A Testament to the Idiocy and Corruptibility of Bureaucrats

In addition to my own plight, my attention will focus on larger issues such as the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I keep thinking of the movie I recently watched called Fahrenheit 9/11. I have heard of the film for some time now and was curious to see what it was about, but I kept putting it off since I was in no hurry to be reminded of the horrors of 9/11. I happen to be flipping channels one night recently and it was on one of the cable movie channels. I decided to watch it and I found it fascinating, as well as quite disturbing. I have read on the web a lot of the hype about the film and also a lot of information discrediting the film. Either way, it presents a lot of food for thought. I'll be honest and say that I didn't vote for George W. Bush. It is not because I have anything personal against the man, I just didn't think he was the sort of person that should be leading the United States (perhaps he could lead a frat house, but not the United States). I didn't feel any confidence in the man as a leader and I need to feel confident about the man who is going to lead the nation.

To me (and I could be wrong about my impression of him), he just seems to give off the air of a spoiled son of a rich man. I didn't feel (and still don't) that he had the level of achievements one needs to see in the man who is going to be President. He was governor of Texas but big deal. The only reason he became governor, president, and is able to get away with any misconduct in his life is because of who is father is (George Bush Sr.). So I guess what we are saying then is that no matter how one behaves, if their parents are rich and well-respected, their children are free from any accountability to their actions, get to use their parents good name (and money) to their full advantage, and get out of any military service that involves actual combat (if they so desire). The privledged few. This is fairness, American-style!

I can't say that I know all the details of what happened, but the whole election fiasco in 2000 seemed just a bit too convenient if you ask me. The one state in question (Florida) with the confusing ballot cards is governed by President Bush's brother Jeb and no one can see a conflict of interest here? I won't make any comments but just remember one thing:

Family always sticks together (unless of course you really hate your family)

The Bush Brothers don't seem to hate each other. The question to me is: Why would it just be Florida with that problem and no other state? My home state of New Jersey didn't have a problem and if it can be done correctly in New Jersey, then something is going on (afterall most people in New Jersey have toxic shock syndrome, just kidding. I always appreciate a good New Jersey joke). The citizens of the United States will probably never know what actually occurred and I suppose at this point it is all moot, but I think as Americans we have a right to know the truth no matter how much time goes by.

In the movie Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore shows a connection between the Bush Family and the Saudis and, in all fairness, I can't say how accurate the film is. Anyone who reads this would have the watch the film and judge for yourself. Osama Bin Laden's cousin is a close friend of the Bushes. I don't have a particular problem with that. The United States has been dealing with Saudi Arabia for a very long time. The United States needs oil and the Middle East is where most of it is. The problem I have is that it seems that the Bushes and the United States government is indifferent or just "looks the other way" when it comes to the Saudis and their funding of terrorism. The simple reasons behind this: money and greed. According to the film, before George Bush Jr. became president his dad gave him an oil company to run. As owner Junior's company did quite badly till Junior made a very nice deal with the Saudi government. I don't know for how much but I wouldn't be surprised if it is in the millions (or billions) of dollars. All of a sudden, the Saudis and Bushes were the best of friends. Junior was even working on a deal with the government of Afghanistan on a pipeline that would cross through their country. The Taliban government was invited to the United States and came to visit the Bushes.

One really big, huge question crosses my mind at this point (and might also cross the minds of any readers as well) which is, how does any of this help the American people which is what the United States government is supposed to be doing? The answer: it doesn't, but it sure does help the pocket book of the Bushes and politicians in Washington. The proof of this is around us. If we are in Iraq and have secured the oil facilities, then why do oil prices continuously rise? If a major source of oil is now in the possession of the United States, then wouldn't that make prices start going down? We could have (and should have) stopped using gas burning automobiles 30 years ago but we didn't because it was always stopped by the US government. Why? Obviously people in our own government do not want us to stop importing oil.

All I know is that the US arrangement with Saudi Arabia is not making me rich nor the average American. The prices at the pump keep going higher and higher so someone is getting rich off of it at the expense of the American public. Perhaps the rapid price increase of gas over the last few years is to try to encourage people to use less gas, although I don't think it is working. It always seems that those people who are more fortunate (such as those in power) determine how the rest of the people's lives will be. They profit from other people's loss. There are always ulterior motives for why anyone does something and United States government is no different. Why our government does something is usually due to greed of politicians and not to benefit the people of the United States. Our government has only one agenda and that is to maintain power and control. That is usually the main mission of any government, and the US is no different. The question that remains is:

How far is our government willing to go to maintain that control?

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Corporate Worlds Away

As I work in the corporate world I discover many new things. One such thing I have discovered is that the corporate world is run by means of insanity (at least where I work). Case in point: Over the past year I have been feeling that my position hasn't been offering me much of a challenge (and basically beneath me) since I have past experience building web sites, computer audio/video production (with professional software), graphic design (Photoshop being my favorite), etc, etc. On a recent review I had mentioned how I would like to move on to something I am more suited for. I also made the company aware of my additional skills so that they can see that I am very computer proficient and have a high intellect. I met with my supervisor fairly recently to rehash the possibility of moving to a position in the company that is closer to what I am suited for. My supervisor informed me that my work performance in the field I presently am in needs some improvement and that before I could be recommended to move elsewhere I would need to do better at my present position. So let me see if I understand this correctly: before I can move from my present position which does not offer me the challenge I need (thereby causing me to not be as efficient), into a position I am clearly suited for and which would make for a much happier worker (thereby a more productive worker), I need to stay in my present position (although it is quite evident my talent would be more useful to the company elsewhere) and perform better.

