Lloyd Kaneko, Author/Screenwriter

Invest the Money Where it Counts

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Tue, 28 May 2013 03:39:00 +0000

So institutions of higher education are experiencing huge surpluses in their budget, yet they cannot afford to give raises to their faculty, while programs and classes continue to get eliminated as a result of budget cuts. This doesn’t make sense! How can institutions afford enormous bonuses for their boards of trustees and administrators, yet cannot afford to pay professors, largely the ones responsible for developing the future of this nation?

Across the country, there are many cases where college executives, both retiring and incoming, earn over six figures, while their faculty members barely make a living salary, many of whom have not had raises for many years. Meanwhile, administrators are the ones that collect most of the profits while making decisions and policy, generally not in the best interest of the institution, and typically spend their time wining and dining with college contributors and benefactors.

Are educational funds truly being invested towards the educational benefit of the students? Are college administrators truly out to serve the educational needs of society by developing high quality graduates, or are they serving a rich influential board that has a narrow scope on what kinds of students the institution should produce and only serve a focused agenda (i.e., standardized assessment tools and products that some of its board members produce).

Has the greed of capitalism set in our educational institutions so that a few can make a profit off our students? After all, just look at the government charging 10.5% interest on student loans while only levying a .75% rate interest for major banks. It’s almost as if Congress is making every attempt to privatize education and undermine the freedom of public education for the masses as well as affordable college for those who cannot afford to pursue the luxury of a four-year college degree or higher. Or commonly known as, “The dumbing down of America.”

Clearly, quality education in the United States is not a top priority. Nor does it appear that the government is interested in developing high quality educated students at a minimum fare. It seems that the government is only interested in developing a certain class of educated people in this society. That is dangerous. As it is, drop-out levels in high school and lower grade educational institutions are already high enough. This is because, largely, society has not taken accountability for developing and participating in a highly developed educational system. Rather, educational institutions are treated more like “childcare centers” for children of all ages. Parents must be held equally accountable for the development of their offspring and companies must allow time for this to take place. This is especially important for the future of companies in America if the United States expects to become a leader in the world once again. However, the other factor that undermines the quality of our educational system is the government’s insatiable appetite for military spending.

More money is invested in an over-bloated war machine that has consumed the Federal Government’s budget that takes away important investment funds for education, health care, and other social issues. We could afford a higher quality educational system if military funding was put in its rightful place in society. That is, the United States must transition from a mentality of serving as the world’s “police force,” to that of only having a military only for national defensive purposes. Presently, our military services are used for offensive purposes. The government gets it nose into the affairs of other countries far too often. A military should only be used for peaceful and defensive purposes – to defend this country. Too many times, we have used the military as a pre-emptive device and largely to promote a political agenda – not the will of the people.

Another matter which interferes with a higher educational system is the dictatorship of an international banking cartel which dictates to the government how this country should invest and prioritize this spending. These strings must be cut – especially, when they do not meet the needs of the people, but rather an elite few.

If the government cannot change its spending priorities, then it is the responsibility of the people to ensure that the Congress changes its ways. If elections to remove irresponsible leaders fail, then, a peaceful revolution to make governmental changes is in order through a new constitutional convention. The present Constitution, however, works – only if people abide by the spirit of the document – not add anything special or subversive to the original framework if the original governing document. The problem is, there is no accountability to upholding the Constitution nor are our leaders held to a binding rules of ethics. Our leaders and government employees must be held accountable to the U. S. Constitution. If they fail to do so, they should be removed immediately. These representatives should be held accountable to the voters.

If we are to ensure that money allocated towards higher education is to be invested in our students and professors, classes, programs and not administrators, then a wholesale change in societal attitude is in order. Our citizenry should no longer tolerate the greed that has crept into every crevasse of society, but must learn how to eradicate it and say, “No, we will no longer tolerate this behavior anymore. We, the people, desire to build a higher quality educational system – not driven by test scores – but based on other more important factors.”

The political war machine must finally be put in its proper perspective and priority in the budget. If present government refuses to make these changes, then government changes are absolutely necessary.

Only the ignorant will attempt to privatize education and maintain it only for the elites out of pure greed and stupidity. The wise, however, will make education affordable and accessible to the dreamers and masses.

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:43:00 +0000

Here is my new book trailer to A Vision for Humanity -- Moving Mankind in the Right Direction. Presently available in e-book on Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. But look for the release of the paperback edition later in the Summer of 2013. ()

In Defense of the Occupy Movement (Revolution)

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 05:40:00 +0000

According to the history of the occupy movement on www.occupywallst.org:

“Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #ows is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations. The movement is inspired by popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, and aims to fight back against the richest 1% of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future.”

The Occupy movement continues to make its presence known. It also continues to encounter skirmishes with local law enforcement agencies that continuously try to shut the movement down. You can’t silence the voice of the people – particularly the 99% of the people of the United States of America. Officers frequently arrest occupy protesters only to have their apprehensions overturned by the courts as being unconstitutional. What disturbs me is the fact that law enforcement agencies are not out to protect protesters “freedom” as guaranteed by the United States Constitution to assemble peaceably. It appears more like a move by city leaders, like in large corporations, to deny citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression also guaranteed by the First Amendment. These demonstrators carry no weapons, but are treated like common criminals beaten with billysticks, mace, and pepper spray during peaceful demonstrations.

Yes, it may be an inconvenience for civic leaders to have these people residing on community property. But one must remember, the lives of these individuals were inconvenienced by governments, banks, and corporations who displaced them by taking their jobs and exporting them to foreign countries, foreclosing on their homes and making a lot of the homeless, raising tuition on students while school administrators reap the luxury and benefits while cancelling programs and classes necessary for these students to graduate in a timely manner. Yet, the federal government favors Wall Street by granting banks and corporations obscenely large bailouts in their distressful times, yet turning a blind eye to the average citizen. Yet Congress still talks about extending tax favors for the rich while the national debt continues to rise on the backs of the middle and poverty classes.

Corporations are notorious for suppressing the freedom of speech and expression within their walls. Individuals who speak out against corporate infractions, such as whistle-blowers, are often chastised and treated with impunity within these companies. Occasionally, the Justice Department would step in to the defense of the witness -- but rarely. Now that the Supreme Court has paved the way for corporations to act very much like “people,” these companies are exerting their influence through law enforcement agencies to silence the 99% and their quest to voice their grievance and petition the government, also guaranteed by the First Amendment, by acting like the country is now, the “United States, Incorporated.” What has happened to the basic principle of a government by the people and for the people? Or should that say, by the real people, for the real people? Or have we lost these rights when the Supreme Court sold the country out to Corporate America?

I agree whole-heartedly with the peaceful, strategic ways of the occupy movement. But Congress should be forewarned that the people of America are crying – they’re not listening. Such a movement can, like the rest of the world’s revolution, lead to a more aggressive approach if the voices of the people continue to be ignored and the government continues to service only the rich. This could very well be the dawning of a brand new revolution to take our country back, reform and establish a new government that will be responsive to the people. After all, the people are screaming for jobs and better health and financial security. Yet Congress continues to work on other matters such as not passing a job bill or revamping Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid that are not in the best interest of the people. In addition, Congressional leaders would much rather legislate women’s health issues rather than work on the more important issues at hand. This is certainly not representing their constituents well. It almost appears that Congressional leaders are fulfilling an agenda paid for by special interests and parties – not of their voters at large -- such as, disregarding the will of the American people in favor of following the agenda of a political party such as making the President a one-term leader. How narrow-minded can a governing body get? This is almost like the illustration where Caesar fiddled while Rome burned -- only in this case, the Congress kow-towed to the rich while the United States was flushed down the toilet. And in light of the current economic condition, this might not be far off.

