Thursday, May 17, 2012

They set out to destroy hope and change

If you watch what Republicans have done... when the Hope and Change candidate came in...

They tried to destroy all hope that what he created or passed would work.

They tried to instill intense fear in people - alarming them - so they would want to go back to the way things were.

Keep it in mind next time you see something come out of a Republicans mouth.

If President today I would...

Quadruple the investment in NASA immediately.  Just quadruple the budget.  We've been getting a 33% return on investment every year since NASA began.

I would dramatically increase funding for education programs.

I would change government procurement programs so that people are not discarding or spending things to keep their budgets the same next year.

For the housing market... I would meet with the heads of all mortgage lending institutions and explain to them that they can't go from giving mortgages to every person on the planet to making it incredibly difficult even for qualified buyers.  I would apply Presidential pressure to loosen standards to a very moderate degree.

That is it.  I do believe Obama is doing a great job.

These are the things I would tweak.

Benjamin Feinblum

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Republicans Sabotage Consumer Confidence


Watch Del. Armstrong describe attacks on the stimulus using a children's story.
http://youtu.be/zhYR0IcmWdc
What is Armstrong for?  He sees 15% unemployment in his state and the problem is growing.
Obama later remarked at how Republicans were at all the ribbon cuttings for stimulus projects.
They use these big projects to show what money they got for their state - so they can keep in office.

Every Republican who rejected the stimulus was then showing up for those ribbon cuttings as though they got the money for their state.  So they got the rewards of showing help to the state... while blocking the stimulus to the best of their ability... while attacking the daylights out of the President for it.

What are they trying to do?
Watch how Obama's approval ratings track with consumer confidence.
To attack Obama they go for anything that would create confidence.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/153335/obama-job-approval-tied-economic-confidence-2012.aspx


Michelle Bachman was amongst the most vocal against the stimulus.  Well, she personally wrote 16 letters asking for stimulus money to fund projects in her state.  She voted against the stimulus.
I saw when the information about this came out.  Here is a video someone put together talking about it.  You can do a search for each item listed in the video.
Here is a video description: http://youtu.be/B8VXFwZ_T2w'
Here is one story: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/10/bachmann-asked-for-stimulus-money-days-after-calling-it-an-orgy-of-spending/
Here is the video of her calling at an "Orgy of Spending."  In the end, Bachmann's district was one of the biggest receivers of stimulus dollars.
http://youtu.be/R9C6W4l92mk

To see where stimulus spending went.  Go to www.recovery.gov.


There are pages of stories from the day this news broke.  Google: Michele Bachmann Stimulus requests

She wanted and needed the stimulus money for her state, but She also had to make sure that Obama looked like a completely inept leader.  They could not allow him this big of a legislative success.

But - wait!  There is this one guy who wasn't in office and he wasn't running at the time.

What did he think?
Romney is very careful to not make people think Obama came up with something.  He is careful to say, "Obama listened to his advisers."

Reality: Tax cuts have been shown to create a short term sugar rush and then the economy adjusts to that level of money.  Infrastructure is an investment that lasts.  The economy is built on our infrastructure.  So it gives room for the economy to grow in the long haul.

Bottom line: Infrastructure targeted the million unemployed construction workers.  When we spent the money construction companies were so desperate to keep some people and keep their business that they bid really low and finished really fast.  When we bought roads with stimulus, we got nearly a three for one deal.

Republicans were playing a game regarding, "Well... studies show that infrastructure spending isn't as effective."  Sure... under some conditions.  What if you are trying to reduce unemployment for construction workers during a housing depression?  Would hiring construction workers go at the heart of the problem?
Or... are all theoretical situations the same?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

What Happened? Disruptive Technology Tipping Point

Innovation brought us to a tipping point.  So we are here.  A sufficient quantity of disruptive technology swept through the world to create great advancements and wreckage as a wave of change crossed the Earth.  We see it in the social media triggered Arab Spring.

The internet shifted American jobs to India - we could connect instantly across the world.  Computerized shipping allowed things to arrive just in time - warehouses stopped being used.  A tsunami hit - that supply chain was just not right - and auto assembly lines and more had to stop.

An electronic reader called the Kindle swept America and Borders... bam - thousands of jobs gone because people don't quite use books like they used to.  Robots replaced Americans on factory floors - now - robots are learning to repair each other on factory floors and replacing robot repair men.

We could print mortgages and handle via computer so anyone could do it.  We lost the owner of the bank having a personal relationship with the borrower.  The owner knowing the finances of the borrower and that of his parents!  People could just enter it into forms on a computer.  Then it was data.  And people learned to sell that data - in bundles of homes - to Ireland and across the globe from the US.  

Many people don't even realize our technology is so powerful that we are actually capable of destroying the Earth.  Reaching... what biologists call, "carrying capacity." But, we are also capable of repairing it... sort of... we have almost gone too far - another tipping point.

