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Violence of American Politics

The violence of American politics and media finds its roots in the character of the American people. It is inherent in our self-image as gunslingers, gangstas, bitches, tomb-raiders, mavericks, hunters, top guns and so many more, the list could fill pages. Our heroes have always had True Grit and names like Thelma and Louise. Only the tallest men become presidents, only the toughest broads can serve in congress. Why should media commentators be any different? I suspect that the real violence we see in an action like the shooting of a Kennedy or Reagan or this Gifford event is nothing more or less than an acting out of our collective self-image.

Is this what makes America great? Is America great? Does “America” even exist other than as an image of the great society, policeman to the world, purveyor of ultra violent sports, action films and gunship diplomacy? What would America be if it were not the world’s largest arms manufacturer, largest distributor of drugs, largest consumer of non-renewable energy, longest participant in foreign wars, home to the largest unrestrained multinational corporations?

I would suggest that perhaps the problem is not a few crazy people affected by violent political commentary but our profound unwillingness to see through our own self-image. It is a self-image that is constantly reinforced by our music. Film, TV, political dialog, advertising, fashion, education, religion and by our own willingness to revel in such illusions. Thus we perceive each other through the lens of these illusions and must fear.

Pictures from my neighborhood in Bangkok.

From Sathu Pradit, Bangkok - click on this link for pics.

Merry Christmas one and all...

Dead Buddha in Deadwood!

Gambling Buddha?

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

On Sunday we finally admitted defeat and withdrew from the Northern Badlands. We are currently encamped at the King’s Inn in Belle Fourche, S.D.
I want it known that for four days and three nights we fought a courageous and smart campaign. So, why did we lose? The overwhelming numbers of the enemy were too great.
The first night’s battle I would say was a happy outcome for our side. The enemy sent two squads (twenty or so) of house flies with a few blow flies as scouts and the usual contingent of mosquitoes to act as snipers. We killed more than half the number of flies, a few mosquitoes and drove the rest into confusion – holding our own until the cool of the night sent them all packing. The rest of the evening was peaceful and we congratulated ourselves for having won the day and established a camp where we could sit by the fire and enjoy our evening meal.
The next morning was quiet but as the heat of the day rose into the 80’s a full-fledged attach of flies (another couple of squads) and a contingent of several dozen squads of Black Gnats began. We fought them off with flyswatters, mosquito coils and various repellents for more than two hours until forced to move into our tent fortress and watch them exhaust themselves against the netting. They remained and in the evening we tried another counter-offensive using burning sage brush. I would have to call this day’s campaign a draw, as the sage kept them in check. Again, they left at evening’s chill and we were able to enjoy a full meal although we were feeling the exhaustion of a hard fought battle.
















The third day brought another attack of flies and gnats (a full battalion of the latter), as well as increasing numbers of mosquitoes and, after killing many of the enemy, we once again retreated during the afternoon - this time leaving the campsite and driving up to the Oxbow overlook and down route 20. When we returned their forces had multiplied and held the ground despite heavy casualties inflicted by our flyswatter, liberal use of repellants and much sage burning for the rest of the day. By evening, as they retreated again we had accepted that the war was a losing proposition.
















This morning we de-camped and headed south for the safety of the King’s Inn to heal our wounds and recover our dwindling morale. We intend to restock our depleted supplies and will wage another campaign here in South Dakota, probably at Wind Cave National Park in a few days. Wish us well, as we suspect this war can only end with our eventual retreat back home to Connecticut.

Badlands?

Thursday, Sept 3^rd was quite a day. The delights began when we pulled into the Crossroads café on route 200 in Killdeer to have some breakfast.

 While waiting for our eggs and coffee we struck up a conversation with Bob and Alma Hansen, natives of North Dakota who owned a ranch nearby, as well as a small house in town. 

All through breakfast we chatted and at some point they asked if we had time for them to show us their ranch. Although I was seeing the badlands for the first time and setting up camp in the North section of Teddy Roosevelt Park today, I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed. Bob and Alma were delightful conversationalists and old enough (she is 90, he is 83) to have gathered more than a few tales concerning this fascinating part of North Dakota. In fact Bob had worked in soil management, as well as running a grain elevator and ranching, so he had quite a bit of knowledge about the geography of the land, as well as it’s history.