Where I wish the occupy movement will improve itself is becoming more organized in its operations. What they need is a true leader in the likes of George Washington, Nelson Mandela, or José Marti. But, the movement will also require total participation of the 99% -- a greater voice such as the demonstrations in Portugal and Spain during the weekend of September 29, 2012 in every city of this nation. Not thousands, but millions must rise with a common voice to make our grievance known and to make this revolution a peaceful transition -- but then, a total removal of unresponsive, unaccountable leaders. Leaders and law enforcement officers should be held accountable for the oaths they have taken to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.” Any violation of this oath should be brought to justice including the removal of office or position. Such a violation demonstrates that the individual cannot be trusted in the office or position he/she has been appointed or elected to serve. Such protection of the U.S. Constitution also includes its amendments and freedoms guaranteed in the law of the land.

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Join me on my Facebook fan page for my latest updates at http://ping.fm/cTYM5

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:27:00 +0000

Hey all, do you have a Facebook account? If so, let's be friends -- http://ping.fm/gxrOx

Oil Drilling in Whittier Hills?

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:48:00 +0000

The debate over drilling for oil in the Whittier Hills is getting nasty and rude. Opponents of the idea should be allowed their space to exercise their freedom of speech by publicly expressing their opinion and concerns with dignity and respect without belittling individuals. Politicians who must resort to name-calling do not demonstrate qualities of desirable professionalism and ethics. When the time comes when politicians shut the voice of the people out, then it’s time to clean-up government. After all, this is supposed to be a democracy, isn’t it? Politicians were sworn to protect and defend the Constitution. Who was the Constitution written for when the preamble of it states: “We the People…”

I highly support our City Council -- they are very dedicated to the City of Whittier. But more importantly, the freedom of speech of the people, either pro or con, guaranteed by the First Amendment must be defended. And, I must respect this above all else. Both sides must be granted a voice, equally and honorably.

Bank of America Automatic Bill Pay System Flaw Double Debits Checking Account

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:17:00 +0000

A week ago, I attempted to pay my regular monthly bills in advance using the automatic bill pay system provided by my bank, Bank of America, which allows me to schedule payments via their website and provides a convenient way to avoid writing separate checks and placing them in the mail. Anticipating my regular monthly disability deposit and considering that I would be hospitalized due to vocal cord surgery for the following two days, I used the system to schedule automatic bill payments in advance, knowing that there were insufficient funds at the time.

When I was completed entering all my payments for the pay schedule, I clicked on the “submit” button only to receive an error message indicating that the system could not process the requests and to try again later. I assumed that the system was down for maintenance. So I tried again later in the day only to encounter the same error message. Okay, perhaps, I thought, it wasn’t permitting me to schedule payments in advance because there were insufficient funds in my account. So I elected to defer the attempt until after the deposit was made and after I was discharged from the hospital, hopefully a day later.

Fortunately, the hospitalization was just an overnight stay. I was released the next afternoon after a 24-hour observation period. When I came home, I made another attempt to schedule bill payments using the same system, this time, I had success. The system accepted my request and I was able to get a confirmation printout of the scheduled payments. It did not allow me to do this on Monday. Little did I realize that payments were actually queued in the system in the background without my knowledge for the day that it claimed was having problems processing my request.

When I checked the balance of one of the credit cards, I noted that there were two payments posted on July 22^nd, and July 23^rd consecutively. I only authorized payment for July 23^rd.

When I examined the checking account via the website, I discovered that the system made two payments for ten items totaling over $1,286.16. The ten items were paid twice resulting in an overpayment of about $643. These transactions practically cleaned out my checking account. One set of payments were automatically made on July 22^nd without my authorization or knowledge. Then a second set of payments to the same companies were made the following scheduled day, July 23^rd, as expected.

When I called customer support to get my money back, they were absolutely helpless. They claimed there was nothing that they could do because the funds were already disbursed electronically. How ironic, they could take your funds out within minutes, but in order to get your money back, it takes days, even weeks while these companies collect a profit off your money!

To add insult to injury, they said that I would have to contact each payee individually myself because of privacy protection laws. I think this is pure laziness and poor customer service. After all, it’s their programming blunder that caused this error in the first place. Can’t they take responsibility for their own problems? Where’s the accountability? In my opinion, this is just nothing more than irresponsible employees trying to hide behind the “big white elephant.”

Corporations, especially banks, need to protect their customers’ accounts better. Obviously, no one was monitoring these transactions. Sure, they all blame it on the computer for causing these problems. I blame it on humans for faulty programming and not managing the computers to begin with. Pointing the fingers at computers is just a cloaking mechanism to hide poor quality of personnel and management. If they are so quick to point fingers at computers for their errors and blunders, then customers should be concerned and have cause to quickly move their accounts elsewhere.

Consumers beware, check your bank accounts daily. Your bank’s computer system could be debiting your accounts more than once. Sad part about it, your bank wouldn’t even care to help get your money back.

Make Corporations Pay for Their Blunders

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sat, 15 May 2010 04:33:00 +0000

BP’s oil disaster reminds us how delicate the Earth is when we try to explore for oil in parts of this planet where we really should keep our hands off – like off-shore drilling. No, our lust for oil has caused corporations and executives to think they are more powerful than nature and take on the forces of nature. Who wins? The answer is obvious. Let this be a lesson.

But, we all know that executives don’t learn lessons very well. In fact, they will take this tragedy and attempt to make a profit from their blunders. They have already attempted to bribe people along the Gulf Coast by offering bribes in exchange for not being sued. An obvious attempt to save some money.

Okay Mr. President and Congress – here’s the message from the people, if you care to listen. We will not be victimized by their blunders by higher gasoline prices at the pumps just because they have failed to stop the oil spill in an expedited matter. Their finger-pointing has only caused more resources to be wasted which in turn is an excuse for executives to claim a “shortage of oil” and therefore pass along higher prices at the pumps.

We will not settle for this charade once again. It’s about time that the Administration and Congress put a price cap on oil prices – especially if the cause of the shortage is the company’s mistake. And, for damaging the environment, severe penalties should be assessed against these corporations for taking their time resolving the crisis.

Congress should swiftly pass legislation that will penalize BP petroleum and its associates a mandatory 50% reduction of gasoline prices at the pump for the next ten years for each day the well remains uncapped. If this means that it will cause BP to go out of business, then let it be. Let BP serve as an example of what will happened to corporations if they try to take advantage of a crisis and pass along the cost of its own mistakes to the consumers. If this causes a price war with other oil companies, then so it shall be.

It’s about time that the corporations, not the consumers, be penalized for their mistakes.

Into the future with Lloyd Kaneko

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 13 May 2010 05:06:00 +0000

Into the future with Lloyd Kaneko

America’s Health Care System – The Best in the World! …Prove It!

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:28:00 +0000

A while ago, President Bush and Rudolph Giuliani proclaimed America’s health care system the “best system in the world.” Are these people delusional? The World Health Organization, according to the New York Times, made the first major effort to rank the health systems of 191 nations. While France and Italy took the top two honors, the United States of America was a dismal 37^thin the world. However, America leads the world as being one of the most expensive systems in the world! And, in this writer’s perspective, perhaps the most inefficient system in the world also.