At a medical conference with 200 doctors - they were very concerned.  One showed that 267 regulations to protect the environment were nixed by Republicans... watered down... and that every doctor in the room was already seeing spikes in breathing problems.  People of all ages coming to them... ill.  All those photos you saw from the show - at conferences I was



Massive shifts so fast across the entire economy.  The ones who learn how to benefit from the tools of innovation will be ahead.  People, businesses and countries.

During the great depression it was machines replacing women.  Washing machines... the ice delivery man was being replaced by refrigerators... and all these things... but, one major parallel existed.

Appliances were paid for in monthly payments like cell phones and internet connections are today.  Companies raised the prices to the limit of what the market could bear.  That sponged up all the money - like it does today with cell phones.  Look at how much you spend.  That is your extra.  The middle class gets tighter and tighter... and a house of cards falls.

The way forwards is to ride on top of the wave. Get ahead of the innovation curve.  Replace the old and master the new technology to your advantage.    

Why am I successful today?  Why do I now run three businesses?




Innovation brought us to a tipping point.  So we are here.  A sufficient quantity of disruptive technology swept through the world to create great advancements and wreckage as a wave of change crossed the Earth.  We see it in the social media triggered Arab Spring.  The internet shifted American jobs to India - we could connect instantly across the world.  Computerized shipping allowed things to arrive just in time - warehouses stopped being used.  A tsunami hit - that supply chain was Just not right - and auto assembly lines and more had to stop.  An electronic reader called the Kindle swept America and Borders... bam - thousands of jobs gone because people don't quite use books like they used to.  Robots replaced Americans on factory floors - now - robots are learning to repair each other on factory floors and replacing robot repair men.  I replaced my professional printer with a color laser printer in my office.  Dell and HP took over the computer world... then laptops hit... then netbooks... then everyone in that was screwed because tablets took over.  We could print mortgages and handle via computer so anyone could do it.  We lost the owner of the bank having a personal relationship with the borrower.  The owner knowing the finances of the borrower and that of his parents!  People could just enter it into forms on a computer.  Then it was data.  And people learned to sell that data - in bundles of homes - to Ireland and across the globe from the US.  Are you getting my point?

Massive shifts so fast across the entire economy.  The ones who learn how to benefit from the tools of innovation will be ahead.  People, businesses and countries.

Terrorists learned that they could create an explosion on a street corner and if a news camera was there it would horrify and disrupt the economy of the greatest nation on Earth and effect everyone across the globe.  That is how they used live TV - that disruptive technology.  To make bigger impacts they needed larger spectacle.  So we got 9/11.

Then - their real goal was to trigger massive wars that would drain our bank accounts.  When we trained the Taliban to drain Russia of it's resources - that is what we trained them to do.  Keep the Russians there and drain their resources until the Soviet Union fell.  Then they turned our own methods on us and Bush fell for it.  Obama... uses drones... cheap in comparison and thwarts their capacity to destroy America financially.

During the great depression it was machines replacing women.  Washing machines... the ice delivery man was being replaced by refrigerators... and all these things... but, one major parallel existed.

Appliances were paid for in monthly payments like cell phones and internet connections are today.  Companies raised the prices to the limit of what the market could bear.  That sponged up all the money - like it does today with cell phones.  Look at how much you spend.  That is your extra.  The middle class gets tighter and tighter... and a house of cards falls.

The way forwards is to ride on top of the wave. Get ahead of the innovation curve.  Replace the old and master the new technology to your advantage.      

Why am I successful today?  Why do I now run three businesses?
When I was 13 years old I was reading Michio Kaku and the visions of other futurists.  I was studying innovation... and the adoption curve.  I could name nearly all major innovators and what they created - how they got there.  When I was 21 I created a new method of genetic mapping while a theater major using some of those mental tools.

With all the disruption coming... I studied sociology - the science of human interaction - knowing that people would still be here.  And knowing that as technology became prevalent people would forget the human skills.  So, I studied nonverbal communications, writing, comedy, magic, and dance - so I could relate to people on all levels.
I studied stress management to deal with change as it occurred and now I help other people handle the change.

Knowing that business would still exist I studied entrepreneurial business to know how to take advantage of opportunity as it arose.
How to market.  How to reach people.  With all the wreckage the change created I knew there would be opportunity.

Studying theater - carpentry - acting - and singing and all forms of communication I turned myself into an instrument of communication and expression - human expression - at the same time others were losing the human touch.

Then - when thrown into the mix of crisis - having already expected it... I deployed my plans to springboard off the crisis.  While everyone else fell backwards - my goal became to run forwards.  Invest heavily - work tirelessly - build.

And today... here I am. The economy we have today is the real economy.  Before it was a massive credit driven sugar rush.  Today, it is real.  The technology we operate on - while changing fast every day - is beginning to stabilize in some realms.

Go look at the date of when facebook launched.  Now imagine the world without it.  That was the world just a few short years ago.

Ride the change.  Move forwards fast.  Stay on top of the wave of change like you are surfing.

America and the world will probably be ok.  We just need to learn how to function in the world we have created.

