Hoarding - what is it good for? Hell if I know.
Hoard (n): a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc.
Hoard (v): to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation, future use, etc.
Compulsive hoarding (or pathological collecting) is a pattern of behavior that is characterized by the excessive acquisition of and the inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects or material.
My brother has an unbelievable amount of junk, mostly old newspapers and magazines in his apartment. One can barely move around in there. When asked why he won’t throw any of them away, my brother waxes almost poetically on the value of each article. Each magazine issue holds a special meaning or significance, at least to him. There are millions of people in this country who suffer some form of compulsive hoarding syndrome. These people collect most anything including newspapers, clocks, animals and money.
These same people are often profiled on television in an unflattering way. I know that AETV has a show as does TLC (formerly The Learning Channel, rebranded as The Loser Channel). Each show profiles a troubled person and goes to great lengths to describe how “Hoarding” has taken over and in some cases ruined these people’s lives. Family members often attempt interventions on behalf of their stricken relatives. Many of the “hoarders” live in pitiful conditions. The objects of their affection, attention and obsession are overflowing from every room and taking up every available space. Truly these people need our help, therapy and compassion.
But I believe that the hoarding mentality manifests itself in other ways too. I’d like to discuss a different type of hoarding. The people afflicted in this manner are instead glorified, admired and to a certain extent almost worshipped in the United States. In fact these people are literally in a class by themselves. They are the one percent. Yes there are approximately 1.1 million households in the United States that have over $5 million in investible assets. But I’m not referring to them. I’m talking about the half of one percent of the one percent. Did you know that there are 400 people in the United States who are each worth a billion or more dollars? That’s right billion with a “B”. The top 400 have a combined asset value of 1.6 trillion dollars, give or take a billion. Of these unfortunate afflicted, 56 have $100 million or more in free cash floating around. The rest of their worth is hoarded in stocks, bonds, real estate and presumably comic books and baseball cards.
The mega-million hoarder has worked just as hard, if not harder than their pitied poorer hoarder “cousins”. Instead of amassing books, magazines, or cats they have amassed huge amounts of cash and luxury assets. With unimaginable wealth at their disposal no item is too ridiculous to own. Got your own diamond encrusted cigarette lighter? Check. How about a Pagani Briefcase, oh yeah got that too. I know, do you have a Chanel croquet set? Absolutely, we have two of those just in case Prince Harry and 5 of his best friends stop by. Feel like running for Governor of California or Mayor of New York on your own dime? Check and mate.
Arguably the money hoarder will spend a bit on luxury items. But seriously how many yachts, cars and vacation homes does one really need? Apparently some need at least eight, one for each continent you see. To be fair, one or two of them (literally one Bill Gates, or two Warren Buffet) set aside a pittance for charitable purposes. But otherwise the money just sits around in piles collecting dust and blocking access to the guest wing. Well it would if they kept their money at home, but who wants all that dirty money lying around?
Now I’m not suggesting for a minute that these mega-mega-millionaires should give away their money to just anybody. No, I recommend that they give their money to me. I’m willing to help them and perform an intervention for all of them. I’d like to help them unburden themselves from the pressure of buying that 20th mansion. Why should these poor souls have to labor alone, when help is just a phone call away? Seriously, Donald, call me. I’ll remove that dead cat from your head and set up an employment re-education center in your name. You don’t need an apprentice, you need some tough love buddy.
The free cash that these folks have lying around adds up to more than 5.6 billion dollars. Imagine the education endowment that could be funded with that dough-ray-me. For instance, a four year college education (tuition and books only) costs about $30,000. Training programs for trades can be completed for less than five grand. Most every politician agrees that the road to prosperity is paved with education. Personally I believe it’s paved with the inheritance from your multi-millionaire dad. Just ask the Hilton girls if you have any doubts.
But if education isn’t your thing how about funding some affordable housing or affordable daycare or affordable anything? Nah, that money is fine where it sits thank you. Besides, these people have families to feed. With solid gold utensils and plates too. I know you think I’m jealous of those who made it all on their own. That’s not true. I have loads of admiration for Bill Gates and Larry Ellison. Take that Donald Trump fellow for instance. How many other people do you know who can inherit millions of dollars and still declare bankruptcy four times? Now that takes real talent. It’s the Hilton and Walton kids that piss me off. Thirty years ago Wal-Mart which was created by Sam Walton made its name by touting the “Made in America” labels. Then Sam died and his kids rebranded the chain with a silent “Made in China” and “Made anywhere but America”. Sure Wal-Mart is bigger and richer, but at what cost?
Look, I believe that your money is yours to do with as you please. It doesn’t matter to me how you got rich, as long as it was legal that is. I’m just supposing a different place, a place that doesn’t exist now. But man wouldn’t it be something if those who had the means would just find a way to help those who don’t? The Hoarders could change others’ lives that otherwise would be nasty, brutish, and short to one with real meaning. I’m just supposing, wouldn’t that be something?