So, we stepped into their 4-wheel drive Chevy and off we went happily listening to their life histories and tales of the western part of N. Dakota. At some point we started up a dirt road over one of the ubiquitous low grassy hills and as we came over the peak, there were gasps from Anneli and I – which delighted but did not surprise our guides. There was our first looks at the extraordinary buttes and valleys that make up the badlands. 

For the next hour we wound our way through these amazing vistas and finally came to the top of a butte that overlooked a wonderful green valley, filled with cedar, through which the Littler Missouri River wound its way slowly. It was a vision of surpassing beauty. This was their ranch! And how rightly proud they were of it.

Having left Bob and Alma with an exchange of addresses and that wonderful feeling that comes from having been welcomed by strangers into a bit of their life, we arrived at the park.

The park center was closed but we were lucky to run into a ranger who was just leaving. He gave us a map and directions to the campground, told us where we could find some deadfall wood for our fire and generally made us feel welcome. 

Winding our way up the dirt road that runs to the campground, some 4 miles into the park, we came across numerous road reconstruction sites being paid for by Obama’s Recovery Act. (In fact, driving through Michigan and Minnesota we had seen ample evidence of the many projects being done with our money. And all of them were sorely needed. It is somewhat disheartening to see how little care we have given to our roads, bridges and highways in the past decade. However, it is encouraging to know that we are finally beginning the long and expensive task of fixing this.)

 

As we pulled into the campground area, which lies along the river, once again, we were left gasping by the site of a dozen or more American Bison lolling around in the picnic area. We did not stop to take pictures, knowing we would be here for several days and had ample time for that. We choose a very lovely site, away from the main area, which had a few tents and RVs. The campgrounds were not crowded and there were no other campers in the area we choose. As we were setting up, three white tailed deer – a mature doe, a young doe and a young buck came through the trees and began grazing in the grass just 40 feet or so from out site. They were not concerned with our presence at all and hung around for a half hour or so.

 

As sun set, the moon was full and very large throwing enough light to walk around without a flashlight, casting shadows of the trees on the road and generally creating an impression of being in a place where elves and other mystical creatures might feel right at home.

 

This morning, as I walked around this part of the campground, enjoying my coffee, I pondered the odd name of “badlands.” I know that was what The Dakota Sioux called this area and I wondered why? I suppose that being used to the plains with its thousands of miles of open grassland, huge herds of Bison and ample populations of elk and deer, these steep buttes and cedar filled valleys must have seemed a bit confining and not as fertile as the lands they choose to call home. However, I also imagined what it would have been like if a group of apaches had found their way up here. These buttes, so like the mesas of their native southwest only filled with game and trees and with various small pockets of water and the occasional river running through would have seemed to the apache as if they had wandered into the place where the Great Spirit had created a land of milk and honey. I doubt they would have called this the “badlands.”

Income equality?

As of 2007, the top decile of American earners took in half of total wages,(Which leaves just half of the money for the other 95% of us. No wonder we can't afford health care.) In 2007 wealth for the wealthy was "higher than any other year since 1917 and even surpasses 1928, the peak of stock market bubble in the 'roaring" 1920s.' The top 1% took in half the overall growth. The middle class lost big.

Recent economic reports show that this gap is only getting much worse.

"nuff said?

Strike for Health Care

If we want a real health plan for everyone we must act. The senate and congress will give in, are giving in, to the demands of insurance and drug industries.

For the two days following Labor Day (September 8 and 9) join a nationwide strike to demand a public health plan.

This comes from a concerned citizen. There is no organization, group or special interest promoting this. You don’t need to protest or parade – just stay home. Don’t shop, don’t go to work unless you are police, firefighter or medical worker. Close the schools, large pharmacies, grocery stores and department stories. Avoid gas stations, movies, restaurant chains, etc. If you must get a staple go to a small local store. Let’s let our representative and big business know we have had it!

Please take the risk for the good of all. It will work.

Pass this along.

TED GUHL

New Britain, CT

Write to your local Newspaper, radio or TV Station

Dear ____________________,

I believe it would be very useful to do an article on what funds (if any) our city can expect from the President's recent stimulus package and how specifically those funds might be used in ___________________.

For instance, will there be funds for homeowners to use for energy efficiency improvements? Can we expect improvements to our infrastructure, municipal buildings and schools? Will the arts see any support? How about benefits to local businesses? Are any of our local banks getting support? What about specific support for improved healthcare, welfare and crime prevention? Any transportion projects?