A few days ago, I’ve had one of many visits to the emergency room at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier California. This was my second visit to the ER for severe neck pain which, by now, 7 doctors cannot explain the reason for the neck pain. I have already seen an emergency room physician; an urgent care physician; my primary care physician; a neurologist; three otolaryngologists (head & neck physicians); radiologist; one MRI with contrasts which reveals a distended jugular vein. To date, no one except for the radiologist looked at the MRI images. I’ve been told that I have arthritis in the neck and disk protrusion between C2 & C3 in the cervical spine. Yet, the pain is nowhere near the area where they suggest that I am having the severe pain. And nothing relieves the pain.

When I was examined by the triage nurse, I was instructed to wait in the lobby where I waited for an additional three hours to get assigned to a bed. After being put into a bed and initially examined by my nurse, I waited for an additional hour to get seen by a doctor. Four hours had elapsed before being seen by a physician! During that time, I was admitted by the admissions clerk who verified my insurance. I’ll talk about this fiasco a little later on.

Back to the incident with the medical care, I finally was attended to by a physician and then had to wait for another forty-five minutes. Then, I was rudely told by the ER physician that there was nothing he could do for me. His intent was not to treat me – not even my pain. He said that I would have to go back to my doctors to figure out what was wrong with my vocal cord paralysis and hoarseness and the disk protrusion at C2 & C3. But from his point of view, since I’ve already seen seven doctors, there was nothing else he could do. Keep in mind, I didn’t go to the ER for my problems with vocal cord paralysis or disk prolapse. I was in a lot of pain – he didn’t even bother to relieve me for my chief complaint – not even offer pain medication.

To say the least, I was not pleased and took my anger out on the nurse. If it were up to me, the CEO of this facility would have found about this poor treatment. I informed the nurse that I was a commissioner with the city and was not hesitating to using my contacts and acquaintances to bring wrath upon this precious hospital in my city. After all, my feathers were ruffled to say the least. But this would have been too kind. No, my profession as a writer is more influential than any appointed position in a municipality. The pen is mightier than the sword and far more reaching to a larger audience.

After convincing the nurse of my needs, he talked to the doctor and I had orders for medication to relieve the pain and was sent home relieved of a little pain – but, still very much angered by the doctor’s attitude. Are doctors more worried about their liability insurance rather than the oath they took when they graduated medical school? Does money really play a bigger role in determining a patient’s health needs over ethical and moral practice to treat a patient?

Talk about money issues. When the admitting clerk verified my insurance, I was told that Medicare still had an open case for an auto accident that was over a year old in Medicare’s records and showing up in the Hospital’s computer system. The clerk wanted to know if the case should be billed as an auto accident related injury in which Medicare pays through a secondary provider, or does she bill directly to Medicare. In any case, I told her that the auto accident was long settled. Medicare had no business keeping this case open and was advised long ago that the case was settled. Is Medicare that slow to respond, or are they just incompetent? Or, is this just a matter of the “public option” passing the buck.

In my opinion, we have inept medical caregivers that are too worried about liability rather than providing quality medical care. We have an insurance system that is 1) too greedy, and 2) too inefficient. In short, we have a health care system that is broken. And, this health care system is attempting to be reformed by a broken government subsidized by corporations.

What we need is total reform – not just the health care system. But we need total reform of our government, sad to say. Corporations have subsidized our legislative branch of government while our judicial branch has sold out elections to corporations. In short, we have an ineffective government that no longer serves the people by the people, but a government for corporations by corporations. Perhaps we have seen the death of democracy. Has government sold the people out?

Congressional leaders and Senators claim that we have the best health care system in the world. They are only living in Dreamland. Have them experience reality and make them pay for their own insurance private insurance coverage. Let them find out what is covered and what is not. Let them find out what it’s like to be denied coverage or denied treatment. Millions of Americans are living without health care, or even a house.

America’s health care is the best in the world? Prove it! Why isn’t health care still more affordable in the United States to millions of Americans? Why do some people get luxurious care while the majority gets such crappy care? Are men really created equal?

Don’t Sing, Don’t Stand

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:43:00 +0000

Many would consider my suggestion unpatriotic. Some would accuse me of being a traitor and disrespectful toward the flag (a symbol). Regardless of what anyone says, it doesn’t matter. I prefer to exercise my freedom of speech and expression in protest. Also, I am only exercising my Quakerly belief not to worship or owe allegiance to a symbol like a flag. As I said in my previous blog entries, my allegiance is not to this country, but the world as a citizen of the Universe and of God who has no flag but His colors can be seen in glory after it rains in the form of a rainbow.

I personally have difficulties pledging an oath to a symbol of a country that cannot even care for its own citizens. A corrupt government has abandoned its citizens in favor of bailing out the rich 2% of this nation while the remaining 98% of this country continues to lose their jobs, homes, and health care. Yet when it comes down to reforming important issues such as health care for the people, it always is slanted not in the general interest of the majority, but favors the 2% who has contaminated the leadership of this country to the tune of $1.44 million a day while the average American continues struggling to make ends meet week by week, day by day just to avoid bankruptcy, foreclosures, and losing their homes.

And what happens when people go bankrupt? They often lose their life-long possessions – often without compassion or mercy. They are often displaced from their homes into the streets or forced to live in the back of their cars or trucks – if they are lucky to have even that.

To make matters worse, Corporate America adds insult upon injury by taking out “dead peasant” insurance policies on their employees. When an employee dies, the survivors of that family get absolutely nothing – not one plug nickel. Meanwhile, the company, having anticipating an early passing, has secretly taken out huge insurance policies and cashed in collecting thousands upon millions of dollars in claims. This is corporate greed at its finest – shameful to the world. How should a society tolerate such behavior?

Then, you would say, honor the veterans. Yes, I would honor our veterans in my own way. By remembering all the veterans, both past and present, who were shafted by the government and corporations and forced into homelessness, poverty, and poor health care.

Why should the people continue to owe allegiance to a nation or a flag when their own rights and privacy are taken away on false premises? A nation where once you’re poor, they (society) keep you poor? A nation where we have no right to a national referendum or recall of federal elected officials? A nation where the needs and desires of the people are trumped by special corporate interests?

The time I will again start to stand for the flag is when we get our own government back -- a government that will be accountable to the people. When we are assured that we will get our second bill of rights:

1. The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

2. The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

3. The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

4. The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

5. The right of every family to a decent home;

6. The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

7. The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

8. The right to a safe and equitable life with equal life’s benefits regardless of race, sex, social status, or sexual orientation; nor fear of religious or political persecution;

9. The right to earn an equitable living salary regardless of gender;

10. The right to a good education.

I am a peaceful person. But it is my firm belief that a new revolution is in order and long overdue. There are two political parties controlling the government that no longer serve the people nor their best interest. There is no political choice. Not only does health care in this nation need reform, the government also needs reform. I say, let’s cut the cost of government by eliminating one part of the legislative branch – the Senate that is easily influenced by corporate special interest and bribery. It’s nothing but an exclusive club anyway. Why should the taxpayers pay for an exclusive club that serves no interest of the people?

And to take reform to a greater degree, rid the country of capitalism – an evil that is not consistent with God’s plan – especially in its current state. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few good capitalists who are not greedy and give a lot of their money away for humanity. However, times have changed and greed has become the dominating face of this dying horse. Eliminate the Federal Reserve and simplify the monetary system and adapt a Universal Life Credit system (paperless) that is administered by the U.S. Treasury. Rid the nation of credit reporting companies and other means of keeping people from rebuilding their lives.

