Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts about the news this week.

Since Osama bin Laden has been killed and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is numbered less than 100 and less than a few hundred total, exactly why are we in Afghanistan now? Didn't we just win against the terrorists who masterminded and conducted the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?

And if we won, what else beyond nation building, which clearly hasn't worked, isn't working, and won't work, is there reason to be in Afghanistan? To fight the Taliban and keep them from regaining control of the government and country? Like they can and would actually do that with all the people against them?

Are we really there to ensure a stable government will survive without our continued financial aid, military support, supplies and money, and infrastructure development? Will they ever do that and give up all that money and military support, meaning arms, weapons, training, and money?

What if we decided we're done and just left? Aren't they addicted to our money as we're addicted to their cocaine? Except we, the taxpayers, are paying the costs of both, there and here. So exactly what are we winning now?

Wal-Mart announced the "creation" of 4,000 jobs in South Caroline over the next five years when they expand their network of stores throughout the state. Really create jobs? Or will they just cause all the local business to fail keep their customes and close or go bankrupt because they can't compete with Wal-Mart for customers?

And will all those jobs be anything more that regular low-wage jobs Wal-Mart has in every store across the country? Will they really add to the economy or just replace the diversity of local businesses with one big box store which then controls the market in the area?

Is Wal-Mart's statement a new reality of the future there, all those jobs, formerly in diverse businesses with people who have the freedom to choose where they work and where they shop, now under one employer who can and will dictate terms of the employment and consumer choice in the local economy?

So in five years when all those stores are operating, how many businesses will be lost and how many employees now working for Wal-Mart, unemployed or moved away to other jobs? Will new jobs just be another job for the same people?

The breech of Sony's platstation users' accounts by professional hackers and thieves. Let's see, that's 77 million users' account information now somewhere other than Sony's database, all for sale to others. How many of those will now have to get their credit checked and have problems in the future?

Do all those 77 million people feel safe now with Sony's confidence for their computer security? And we expect anything from Congress but a lot of noise and mostly hot air about it? Like Congress can and will actually do something? And what if they did, could they do to help all those 77 million users who face credit problems from stolen accounts?

And we'll ever know who conducted the break-in and they'll ever be caught, prosecuted and sentenced? Isn't always the victims who pays in the end? The criminals rarely get caught, let alone pay for the damage done. The politicians shout about rights and protections and then do nothing. And the corporations apologize and promise, and then do nothing.

And the only one who can't do nothing is the victims. They'll always pay the price for everyone else's acts.