If we are expecting little funding, why? Is that a state decision? Has our council and mayor not requested it? Is it too early to give specifics and if so, when can we expect them?

Thank you for considering this suggestion.

To CoCo

Hi!
It has been a long time. To answer your question, it is a little like Prairie Home Companion, only the shows are almost all original 1930's and 40's. Lotsof old timers in this one. Hope to see you there.
Ted
ps. send me your email address.

Howdy Folks,

It is time to give yourself a treat and make reservation for LIVE OLD TIME RADIO at the Hole in the Wall theater. 

You can go to the Hole in the Wall website at:    www.hitw.org

OR visit LOTR's site at:  www.theatercalendar.org/show/lotr.html

See you there?

Open Letter to Arne Duncan

Dear Mr. Duncan,

First of all, Congratulations!

And next, I am not looking for a job, but realize you should have some idea of my background: I have taught (and occasionally administrated) for over 35 years in the USA, Portugal, Syria, Japan and Hong Kong. I am retired.

I have a practical suggestion to assist in the improvement of High School education throughout the country. It is a simple concept but would require some retraining of teachers, and some reeducation of administrators and parents. Consider replacing traditional grading systems with progressive outcome-based systems. I have done this in my classes in my last three positions and have found the results to be unfailingly excellent. The effect on all students has been measurable improvement. Parents have appreciated and approved the informative and supportive nature of the system and administrators have often asked me to teach the system to other teachers.

This sort of grading is not new. In essence most grammar schools use a form of it. It is likely that many high-school teachers and administrators will resist it at first, as it requires an initial expenditure of time and effort and challenges tradition. However, the costs are small, consisting of some professional development and a tweak to existing programs.

It is a system that requires more attention not only to how we teach but what and how we genuinely measure the results. It results in genuine assessment, greater student motivation, less time spent negotiating grades with parents and students, greater parental awareness of their child’s educational needs and more efficient and effective teaching and learning.

Here is an overview.

The Current Cumulative System - Student’s grades are averaged over a semester and a final grade assigned that does not reflect the actual learning or final skill level.
In this system an above average student enters a class working above grade level in most skill areas and achieves “A” on early assessments. This student continues to receive “A” throughout and ends with an “A” for the term reflecting no growth and no challenge.
A below average student enters working below grade level and receives “D” or “F” on most early assessments. Hopefully, by the end of the term the student is consistently achieving “B” and gets a B+ on the final reflecting both growth and improved skill levels. This student ends with a “C-” for the term that does not reflect their true growth and is not an accurate indicator of the student’s current abilities. .
Worse, because the reporting system focus is entirely on the numbers with no reflection of what those numbers truly mean other than the student got a “50” on a test, parents ask, “what happened?” or “Why did he get a low grade?” and the students beg for another few points (or tenths of a point) to achieve a higher class standing rather than look at what the grade may be indicating. Students tend to see the system as one of arbitrary reward and punishment. No one is entirely certain, at the start of the next school year, what the student’s actual strengths and weaknesses are.

The Progressive Outcome-based System - Students are assessed by determining initial levels in specifically defined areas and individualized assessments are based on these. No more “I got an “A’ on my math test, but I got an “A” in formulae but a “C” in computation. Grades grow with the student’s demonstrated growth in each area. In other words, if a student is achieving a “D” level on basic math computations but eventually masters these at a “B” level, the final grade will be a “B” in that area. Final grades are a genuine reflection of improvement and actual skill levels.
In this system, an above average student enters the class and is determined to be working above grade level in most skill areas. The teacher uses testing to determine where weakness may lie and focuses ongoing assessment on those areas, while setting higher standards where appropriate. This student may find themselves receiving less than the usual “A” at first but is motivated to improve weaknesses and learn new skills
The below average student who has entered with weaker skills still has low grades at first but is motivated by the knowledge that real improvement will lead to substantially better grades and a greater awareness of what those grades mean. Also, this sort of grading can easily include non-subject specific skills such as organization, scheduling, listening skills, etc. leading to motivated improvement in study skills, conduct and effort.
This system makes it much more difficult for a student to focus only on the number of points that make up a particular test or the final grade and will shift the attention from numbers to what the numbers actually mean. Both the student and the teacher know exactly what skills and content a specific assignment is evaluating.
This system makes it easier to create and apply consistent rubrics to every assignment - indeed it demands it. Thus the expectations are always clearer and the means to achieve them as well.
It goes a long way to answering those pesky parental questions, “What is this Grade based on?” “What can my child do to improve?” “Is this an objective Grade?” “Is teacher #1’s teaching consistent with teacher #2”
While it requires a large effort to set up it ultimately makes assessing most assignments quicker and easier.


