Pension Fund Used to Be a Nice Thing

“How are you with finances?”, a frisbee buddy asks me this evening…
thought about it for a split second, and realized “I pay attention to markets and economics, but I don’t consider it one of my strong areas”.

That said, I’m reading all these reports and articles about different companies and governments, and whenever there is a reference to pension funds or benefits for employees, it is almost always referred to as a liability… a bad thing.. a problem.

Amazing the era we live in. Where having to actually pay your retired employees the pensions they have been paying for so many years, becomes an inconvenience.. or some kind of financial kiss of death.

It’s not that I want to be completely deaf to the complications of managing big organizations and businesses, but the first thing that I think has gone horribly wrong is how we talk about pensions.. especially in media who are so often influencial in how we talk. (like that goddam troop increase they call a S—-)

The other question I have, is who the hell is messing with this money. I understand references to baby boomers, and how many people retiring at once can be alot of money to spend on benefits. Still, I see alarming and annoying details that indicate that companies and governments alike are wrongly dipping into these pension funds and using them for other things. If true — THAT — is the real crime.. the real curse that we all have to suffer.

I watched a frontline special last year about “can we afford to retire”, which spoke of how American Airlines was so plagued by its retirement payments, it found a way to basically NOT PAY many of its former employees. And apparently other companies are looking for the same rationale / loophole to do the same. Somehow we’re all supposed to take pity and allow these companies that have made millions in profit and government subsidies,
and we’ll just forgive them for defaulting on retirement funds that people have long paid for and may not survive without.

The article I mentioned was about New York City, which apparently is an exception, as it has a budget surplus. Most cities, according to the article, are in deep trouble as many city employees will soon retire and than demand their pensions. What a crazy concept, that many people might reach a certain age and retire.. at the same time.

Im being quite sarcastic, but my question is very real… what is the REAL reason pension funds are so impossible to pay? What happenned to all the money people paid into the system throughout their working lives, and why wasn’t the system properly designed so that the money wasn’t lost or squandered… but there, for when the time came?

bmtv35 After My Speech on Podjournalism

Click To Play
Earlier this month I gave a speech at the 23rd Chaos Communications Congress, as you may remember from all my posts back then. As I walked off stage I was immediately asked a bunch of questions, especially by one person who disagreed with alot of my theories and conclusions regarding citizen journalism or podjournalism, as I call it.

I’m actually quite glad to have this video to show you as I think I defend myself well and I enjoyed the challenge. People should be concerned and they should be asking questions…. I am too!

Its long but I think its interesting. filming credit to the 23C3 media crew, I compressed the video so its smaller to download. Click here for a direct download if you need it.

Fragile Continent

The following were my biggest concerns while trying to get across town during what turned out to be the worst storm of the decade in the Netherlands:

    Don’t get blown off your bike.

    Don’t get blown into a canal.

    Don’t be pushed onto oncoming traffic.

It may seem odd or stupid, but journey to and from the otherside of town featured some very scary moments where I nearly got into some terrible messes, and was indeed knocked clear off my bike. (read my story on trippist)

While the European Union recently announced some fairly lofty goals for reducing greenhouse emissions by 2020, it is very clear that whatever happens, this continent is going to suffer some very crazy weather. Some very dangerous weather.

Scanning the headlines last night, and all day today, I couldn’t believe the damage. People crushed, people blown into the ocean, into car accidents, into trees. Sure its no Tsunami or earthquake, but for a Europe that normally feels so ontop of things and ready for danger and prepared for whatever disasters, you really get a sense of how fragile everything is after a storm like this one.

No trains ran in Germany. The beautiful Hauftbahnhoft station closed down, as a huge chunk of it broke. Same here in the Netherlands. Container ships abandoned and sinking in the English channel, an oil spill in Rotterdam harbor. The list goes on and on.