I see...

Let the insanity begin! (although it has long since started here at "The Corporate Sanitarium"). It is just so ridiculous and as I write it, sounds even more ridiculous. Unfortunately it is true. Oh, so true. What does one position have to do with the other? If the bottom line with any business is dollars and cents (profit) and increased productivity usually helps to create such profit, then wouldn't it make more sense for me to be in a position I am properly suited for? Yet, you see this is how the corporate world works. It is not intended to make any sense. It is intended to be a dictatorship. A you-do-as-you-are-told-not-what-makes-sense mentality. It gets even better. Get a load of this: I am not permitted to go around my supervisor to someone over his head or in a department I would like to be in because that would be noted in my personnel file. The way it works is that I have to wait till my supervisor (and ONLY my supervisor) gives full approval for me to move upward or to something I prefer and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. I suppose could quit but then that only hurts myself. I even thought I could end my life over it (what can I say, the thought of remaining in this braindead position depresses me. However, it was only a passing thought). I suppose I could give my supervisor four flat tires, but that would just be childish behavior, make me feel even worse about myself, and what would it even accomplish? Nothing at all (and besides my supervisor is actually very nice, a tad misguided, but very nice).

I also meant to mention another tidbit of insanity is that managers are given leeway on things that other employees are not. For example, from time to time (for whatever reasons) I completed some assignments at the last minute. I was criticized for this, yet the managers I work with as part of my team do this same behavior almost all the time. They will tell me they need something printed only to make a last minute change in the presentation. I then have to add in the new information. What up wit dat? They get no criticism for this either. The only one who notices it is me and who can I tell? Not to mention my supervisor is on the same level with the other managers and will just let it slide since they are all in the same peer group. Insanity! Just plain fu*king insanity. There is no nice way to say it. Now I imagine some might say that these managers have a right to do anything they want. Wrong! They are supposed to be setting the example for the rest of us. Isn't that what older children (and adults) are supposed to do for younger children? That's how I was raised. Same philosophy here. Just because they are managers does not mean they can just do what they want. What's next, they get to start taking computers from work because they feel like it? What is wrong for me, is wrong for everyone. Otherwise what begins is preferential treatment, and then where does it end? Soon the company will start saying that only people of a certain skin color or nationality can do "this" or do "that". It is wrong no matter how you look at it.

Just because someone has worked at a company for 20 years as opposed to 2 or 3 does not give them the right to conduct themselves any different than any other employee. Having a special parking spot is understandable. The person should be recognized for dedication and loyalty. However, there can not be one set of rules for some and a separate set for another. I understand that that is how it is in the corporate world, but simply because it "is" does not make it right. It seems that people often confuse what "is" for what is "right". People are murdered everyday in the United States, does that make it right?

So here I sit in a position I am not "cut out" for and very bored with. I find myself looking for other things to do such as writing in my blog or taking a nap under my desk (which really gets me going later in the day, actually I was just kidding about the napping part. I don't really do that, but boy am I temped! I could bring my blanky plus some cookies and milk would be nice too. So much for productivity. However, here's to upper management decisions. I raise my imaginary glass of milk in your honor before I take my nap under my desk).

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Are We Really Free?

Time has flown by yet again. I try to focus on keeping my blog up to date but I get distracted by other endeavors and by my mood shifts. It has been quite difficult for me to maintain any kind of goals in life. Everything interests me yet I have no real passion. I wish I could choose to just "be" and not have to be forced into choosing a career. We fool ourselves into thinking we are free but are we really? If I want to buy an antibiotic because I feel a cold coming on can I just walk into a store and buy it off the shelf? No, I have to get a prescription from a doctor who is basically giving me permission to buy something that I already know I need. How does this make any sense? Why do I need permission from some stranger to get something that I want to take for my own body? So we are not completely free, even in the United States (especially in the United States).

Complete freedom in the United States is set aside only for the rich (particularly celebrities). They are free to do what ever they choose and not have to pay any punishment for wrong doing either. They simply use a high priced lawyer to talk their sentence down or wave a sentence altogether. A person who is poor or middle class, on the otherhand, is not afforded these privledges. So essentially with wealth comes freedom, and furthermore, if one reaches a high enough level of wealth then one is even free from having to work. So it is not really freedom for all, just for some

I guess my main reason for not wanting to be forced into choosing a career is simply due to the difficulty I have in choosing one. I don't know what I want to do even at the age I am at now. To me all careers sound so interesting yet I know that after I start working towards one of them I will quickly lose interest. It's generally been that way my whole life and I guess no one really noticed a problem. I knew there was a problem but I also have no way of fixing the problem. I believe psychiatrists are supposed to solve these kinds of things (but I could be wrong, I'm presently still checking into that). Perhaps I expected too much from the people that were supposed to help me. It's certainly possible. Unfortunately, I'm not sure.

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