Since this system is evidently so much better why haven’t more schools and teachers adopted it already?
It clearly takes a great deal of extra time to set up a new system and adapt it to each teacher’s specific assessment tools
It requires changing hearts and minds about traditional grading.
It only works when specific skills and levels of expectations for each subject have been identified and rubrics developed.
It requires adaptation of the way in which grade books or computer based grading systems are set up and grades are reported.
It requires more time spent on revision process and individuation of assessment goals.

Finally, I understand that this proposal is for only one aspect of a wide-ranging change that needs to take place in the way our schools perceive what they do and ultimately requires a whole system change that focuses on actual ability to accomplish genuine tasks. However, I strongly believe it is the best starting point. I have been through many years of “school improvement” committee meetings, curriculum writing and rewriting, benchmark identification, vertical alignment, cross curriculum goals and objectives and so on. All of these have value but without a clear method to assess what we are trying to accomplish they all too often appear to teachers as just another new way of doing what we have always done. However, if we begin with what it is we truly expect and how it is we measure that, the rest seems to make more sense.

Sincerely, Ted Guhl

The Coming Year

Proposal to Replace The American Eagle

With a much more graceful and prolific bird.

One Voter's Moment of Pride

My first election was in 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson was elected in a landslide. Since then I have voted in all but one of the presidential elections. While I am essentially liberal and a Democrat, I have occasionally voted Republican and once for a 3rd party candidate. There have been times when I left the polling booth with a sense of hope and other times when I felt I was voting for the lesser of two evils. There have even been a few times when I left feeling despair.
Today I voted for Barack Obama and admit that, for the first time, I feel deeply proud of my vote. Some of this is because my nation has grown up enough to have a choice to vote for someone other than a white European. Some of my feelings stem from the belief that he will win and set us, finally, on a course back towards an honest concern for the other fellow, no matter what his color, race or creed.
But most all I feel proud because of the hope that he will, as did my name sake, Teddy Roosevelt, honor his words and guide us in an attempt to stem the unrelenting greed and growth of the huge corporations that are strangling all that is decent and compassionate in our nation.
Yes we can!!!

HEY EVERYONE, I THINK I MAY HAVE FOUND A POSSIBLE ANSWER TO LIFE’S DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX QUESTIONS!

If you are one of those folks (as I am) who want simple elegant answers to seemly complex and difficult questions, I have a possibility for you. It is to avoid certainty.

The very idea that anyone can possibly know enough about something to be absolutely certain that they have the “Truth” is the root of our difficulty. Even my certainty in stating this could be dangerous and misguiding. After all, perhaps someone, somewhere really does know for certain that the sun will rise tomorrow or that God is in his heaven and all is right with the world.

However, I would caution that person was certain of those things to remember that the earth is a planet revolving around the sun according to physical laws and its seemly fixed 24 hour day could easily be radically altered by a collision with an asteroid and that if God is all powerful and he decided at any given moment to leave his heaven or make things all wrong with the world, he could.

This is not to suggest that nothing can be planned or that no one can possibly make assumptions about the likely nature of anything. I can plan my day tomorrow based on the assumption that the sun will rise, in fact, I had better do that if I wish to get something specific accomplished. And I can say a prayer for an ailing friend or ask God to watch over someone who has just died, if I believe it will alleviate suffering, or even simply to give myself comfort in my grief. Nothing wrong with all that.

The difficult comes when I begin to behave with certainty of the sun. When I do that, I might quickly begin to take it for granted, to assume I am entitled to sunshine tomorrow. And I might get very angry and confused if the sun doesn’t rise. It is even worse when I assume to know God’s will and intention for us all. Now I might not only feel superior to my fellows, I might begin tell them where they are “wrong” and “sinful” and how they should behave. I could tell them what God’s plan is for them and expect them to follow me in it. I might tell them what God wants them to do and when. All because of my certainty that I know God, that I have the “right” God, the “right” message, the “right” way of living and worshipping.