Monday, October 29, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The Bible is wrong, an argument for God and Rational thinking
The Bible is wrong. I said it and I mean it. I came to this conclusion today while brushing my teeth. That in of itself is surprising. This is surprising because I usually do my best thinking in a different part of the bathroom. I’m one of the top three thinkers in my household so I know what I’m talking about. You may say “Ha, there are probably only three thinkers in your house anyway.” Well you’re wrong mister smarty pants, there are six of us. That fact that three are dogs changes nothing. I’d stack my dog Oreo against anyone in a contest for manipulation and crafty thought.
Until I was in my forties I didn’t give the bible or God for that matter much thought. I grew up a reluctant Jew in the sixties and seventies. I experienced religious prejudice as a young boy, but that didn’t affect my view of my religion. I traveled the route of belief, Bar-Mitzvah, relief at not having to attend Hebrew school anymore then drifting away from religion. I returned to Judaism in my twenties and even taught Hebrew school (yes really) and Sunday Bible school for a time. Eventually I began to question the whole system of religion. I had questions, but only vague answers repeating tired platitudes such as “It’s faith”, “We can’t divine his purpose”, etc. So I studied other religions on my own. I’m no scholar by any means but I read various Christian bibles, treatises on comparative religions, a little Buddhism and Hinduism. All this study simply reinforced my doubt and confusion. I adopted a new way of thinking. I became a rational deist.
I know science is right. Therefore the bible is wrong. But if as others have argued that the bible is the true word of God, then God must be wrong. Hold on now, what if I can show that the Bible wasn’t written by God? Well that changes a lot of things, especially for those who don’t believe in God. The reasons that I believe the Bible was written by men is based on logic and common sense. I’ll whip a little science in there too though, because it supports my point very well. There’s actually some religious thought involved as I deemed that important as well.
I’ll start with the religious part first. To begin, I need to state some assumptions or “givens”. For the sake of argument I will assume the following:
1. God did and/or does exist.
2. God is both omniscient and omnipotent.
3. God is infallible.
Now here are my science assumptions or “givens”
1. Human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
2. The 23rd pair determines the gender.
3. In simplest terms the pairs are either XX for female or XY for male gender.
4. The X chromosome is a complete chromosome.
5. The Y chromosome is a flawed X chromosome.
The book of Genesis is one heck of a story beginning with the creation of the universe and everything in it. A tall order I grant you but covered under religious given #2 above. Let’s fast forward to day six when the Bible states that God created man in his image. Supposedly Adam was created first then Eve was created from Adam, blah, blah, blah, out of Eden.
Now the term “man” and “mankind” used to represent both male and female people. So the vagueness of that statement is neutral to the conversation. So I contend the creation order was written down incorrectly to satisfy some misogynist male author’s idea of creation. Not how the event (if it happened), really happened. Based on the following chain of reasoning, logic proves to me that God is female and created Eve first, not Adam. Consider the following truisms. Science assumption #4 and #5 are true and based on the little bit of biology that I’ve studied. One thing that is known for sure is that the male gender is much more susceptible to various inherited diseases and birth defects than females due to the flawed nature of the Y chromosome. For example, color blindness, hemophilia, autism, are easily recognizable gender linked recessive inherited diseases.
Using religious givens #2 and #3 plus science givens #4 and #5 plus the bible verse where “God created “whomever” and it was good” proves that Eve was created first. Otherwise the bible verse should have read “and it was good, but I can do better.” Here’s common sense reason #1. Given religious assumption #2, God would not have created the non-child bearing being first (see conception of Jesus for additional proof). As all knowing, God knew that is was easier for Eve to give birth than to recreate the wheel so to speak with the whole rib from Adam thing. Please see religious assumption #3 for additional verification. Common sense reason number 2. Do you remember the question, “which came first the chicken or the egg?” Well, if the Bible is correct as written then the origin question should ask “which came first the rooster or the egg?”
Here’s my final common sense point. When I was growing up there was a machine used to make copies of documents called a mimeograph. The mimeograph worked very well, except that the copies weren’t quite as good as the original. In fact as one made more copies the quality diminished. My point here is that the Adam child/creation is a mimeograph of Eve, but with an “outie” to compliment Eve’s “innie” (this is a PG blog after all) setting up future generations. This begs another question, “why create an Adam at all, why not just a bunch of Eve’s?” The answer is pretty obvious. God’s got better things to do than just creating more Eve’s. So boom, God creates a ready supply of baby making juice and off she goes watching Angel’s playing baseball or whatever.
I also want to bring up a new trend in the United States. The fasted growing religious segment is “none”. That’s right the belief in God or a supreme being is declining. One of the stumbling blocks for me to believe is that the Bible is the word of God. Well I know that the Bible is wrong. But if the Bible is God’s word and it’s wrong then what’s to believe in? Now I’m trying to help here so bear with me. By admitting the fallibility of the good book you actually remove an obstacle to belief in a higher power. I have other issues to resolve before I would believe, but now at least I may be one step closer. Which is better than one step further away.
