I have had the genesis of an idea for sometime now that's crystallized into a cogent theory...
It is my opinion that there is an inverse relationship between the distance from the person that literally sweats and earns money and the efficiency of earned money when it's spent.
Here's what I mean; If I sweat/exert/strive/plow-ahead/endeavor/create or otherwise conduct 'work' in exchange for compensation you can be darned sure that I'm going to be careful about how I spend the money I earn. It will be spent efficiently and not wasted. If I give my earnings to my spouse he/she will have many reasons to also be careful, but it is likely that the scrutiny and precision of the spend will not be as precise as mine was. If I give my money to my kids, further slippage, to other family members, the perceived need to be careful and diligent slips a bit more, when I give my sweat/$ to taxes the accountability really begins to taper off, but if it's local taxes I at least have the potential for some influence on the spend, when the taxes are not local, even less, finally when the collective money from an entire society is pooled and shipped overseas to other places you can be sure that the efficiency and attention to details is far, far removed from the careful use that the original earners would have employed.
I think of it like this, a simple bar graph, on the vertical axis is distance from "sweater" the one who actually exerts the effort in the first place to create wealth at the top of the graph signifying distance/displacement from said person and on the horizontal axis starting in the bottom corner with maximum possible efficiency and accountability stretching right to infinity for no accountability/no efficiency/no idea how money is spent and/or lost. On the chart two lines begin in the lower right corner. The two lines form a big letter "X", i.e. the further removed the "spender" is from the original "earner" the less accountability/efficiency will occur.
Anyone care to challenge me on this hypothesis?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Fed Govt vs. FarmVille
Executive Branch targets threat to American Prosperity, Farm Ville
Transcript of White House Press Conference, August 10th, 2010
Good Evening my fellow Americans. This evening I have a matter of grave and historic importance to apprise you of. Having now begun my second half century on earth it would be audacious of me to not attend to every imaginable trifling nuisance that might behalf my fellow citizens. It is the role of government to not merely spread the wealth around, but to also spread the pain around, in the interests of fairness. For far too long a privileged few in our society have reaped rewards off the backs of the disenfranchised. This inequity will not stand on my watch and I fully intend to ensure that every American has an equal portion of pain and suffering and that no group will be exempt from this mutual experience. While many millions around the world toil in nameless, obscurity Americans for generations have blithely shouldered on enjoying the fruits of others labors. Some would say that American ingenuity, hard work and perseverance have made a better world, I say it is a dream yet unfilled. Under my tutelage this potential will be tapped, poured out, shared and given as communion, to the community of man throughout the world, let us herald in a new day, a new beginning. It is with these noble, epic virtuous plans in mind that I've convened this evening an august body of key advisers that collectively are will be known as the Presidential Executive Czars Keeping Everything Regulated.
It has come to my attention that the unemployment ratios in the country today, while not sufficiently accounting for millions of jobs that I've actually saved during my tenure, have lagged the actual robust improvements in our economy. Sure, it's tempting to think that if your family is not working that the economy has not rebounded but it is my role, as your benevolent leader to help you understand that even though I inherited the worst economy since Biblical times and an array of pestilence unheralded in the history of humanity, things are actually looking up. The vile, corporately malfeasance oil leak in the gulf has been plugged by virtue of our pressure on BP and now I will ensure that several other critical issues are corrected prior to this winter's mid-term election, [excuse me, psst, Rahm, I TOLD you to change that line on the TelePrompTer, it should say prior to my family's vacation, not the mid-term election! ] Where was I? Oh, yes I see it now...
I've been advised by my outgoing Chair of Economic Advisers that far too many of our fellow citizens have given up on their formerly rigorous job searches opting instead to avail themselves of aggressive pressure on Congress to perpetually extend unemployment benefits while they kick back with their bottles of YooHoo and play Farm Ville on their wide screens and i-phones. This is simply unacceptable and these energies, this creativity must be tapped for the good of society and Americans need to get back to work. In coming weeks efforts to harness this wasted energy will become obvious but tonight I've assembled my Council to let you know some of the things that you can anticipate moving forward.
I will introduce each member of the council and they will give you a high level overview of directives, executive orders and other means of coercion and re-education that are being rolled out for your benefit, naturally this is a telecast so there will be no follow-on questions. Leading off is my Deputy Assistant National Director Environmental Laws Invoking Online Neutrality, Hugh B. Riss.