When you think about it, it seems as if most of the problems in this world arise from someone being certain about something. Consider the following:

• Recently, most Americans seemed certain that Iraq was building WMDs.
• Most Islamic terrorists seem certain that God is leading them to blow themselves and others up. In fact, most fundamentalist seem quite certain that they are “good” and the others are “evil.”
• Most Zionists seem certain that this piece of land is theirs by God given right and that Palestinians belong somewhere else. Most Palestinians seem to believe that piece is theirs for the same reasons.
• Most politicians seem certain that they are helping citizens by helping corporations get rich.
• Most corporations seem certain that their form of unchecked capitalism is raising standards of living around the world, even as the poor get poorer, starvation spreads and they get richer. What is even more astonishing is that they seem certain that unlimited growth is possible forever.
• Most medical companies seem certain that their drugs will eventually cure man’s physical ills even as those ills (or new ones) seem to increase with the use of many of their drugs.
• Most artists and writers seem certain that their creations advance man’s aesthetic and spiritual nature even as ugly, violent and demeaning images grow rampant.
• Most adults seem certain that they are being good parents even as their children smother and grow fat and lazy under the massive assault of material products and distractions. heaped upon them.
• Most educators seem certain they are encouraging curiosity and self-directed learning even as they hand out an “F” to this one and an “A” to that one – judging each child’s understanding and skill by the same imperfect test.
• Most bankers seem certain that the purpose of a bank is to give credit and make a profit.
• Most western workers seem certain that a “good life” is measured by how many material things they can have and that it doesn't matter if they have them by borrowing from others.
• Most eastern workers seem certain that western materialism makes people happy.
• Most starving people seem certain that they are powerless to do anything about it. Most wealthy people seem certain of the same thing.

I suspect you can find your own examples.

Well, that is my simple answer to all those complex and overwhelming problems. Perhaps if we could all give up certainty, we just might find many problems disappear. Or if not, we might be able to see some new, even simpler answers. I don’t know this for certain, of course.

An Ignorant Man Asks For Help

Time to demonstrate my ignorance. Put it all right out there. Lay it on the line and show what an absolutely uneducated, misguided, ignorant fool I am about matters financial.
I don’t understand.
I don’t understand why it is OK to give 700 billion dollars to banks, mortgage and credit card companies who have grown obscenely wealthy from providing credit to those who only needed it because there was no other way to buy a house, get groceries and medicine, send a child to college or pay their medical bills?
I don’t understand why they call it free market capitalism when the people who actually provide the goods and services benefit so little from their labor that they have had to rely on debt to maintain a fairly simple middle-class life, or in many cases, a life of obvious poverty - while those who supposedly use those services and sell those goods have lived lives of extraordinary luxury and have taken away obscene amounts of wealth?
I don’t understand how a bank can take the money I deposit and make billions from investing it and then charge me a fee. I don’t understand that when they loan me money I pay 12% interest plus fees but when I loan them money I get 2% minus fees.
I don’t understand why so many working people have believed that this form of capitalism has benefited them? Is it because they have a computer, car and house to live in that doesn’t really belong to them? Do people really think they own that SUV when they still owe $20,000 on it? And by the time they do own it, what do they think it will be worth?
I don’t understand why Americans, who work the longest hours in the world, have the highest debt and lowest savings in the world?
I don’t understand how our government can stand before us and tell us that their policies are designed help us by restoring this credit-based economy before the “real” economy suffers more? Hasn’t the “real” economy always suffered from the fact that the debt side of the credit-based economy has always been ours and the profit side always been theirs?
I don’t understand how they can keep a straight face and tell us that, for our own good, we must give these bankers more money so that we can borrow more for our homes, jobs and education?
I don’t understand why people listen to and follow the advice and philosophies of corporate CEOs, Bankers, Stock Brokers, Senators, and other Masters of the Universe who have always taken the results of our labors and turned them into gigantic profits for themselves and let trickle back down to the rest of us just enough to allow us to buy on credit whatever new fad they can conceive of?
I don’t understand how Joe the Plumber can think his small business will ever really be his when he needs to be in constant debt to these financiers just to stay afloat? Doesn’t he realize that the reason he needs to borrow to pay for basics to run his company is because he does not get a fair and equitable price for his labor? That for every dollar his company generates, 80 cents goes to someone else?
I don’t understand why my fellow citizens believe this system is either fair or, in the long run, good for anyone but the very wealthy? Where does he think the CEOs get their million dollars a week? Where does he think the hundreds of millions of dollars it takes to elect a bunch of senators and presidents come from? Where does he think the media sales empires, multinational corporations, drug companies, arms merchants and international financiers get their funds? Does he think that IAC CEO works so hard in one day that he personally creates $1,000,000 more in real value? I cannot comprehend that this guy who sells me cheap goods on TV makes $1,000,000 a day? How does he do that selling cameras that cost $19.95? And how much did he pay the guys who made that camera? Or the ones who worked in the mines digging up the raw materials?
I don’t understand how we can tell ourselves that we are good people who give our wealth (and our children) to bring freedom and prosperity to Iraq when we know that most of the Billions we are borrowing from China is going to benefit the Executives and stock-holders of banks who move the funds and corporations who supply the arms and sell the oil? And that none of that debt (in money or flesh) will ever be paid by those who reap the rewards?
I really don’t understand.
I don’t get it. Isn’t debt what you owe someone else? If I work hard and earn $500 a week and the cost of my home, food, clothes, transportation, insurance, education, taxes and so is $800 a week, aren’t I living beyond my means? And if my boss makes $180,000 a week and his costs come to $8,000 a week, isn’t he taking beyond his means?
I don’t understand why you call me a socialist or a communist when all I want is a fair deal? I don’t want to stop anyone from getting ahead; I simply want him not to get ahead by enslaving me with debt. I want fair value for my efforts. If you gave your child two dollars for mowing the lawn and the guy at the local stored took it all for a soda that cost him 15 cents and told your child to bring back another $1.25 tomorrow to pay what he still owed, wouldn’t you get angry? Or, would you say, “Hey, that’s free market economics. Good for all of us?” I don’t get it, it sounds like theft to me.
So, will someone please explain it to me?
Really.
I don’t understand!