Boycott Wall Street – even if the institution itself has to be taken down peacefully. It will no longer serve us in the 21^st Century but only pacifies those of the status quo.

With the brilliant minds and scholars that we have in America, we can develop a better economical system that ensures equality and accessibility for the masses and not for an elite few. In a country as rich as America, there is no excuse for poverty, hunger, and homelessness. There is also no excuse for treating people inhumanely like animals when they are down on their luck.

We can replace capitalism with something better -- something that will take us into the 21^st Century. It doesn’t have to be socialism, communism, or Marxism. We need to develop something even more progressive, fair, and equal. And, yes, there can be a way. But, we can’t continue to live in the past. But, we need a democratic government that will allow this transition to transpire. Not one that will block progress just for the sake of the status quo and the interest of only a few.

Change will come. The people will rise to bring changes to America despite road blocks, barriers, and lies that are continually fed to Americans through media and propaganda. The rise of change is coming. We will not simply disappear and fade away into the night.

Science Fiction eBook Kami Jin Published by Whittier author Lloyd Kaneko

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:07:00 +0000

Whittier author Lloyd Kaneko publishes new science fiction novel on Smashwords.

Whittier author and resident, Lloyd Kaneko, has published “Kami Jin,” a 355-page book that chronicles the life of protagonist, A. Gordon Sakata II, as he describes his challenging, yet victorious life in the 23rd Century in two worlds – one a troubled life in Los Angeles, and then later on the utopian planet of Xychron. With a global unemployment rate of 95%, Sakata returns to Earth to save those in despair and the homeless and takes them to a distant planet to life in paradise.

For a limited time, September 21 through October 21, 2009, an electronic version of Kami Jin,: normally priced at $6.99 will be available to the public for $5.25 (a savings of 25%) through Smashwords at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/4075. Use promotion codeVC57Y. Offer expires October 21, 2009.

While many stories and news articles have told about massive layoffs and the homeless in the past several years, Kaneko’s effort to keep the story in focus and honor those who have been displaced by globalization, offers a truly unique and moving commentary that begs to be read in one sitting.

About Smashwords

Launched in 2008, privately held Smashwords operates a digital publishing platform and online book store for independent ebook authors, publishers and their readers. The free
service puts authors and publishers in full control over the publishing, pricing and marketing of their works. In addition to receiving exposure to hundreds of thousands of potential readers on the Smashwords web site and via distribution on Stanza, authors and publishers receive up to 85% of the net proceeds from sales of their works. For readers, Smashwords offers the opportunity to discover exciting new voices in fiction and non-fiction. Smashwords, Inc. is based in Los Gatos, California, and can be reached on the web at http://www.smashwords.com. Visit the official Smashwords blog at http://blog.smashwords.com.

About Lloyd Kaneko

Lloyd Kaneko is a former Staff Writer for Drum Corps New of Boston, MA, and has written for various other magazines, newsletters, and blogs including Scenario.SC. and Allvoices. He also writes screenplays and is a member of the Alameda Writers Group. Lloyd has Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach and has studied creative writing under Dora Beale Polk. He has studied screen writing through the Writers Guild of America, West. Lloyd has judged screenplays for the Honolulu International Film Festival and the Mexico International Film Festival.

Corporate Greed – Denying Freedom of Speech and Expression in Public

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:30:00 +0000

In Kami Jin (Paper People), I reflected on some of my personal experiences with how executives and managers in Corporate America went out of their way to squash the freedoms of speech and expression in their organizations. At places where I worked, supervisors chastised and ridiculed individuals for making constructive comments or criticisms that were contrary to management’s ideals or beliefs. If bosses didn’t agree with your suggestion, they often considered it as “an attack on management.”

This often resulted in negative consequences for the individual making the suggestion. Speaking out resulted in either being passed up for a promotion, but often resulted in a demotion or even termination if management felt it was severe enough to warrant the action. Oddly, those who often spread lies and false allegations against their peers for the sake of “climbing the ladder,” were often rewarded with promotions.

Unfortunately, corporate greed has spilled into the public sector. The national issue of health care reform has caused many obstructionist against reform to create lies, falsehoods and misinformation about the issue that are so far from the truth that it is pathetic that uniformed people in this country perceive these to be “the truth.” Underwritten and funded by corporate executives and lobbyists for insurance and pharmaceutical companies, these parties have hired out public relation firms to organize “citizen groups” to infiltrate town hall meetings sponsored by Congressional representatives intended to have a civilized debate on issues like health care reform. But rather than having the opportunity to have a “civilized debate,” these meetings have become dominated with violent outbursts and demonstrations by people who, often, are not even constituents of the representative’s district. But, people (prostitutes) planted there by insurance and corporations to intimidate gullible citizens with their misinformation and propaganda provided them by these so called “PR” firms.

It’s first of all shameful that these “public relations” firms call themselves “public relations firms.” To the profession of public relations, they are a disgrace. Unlike marketing firms, in PR, you should be telling the truth about the subject. These entities are nothing but propaganda organizations spreading lies for the sake of and preserving the status quo of insurance and pharmaceuticals that stand to lose large profit if a single-payer or a public-option were to become reality. Or the truth of the matter, if a competing entity were to be introduced to the marketplace.

They say it’s “government bureaucracy” that is out to destroy health care in America. I say, “corporate bureaucracy” has been destroying health care in America all this time.

· Why does the cost of health care in America continue to rise?

· Why does America lag (47^th) behind the rest of the world in the quality of health care?

· Why are we paying so much for health care compared to the rest of the world? Why are other countries receiving better health care that we are for a lot less?

· Why does someone have to pay $200 for an inhaler here in America and only pay a dollar ($1) for the same inhaler in Cuba and Mexico?

· Why are corporate executives receiving much more in terms of salaries and benefits while average workers are losing their jobs plus their medical benefits in addition to everything else?

· Why can't our health care system find effective ways to reduce costs and make it affordable for all Americans and find a means of building a health care system that is first in the world, rather than argue about the costs that it will take to create a first class system?

The insurance companies promised the Senate their version of “reforms.” But just think, their “understanding of reforms” is what they have been doing all along.

Recently, to continue to satisfy their shareholders, insurance companies have been making efforts to remove many of their patients from their rolls. Much of this is done with very poor communications often by not telling the patient until it’s too late when a patient discovers that he or she is no longer covered by the insurance that the person once had. Or by suddenly changing a patient from a primary carrier to a secondary carrier without notification and then leaving the patient with two secondary payers leaving the patient to coordinate payment or be stuck with the bill in its entirety.

Then there is the issue of not approving coverage for an important procedure because the insurance company deems it “experimental” or “not medically necessary.” Mind you, the insurance company made this decision, not the doctor. In other words, some bureaucrat in the insurance company was practicing medicine without a license. In some cases, this has resulted in the patient’s death. This is criminal. And the person(s) responsible should not be held for manslaughter, but for murder in the first degree.

Back to the issue of freedom of speech and expression. We have the corporations so paranoid about losing their profits, that they hire “hit people” to be their “megaphones.” Do they come out and do the talking? No, they hide behind their mahogany-lined offices while others serve as their mouthpieces. Let alone, the poor people doing their lying are just as vulnerable to get the ax from their insurance rolls as part of their “reform” measures.