The Bible is wrong. I said it and I mean it. I came to this conclusion today while brushing my teeth. That in of itself is surprising. This is surprising because I usually do my best thinking in a different part of the bathroom. I’m one of the top three thinkers in my household so I know what I’m talking about. You may say “Ha, there are probably only three thinkers in your house anyway.” Well you’re wrong mister smarty pants, there are six of us. That fact that three are dogs changes nothing. I’d stack my dog Oreo against anyone in a contest for manipulation and crafty thought.
Until I was in my forties I didn’t give the bible or God for that matter much thought. I grew up a reluctant Jew in the sixties and seventies. I experienced religious prejudice as a young boy, but that didn’t affect my view of my religion. I traveled the route of belief, Bar-Mitzvah, relief at not having to attend Hebrew school anymore then drifting away from religion. I returned to Judaism in my twenties and even taught Hebrew school (yes really) and Sunday Bible school for a time. Eventually I began to question the whole system of religion. I had questions, but only vague answers repeating tired platitudes such as “It’s faith”, “We can’t divine his purpose”, etc. So I studied other religions on my own. I’m no scholar by any means but I read various Christian bibles, treatises on comparative religions, a little Buddhism and Hinduism. All this study simply reinforced my doubt and confusion. I adopted a new way of thinking. I became a rational deist.
I know science is right. Therefore the bible is wrong. But if as others have argued that the bible is the true word of God, then God must be wrong. Hold on now, what if I can show that the Bible wasn’t written by God? Well that changes a lot of things, especially for those who don’t believe in God. The reasons that I believe the Bible was written by men is based on logic and common sense. I’ll whip a little science in there too though, because it supports my point very well. There’s actually some religious thought involved as I deemed that important as well.
I’ll start with the religious part first. To begin, I need to state some assumptions or “givens”. For the sake of argument I will assume the following:
1. God did and/or does exist.
2. God is both omniscient and omnipotent.
3. God is infallible.
Now here are my science assumptions or “givens”
1. Human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
2. The 23rd pair determines the gender.
3. In simplest terms the pairs are either XX for female or XY for male gender.
4. The X chromosome is a complete chromosome.
5. The Y chromosome is a flawed X chromosome.
The book of Genesis is one heck of a story beginning with the creation of the universe and everything in it. A tall order I grant you but covered under religious given #2 above. Let’s fast forward to day six when the Bible states that God created man in his image. Supposedly Adam was created first then Eve was created from Adam, blah, blah, blah, out of Eden.
Now the term “man” and “mankind” used to represent both male and female people. So the vagueness of that statement is neutral to the conversation. So I contend the creation order was written down incorrectly to satisfy some misogynist male author’s idea of creation. Not how the event (if it happened), really happened. Based on the following chain of reasoning, logic proves to me that God is female and created Eve first, not Adam. Consider the following truisms. Science assumption #4 and #5 are true and based on the little bit of biology that I’ve studied. One thing that is known for sure is that the male gender is much more susceptible to various inherited diseases and birth defects than females due to the flawed nature of the Y chromosome. For example, color blindness, hemophilia, autism, are easily recognizable gender linked recessive inherited diseases.
Using religious givens #2 and #3 plus science givens #4 and #5 plus the bible verse where “God created “whomever” and it was good” proves that Eve was created first. Otherwise the bible verse should have read “and it was good, but I can do better.” Here’s common sense reason #1. Given religious assumption #2, God would not have created the non-child bearing being first (see conception of Jesus for additional proof). As all knowing, God knew that is was easier for Eve to give birth than to recreate the wheel so to speak with the whole rib from Adam thing. Please see religious assumption #3 for additional verification. Common sense reason number 2. Do you remember the question, “which came first the chicken or the egg?” Well, if the Bible is correct as written then the origin question should ask “which came first the rooster or the egg?”
Here’s my final common sense point. When I was growing up there was a machine used to make copies of documents called a mimeograph. The mimeograph worked very well, except that the copies weren’t quite as good as the original. In fact as one made more copies the quality diminished. My point here is that the Adam child/creation is a mimeograph of Eve, but with an “outie” to compliment Eve’s “innie” (this is a PG blog after all) setting up future generations. This begs another question, “why create an Adam at all, why not just a bunch of Eve’s?” The answer is pretty obvious. God’s got better things to do than just creating more Eve’s. So boom, God creates a ready supply of baby making juice and off she goes watching Angel’s playing baseball or whatever.
I also want to bring up a new trend in the United States. The fasted growing religious segment is “none”. That’s right the belief in God or a supreme being is declining. One of the stumbling blocks for me to believe is that the Bible is the word of God. Well I know that the Bible is wrong. But if the Bible is God’s word and it’s wrong then what’s to believe in? Now I’m trying to help here so bear with me. By admitting the fallibility of the good book you actually remove an obstacle to belief in a higher power. I have other issues to resolve before I would believe, but now at least I may be one step closer. Which is better than one step further away.
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