Grandpa Jim & Little Jimmy

 

Talk to the animals

 

 

       

 

This past month I have had some wonderful personal conversations and feed back about my opinions published in the Newton Dailey News and the Newton Independent.  So far no one wishes to have me keelhauled or drawn and quartered or placed in a courthouse stockade.  

 

 What I have failed to realize is our merchants are gagged and can not respond to any opinions of mine or others. 

 

  If we are ever to have an open dialogue in the Newton Dailey News or The Newton Independent, merchants and political leaders should have IDs of Unknown codes. Yet, if my suggestion fails to be one of lack of honor it should be trashed.

 

I do wish to express my feelings but if others are gagged in fear of the loss of votes, business or creditability it is only a pointing of fingers and this is not my wish.

 

Let me share a little of one of my conversations with a mix of business people & ordinary people who share some of my thoughts but not all and feel a little gagged. 

 

More than one business person gave me this expression; I would like to respond and write about the subjects you speak, however I am a business man and do not dare to do so.  Then what often was said, you need to write about the individual purpose of each of us as part of our society. 

 

I liked what he said, because it was truthful. 

 

In other words if you are a human you should wish to be the most successful and as wealthy as possible, as a dog you might love to chase cats and cats love to chase and play with little things like mice, if you are a mouse you love to steal the food from the cupboards or even play with your food before you eat it.  If you are a bug you are what your are!  

 

So my dear friends what are you a dog a cat or perhaps a mouse or other?

 

I am so sorry that I have left out the wolves, tigers, bears hawks, doves and Bigfoot too.

 

So my friends what I try to communicate is a possible truth about us all.

 

James Wilson McKinstry

Dysfunctional letter continued

   

Thursday March 31, 2011 I wrote a letter with the given Title “Dysfunction runs rampant in the United States”.  First and foremost I was not just speaking of just the United States or our year 2011.  If you look into our world histories, dysfunctional people and societies have been around for a very long time.  One only needs to read the histories of religions and governments to understand how dysfunctional many of those societies, leaders and people were and some still are.  It seems we people continue to do about the same dysfunctional acts generation after generation. 

 

Consider if you are hooked on drugs or alcohol, would you allow someone else to destroy your life the way you are?

 

Also for those that say let the city, state or government pay for it, where do you think that money comes from, the great speckled bird in the sky?

 

If we wish to destroy ourselves as well as have all of the FREEBIES from our cities, states, counties and government I think we need to recognize we are actually asking for tax increases.   Many of our politicians wish to full fill all of our desires and not disappoint us and there by lose votes.  So they tell us what we want to hear and try to provide it.

 

A couple of other dysfunctional activities that bother me, why dose our cities states government’s subsidize many companies and also collect little or no tax dollars from them.  Why is that?  I just heard through one reliable source that Whirlpool is lobbying to be excused from paying taxes. 

 

Many companies in my opinion are threatening cities and states to pick up their marbles and go else where if they are taxed or too much and do not receive special consessions.   It seems to me we are returning to the days of owing our souls to the company stores. 

 

My thanks to those who shared a few feelings about the dysfunctional things they see.  I also thank those that disagreed with me believing our human nature leans towards dysfunctional ways no matter what we are taught and it is our worst enemy.  What do you think?

 

James Wilson McKinstry

 

World Disasters

  

 

Today our world seems to be in a disaster mode of natural causes and many are self inflected.  Many years ago one of my bosses once told me if you know “the problem” it can fixed.  If we use ourselves and families as an example, our disasters become a little simpler to understand.  Consider when a young couple gets married they pretty much believed the good fairy put toothpaste in the bathroom and food in the refrigerator.  Then  the baby or babies arrive.  The “Money Tree” (Mom & Dad ) is drying up or should be.  This young couple must now grow it’s own money tree and often in today’s time requires that both parents to work.  Before we marry we can be selfish and do pretty much what we wish, but when two lives are melted together, this all changes quickly.  To frequently young individuals starting out in life believe they can continue with their selfish childish ways. 

 

The same is true in politics in my opinion.  The Republicans, Democrats and all other parties fight mostly for the agendas of their parties.  Is this not similar to the selfishness that lives in many families thus the family is not well cared for.  In the case of our politicians and administrations the same is true their selfish party agendas prevent caring for the American people.  The same holds true with other countries don’t you think?  We are however at a point realizing if one country fails we all will feel the repercussions.

 

My question is; “Why is greed, credit, stealing and complacency running our world and America in the ground? 

