Monday, October 3, 2022

Europe? Take the Next Right

 

As this country, Europe, and Elsewhere are shifting to the right, we hear much discussion.  A great deal of information.  But little understanding.


Before we start, let's understand Newton's First Law of Physics:  The pendulum swings both ways.


Now, let's start here:


Lenin became leader of Russia by appealing to the downtrodden people of Russia.


Hitler, the downtrodden people of Germany.


Robespierre, the downtrodden people of France.


How did it work out for the people of Russia, Germany, and France?  Not good!.


But one element is common to all three. It is very unlikely that Lenin, HItler, and Robespierre, gained power by citing facts and figures. By providing statistics and analysis.


There is little evidence that the proletariat or the serfs were able read and write.  Or do the math.


Each man appealed to emotion.


"Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains."


Hitler employed the time-tested strategy of scapegoating other people.  


Robespierre employed class warfare.


No one knows when the Russian people figured out: when everyone owns everything no one owns anything.


The Germans found themselves knee deep in war when it was too late to do anything about it.


The French figured it out when they were being led to the Guillotine. And Robespierre? "Hoisted with his own petard".


And those who distinguish between Lenin and HItler are merely quibbling.  I believe the word is specious.


In my article on the passing of the Queen, I focused on succession.  Whether we are discussing The Queen, the CEO, or the Manager on the loading dock, whenever there is a change in leadership, there will be a loosening of the ties that bind.  The loyalties are broken.  New alliances are created.  And even though the Commonwealth is a built in Economic Union, the nations are beginning to move out of the orbit.


When Merkel retired, obedience to the Troika began to dissolve. This, mind you, that there was connection among the ranks.  


But why? Because people believe what they want to believe.


Chamberlain told the Brits, Mr. Hitler has assured me he is not planning to go to war.


Churchill said, The Nazis are planning to go to war.


Chamberlain told the Brits what they wanted to hear.  Churchill told the Brits what they needed to hear.  And the rest, as they say, is history.


"You can't stop the arrival of history.  You can only delay it.  History is coming.  However, the longer you can delay the arrival of history, the better your chances of survival."  Slim Fairview


However, the future?


"That you cannot predict the future is not the proper rebuff to the person who says, get off the tracks there's a train coming."  ~Slim Fairview


Still, societies have an innate mechanism that causes them to move in response or reaction to coming changes before the people know they are coming.


My takeaway from Reflections of a Spawn in Hell by Borisz de Balla is this:  The Eastern Europeans did not embrace the Nazis because they hated the Jews.  They embraced the Nazis because they were terrified of The Soviet Union.  And today, the people of Eastern Europe seem not to want to return to the days of Soviet Military Occupation.


In Italy?  People have forgotten the demise of Benito Mussolini.  The how. The why.


I've pointed out that Merkel had a 1-pronged approach to solving the European Economic Crisis.  Austerity.  And that a 1-pronged approach is not a solution. It is a weapon.  


Soon, the 1-pronged approach became a 2-pronged approach.  Austerity + Open Immigration.  This served to further crush the economies of Southern Europe while doing nothing for the migrants save to leave them in camps with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and not even a place to sit down let alone lie down to sleep.


I stated, Merkel is not a Nazi.  Merkel grew up in East Germany.  Merkel speaks Russian, Merkel ran the German economy by feeding the German Economic Machine at the expense of satellite nations in Southern Europe. How did it work out for them?  Not good.


Now Merkel is gone.  Now, the pendulum is swinging back.


And we continue to forget, each succeeding generation does not always embrace the values, the paradigms, the algorithms of previous generations.


Santayana said, Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.


I've said, Those who never learned history are doomed--period!


However, there is more: "Those who remember history are able to repeat it."


In addition to Europe, let's shed a bit of light on China.  China will succeed because China will do as we did and not as we say.


Manifest destiny -> Belt and Road

Trans-Continental Railroad -> HIgh speed railroad

Monroe Doctrine -> South China Sea

Hoover Dam -> Three Rivers Dam


What the Soviet Union lacked that China implemented successfully was The Free Market Paradigm.  


When China elevated 500 million people from poverty to the middle class, China:

Created a consumer class

Created an investor class

Created a vested interest in the success of Beijing's policies

Created cohesion among the Chinese people.


Russian did not count on a solidarity of its former satellite states.  And China's reticence on the invasion of Ukraine is one indicator of China's perceptions of future events.


The pendulum swings both ways; but,

"There are no unintended consequences. Only unwanted consequences." 

~ Slim Fairview


Europe will shift to the right.

America will shift to the right.

Facts and figures will not supercede the appeal to emotion.


Best wishes,


Slim.

