After viewing 10 minutes of the State of the Union address, I had to turn it off. The claims made by our der leader about our economy was outright lies.
After viewing 10 minutes of the State of the Union address, I had to turn it off. The claims made by our der leader about our economy was outright lies.
Sure jobs were created…but not here in the US. Jobs were created by US contract companies to go clean up the military’s mess overseas now that the so called war is over in Iraq.
They say unemployment is down to 8.3 percent. What they do not tell us is that reduction is because of the number of unemployed being dropped off the list…to be forgotten and left out in the cold.
Why so many believe in the lies and deception is incredibly puzzling. How can a society going through so much misery and loss look at these clowns on the tv and go along with what they say, only to go through the ringer again and again and again.
The Chinese have a saying..keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome is insanity.
Now some company is proposing employment term limits. Meaning after 4 years or so, you have to reapply for the job you already have and potentially loose it to someone else no matter how good your work performance is or how good your work ethic is.
The slow but steady destruction by design of our economic engine.
Does anyone here really believe in all this fake left right blue red liberal conservative garbage?
When will it get better? How much more does it take to convince the public that business as usual is failing?
We see businesses in communities closing left and right. People getting laid off and rushing around applying for jobs that normally high school kids would be applying for. Families struggling just to keep food on the table and the lights on and a roof over their heads. Utility expenses going through the roof. Groceries becoming more expensive in smaller and less content containers. Infrastructure falling apart. Everything is going up in cost and income is decreasing at an exponential rate.
So what really is the state of the union?
RFB
Political Forum
A reminder that this board is not a political forum.
Thread is locked.
Update: This thread is unlocked. See http://www.part15.us/node/3338
Linking From The Begining
I apologize to you Neil, the forum admins and every member if my post caused any problems. I should have added more to my initial post along with the references of high food prices and things due to the economy. I should have added radio industry references in that first post. That is my fault and I take full responsibility for that.
We all know how tough it is these days just to keep the lights on and the roofs over our heads. If you own a business, it is even more evident of the economic crunch. Vendors and manufacturers of Part 15 radio broadcast equipment already have a rough time even with a good economy because their market is limited to radio enthusiasts like us. An AMT5K is not on the list of the majority of people’s shopping list.
Even with a business marketing common everyday products are feeling the pinch as well. My intent of the post was to dive into the discussion of how the economics of the nation are directly affecting the radio industry, which includes a lot more than just commercial radio or our Part 15 low power radio. It affects even ham radio, emergency services radio, scientific radio astronomy, telecommunications, and mobile communications like cell phones and iMobile devices.
We have witnessed the buying up of a large amount of what was once locally owned radio stations all over the country removing that local prospective from the local airwaves through the means of mass buyouts, which usually ends up with lost jobs at those stations because most of them have now turned to satellite program delivery and automation.
Think of all those different departments within a typical radio station…the sales department..the production department, the management, clerical, and on air talent. All of which have been dwindled down to either a single person filling the jobs of 5, or no one at all with everything run by a computer with the exception of one or two people answering the phones and at the very least to meet the FCC requirement of having someone at the station during normal business hours.
It is unnerving to walk into the building of Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting here in Casper, which houses 5 studios for 5 stations and they are empty with the exception of the automation computer. The sales department desks are empty, the receptionist desk is empty, the traffic department is empty. The whole place is like a ghost town, with the exception of just one person trying to keep up with it all.
It is scary every time I go in there to check things. Not scary because of the dark DJ booths with nothing but the light of the computer monitor in each of them..but seeing all those empty desks and chairs where there should be people working jobs and creating revenue for those stations.
And it extends even further beyond the stations! Businesses are doing much less advertising as well because they are struggling to keep their doors open and employees on board while bringing in less revenue because customers cannot spend as much as they used to.
Like links in a chain..it all connects together no matter what industry it is. Will radio itself begin to fade away into the noise floor to the likes of seeing factories closed down and layoffs thereafter?
RFB
Two Reflections
Reflection # 1 – I think that the outcome of this “locked thread” is a good one. There has been a review of policy on all sides and that is a healthy sign of life.