Now this is an Ad!

The CEO and The Oil Man

(With sincere apologies to Lewis Carroll)












The Brokers were smiling on Wall Street,
Smiling with all their might:
They did their very best to make
The market seem smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The President was hiding sulkily,
Because he thought that Paulson
Had got no business to be there
After the trading day was done--
"It's very rude of him," he said,
"To come and spoil my fun!"

Banks were as cold as cold could be,
Their loans had all run dry.
You could not see a rising stock, because
No stock could rise:
No analysts were predicting crash
“There was no crash,” they lied.

The CEO and Oil Man
Were walking hand in hand;
They wept like anything to see
Their unregulated market end:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would still be grand!"

"If seven Democrats with seven votes
Taxed us for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Oil Man said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the CEO,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Tax Payers, come and walk with us!"
The Oil Man did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along your town’s main street:
We cannot employ you anymore,
Nor give Medicare to each."

The eldest worker looked at him,
But could only mouth a moan:
The eldest worker winked his eye,
And his head dropped in his palm
Because he knew he could not afford
To keep his mortgaged home.

But four young Workers hurried up,
Eagerly clapping hands;
Their ties were red, their buttons said,
“We love our fellow man.”
And this was odd, because, you know,
They voted Republican.

Four other Workers followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
These were the ranks of Evangelists,
All born again for sure.

The CEO and Oil Man
Walked on a mile or so,
And then checked into a top hotel
A penthouse, don’t you know?
And all the little Republicans stood
On the street below.

"The time has come," the Oil Man said,
"To talk of our investments:
Of arms--and gas--and Swiss accounts--
Of yachts--and retirements--
And why the good old days are gone--
And how to get the last few cents."

"But wait a bit," the Workers cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For most of us are out of cash,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the CEO.
They thanked him much for that.

"A piece of cake," the Oil Man said,
"Is what you chiefly need:
Some salt and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now say, “Goodbye” Workers dear,
We’ll now take our leave."

"But not of us!" the Workers cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After fighting your wars, that would be
A greedy thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Oil Man said.
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to work for us!
So very hard and long!"
The CEO said nothing but
"I think I’ll fly to Bali, want to come along?”
I’ve bought a mansion on the beach,
I got it for a song!"

"It seems a shame," the Oilman said,
"To play them such a trick,
Tell them it was right to buy and buy,
And patriotic to be in debt!"
The CEO said nothing but
"Social programs make me sick!"

"I agree with you," the Oil Man said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sent a memo,
“Fire everyone in sight!”
Then held his pocket-handkerchief
Before his gleaming eyes.

"O Workers," said the CEO,
"You've had a pleasant run!
I don’t suppose you’d like to buy?'
One more Hummer, son?
But no one answered him, of course,
For they’d ruined every one.