 

Unions are most certainly needed to protect people from the greed of owners of companies and most certainly the overpaid CEO who attempts to deliver nice profits to stockholders or their own pockets.  It is to bad complacency and greed runs wild with individuals, unions and the business world including utility companies.  Alas this is our nature like wolves or dogs fighting over a chunk of meat.

 

Perhaps we have more bullies and dictators in the world than we think, starting in our own homes. Some one always wishes to control the other.  

 

James Wilson McKinstry

Politics and the financial world

    

Forgive me folks but I have been giving a little thought as to why many of our political leaders on both sides of the political fence either Democrat, Republican and other parties that are trying to get a piece of the pie would do the same or worse. 

 

All of America is being auctioned off to the highest bidder by those in the financial world while many of our elected officials feather their prospective nests not wishing to prosecute those that may eventually pay them well for their turning heads to their financial crimes against this country and it’s people.

 

“Our God Bless America standards” are slipping away not by little bits but by landsides caused by greedy people who should be protecting us and this country instead of snuggling up to the financial crooks of our world.  

 

Slavery, War and complacency have always been a part of our world and regretfully __ I believe they always will.  So my friends “buckle up” swallow hard, bite the bullet and/or pick other quotes that are appropriate.  This path we are on is going to be a hard ride and if you are hoping for any particular administration to stop the demise of America as it was supposed to be, you are living in a dream world.

 However there is hope __ Pull you head out of the sand and speak out or up for what you believe.

 

James Wilson McKinstry

This is not a Christmas question or is it?

  

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?  This is not a Christmas question, or is it?

 

If I were younger I would not wish to be a newsperson or a weatherman, they are most often blamed for the weather, and if they are wrong, they are called IDIOTS!  I also would do everything I could do to keep myself from being a politician.   However I might take a good look at being a CEO of a large company with many lobbyists under my control sucking up to our political leaders for favors and such.  Nope! I would not like to be a CEO over anything but my home and family.

 

Being CEO over a family is a tough job no matter if you are a single female or a father and mother struggling to make ends meet to support the family.  

 

The bonuses of a CEO over their family most certainly receives no monetary bonuses each year for doing a good job of keeping the family housed, intact, clothed and fed.  The best the CEO of family can hope for are those loving hugs on not only Christmas morning but through the year.

 

This is the best I can do for a Christmas letter to all of you.  Be a great CEO to your family!

I love the holidays

   

Are some people Myth - ing something?  This old world of ours is full of Myths I wonder what our world would be like if it were not for Myths.   If you were a Mythologist like say Joseph Campbell, would you say Myths are very important to our society or would you try to prove Myths are harmful and damaging to us? 

 

So far to my knowledge no one has proven any Myth to be a real happening have they?  Myths require a great faith from deep within each of us don’t they?  With out our faith a Myth would most certainly disappear in a very short time wouldn’t it?   While it is true that some Myths would not be missed, there are statistics that prove some Myths help maintain a solid social structure. 

 

We do not need to have faith in our civil laws, we know for a fact if we break a civil law there will be punishment once caught.  However this does not deter everyone from breaking our civil commandments (Laws), does it?  I believe in a higher court as well as our civil one.

 

In my lifetime I have seen many people and organizations trying to bring certain Myths or beliefs to an end and they still use war, terrorism and our courts or leaders to kill a Myth, why is that?   If a belief is just a Myth what are some people afraid of? 

 

I am very thankful for Santa and Merry Christ – Myth

James Wilson McKinstry

We must put our bitterness, anger behind and move forward

     

America and towns like Newton, Iowa have made it through many changes or became Ghost Towns.  For those towns and people who do survive these changes thier lives will be altered forever. 

 

It is 3:35 AM and my mind is flipping back over all that I have lived and what I have written to the Medias opinion pages over the years.  None of those words mean or do much to solve any of those issues, yet here I am again struggling with another expression letter to the Medias.

 

I have watched the 60 minute segment several times, it has rekindled many memories of mine.  Now I find myself writing another letter that no doubt only helps me vent and express.  I also ask myself should I copy this letter to a few of our political leaders, but I think what good will that do?

 

I have seen many factories leave Newton, Iowa and surrounding areas.  Three of those factories employed me, Parsons, Farmhand, and Maytag.  The factories that left Newton and surrounding areas should have been red flags of warning.  I would still like to see a study or investigation into the demise of Maytag.  I am sure it would be a great read!