Reflection # 2 – The preceding post from RFB is frightening, like the account of a ghost ship as we’ve seen in movies, but this is not a movie. The radio industry has been de-peopled, and it’s a major loss of the most magical public resource in all history.
I listen now everynight to a program on WCCO 830 in Minneapolis, The Night Show with Tommy Mischke. It is profoundly significant in this age because he is one of almost no other strong radio personalities with intelligence, humor and a sense of mischief. Every where else is painfully sterile and pointless. Well, sure, Coast-To-Coast is good sometimes, but most of the audience is asleep then, and half of the shows are pulp.
Part 15 is the most unique “movement” in radio, because it’s a place where creative radio thrives, but are we a very small niche?
We are like minnows in the ocean, the sharks are out there.
My Take On This
If you guys – (my friends, actually) – that run
Part 15.us think this is
too far off of where the board should be,
feel free to take it off.
I like everyone here, especially
you RFB. I think you were very nice to apologize.
I also think everyone here understands that your intentions
were not bad ones. I am very glad you are on the board.
I also understand the “radio ghost town” concept. I have seen the
same thing. My broadcast engineer friend takes me over
to some of his local stations at night. I have seen the “broadcast
ghost town,” myself. And I also have worked in broadcasting myself
I’m my particular case, things with my family and me are not
as good as we would like them to be. There is a lot of
stuff going on that is exhausting
and challenging on a daily basis. Enough said about that.
You guys know part of the situation. I really really do RADIO STUFF –
to try to get away from this LIFE STUFF.
Anyway the crud in the world (oops, there’s that word crud
again) is the crud in the world. Thank goodness we are not
living in the dark ages, or something like that. Remember
“Monty Python?” “Bring Out Your Dead! Bring Out Your Dead!”
Or we could could be the dudes in Apollo 1. Poor Gus Grissom,
Ed White, and Roger Chaffee didn’t know what hit them.
(We’ll, actually they did – – – I probably should have gone
with a better idea, there.)
(I love the space program, so I reference it a lot, as well as
Star Trek.)
My wife says to me: “Take it easy! Life is just a flash
in the pan. It’s too short. it will be over before we know it.”
And yet I still STILL think about the crud in the world.
(By the way, Carl Blare and I have a running joke about the word “CRUD.”
– Actually Carl and I have had a lot of running jokes in the last few weeks!
You might hear some of them on one or two of his shows.
Anyway, when I think of the CRUD and it gets to me, then I think of
my wonderful family and my friends. And my friends include all of
you guys on this board.
And – Oh Yeah – I think of RADIO, too. A LOT..
Bruce, DOGRADIO STUDIO 2 (Which would not be what it is
without the two dogs that live here!) (I think of the TWO dogs, TOO.)
Ghosts In The Console, Fakes Behind The Mic
Seeing an empty set of studios during the overnight hours can give you a great idea of how creepy it can be.
But…imagine seeing 5..that’s FIVE complete studios all within the same building right next to each other with booth windows in all of them and you can see from one studio to the other and so on…and the only light is coming from the lighted switches on the consoles and computer screens. The announcer chairs are empty. The hallway is dark, the offices are dark, the manager’s office…dark and locked. Ironic the manager’s office needs to be locked when there is not a single soul in the entire place…and all of this is during the normal business hours of every day of every week.
No sales staff, no traffic staff, no receptionist, no announcers, not even a coffee pot! And I get VERY ANGRY when there is no coffee and even more so when there is no coffee pot!
But the real serious impact is the incredible loss of sales and public relations, which is also affecting the market share here. The other stations are feeling the pinch of this ghost town broadcasting outfits ghost town studios.
How many other stations out there are just like this? Does it matter if it is just one studio or 5 or 100?
How long will it be until every single studio is turned into an abandoned set of rooms and equipment?
Does radio really provide local interest coverage with a 4 hour morning idiot show?
Hardly.
After that morning show..and not saying these 5 studios have a 4 hour morning show because they don’t, the station returns to automation and/or satellite program, breaking away every 20 minutes for a commercial..well more like PSA’s these days than commercials, and at 59:50 for the top of the hour ID..and that’s it!
If something is not done, pretty soon every single studio out there will become just like these Rushmore stations are. Falling apart, barely operating, no one around, no support, no funding for maintenance, no staff, no dj’s, no show.