Innovation - to the level of mass disruption.  Consider that Obama beat the Clinton political machine - with his new political machine - over the internet.  He has been working to shape up America to take advantage of all this innovation because he gets it.  He sees where it is leading.  He is working to ride the wave and stay on top of the curve... surfing the change... and steering us in the directions to take advantage of opportunities and hedge against potential pitfalls.

That is the world we live in.  The reason why I am thriving in it.  And that is why I support Obama.

For all against him regarding jobs numbers.  I watched Republicans block 17 jobs bills to sabotage the President.  So they now run around in the midst of a crisis - having written he story the way they wanted to - and they now scream "Where are the jobs Mister President."  In their abundant character... they sought to sabotage the President of the United States during a crisis to assure their own power grab was successful.  I watched it unfold live.

This is a crisis that will end as wreckage passes through the system and as we grapple with and master the new age of technology that we are operating in.  Not a day before.  We are extraordinarily lucky to be growing at the rate we are.

http://tinyurl.com/6usyhh3
 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Why don't I like Romney?

Romney is talented and in the past has taken many moderate positions.  He is not promoting himself with those positions now and might not govern from moderate positions, but why am I against him?

You see... initially I was very interested in him.

I respect successful business leaders.  I like Mormons.  I have voted for Democrats and Republicans.

I don't care if a candidate is exciting and fun... I can tell the difference between choosing an entertainer and choosing a President.  I don't care if he is cool.

This year around, in all Republicans with the exception of John Huntsman... and actually possibly Ron Paul (though I disagree with him on everything he seems consistent and has integrity) most of the Republicans have serious integrity issues.

While many candidates had personal integrity issues...

Romney has political integrity issues.

In my previous posts on this blog you will see what some of those are.

Later, I will compile those posts into a coherent article on the matter.
 

Construction of the Republican Machine

How does it work?

1) Gerrymandering by both parties - the process of shaping election districts to assure one party gets all the votes it needs to take the Congressional Seat - is the root of what keeps people in power.

2) Fox News is the mouth-piece.  Not of bias, but of Persuasion.
When I took a course to learn how to be effective in creating a campaign to persuade kids to read... I learned all the methods Fox News uses.

I still have the two text books on it.  When I watch Fox I see and can point out every method and direct you to the source studies that generated the methods.

3) Demonization.  The goal is to create such a vile opinion of opponents that when one comes on TV a person can't even be in the room.  As someone who might support the person they are against - you would not ever have this feeling.  But, turn on a video of Obama in the room with someone who watches Fox News and they will leave the room.

4) Construction of reality.  Fox News aims to create their own version of reality that is stronger and more expressed than what actually occurs in given situations.  Many times it is just an outright fabrication.

5) Circling the wagons and group cohesiveness.  They communicate something so heavily, with such cohesiveness, that people think it is true and want to jump on the bandwagon.


How can I get this out?

My degree is in social-psychology.

When I watch Fox News, I am horrified each time because every screen is actually using about 4-6 methods of social-psychology grade influence and persuasion methods.

I literally have two textbooks from a  college course I took on the matter that are next to the keyboard as I write this.

I considered sources that could work against this... work to change this... or reveal it... and I considered... the Daily Show!

I found the producer who reviews the inconsistencies in the news by doing a search online.
He has 13 TIVOs worth of news that he flips through in the morning to write.

I was able to find him and send a short message to connect on Linked-in.

Here is what I sent.


Ramin,

The Daily Show offers solid critiques of the news... etc.  I searched and found that you are the producer who focuses on that.

Fox News uses social-psychology research to influence. Would you like textbooks that will teach you what they use?

- Benjamin Corey Illusionist


Hopefully, I can get the information through to him and what is revealed on the daily show will become more interesting.

I sent this to him about eight minutes ago.

If they ever start covering this in an episode - I will post the video here in the comments.

Here is a second message that I sent him over Facebook:
Ramin. I saw on Linked-in that we both studied Sociology. I found you there after a story that stated that you are the producer at the Daily Show who generates material to critique the news. 

I am writing you because you guys are the only one's confronting Fox News. I want to arm you with the knowledge of the persuasion methods they are using that were studied by sociologists... and social-psychologists like myself. 

Will you help me get this out? For a long time, I have wanted to break this story. I cannot find an avenue to do this. 

I will provide the names of two text books so you can study up a bit. Then, turn on Fox News and watch. You are sharp enough and will see the methods immediately once the text books teach you that they exist. They are easy to spot. 

I trained in them while learning the tools for effective public service announcements. Turns out it is what Fox News uses... and actually... cult leaders. That is where the "Drinking the kool-aid," reference that Republicans are using today comes from. (Google Jim Jones: Kool-Aid.) There are a limited number of these methods so people on all sides are using the same ones.

Would you be interested in having these tools?

Sincerely,

Benjamin Corey Feinblum

Message through to the Daily Show fan page
Hey Guys, I am a social-psychologist and am looking to out the methods Fox News is using within it's broadcast to go beyond bias to persuasion, influence, and social-compliance gaining.  As you are the only ones challenging them... I would like to give you the actual methods they are using so that you can see them.  Then, you will have a better way to target Fox.  Would you be interested?