 

In watching 60 minutes, I remember what it was like when I was a supervisor at Parsons company and had to tell many of the 60 men who worked for me they were going to be laid off.  I hated that feeling in the pit of my stomach.   Today big business feels no compassion towards communities.  Somehow as a community we must put the bitterness and anger behind us and move forward.   As for our people & small business that are now struggling to survive it will require solid plans and support and for some they will close their doors. 

 

I have written that we should not be bribing companies for our jobs and I still believe that as billions of tax dollars are to corporate welfare.  One person wrote to me “Capitalism is a wonderful thing."  He also said; "Well-managed municipalities use tax incentives and deferments rather than actual dollars to entice Companies.”  He is correct!  I would like to see our banks do a better job helping the small companies and our government put the billions of corporate welfare money into the small business area rather than major gluten companies.  One reference is at: http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa225.html

I love my family home town, country and the 4th of July

   

For those who know me, this read is not new.  I try to write what I feel and believe to be true real and what I hope I might stir your thoughts.

Independence Day is another one of those special days, bringing memories of my father and many others who serve or have served our United States of America. Service of our country is not always served on battle fields. Each and every day some police officer, fireman or one in public office from the smallest to the top of the ladder serves our country. I never had to go to war as my father did, or put myself in harms way in law enforcement or as a fireman. Most of these men do not brag about how they served us, and those that do not serve us as they should are the first to toot their own horn.

I enjoyed our Newton parade and celebration very much. I feel I conducted myself well by visiting with friends, eating as much food as I could to the verge of bursting. I took a few photos so I might enjoy or share them a little later in a slide show or album.

As the American flag passed me, my hand found my heart in a civilian salute and as some retired military men passed I found my military salute happening with not even thinking about it. I was also pleased to see a book signing of the book, "Profiles of Valor," by Dennis H. Black. In my book, histories of family and country should be saved, even if we have a skeleton or two in our closets. In my opinion, too much family or national history and photos hit burn piles or boxes. Every one of us has the ability to be a proud, brave and honorable American.

It did sadden me a little as I looked around at a few with their backs to our flag continuing to talk. I wondered, are there those that do not care or hear the songs that were playing about America? Then, when the parade was over, as always too much trash laid on our streets for others to pick up. The horses in the parade could not help themselves and did drop do-do. However, right behind the horse and wagon was a human with good horse sense - and shoveled it up.

James Wilson McKinstry
Newton

Slavery still lives

  It seems to me, many lies or at least miss information is being told to we the people!

I met another old friend today, she lost her life because of the hardness and greed of those who were on the board of Maytag and perhaps the miss management of the Maytag company along with what some believe to be a planned handing of the keys and fate of many people to Whirlpool. 

I will not mention this ladies name or the small company she now works for because she would be fired from the seven dollar an hour job she now has and needs with out health insurance!  My friends get this through your heads – UNEMPLOYMENT is not down and it is not getting better!

I believe we all know this new messed up world of ours is not a simple one.  Take for example our phone companies.  I would almost rejoice to bring back the old hand crank “Hello Operator” instead of no answers or service.  You know what I am talking about punch 1 – 2- or 20 to 40 to find a real person or real help.

While I am on my rant; our sadistic financial world still reminds me of and is "Robbing Peter to pay Paul"! Peter does not like it at all!  (I am one of those little Peters’) Ho! Ho!

My thoughts are: Our governmental bodies give companies money in several different ways to provide jobs or other services.  The people that are hired by these companies are actually paying taxes to provide a job for themselves. (How nice!) 

The companies that provide the jobs then sell stock to people who wish to receive large amounts of pay back from their stock purchases. Take for example my favorite whipping post “Whirlpool”. They are taking from the blue collar and governmental bodies and giving to the Stockholder and the CEO’s high returns!

I am wondering at this time if the Manufacturing and other self serving Company  trend’s  like TPI's wind energy venture in Sioux City and Newton are scams, or in other words are we the people providing the tax money to provide our selves with jobs?  To me this seems to have flaws.

I see this maneuver to be a little like sneaking into your neighbor’s garage or home and helping yourself.

While I am on my rant, I do believe too many people are stealing from Peter and I think are living off of the dollars of tomorrow (CREDIT)

I personally believe “SLAVERY” still lives!  The difference is our chains of today are connected world wide!  Like it or not false hype or fairy tales in my opinion will not pull us out of this mess!  We are all going to need too tighten the belt and reach for truth and communicate honestly as to what each of us must face!  This I do not believe is happening!

James Wilson McKinstry