We’re already paying the price for the reckless development of our ancestors, not to mention our current generation of working people. Considering all the havoc, any government that does not have a serious plan for cutting emissions and developing in a more sustainable and less polluting way, is not only stupid and dangerous… they are criminals. (no matter what continent we’re talking about)

bm179 A long term vision for Wroclaw

You may have heard the name Warsaw or even Krakow, but have you heard about the Polish city of Wroclaw? Well chances are, you will, because whether you talking culture or commerce, the city and its mayor are making waves in the European swimming pool.

My guest, on the phone from Wroclaw, Poland, is Agnieszka. She is one of the very busy people who, I’m convinced, are driving the city’s dynamic art scene to international recognition. (read about the upcoming 12th International Media Art Biennale WRO 07)

We discuss:
– What is unique and what is important to know, when it comes to this city.
– History of Wroclaw, the changes over the past century
– Mayor Rafa? Dutkiewicz, coming to power, and his plans for the city
– Working with the mayor
– His famous and unorthodox campaign to reach polish emigrants, in places like the UK
– Who is investing in the city and what jobs will there be
– The longterm possibilities
– The independent thinking republic of wroclaw
– and more, listen to the program.

Some audio from Bill Moyers as well, to start it off right.

It ain’t easy being a podjournalist

A string of delays, ignored requests, and busy guests have impeded my programs lately. Which seriously reminds me of the trials and tribulations of pushing to be an independent alternative reporter or news analyst or commentator, or whatever it is you feel like calling this thing I call podjournalism.

I took a decent amount of well deserved heat after my presentation in Berlin. Mostly from people who defended traditional media and the profession of journalism. They didn’t like or agree with how I callously dismissed the entire media industry. A swiss journalist scolded me the second I opened it up to comments, and I didn’t even have a chance to respond. Later, a more open minded german guy came over and politely debated the issue with me outside the big auditorium of the convention hall. That was a good discussion.. and he made some good points as well as arguements against my theories. (somebody recorded it, but it doesn’t seem to be finable on the web yet)

So what I really left out of my crazy presentation was the value of some journalism of the conventional kind. Especially from the alternative realm, where my heros like Newfield, Mailer, Stone, etc came from, and where so many of my present-day favorites still work.

I mention all this because moments like this, where it seems impossible to finish a program Im working on, or get someone to talk to me over the phone, or just get an email response saying “yes” or “no”, I remember how hard it has always been for journalists. And then I think about how even harder it is for a guy who publishes his work on his own site under the title “Bicyclemark’s Communique”.

In the end they’ll have to get used to me… because I’ll keep poking around, I’ll keep emailing, and if they don’t like the look of the website or my candid personal tone… tough shit, you’re looking at the future baby.

Iraqi Swedes

I’ve been up to my neck in research for the next Eclectic Newsbrief, (which is now hosted by Madge Weinstein!), and the topic that I most enjoyed was that of the huge influx of Iraqis in Sweden! Yes… Sweden!

Some fascinating developments. First of all, almost 9,000 Iraqi’s applied for asylum there last year…a huge increase over the 3,000+ in 2005. Also… Sweden accounts for half of all the Iraqi’s who have sought asylum from their imploding country in the European Union.

Also, browsing through the PEW website which is the greatest source for info about people everywhere, they pointed to a NY times article that stated compared to the US, Sweden – home to 9 million people- has opened its doors to BY FAR more Iraqi’s over the past few years.

Now hooray for Sweden, no doubt about it. I read all about the services, on the Swedish migration board website, they’re working on providing to the huge number of Iraqi’s coming to the country. A wonderful thing for both Sweden and the Iraqi’s.

On the other hand.. whats with the US government? They send troops to supposedly die for Iraq. They spend mountains of money on Iraq. They talk a mighty talk about how hopeful they are for the country. How about opening the doors to more Iraqi refugees than say… Sweden?

Lastly.. its also not a proud spot for crazy governments like the Netherlands and Denmark who have now made it famously difficult to be welcome as a refugee from anywhere.