Are you executives too ashamed and embarrassed to come out and speak for yourselves? What are you afraid of? You didn’t let your own employees speak their mind in your own companies. Now, you don’t even let the citizens of this nation speak their mind in public town hall meetings as civilized people. You have turned these events into mass hysteria. Yet, you’re too “busy” to come out and debate one-on-one for yourselves, but you can tell a bold face lie in front of the U.S. Senate about your reforms, while stirring up a hornet’s nest full of lies on something this whole nation should be working for – health care reform that will benefit all citizens of this nation – not just your fat pocket books. And since you cannot come out and speak for yourselves, you are an embarrassment to this country. I suggest that you take a trip to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles and buy a t-shirt printed with the legend, “cut on the dotted line,” just above the waist. For if you have any honor in you – which you probably don’t – you would do as the shirt says and do as any honorable Japanese businessman in disgrace would do.

Health care is not only a right for all Americans. It’s a right for every individual on this planet. We all have the responsibility of keeping everyone healthy. Illnesses do not recognize borders, lifestyles, social classes, races, nationalities, sex, gender, and any other divide that one can think of. It attacks at will anywhere, and at anytime. Take the swine flu for example. All it takes is one airplane or boat trip.

You can silence the employees in your company. I might not agree with your management style or methodologies – but that is your right. But don’t tread your privileges on this nation. You have already tainted Congress by asserting your special interest money, which should have been better spent for the good of your patients, you have instead brought the souls of many Senators and Representatives (the “parrots”) just so that you could sway the opinion of health care reform in your greedy favor.

You have gone to the extent of getting favors from a corrupt government that has sold its soul to Corporate America. Stupidity like this has caused civil wars and revolutions in other countries. A little over 200 years ago, a king who sat on a throne, placed himself on a pedestal, and ruled a New World, over-taxed his citizens. As a result, a new country was born. That same country is overdue for a revolution – to overturn a corrupt government by and for Corporate America, and return it once again as a government by and for the people.

This corrupted government has treated you well. In a down economy, it has bailed out failing companies while continued to reward incompetent executives with taxpayer money. The next time, the taxpayers are not going to be so benevolent.

In modern times, we essentially have the same analogy. We have an elite group of people with influence who have placed themselves on pedestals ruling (hiding) in their corporate suites, influencing government with their riches, getting richer by the day while the “peasants” continually starve and lose their jobs and benefits. Prices are sky rocketing out of control, yet, the government is non-responsive. The time is ripe for a revolution. Being a Quaker, I favor a peaceful one at that. But if it means civil disobedience and unrest, I would have to favor all means necessary to bring justice to bear.

Change the Nation’s Currency System First – Health Care Reform will Take Care of Itself

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:39:00 +0000

Go to Google Maps and follow Highway Interstate 10 from Santa Monica, California eastward to Jacksonville, Florida. It’s a long stretch that literally spans the nation from coast to coast. Okay, maybe you don’t want to stop the tour there. So, take Interstate 95 north and you will eventually end up in Boston where you can continue on taking Interstate 90 west towards Seattle. And, continue the trip by using Interstate 5 south towards Los Angeles where you would have come full circle in your journey through America. Have we learned a lesson?

If we look at our trip, by taking a road one way, all roads eventually come to an end. Some roads are longer than others. If we take a tour, we eventually return to the same place, back to where we had started. The same illustration can apply to the nation’s currency system.

The United States once had a great monetary system – envied by the entire world! The dollar was strong and valued in a lot of countries. But, like with every materialistic matter in this universe, there’s only so much to go around – especially if it’s man-made. And money is, regardless of whether the people “trust in God” or not, is made by man. When money was printed earlier in the United States, there was enough to support the population of the nation and maintain a healthy economy. However, with a population increase in the country, a decrease of available jobs, and people living longer in age, the nation simply cannot support its people. The prices of material items have increased through inflation, the cost of health care has skyrocketed and impacted the government.

Money is in such short supply that state and local governments are on the verge of declaring bankruptcy while major corporations lay off employees and file for bankruptcy and financial bailouts from federal governments as well. What used to be a land of the plentiful is now ridden with drought, both literally and figuratively. In California, not only is there a financial crisis in the state, but the state also cannot find a suitable supply of water to support its agriculture. State and local governments are curtailing important services and, cities are asking their residents to reduce their consumption of water.

While the nation faces a shortage of money, Washington continues to live in a state of denial by promoting the need for health care reform and other issues. The federal government has failed to recognize that it has “come to the end of the road,” or has travelled “full circle” and it is trying to fix things that are old and antiquated – such as, the current monetary system. In travelling this “circle.” it has gained such an attitude and nationalistic ego/pride that its money is too important and it cannot be replaced by any other currency system. It (the nation) has isolated itself from the rest of the world. At a time when the nation’s currency was failing on the international market years ago, it continued to borrow huge amounts of money from China.

Reforming the health care system in America will only cost more money – money that neither the people nor the government has. Sure, the government can get the money by continuing to borrow money from other countries. That’s the simplest way out. But it will continue to devalue the already weakened dollar, and future generations will be responsible for paying that money back.

The world is already in a financial crisis triggered by America’s failings. The most prudent thing to do is forgive all debts – including consumer debts – and start all over – from scratch. Nations must come together as one world. Individual nations can no longer afford to keep themselves separate by maintaining separate currencies and maintaining their own interest rates. This has historically been very costly for the whole world and very unfair to many countries. Differences in interest rates allowed some countries more supremacy over others. Along with that came inherent societal problems of distrust, selfishness, national pride, and envy. Currencies were not equal, they did not provide for an equal playing field. Some nations were treated more inferior than others while other nations were given special preferences.

Printing money also has its limitations. With the decline of trees and forests, there will become an ever decreasing supply of resources for paper. Therefore, money, in its current form will be even more limited in supply. The electronic world can provide an unlimited supply of credit and can ensure equality to every person on this planet. With a universal credit system, there will be no need for monetary exchanges at the border or when entering foreign countries. A model of this is working well with the Euro in the European Union. There is really no reason why the rest of the world cannot be unified in joining into one common global currency. The only barriers that prohibit such a benefit becoming reality is selfish nationalistic pride, ego and patriotism, and a false feeling of superiority, and greed. When nations create their currency, there is only a limited supply. There was always the trickle down thought that there would be just enough for the man on the bottom. The fallacy of this theory is, there’s never enough for the common man.

The world, however, can guarantee an unlimited supply of credit (money) – especially if the currency is electronic. The resources are not dependent on one singular nation’s. Man has placed limits on himself. He can easily remove these limits on himself as well as others just by changing national and international policies and practices. It all depends on whether a nation desires to remain isolated, or join the world community and become united as one world.

If man can be innovative and create a universal monetary system that can benefit all of mankind equally, then there wouldn’t be the urgent need to reform the health care system in America. With a universal monetary system, people will be able to afford health care – not only in the United States – but globally. There would be no need for health insurance as we know it today. A well planned universal monetary system should guarantee a living, life-time credit to each human being on this planet. This ensures that no matter where the individual is at in his or her stage of life (employed, unemployed, retired, etc.), the person will be able to afford everything including buying basic living necessities such as groceries, paying utility bills, purchasing automobiles, purchasing homes and making monthly mortgage payments, paying for health costs and medical care, domestic and international travel, and still have life credits for pleasure and recreation. All of this, without having to depend on government assistance programs or subsidies. The balance of each individual account will automatically replenish annually at the beginning of each year.