Thank you Mr. President, It has come to our attention via our surveillance of online activity afforded us by the Patriot Act that far too many Americans are spending untold hours in wasted diversionary entertainment when they could be gainfully employed or at a minimum doing charitable volunteer work. This resource and bandwidth squandering is simply unacceptable and will be corrected. In the interests of group safety and with an eye towards future real-world activities we are imposing new corrective measures on these activities. Effective immediately and retroactive to January 1st, 2010 each crop and animal displayed on a user's Farm on Farm Ville will incur a surcharge of one cent, per item, per day. This charge will be doubled if the item is deleted or changed and trebled if the item is moved, altered, folded, spindled or mutilated more than three times in any rolling seven day period. Don't worry about filling out paperwork, by virtue of the government's teamwork with the largest banks and credit card companies and with the cooperation of the Census Department we have you covered, and don't think you can just get in your car and drive away, we're watching you there also.
Thank you Hugh, now let's hear from my gal at the EPA, Lisa?
Thank you Mr. President, Lisa couldn't make it this evening, she's under the weather, with a touch of carbon dioxide but I'm covering for her, Beaux Lee Hyper from Thibodeux, Lousisana.
Of course, Beaux, welcome back from the bayou, what can you tell us about the oil spill progress?
Mr. President I'm pleased to report that due to your administration's efforts the sun is shining, bird are returning, turtles are cavorting and the walruses are luxuriating again in the bayou.
Excellent! now bring us up to speed on what the EPA is doing with Farm Ville.
The EPA stands guard protecting not just Endangered Species but wetlands, forests and all nature of flaura and fauna. It's come to our attention that Farm Ville users are vastly over cultivating their land and this implants an unrealistically aggressive posture should these same citizens attempt to work real farms in a similar manner. As you know the EPA has recently pushed to include farm dust as a recognized pollutant and if any real world farms were worked as feverishly as these online farms, I shudder to think of the burden on our air, water and resources. Effective immediately and retroactive to April 1st, 2010 any plot of land on a Farm Ville Farm that is improved, plowed, planted, harvested, evolved, amended, re-colored, moved or untouched will incur a one cent per day surcharge with proceeds benefiting the Minority Owned Benevolent Landscapers Incorporating New Growers.
Excellent! Now let's hear from Commerce, Ms. Hood?
Thank you your honor, I mean Mr. President. We have determined that the amount of commerce and interstate economic activity generated in Farm Ville activities is on a scale that dwarfs the GDP of more than half the G8 countries. Russia has suspended wheat exports, Canadian crops received too much water and meanwhile our sedentary citizens churn trillions of dollars in Farm Ville coinage and Experience Points while not actually experiencing anything meaningful. I'd like to take a moment to extend kudos from our office to the office of the First Lady in our efforts to help get these kids off their posteriors and become actively active again.
Thank you, I'll let Michelle know when she gets back from Spain. But what are we doing about it?
Effective immediately, and retroactive to April 15th, 2010 each one dollar of FarmVille coinage earned, saved or spent in any transaction will incur a 1% surcharge in legal tender, spend a FarmVille dollar and a penny will be automatically transferred from the users' personal checking and or savings account to the cooperative fund administered by the Bipartisan Landscape Administration Collective Knowledge Helping Oversee Legal Enforcement.
Thank you Robyn for that update, now to close us out, let's hear from our illustrious Secretary of State, my former foil and potentially future number two, your friend and mine, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Madame Secretary, if you please.
Thank you Barack, but the bow is unnecessary, really. As you know I'm just back from the far corners of the earth where our diplomatic efforts are bearing fruit and I've got a whole load of plowshares on my plane that need a home. If your plane is not being used by your dog, perhaps we can get them delivered....
Ahem, continue please.
My fellow Americans, I've been hard at work, mending fences, making treaties, rattling sabers and throwing rice, but one thing I know, while American children and ne'er do well layabouts in this country are playing Farm Ville most of the rest of the world would be happy to have actual clean water, crops to grow and eat and a nice puppy to play with. You want Hope? You want Change? We're tired of hoping you'll change, and so we're bringing the change to you. Any Farm Ville users found to be spending in excess of 40 hours week for six or more consecutive weeks on this Game will automatically be enrolled in AmeriCorps and be assigned real world domestic work on a farm or cooperative in rural America. This will serve the dual purpose of lessening the attraction for undocumented workers from abroad taking American jobs and increase tax rolls for the Greater Good of the Society. Any user found to be engaging in a foreign language, such as "Ola" or "Bon Jour" while playing Farm Ville will be understood to be requesting service with an international posting as determined by the State Department, we need folks especially in Afghanistan and Iraq who are good with their hands and have time on their hands. We will be in touch. Any student who becomes delinquent on their Federally funded Student Loans will have the option of either a domestic or international posting, we'll let you know where you will be going. Imagine the joy of Seeing the World while helping your country. As an aside, the top users of Mafia Wars will be inducted into service with the CIA for some vital but less public assignments that we have a need for also.
