Raoul’s Two Cents: March 11, 2022
To the Loyalists Among Us
Warning: Heavy political stuff. Move on to the jokes if this sickens you. I’ll try to be funny next time.
Can’t believe the price of gas in America. The average price is over $4 per gallon but in Los Angeles (where I live), it’s over $5.50. And I hear in San Francisco it’s over $7. The price has tripled since just a year ago. I’m worried that the regular minimum wage earner won’t be making enough to survive. When that happens, they will join the homeless. When that happens, crime will escalate even more. I believe this blunder is the straw that will break the camel’s back.
Who to blame? Have you noticed that so-called learned political debaters with all their social and moral theories have no defense against the stark disastrous realities of inflation, crime, terrorism, etc. that stare them in the face and hurt them in their wallet? It’s hard to admit one’s bad choices but honesty demands it. When we see gross incompetence (no matter what party), are we obliged to stay loyal to our politics? Why do we have to defend “those” people when their explanations make no sense? How dumb do they think we are?
I just saw the sentencing of disgraced actor Jesse Smolett (who planned his own mugging January 2019). Despite hard evidence and damning testimonies, he defiantly still claims his innocence. A poor actor and/or a classic narcissist … and there are many like him out there.
I hope you’re not one of them. Please don’t hate me if you are, because my war isn’t with you, friend. It’s against the well-paid fake news machinery. Shame on them for blinding intelligent, patriotic people like you. We all make mistakes and our goal shouldn’t be to shove those who have been misled down in disgrace but to help each other return to the truth. We should be fighting on the same side. I admire a few friends who had the guts to change loyalty when they figured out the deception.
The media and the late-night comedians are holding on to their precarious reputation. I’m surprised they still have an audience because the former don’t give out the real and important news while the latter haven’t been funny for a long time. They know the domino establishment their careers are built on has already started toppling down. The smart ones have already jumped ship. Who will be the last proud loyalist? Common sense has left the building and pride is their only friend.
Listen, if you disagree with all I’ve said. Write me. Let’s exchange ideas. I’d love to hear your side.
Let’s continue to pray for our family in Ukraine. So many senseless deaths because of one psychopath. I’m still praying for a miracle.
“For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.”
— 2 Corinthians 8:21
But this is just me. TGIF people!
Raoul
Joke of the Week
Thanks to Peter Paul of S. Pasadena, CA.
Videos of the week
FUNNY: Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena for this collection of very funny commercials
FUNNY: SNL video from Art of Sierra Madre, CA about seniors and Alexa.
ENJOYABLE MUSIC: Tom of Pasadena,CA sent this video of legendary movie soundtrack composer, John Williams.
Tom of Pasadena, CA used to be part of the Rose Parade organization. He said: “I hosted John Williams when he was Grand Marshall.” When asked what kind of a person John was, Tom said he was a “very regular nice guy, no put on or stand offish ways. He had members of his family with him and was interesting to talk to, responding well to questions and inquiries. Very cooperative in doing what was required and cheerful. He seemed to be enjoying the experience. I had other Grand Marshalls that were great but had personal body guards to ward off people but none I could see for John.”
— Tom of Pasadena
Parting Shots
Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA
Thanks to Mike of New York City
Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA
Can you read this?
Dick
March 11, 2022 at 12:36 pm
Wow! Asking people to reply probably just made you open a whole can of worms. People need to quit talking these false narratives.
Chevron made $15.7 billion of profit calling it’s 2021 its “most successful year ever”.
Last year BP based $14.8 billion in profit and touted its “highest profit in eight years.”
Last year Exxon made $23.2 billion in profit in both serve on its “highest cash flow since 2012.”
These high gas prices are corporate price gouging on a massive scale.
Why is no news organization talking about that? Quite simple really. Advertising. Sponsors don’t like the news they are funding to be critical about their business practices. They pull their advertising. Papers and TV stations lose money.
And we as voters don’t demand action. Oh we say we do but we don’t do anything about it. The same people keep getting re-elected over and over. They don’t do anything people want done while continue amassing political power and massive campaign war chests.
Dick
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated” – Confucius
Raoul
March 11, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Great to hear from you Dick.
Yes, I’m getting some feedback from my email … which is actually good. It means people are thinking and I’m also learning.
I believe you when you say these oil giants are making a killing. Something should be done about that for sure. And these cowards in the news room bow too easily to protect their ad revenue. I’ve lost my respect for many of them.
But what’s the solution? Do we buy oil from our enemies? Or do we start drilling from our own soil? Sure, the environment might suffer. But what’s the lesser of the two evils at the moment? For sure we can’t survive with these gas prices. We need to act now before it escalates to other industries.
To say we won’t do either is wishing for a perfect solution that rarely exists in reality. I like your quote from Confucius. 😁 Yeah, we’re good at complicating the simple. But we’re facing a very complex problem. How do you simplify this? Sometimes nice sounding slogans don’t apply to all situations.
