinking. One such flash has happened in California. Father Geoffrey Farrow of the Saint Paul Newman Center on the campus of the University of California (Fresno) is courageous cleric. Here is a man who has spoken truth to power, and perhaps ended his career. Below is the entirity of his Homily from this past Sunday.

Business Economy Religion Science Society Right Wingnuts

Just So You Know-I Brought Down Wall Street

September 29, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 404 Views 0 Comments Center for Immigration Studies, Mark Krikorian, National Review, Krazy Kristian Kooks, Economy, Financial Crisis, Christian Civil League of Main, Michael Heath

Why am I not surprised to learn that the krazy kristian kooks are now blaming gay people for the financial crisis affecting America. Never mind that their usual rant is that Gay’s don’t need job protections because we have all the disposable income. We used it, I guess, to wreck havoc in the world financial markets.

Featured Politics Congress Presidency

The Economic Crisis

September 26, 2008 B. John 462 Views 0 Comments Bailout, economic crisis, Bush, cheney, Economy, Government Bailout, Paulson

I know you can hardly wait for my take on the current economic crisis. I’ll be the first to admit, that like John McCain has said, I’m no expert on the economy. Certainly there are a lot of “financial products” out there I don’t have a clue about, but there are some things about the market and the politics around it I do understand. Any plan needs to come at this current economic problem from at least two directions. One direction must work on the consumer side to reduce the number of defaults and bad loans. This will help the economy and reduce the total cost of any bailout. On the other side, perhaps purchasing some percentage of an institutions bad debt is acceptable, but that institution has to absorb a portion of their bad decisions. This goes to trust and accountability.

Economy Featured Places Politics Election Society Business

The Free Marketeers and Cardinal Richelieu

September 19, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 433 Views 0 Comments Recession, Economics, AIG, Depression, Free Market, Government Bailout, Corporate America, Wall Street, Culture War, Karl Rove, Economy

Today, while running an errand, I passed a sight which gave me some pause. I’m not sure why I noticed, and I’m not sure why I am drawing the assumptions I’m drawing, but I’ll tell the story anyway. Some years back, to make ends meet, I worked a part time job for a lot of years. For several of those years, I sold shoes at a Florsheim shoe store right in the main corner of the largest mall in Greensboro, NC. To pass the time when we were slow, I would often pick out someone walking by, and just based on what I could see, I’d make up the person’s current life situation. If that person came in the store, and any sort of chat developed, I was often astounded by how accurate my story had been, and so, from that perspective, I tell another story. I have no clue how accurate it is, but it illustrates a point about the recent economic downturn.

We were driving up Dale Mabry Highway, the main north-south road here in Tampa. Walking north (going south would eventually run you into the water of the bay) was two men. One of them was maybe near my age in his late 40s or early 50s. The other person was a bit younger, probably in his late 20s. (I don’t think they were related.) They both had backpacks and were carrying more bags by hand. They had the look of people moving on to somewhere else taking along just what they could carry. I didn’t get the idea from their appearance they had been homeless.

Politics Constitution Society Crime Corruption

EFF Sues the NSA and Bush Over Illegal Wiretaps

September 19, 2008 B. John 478 Views 0 Comments ACLU, Surveillance, Electronic Frontier Foundation, EFF, Bush, cheney, Gonzales, NSA, Wiretaps

CNet News is reporting that the Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed suit against the NSA, George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Alberto Gonzales on behalf of AT&T customers in order to try to halt what EFF calls “massive illegal” warrant-less surveillance of Americans.

Politics Election

Social Security and The Economy

September 19, 2008 B. John 461 Views 0 Comments Obama, Social Security, Privatization, Ads, Bush, Election, mccain

I seem to recall that George Bush was all in favor of privatizing Social Security and having us all put all of our retirement funds in the stock market. I have a 401K at work. Unfortunately the company doesn’t contribute to it, but that’s not what this post is about. I checked yesterday, and my annual rate of return on it so far this year is -24%. (Yes, that’s a minus…negative in front of it.) So where would people be who depend solely on Social Security if their accounts had suddenly taken a 24% hit.

Business Economy Featured Politics Election

Closing and Layoffs-Fundamentals Are Fine

September 17, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 567 Views 0 Comments Albertson's, Publix, mccain, Economy, Lay-off, Layoff, Phil Graham, Bennigans, Checkers, Sonic, Jabil

If, like John McCain, I had a wife worth $100 million dollars, I guess, like him, I too would probably think the economy was just fine. I don’t have a significant other that is worth that, in fact, he like me, probably has negative net worth. Based on what I’m seeing around here with a lot of closings, the evidence is pretty strong that we’re into a major slowdown.

Culture Movies

Righteous Kill – A Movie Review

September 14, 2008 B. John 484 Views 0 Comments Drama, Robert De Niro, Righteous Kill, Al Pacino, 50 cent, Donnie Wahlberg, Jon Avnet

A pair of veteran New York City police detectives are on the trail of a vigilante serial killer. After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated Detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan should be ready for retirement, but aren’t. Before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before. Like the original murder, the victim is a suspected criminal whose body is found accompanied by a four line poem justifying the killing. When additional crimes take place, it becomes clear the detectives are looking for a serial killer, one who targets criminals that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. His mission is to do what the cops can’t do on their own–take the culprits off the streets for good.

General

Thoughts on 9-11 Anniversary in 2008

September 12, 2008 B. John 467 Views 0 Comments Terrorism, September 11, 9/11, World Trade Center, george bush, Dick Cheney, New York

I know I’m late with this. I knew plenty would be written and said on 9/11, so I’ve waited a couple of days to offer my thoughts. Much was lost on 9/11, and much has been lost in the seven years since.

Religion Science Society Crime Corruption Right Wingnuts Featured Politics Election Presidency War

Sarah Palin and The Moose She Rode In On

September 11, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 529 Views 0 Comments vice president, Karl Rove, Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin

I’ve been trying to see how (or if) the dust would settle around Sarah Palin prior to writing a post about my feelings on the subject. It doesn’t appear the dust is settling, as John McCain hides behind her skirt. So I’m going to offer up my two-cents on the nomination. (Did you think I’d do otherwise?) I’ve been unable to discern Palin’s motivation for her move into politics, and her acceptance of this nomination, but I’m feeling like she’s a great fit on the Republican ticket. I really do not get the sense that Palin is truly interested in public service, but in having power and taking what she can from it. She has definitely shown herself to be pushy and arrogant when holding public office.