Wow, thank you Ms. Clinton, that's enough now. So that's it for tonight folks, remember your government is working for you. Don't worry about where to bank, who will carry your house note, who will build your car, what job you should do or how you should spend your leisure time, remember, we're here always looking out for you.
God Bless America and Good Night,
Transcript of White House Press Conference, August 10th, 2010
Good Evening my fellow Americans. This evening I have a matter of grave and historic importance to apprise you of. Having now begun my second half century on earth it would be audacious of me to not attend to every imaginable trifling nuisance that might behalf my fellow citizens. It is the role of government to not merely spread the wealth around, but to also spread the pain around, in the interests of fairness. For far too long a privileged few in our society have reaped rewards off the backs of the disenfranchised. This inequity will not stand on my watch and I fully intend to ensure that every American has an equal portion of pain and suffering and that no group will be exempt from this mutual experience. While many millions around the world toil in nameless, obscurity Americans for generations have blithely shouldered on enjoying the fruits of others labors. Some would say that American ingenuity, hard work and perseverance have made a better world, I say it is a dream yet unfilled. Under my tutelage this potential will be tapped, poured out, shared and given as communion, to the community of man throughout the world, let us herald in a new day, a new beginning. It is with these noble, epic virtuous plans in mind that I've convened this evening an august body of key advisers that collectively are will be known as the Presidential Executive Czars Keeping Everything Regulated.
It has come to my attention that the unemployment ratios in the country today, while not sufficiently accounting for millions of jobs that I've actually saved during my tenure, have lagged the actual robust improvements in our economy. Sure, it's tempting to think that if your family is not working that the economy has not rebounded but it is my role, as your benevolent leader to help you understand that even though I inherited the worst economy since Biblical times and an array of pestilence unheralded in the history of humanity, things are actually looking up. The vile, corporately malfeasance oil leak in the gulf has been plugged by virtue of our pressure on BP and now I will ensure that several other critical issues are corrected prior to this winter's mid-term election, [excuse me, psst, Rahm, I TOLD you to change that line on the TelePrompTer, it should say prior to my family's vacation, not the mid-term election! ] Where was I? Oh, yes I see it now...
I've been advised by my outgoing Chair of Economic Advisers that far too many of our fellow citizens have given up on their formerly rigorous job searches opting instead to avail themselves of aggressive pressure on Congress to perpetually extend unemployment benefits while they kick back with their bottles of YooHoo and play Farm Ville on their wide screens and i-phones. This is simply unacceptable and these energies, this creativity must be tapped for the good of society and Americans need to get back to work. In coming weeks efforts to harness this wasted energy will become obvious but tonight I've assembled my Council to let you know some of the things that you can anticipate moving forward.
I will introduce each member of the council and they will give you a high level overview of directives, executive orders and other means of coercion and re-education that are being rolled out for your benefit, naturally this is a telecast so there will be no follow-on questions. Leading off is my Deputy Assistant National Director Environmental Laws Invoking Online Neutrality, Hugh B. Riss.
Thank you Mr. President, It has come to our attention via our surveillance of online activity afforded us by the Patriot Act that far too many Americans are spending untold hours in wasted diversionary entertainment when they could be gainfully employed or at a minimum doing charitable volunteer work. This resource and bandwidth squandering is simply unacceptable and will be corrected. In the interests of group safety and with an eye towards future real-world activities we are imposing new corrective measures on these activities. Effective immediately and retroactive to January 1st, 2010 each crop and animal displayed on a user's Farm on Farm Ville will incur a surcharge of one cent, per item, per day. This charge will be doubled if the item is deleted or changed and trebled if the item is moved, altered, folded, spindled or mutilated more than three times in any rolling seven day period. Don't worry about filling out paperwork, by virtue of the government's teamwork with the largest banks and credit card companies and with the cooperation of the Census Department we have you covered, and don't think you can just get in your car and drive away, we're watching you there also.