And this is called economic recovery?
More of that fill in the blank line garbage.
Some of the members here are retired, and some are still working, and very fortunate to have a job in this so called economic recovery. But do you all know what really really bothers me about all of this?
It is what our children and their children will get dumped onto them because of OUR lack of taking proper control of things. Never mind about OUR comfy retirement or living style..what about the future generations eh? Your kids, your grand kids, their kids and so on? Has the comfy zone of retirement or things outside the front door and yard have no relevance to what those next generations are going to have to deal with because of us?
The native American Indian tribes plan well in advance and for the future to ensure the survival of the tribe…even these days they still do things that way. They do not plan for the now, they plan for the distant future, and there are other cultures that do the very same thing. They can survive the onslaught of economic destruction because they plan around it and rely on nature for their needs..not wally world and credit cards.
The ancients were the same way. They did not rely on a system designed to destroy itself. They relied on each other and themselves.
Can any of us today say the same thing?
It was not my intention to highlight left, right, blue, red, conservative, liberal, demo or rep. It was not to highlight any candidate or individual being thrown up on the tv screens every night. It was not intended to make anyone feel different about their favorite puppet.
It was intended to get the focus on the right track…the reality of what is really going on in this country’s state of affairs..or state of the union. See…right here is where people got all twisted up about the meaning. State Of The Union is NOT political nor is it a chance for some nutcase to go on tv and convince people to vote for him/her. State Of The Union means this…our country’s current status, which covers a large area of things, yes including the financial and economic situation. And because what I was hearing was nothing but false information and made up numbers and lies, and as a citizen of this country living under the law of the land which is the Constitution, it is my duty as a US Citizen to speak out and stand up and do something..it is every citizen’s duty to come to their country’s aid in time of need…and it needs it now more than ever.
If we cannot do what is right and what is our responsibility and duty as citizens, and if the attitude is”‘oh someone else will handle it, im doing fine” or “let someone else worry about it I’m retired” nonsense, then don’t complain or gripe when the value of that retirement or trust fund or job is taken down to the value of dirt..because it WILL happen and IS happening all around us.
Open the eyes, clean out the ears, clear the mind because there is a huge shark swimming up behind you and about to take a bite out of that comfy zone. Are you prepared? Is anyone prepared?
Or does the sound of living behind barbed wire fence installations known as FEMA camps sound appealing? What a place to raise your family! YAY..this summer we don’t have to go anywhere because we are already at Camp FEMA! Break out the hot dogs (GMO) and relish! Where’s the beer! Turn on the football game! Go vote for the best dancer!
Yep…duty…it’s just a shame people are picking the wrong ones.
RFB
The Irony
Ironically, the coffee pot was taken by the station manager.
Of Like Mind?
Since we have agreed that this particular thread is appropriate for political stuff, I offer the following.
Yesterday, I had occasion to attend a luncheon to celebrate the marriage of some friends. This was held in a private residence. Usually this group avoids political talk because there is a diversity of opinions on this but the topic of the current state of the country and the trends did come up at my table. This break in usual protocol is most likely due to the importance of discussing and exchanging political information is now seen as critical to righting wrongs.
I am very encouraged by what I heard…intelligent people critically reviewing our loss of liberties, financial and personal, and misuse of political power. I found much agreement between all of us that things are not going well and sensed a passion to change this next November. I have to believe that people of like mind are thinking and planning to act in large numbers. One thing which I believe stifles political speech is the mistaken belief that an individual is alone in their thinking. I am convinced by much that I read and discuss that this is not the case. I hope I am correct in predicting that the dangerous nonsense we are experiencing with government will be stopped and reversed.
Neil
Two Worlds
I also have noticed people who previously steered clear of speaking anything critical of government, who have changed entirely and now express much concern about the bad trends which have become known, despite mass media putting the spotlight on movie stars.
But unfortunately I still know several adults whose particular bubble hasn’t been broken, who continue a head-in-the-sand life-style, and shun negative discussions about politics. A life-long school teacher told me, “They (the government) do their thing and I do mine.”
That reminds me of people in Germany who thought they would be safe if they just “went along quietly.”