It’s easy to complain and criticize but to come up with the best solution (which many times is unpopular) given the circumstances and the time constraint requires leadership (the MLK quote I shared points this out).
I suggest we:
– open our eyes to what is so obvious (the wrong decisions and incompetencies)
– focus on the bleeding first (the other problems like price gauging we can tackle later)
– maybe when electric vehicles lower our dependency on oil, things will get better … of course, these politicians will always find ways to tax us
– have open discussions (like this one) and share ideas instead of demonizing each other
Hey, I really like your perspective. Please continue share.
R
Tom
March 11, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Great issue Raoul. I enjoyed your intro and hope it stimulates some genuine thinking about where we are headed as a Nation and suffering world. Loved the videos as well.
Thanks for all you do to keep us smiling.
Edward
March 11, 2022 at 12:38 pm
Narcissist/gaslighter often times speak of themselves in third person. To reinforce a lie over and over again until the masses think it’s the truth. Hitler, Putin, Trump…
Raoul
March 11, 2022 at 12:55 pm
I fully agree.
For me, it’s always a choice of the better of the two evils our rigged
election system forces us to choose from. Trump is a true narcissist
and a child who can’t control his impulses. I’ve stopped defending his
antics a long time ago. Yet to his credit, he did a lot to reduce oil
prices, prevent terrorism, reduce inflation, lowered unemployment,
pushed the vaccine, etc.
People focus too much on his narcissism but they forget narcissists can
still be very effective. Jobs, Gates — these narcissists changed the
world. Ali, the greatest, who also addressed himself in the 3rd person,
was a braggart but he had the skill to back it up.
It all boils down to who can get the job done. If you have a basement
infested with raccoons, who do you hire to get rid of them? Some sweet
smelling pest controller who will spend days and lots of money to get
rid of some of them? Or do you hire the dirtiest, smelliest handyman who
gets it done in an hour?
Edward
March 11, 2022 at 12:57 pm
What can I say other than well said…
Yes, narcissistic tendencies can lead to a powerful person believing in himself… and hopefully an agenda in helping others…
Didn’t want to make this all about my low opinion of Trump… but all he really did was to deregulate everything he could to keep the economy rolling which was to the determent of important safety standards that hurt the poor… so many of our immensely wealthy citizens only think of acquiring the fast cash of today and never about the future of others… it’s common to live among a capitalistic civilization whose God is money…
Trump played into the Putin playback with his plans to leave NATO if he won 2nd election. And, as well as, a shining star of America First nationalism… the same group in the late 1930s who supported Hitler, such as Lindberg who considered him a friend.
This was a dangerous group who Trump later rallied as his own supporters… anti anyone not white, or immigration for those who are trying to escape both death and tyranny…
Hilda
March 11, 2022 at 12:39 pm
I have been waiting for you to say something about what’s going on politically or economically. Gas price is but the very tiny tip of it. Thanks for today’s essay.
Raoul
March 11, 2022 at 12:50 pm
HI Hilda,
I agree the gas price is but one of the many things wrong. I’m amazed how many are still blind to the realities that stare them in the face. No matter what party, one should always call out a wrong when one sees it. Like I said, we do not need to defend nonsense.
TGIF, glad you’re part of this dialogue.
Jocelyn
March 11, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Thank you for the laughs and “To the Loyalists Among Us”.
Oswald
March 11, 2022 at 12:44 pm
Good morning Raoul, TGIF.
I used to be a Democrat for several years. At this point anyone who thinks Democrats are doing anything right must have their money invested in them or are truly disconnected from politics. Democrat policies have not affected them financially or physically YET. They are good people that are clueless to our world events and base everything on feel good emotions because they don’t have anything bad to feel bad about. They don’t believe what they see because it don’t affect them. It’s not that they don’t care it’s just that they’re misled. It’s sad but I admit I was one of those people. I used to make good money so I never cared about gas prices or higher prices everywhere because I also new that I would get a raise too. I never thought of how many people actually get hurt by me having this attitude. It’s not that I was a bad person, I just didn’t know and believed that things where that bad. My own mother a self employed small business owner was struggling and I didn’t even know I was part of her problem by voting for Democrat policies because democrats always say they are for the lower class community’s ( my mother didn’t know either). I was fooled. My mother was barely making it and even though she wouldn’t tell me , I knew because in the past When I made money I have helped her out financially. It’s sad most minorities even if you’re American don’t know what’s really going on and we just vote for the party that says they’re for you , which WAS the Democrat party. Obviously the Democrats actions are showing to be different. Their policies would only work at Disney Land and only at Disney Land because at least Disney Land charges you to come in. Nothing is for free in life . The only thing that is free is salvation everlasting life from the Lord . 😊🙏🙏🙏
Chuck
March 11, 2022 at 5:12 pm
Welcome to the acupuncture help line. ENTER PIN NOW. 😉