Thank you Hugh, now let's hear from my gal at the EPA, Lisa?
Thank you Mr. President, Lisa couldn't make it this evening, she's under the weather, with a touch of carbon dioxide but I'm covering for her, Beaux Lee Hyper from Thibodeux, Lousisana.
Of course, Beaux, welcome back from the bayou, what can you tell us about the oil spill progress?
Mr. President I'm pleased to report that due to your administration's efforts the sun is shining, bird are returning, turtles are cavorting and the walruses are luxuriating again in the bayou.
Excellent! now bring us up to speed on what the EPA is doing with Farm Ville.
The EPA stands guard protecting not just Endangered Species but wetlands, forests and all nature of flaura and fauna. It's come to our attention that Farm Ville users are vastly over cultivating their land and this implants an unrealistically aggressive posture should these same citizens attempt to work real farms in a similar manner. As you know the EPA has recently pushed to include farm dust as a recognized pollutant and if any real world farms were worked as feverishly as these online farms, I shudder to think of the burden on our air, water and resources. Effective immediately and retroactive to April 1st, 2010 any plot of land on a Farm Ville Farm that is improved, plowed, planted, harvested, evolved, amended, re-colored, moved or untouched will incur a one cent per day surcharge with proceeds benefiting the Minority Owned Benevolent Landscapers Incorporating New Growers.
Excellent! Now let's hear from Commerce, Ms. Hood?
Thank you your honor, I mean Mr. President. We have determined that the amount of commerce and interstate economic activity generated in Farm Ville activities is on a scale that dwarfs the GDP of more than half the G8 countries. Russia has suspended wheat exports, Canadian crops received too much water and meanwhile our sedentary citizens churn trillions of dollars in Farm Ville coinage and Experience Points while not actually experiencing anything meaningful. I'd like to take a moment to extend kudos from our office to the office of the First Lady in our efforts to help get these kids off their posteriors and become actively active again.
Thank you, I'll let Michelle know when she gets back from Spain. But what are we doing about it?
Effective immediately, and retroactive to April 15th, 2010 each one dollar of FarmVille coinage earned, saved or spent in any transaction will incur a 1% surcharge in legal tender, spend a FarmVille dollar and a penny will be automatically transferred from the users' personal checking and or savings account to the cooperative fund administered by the Bipartisan Landscape Administration Collective Knowledge Helping Oversee Legal Enforcement.
Thank you Robyn for that update, now to close us out, let's hear from our illustrious Secretary of State, my former foil and potentially future number two, your friend and mine, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Madame Secretary, if you please.
Thank you Barack, but the bow is unnecessary, really. As you know I'm just back from the far corners of the earth where our diplomatic efforts are bearing fruit and I've got a whole load of plowshares on my plane that need a home. If your plane is not being used by your dog, perhaps we can get them delivered....
Ahem, continue please.
My fellow Americans, I've been hard at work, mending fences, making treaties, rattling sabers and throwing rice, but one thing I know, while American children and ne'er do well layabouts in this country are playing Farm Ville most of the rest of the world would be happy to have actual clean water, crops to grow and eat and a nice puppy to play with. You want Hope? You want Change? We're tired of hoping you'll change, and so we're bringing the change to you. Any Farm Ville users found to be spending in excess of 40 hours week for six or more consecutive weeks on this Game will automatically be enrolled in AmeriCorps and be assigned real world domestic work on a farm or cooperative in rural America. This will serve the dual purpose of lessening the attraction for undocumented workers from abroad taking American jobs and increase tax rolls for the Greater Good of the Society. Any user found to be engaging in a foreign language, such as "Ola" or "Bon Jour" while playing Farm Ville will be understood to be requesting service with an international posting as determined by the State Department, we need folks especially in Afghanistan and Iraq who are good with their hands and have time on their hands. We will be in touch. Any student who becomes delinquent on their Federally funded Student Loans will have the option of either a domestic or international posting, we'll let you know where you will be going. Imagine the joy of Seeing the World while helping your country. As an aside, the top users of Mafia Wars will be inducted into service with the CIA for some vital but less public assignments that we have a need for also.
Wow, thank you Ms. Clinton, that's enough now. So that's it for tonight folks, remember your government is working for you. Don't worry about where to bank, who will carry your house note, who will build your car, what job you should do or how you should spend your leisure time, remember, we're here always looking out for you.
God Bless America and Good Night,
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