The urgency is not to reform the health care system. The urgency is to put money in the pockets of people – the common people. The average person needs the “big bailout” – not the corporate executives or the companies. States and municipalities also need money in their coffers as well for they provide invaluable services to the people (e.g., education and health services). To focus totally on health care reform without reforming the currency system first is wrong. It is here that we need innovation. We have come to the end of the road, “full circle” in the life of our current monetary system. It’s time that we seek a solution that will best fit the current population, its people and a modern solution using 21^st Century solutions – not old solutions based on 19^th and 20^th Century models.

Beware of the Trap – Falling Behind on Bills Can Make it Tougher to Find Work

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:03:00 +0000

So says Tiffany Hsu in her article that appeared in the Business Section the Sunday, June 7, 2009 Los Angeles Times. Ms. Hsu reported that an increasing number of employers perform personal credit checks as part of the employment background check to evaluate the worthiness of a candidate’s qualifications. If the candidate’s credit history is bad, this typically implies that the candidate cannot be “trusted, is unreliable, or is undisciplined.”

While this case may be true in some rare instances, it cannot be applied to millions of Americans who are now being displaced by companies laying off their employees. Unfortunately, society does not blame companies for the individual’s inability to pay his or her bills. They still place the burden of paying bills upon the displaced individual regardless of the reason. In today’s economic environment, once a person loses their job, he or she often falls into a serious trap. Months, even years, may pass without out any success in finding suitable employment, yet the bills continue to pile up. Credit scores plumet, and one’s history is forever marked as bad the credit companies databases. As one fails to pay their bills on time, their score continues to fall even. Not only is credit harder to come by, but a job is also harder to get – yet, it is all your fault because you couldn’t pay your bills in a timely manner. Never mind the fact that you once had a pristine history of paying your bills on time, or that you may even have paid more than the minimum balance when times were good.

Welcome to the pit! Government is not listening to your concerns. Politicians could care less about your problem although there are millions of others just like you in a similar situation. I pity your unfortunate circumstances for I too have been there. Society makes it practically impossible for someone to return to a normal lifestyle – or what we used to consider as “normal.” Corporations could care less about your circumstance either. They are the ones who influenced government to write the laws to maintain databases and records against you that will reflect the fact that you can’t make payments on your bills. If government was for you, there would be a sunset clause in these laws making it easier for you to recover from your misfortunes. Not the case here! Once you’re down, society likes to keep you down, forever! This truly is not a benevolent society.

But by not changing these practices, the government has quite possibly shot itself in the foot. We hear that the Obama Administration wants to put people back to work by creating more high tech and green jobs. However, if they continue to permit employers to use credit histories as part of employment screenings, millions of jobs will go unfilled as more and more potential job seekers have bad credit. And, if the government expects to create more jobs for millions of displaced workers, then it is going to have to abandon old practices that will only hinder the return of qualified talented employees just because they were not able to pay their bills on time and therefore have a bad credit history.

The word and will of the people speak louder than corporations. If the people demand work, then we must speak up and let our will be known in the halls of Congress and to the White House. We must demand that unfair business practices be outlawed so that millions of people can return to work, be productive once again, and live prosperously in America. That an individual’s right to earn a respectable living should be guaranteed by the Constitution on the United States and any record kept against any individual infringing on that right be declared unconstitutional and be immediately sealed.

Same-sex Marriage Is a Civil Rights Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:13:00 +0000

In a commentary appearing in the Lodi News-Sentinel on October 16, 2008, writer Frank Nolton concluded that same-sex marriage was not a civil rights issue, stating his views that “societal moral convictions on what is natural and normal. And these moral convictions have been held for centuries. No, gay marriage is not about civil rights, it is about approval. It is about a small percentage of the population working to have their behavior, which the majority of Americans find morally wrong, accepted as normal by society. In deciding about Prop. 8, keep this in mind.”

Obviously, the majority of Californians have had this same impression and felt that they should legislate the behavior of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and trangendered people by rewriting the constitution and using their religious beliefs in “changing behavior” of a minority group.

The fact is, for centuries, “moral convictions” have been based on false assumptions without any supporting evidence that LGBT behavior is a “choice.” Recent medical findings have proven that these behaviors are genetically linked. Therefore, we do not have a choice whether we are born heterosexual or homosexual. Therefore, there should be even more supporting reasons to believe that same-sex marriage should be considered as a civil rights issue – especially when the California State Supreme Court granted the validity of 18,000 same-sex marriage, but denies the same rights to future same-sex couples. This is purely human injustice just because some people, based on their religious and societal beliefs felt this was wrong, and that these people have a “choice” that they can easily live alternative life-styles.

The majority of us may think that it is natural for a man and woman to live together. I am not the one to deny the freedom of speech and expression. On the other hand, I also grant the right to those who feel that it is also natural for a man and man, and woman and woman, to live together. They too, have the same equal right to speech and expression as granted heterosexual couples. However, with the passage of Prop. 8, we have denied these people their fundamental rights of expression. There are many reasons why Prop. 8 should be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Prop. 8 clearly violates civil rights of a minority group let alone having taken away fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution as well.

Who are we to dictate their behavior? Religion should be a personal belief – not something forced upon others. This is why we are guaranteed the freedom of religion. And, not all Christian denominations follow the same doctrines. In fact, many Christian denominations do not have a doctrine. So who are you to force your doctrine on others? Just because you just so happen to be in the simple majority at the voting booth, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right, or should be accepted by others. In fact, the re-writing of the California State Constitution should have required a two-thirds majority rather than a simple majority. Clearly, Prop. 8 did not pass with a two-thirds majority.

Marriage licenses are issued by the county government – not the church. Therefore, same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue and therefore, the church should not dictate to government who may or may not receive marriage licenses. The Constitution guarantees equality for all, not based on preferences by the majority of a particular set of religious or societal beliefs. It’s time that we quit living in the past, and press forward into the new millennium. As long as we continue to hold onto beliefs that are centuries old, we will never progress as a society, but we will continue to reject men and make life difficult by creating barriers and road-blocks for living. Each person should be guaranteed the freedom of living – free from societal or religious impositions and laws based on false or theoretical assumptions or that, “this is the way it’s always has been done.”

Bring in the International Criminal Court

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:28:00 +0000

The matter of torture committed by the members of the former administration and other agencies of the United States would clearly lead to a conflict of interest if America were to be allowed to investigate itself on these horrific crimes. After all, a local law enforcement agency cannot investigate itself if a member of its agency were involved in a crime. It requires the investigation of another outside agency. The same principal should apply to a country. If the U.S. is actually responsible for knowingly carrying out and implementing such horrific practices, then it should be held accountable to an international court of law (i.e. the Hague). And “internal” investigation by a private investigator ordered by Congress or the current Obama Administration simply will not due -- the world expects much more.

I therefore call upon the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to launch its own investigation into these atrocities, and issue necessary criminal arrest warrants and bring to justice in the International Criminal Court, all those who have illegally authorized and carried out torture, a practice against the Geneva Convention, and committed against detainees illegally imprisoned. The issue of warrants and investigation should also include the former president and vice-president of the United States, if they too, also were supporting participants in these crimes.

Undoubtedly, the “crime” committed by former President Bill Clinton, does not compare even remotely to what has been committed by the former Bush administration. Even the crimes of Nixon’s Watergate debacle fail in comparison to these crimes. Without a question, war crimes have been committed. It’s time that justice be carried out.

American Arrogance – Why Should The World Worship America?