Box 33

Pen Argyl, PA 18072

Etats-Unis


The Quotations of Slim Fairview

Copyright © 2022 Robert Asken

All rights reserved


Monday, August 8, 2022

Washington, DC 1939 National Security

Through the magic of metaphor

Dateline: Washington, DC 1939


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Everything is the same then as it is now except you are here.


Executives from Bethlehem Steel and U. S. Steel appeared before

the Senate Committee today to discuss lifting the restrictions on

overseas manufacturing. "Our intent is to move Steel Manufacturing

to Germany to make American Steel more competitive in the global

market and to increase American National Security.


Meanwhile, Across the Capitol, Executives a delegation from Ford, GM, Chrysler, Boeing, Sikorsky. McDonnell Douglas, and Lockheed were

testifying to the need to relocate their factories to Yugoslavia,

Czechoslovakia, and Poland in order to become more competitive in

the global market and to insure American National Security


-60-


Regards,


Slim.


Box 33

Pen Argyl, PA 18072

Etats-Unis


Ford Motor Company General Motors Sikorsky Lockheed Martin

Boeing McDonnell Douglas Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

The White House National Security Council, The White House Council of Economic Advisers, The White House The Brookings Institution

Peterson Institute for International Economics The Washington Post

Chicago Tribune Media Group The Wall Street Journal The New York Times CNBC BBC News FRANCE 24 U.S. Department of State LaRae Quy NATO

Thursday, July 7, 2022

B School or Pizza Night?

 

Skip B-School, Go out for Pizza instead.


My wife & I are out for our weekly dinner:
Cold ante-pasta for two, pizza, BYOB claret.

A woman comes in with two children.

Owner: Are you here for a pickup?

Wife: No. We're here for dinner. My husband is
picking up a bottle of wine. Can you bring us
two glasses.


The husband comes in carrying a brown, paper bag.
I have a bad feeling about this.


Wife: Where's the wine?

Him: I thought we'd have beer instead...

Silence.

I feel chills up my spine.


As we get ready to leave, my wife goes to powder her
nose. I pay the check. 

Before we leave, I say to the woman,
"My wife & I weren't able to finish our wine, would you like
it?"

She says thank you. I pour her a glass. 

As we leave, she says in a loud voice--for her husband's benefit--not mine, "What a nice man. What a very nice man."

The B-School lessons:

1 Bait & Switch:  He offers a customer 
Pizza and Wine--he delivers Pizza & Beer.

2 Over promise [wine] Under deliver [beer]
In cans, not even bottles.

3 Market penetration from a competitor
Seizing the opportunity, a competitor 
delivers a free sample of wine.


4 Inventory optimisation.  Why 
leave inventory on the shelf when
you can use it to attract new customers?

5 Marketing strategy:  From the old canard
"Marketing:  Find a need and fill it."

6  Shelf space optimisation: Create 
additional shelf-space by rotating 
stock or giving discounts or by repurposing.

7 Revenue enhancement: What I gained
with the bottle of wine will see diminishing
returns--hence, I put the product into circulation
and add benefits to the investment in the wine.

8 Consumer demands:  Consumers want wine,
I deliver wine.

9 Market expectations:  The market expectations
were not fulfilled.

10 Sales

11 Customer retention

12 Customer Service

13 Product distribution

There is so much to be learned if you simply
see things in a new light or from a different 
perspective.

Regards,

Slim

Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 18072
Etats-Unis

Copyright © 2022 Robert Asken
All rights reserved


Wednesday, March 30, 2022

The War by Metaphor

 

For 12 years, my blog articles have been about global  political
and economic events. The only skill I admit to is the ability to
speak in metaphors.

This is what's happening.
Here is the metaphor.

First: put yourself in the other person's shoes.

You rob a bank, wound a teller, make off with $100,000.
The #police & the #fbi have identified you. You have a record.

You instruct your Lawyer & your Agent to release the following
statement.

"Our client wants to negotiate a deal.
He will return half the money ($50,0000) & write the teller a
letter of apology if the bank agrees to let him keep half the
money & prosecutors agree not to prosecute. And he will
stop robbing banks."

The Banks Managers refuse. The Prosecutors refuse. Your
Lawyer issues another statement.

The Banks are being selfish and greedy. The prosecutors
show depraved indifference to pubic safety. My client has
not choice but to continue robbing banks. Some may be
injured. Some may be killed. It's all their fault. My client tried.

Would you accept that?

Bonus: Mr. Hitler offers to end WW II if the allies agree to allow:
Germany to Annex Western Europe &
Stalin to Annex Eastern Europe.

Regards,

Slim

Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 18072
Etats-Unis


Copyright © 2022 Robert Asken
All rights reserved