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:28:00 +0000

I have personal pride living in the United States of America. I have even greater pride being a citizen of the World. But more importantly, I consider myself a citizen and a servant of the universe who just so happened to be born in Los Angeles, California. Unlike what some Americans believe, we are really no better than other people of the world. If we are actually children in “God’s eyes” what makes us so different or superior than people in other countries? In His eyes, we should all be equals. Apparently, some people here in this country don’t believe so. And, their beliefs often influence their behavior. According to many Americans, “we” are the strongest and the best. Such thinking has certainly affected their pride and egos.

On the flip side of the coin, we have just as many weaknesses as other countries. Not to mention a weakened economy that has affected the entire world, but people in this country have the poor habit of pointing out human rights violations in other countries and totally ignoring atrocities committed in this country. Take for example our complaints against China for child labor. Yet, nobody blames the rich corporate executives who laid off millions of people in America causing them to lose their jobs and livelihoods, be displaced from their homes, destroying families all for the sake of exporting jobs in favor of getting “cheap labor” and maximizing their profits. The blame cannot be pinned on the Chinese government; it has to be saddled squarely on Corporate America!

There have been complaints regarding Spain’s recent investigation and the possibility of filing war crimes against officials in the former Bush administration who carried out and implemented torture and supported polices that were totally contradictory to international laws and the Geneva Convention. The Obama administration is being reluctant to press for extradition of these people to face trial in an international court.

Why do Americans continue to put themselves on pedestals and think that they are so superior to the rest of the world that they can commit such atrocities and get away with it? The Spanish complaint, in my view, does not go far enough. I think its courts should ultimately file charges against both the former President and Vice-President of the United States. If they are not guilty, then let them prove it before an international court. The law is the law, regardless if it was written in and for a country or written and for the world. This was the purpose of the Nuremburg Trials. International law must be applied equally to war criminals no matter what their country of origin is without exception. If Americans committed war crimes and are guilty of it, then they too should suffer the consequences as did the war criminals of World War II. What is good for one country, is good for the other. Being the United States of America is not an excuse.

Therefore, getting to the question, “Why Should the World Worship America?” The answer is, it really shouldn’t nor should it be expected to. Nations need to bring themselves down from their pedestals of superiority and unite with the world. We need to come together as a world community – not as one country more superior than others. We certainly have a lot to learn from each other. American has a lot to offer to the world. Yet, it also has a lot that it can learn from the world as well. In adult education we encourage adults to continue their education – never stop learning. This principle holds true for a nation as well. If a nation comes to a point where it has quit learning -- especially learning new ways of doing things – then, the whole world needs to be concerned. Once a nation has stopped learning, self-centeredness settles in, there is a feeling of invincibility, and a sense of superiority. But as the Buddha teaches, everything is impermanent. Eventually, everything starts to implode. The empire starts to crumble. If this be the case of the US, there will be black hole effect, and the devastation will affect the entire world community.

So like in the good old days of Don Quixote, let the “Spanish Inquisition” begin.

Recommended Reading: “The Arrogance of America” by Joe Goodson (http://www.strike-the-root.com/4/goodson/goodson1.html)

A Gobal Currency? – Yes, Bring it On!

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:07:00 +0000

Appearing on the home page of the Single Global Currency Association’s website (http://www.singleglobalcurrency.org) is a quote by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volker. It states: “A global economy requires a global currency.”

While I totally agree -- despite the Obama Administration’s opposing stance on the issue -- there should be one singular global currency. But I think it should come about with strings attached. While this will be a good opportunity for eliminating global currency exchanges, this will also be a good opportunity for eliminating a myriad of other world issues as well. Mainly, it can be an opportunity to finally eliminate and eradicate the world of poverty, starvation, homelessness and inequality.

Let me begin with the latter. Recently, greed has reared its ugly head through capitalism. While during these times of recession and poor economy around the world, some people became even richer while more people were displaced from their jobs, lost more homes, paid more for healthcare (or, forced to do without), barely fed their children (in some countries, people could not even feed their children), more people were forced into the ranks of the poor.

In considering a new global currency, we must give equal weight to equality and justice to mankind also. This currency cannot benefit just a relative minority of the world’s population as some currencies do. It must serve all of mankind equally and fairly. To do this, each and every individual should be guaranteed the right to live in abundance wherever in the world they reside. We cannot again afford to have a few hoard the wealth of the world while 98% of the world’s population struggles to survive. There is no reason, nor justification for this. We have, at our finger tips the ability, and the way we live for the betterment of the world -- and not just for a relatively few rich and arrogant nations. It’s an opportunity to bring 190 nations together for one unifying pupose.

Why not put in each individual’s saving’s (or checking) account an annual balance of $3-million? Make it a worthwhile living account that one can survive on. This will eliminate the need for credit cards, certain kinds of loans, credit reporting agencies, and anything else that maintains derogatory information on an individual. This society should be a forgiving society where humans are lifted up – not forever torn apart, trashed, or discarded like rubbish or refuse. Some nations do not even give people the opportunity for rehabilitation – but are forever punishing humans for their inequities and failures – many of the causes of which are not even a fault of their own but are caused by other individuals. In short, these societies do not even let an individual have the opportunity for him or her to get back on his or her feet.

The world’s wealth has to be distributed equally. So must the supply of this currency be made abundantly so that each and every human can live in abundance without the struggles of life and unwarranted financial burdens of forever being short of money. So, bring on a global currency. But, do so for the right reasons.

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:21:00 +0000

“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” said Isaiah. I am not a preacher, but I think this phrase is appropriate, timely, and I think it is time worth heralding his message.

We have come a long way in electing an African-American to the Presidency of the United States. But, the road is long and we still have a long way to go.

People are still losing their livelihoods, homes, and jobs and an alarming rate and it’s almost as if we do not have a solution to this dilemma.

As long as there continues to be the existence of social class structures and ruling classes in the world and divisions between nations, the notion that “all men are created equal” will remain a myth. Man will continue to live in inequality until these hierarchical social classes are eliminated around the world and nations come together as one.

As long as we continue to live independently as separate nations, there will always be differences of behavior, perception, and thinking. We may agree on some things, but differ on many issues. These differences cause disputes often leading to tension, conflict and war.

When the Lord comes to establish his Kingdom on Earth, He will abolish social classes and bring nations together as one. We will unite as citizens not of one nation, but as citizens united of the world -- one united planet. Men will live in equality and harmony. So, let’s get started now by, “Preparing the Way of the Lord.”

May We All Live in Affluence and Abundance

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I commend the current administration for taking steps to create opportunities for green jobs that will put thousands of people back to work.

Unfortunately however, that’s not enough. Thousands of jobs is not enough to provide for the millions who have been displaced from their jobs and trying to make ends meet.

While politicians and the affluent live lavishly on their riches, millions upon millions in this country don’t even have enough of the bare necessities.

Where, then, is this land of opportunity? Especially for those who are playing by the book? Or, is this land of opportunity only for those who bend the rules, play dirty, and live by corruption?

Yes, the federal government will bail out the people with pennies, but it rewards pathetically failed executives with millions in bonuses. Where is the justice in this system? Where is the notion that “all men are created equal?” Are some men created more equal than others? Are some men in this nation, entitled to more privileges than others?

In this country there are thousands of starving artists waiting for their voices, their art, their works to be recognized. Yet, on the spur of the moment, a major publisher is quick to offer a $17-million dollar book contract for an inept former-president, the greatest embarrassment in this country’s history. Why do we continue to worship those who have harmed and tarnished the reputation of this nation by giving lavish book advances – especially when this person can’t even put a proper sentence together?

Why are people like Bernard Madoff, Nadya Suleman, and AIG corporate executives celebrated in the press for doing stupid and irrational things in their lives, ripping off people, and getting large sums of money for their notoriety or corruption?

People with far greater character, honesty, and integrity probably have a greater message to tell to the nation and the world, but are overshadowed by corruption, and dishonesty and these people are often silenced. Why? Because the greedy and warped minds of press editors end executives would rather print and sell dirt than honesty. Then, everybody wonders why we have such a bad image around the world.

The nation as whole must come to its senses. It must quit worshiping those who have failed the people of this country by placing them on pedestals and must begin to provide for the common good of all citizens of the nation.

We have a problem of providing enough just for the few. We need to reverse this practice and provide enough for the whole. That includes jobs and money. Let there come a day when everyone may live in affluence and abundance – not only in this nation, but around the world.

Making a Constitutional Change: The 28th Amendment – The Right to Recall

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:33:00 +0000

The Republicans in the Senate appear to be convinced that tax-cuts are the only solution to saving and creating more jobs during this economic crisis. If one looks at the recent past, the only thing that tax-cuts have resulted in are incentives for rich corporate executives to pocket the money and export jobs overseas, thus putting millions of Americans in economic turmoil. America has lost more jobs during the Bush Administration, than under any other recent time in the history of this country.

Obviously, tax-cuts are a smoke-screen for the underlying cause of job losses in America. There is a bigger problem which Congress refuses to face up to -- the fact that powerful executives of Corporate America have run the country during the Bush Administration – in collusion with the Vice President. The underlying problem with the economic dilemma is not the downfall of true ideal capitalism. The culprit is outright corporate greed and corruption in Congress and total ignorance of what real capitalism should be. Tax-cuts were only incentives to the rich to export jobs overseas and an opportunity to get richer.

I’m not blaming every senator or representative for being corrupt for there are honorable servants of the people in Washington. However, there are many who are easily influenced by corporate lobbyists as well as inside government lobbyists who have corrupted a once very good model of government.

The answer? Clean up Washington. Set term limits for all branches of government including the legislative and judicial branches. How can we expect to progressively move forward when we are still living in the past with old ways of governing and methods of doing business – especially when those methods are as polluted as a cesspool?

Start with the Senate for example. A lot of Senators have served for a lifetime. It’s about time that a cap be put on their service. It’s obvious that the country needs a new way of thinking. A new bold, open way of governing. A lot of Senators seems to be very “closed minded.” It’s either their “party’s way,” or, “the highway.” Sometimes, it’s not even the party’s way. And, a lot of times, their actions are not in the best interest of their constituents, only the “constituents” who have paid them under the table. After all, it’s money they have. We don’t – they’re the ones who put us out of work! Remember?

I say, let’s put a cap of a two-term limit for each Senator. Then, it’s time for a change.

As for judges, the same thing. Perhaps a 10 year term, once only. Then rotate the bench. Get some fresh blood in the judicial system.

Or, why not make it easy for the people? Everybody gets elected to a four-year term and everybody is up for re-election every four years with a two-term limit for a maximum of eight consecutive years? Any limit is, perhaps, better than what we have right now.

And while we’re cleaning up Washington, ban all lobbyists. Not only those who represents major corporations, but also those who represent government entities including the Pentagon. Our national budget is so out of balance that it’s no wonder why we cannot afford a better national infrastructure (electrical grid, transportation system, alternative energy, etc.). Most of the money being spent is wasted on military spending.

Finally, the people need to be given the right to a federal recall any sitting elected official at-will. Like, in the state of California. In other words, if you’re not working out, why prolong the agony for the people. The people should have the right to get rid of you at the drop of a dime. If your current representative is not in favor of changing the Constitution, do all you can to find someone who will fight for our rights and freedoms and not those of special interests.

Capping Corporate Executive Salaries

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:03:00 +0000

I applaud President Obama’s decision to cap corporate executives’ salaries receiving federal bailout money. It’s about time government took the reins of control in the midst of a serious economic crisis, and a shameful embarrassment as corporate executives were rewarding themselves with excessive bonuses and salaries and lavish junkets while their companies were failing, or on the verge of collapse, and they went begging for government handouts.

Regardless of what critics say about government staying out of the affairs of corporations, it is only logical that government should have the right to speak on behalf of the people whose money is being used to bail out these failed institutions – only for the money to be wasted on lavish executive spending rather than bailing out their customers, or their own employees, who they helped to displace. These also were people put into financial jeopardy facing possible losses of their homes in addition to losing their jobs.

If $500,000 a year is not enough for these people, then let them spend at least 3 months living in a skid row neighborhood in their nearest metropolitan area and let them make do with general relief and food stamps. Then, perhaps there will be less complaining, for they will see what it is really like. Maybe, corporate executives will be more compassionate for these people rather than wasting their money on lavish corporate parties and celebrations. Coincidentally, there was once a fabled story where a prince in India renounced his throne to live and learn about the people who lived in poverty. His experiences led him to great wisdom and his wisdom has taught many things to the world – taught in many schools today. He was Prince Siddhartha – Gautama Buddha.

A Need for a National Energy Contingency Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:53:00 +0000

If the crisis in Israel escalates into a major regional issue involving Iran and other countries in that region, this can have serious implications on the national security and economy of our nation.

Currently, we are dependent on over 66.5% of our oil from the mid-east, about 70% of our oil from foreign imports around the world. If terrorist organizations block the Strait of Hormuz by destroying or sinking tankers headed for this country, this can virtually shut off more than 30% of our oil supply for a very long time.

In the 70's we were able to withstand an oil embargo by these oil producing nations by the mere fact that at the time, China and India were not major oil consuming countries. Today, however, the picture is much different. The outcome can be much more catastrophic. Also, back in the 70’s, former President Nixon initiated bold steps to implement gasoline price caps when prices were rising during the embargo. Unfortunately for this country in the last 8 years, the out-going administration did nothing to control the price and spikes of gasoline prices. And, the citizens of the nation paid dearly for their inactions.

If oil were to be cut off today, we would only have a 6-8 week supply to keep the nation running. I understand that states, like California, have an emergency plan just in case. But this plan is really inadequate and only will replenish emergency service vehicles. And, in a really serious case, the state will provide for only farm vehicles -- not the general public.

This will again lead to gasoline rationing and long lines at the gas pump -- on a short-term basis. On a longer term -- if the emergency crisis were to continue -- this would disrupt the workforce in the country. Every industry would be forced to shut down since employees will no longer be able to get to work. Especially here in Los Angeles, people will not be able to drive their vehicles and, people are dependent on automobiles in a region where the availability and accessibility of mass transit is very poor.

If the crisis continues even more, this will lead to chaos within communities. Neighbors will turn against neighbors, people will not be able to go to the markets to buy their food, and food will not be available -- people will starve. Crime can and probably will rise uncontrollably.

The Administration and Congress must quickly develop and adopt a plan for this country to migrate its dependency from foreign oil in the next five years without delay, rhetoric, or debate. Convert heavy transportation vehicles from diesel to natural gas as a bridge to alternative energy. It is known that natural gas is the only energy source available right now that can power the big vehicles. Some states, municipalities, and educational school districts are already converting their large vehicles to natural gas. Commercial vehicles should do the same even if it requires that they be subsidized by government assistance.

By weaning ourselves off of foreign oil, we can save $15 billion by not sending this money to foreign nations. The money can better be used for our educational institutions and educate and instruct students in new and more energy efficient technology.

http://www.veoh.com

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd Kaneko) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:03:00 +0000

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