Sex, Lies & Videotape: Intolerance and Hypocrisy March 26
My Current List of People who “suck”: Michael Moore, Michael Bloomberg, Eliot Spitzer & Tom Jaffee of 8 Minute Dating
People who do NOT suck: Daniel Patrick Moynihan (The Late & Great American)
“May you live in interesting times” is an ancient Chinese curse/proverb and line from the movie “Disclosure” staring Demi Moore and Michael Douglas which came out at the height of the Technology Boom in the 1990’s. How true this sentiment rings today. There is an undercurrent of instabilty, insecurity or at least uncertainty permeating the local economy. So many factors are at play. The United States is at War, Wall Street is in disarray, the local economy is otherwise in the dumpster having yet to recover from 9/11, unemployment rates approximate nearly 10% in New York City while the “underemployment” rate is considerably higher and the downtown rebuilding effort has not yet begun. Oy vey!
It seems predictable but nevertheless ironic that the only businesses which appear to be thriving are mortgage refinancings, commercial lease restructurings, the bankruptcy and turn around business, the need to drink and drink heavily at bars and lounges all over the city. The latter likely are thriving as a result for our need to otherwise forget the surreal times which we find ourselves living in.
While it is not my intent or suggestion to stifle debate, these are times which call for community and consensus building, thoughtful but rational introspection and pragmatism of all. New Yorkers, Americans and our leaders; not just political but also those in business as well as those who represent our culture have a higher duty to engage in behavior and conduct which is supportive of our way of life and the freedoms which we enjoy. As Abraham Lincoln once said,”A house divided cannot stand.”
Yet despite 9/11 the attack on “Americanism” continues unabated. It was under attack, from within and outside this country preceding and continuing after 9/11. The growing, not declining, global Islamic threat has united with other forces which are inherently in conflict with American/Western Values. It’s all too obvious to everyone except perhaps that na�ve, self righteous and cowardly Hollywood crowd symbolized best by Michael Moore (and his ilk: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Martin Sheen etc) who are behind the Fashionably Misguided Ant-War Movement. They are an irresponsible minority and certainly not the majority as much as they may have annointed themselves to be.
If you think that those united against “Americanism” do not realize or believe that the best way to undermine the preeminence in the world is to align with all those interests which are inherently in conflict with our way of life, think again. Unless you think its just random coincidence the Muslims, Socialists, Communists, Anti-American sympathizers, EU Centric governments (France & Germany) all seem to be aligned against us. Any one of those movements alone is insufficient to undermine the “American Ideal” which is still the greatest living experience. Utopia’s do not exist. This is an imperfect world and we are an imperfect society�but we continue to evolve whereas those on the radical left continue to spew the same hateful intolerant propaganda against centrist democracy, capitalism and freedom. The ultimate irony is that those who have the most to gain from sexual and religious freedom are the same ones who seem ignorant about the bedfellows they choose in undermining the American way of life.
In summary, why do I highlight the above listed Americans as people who “suck.” Let me start with the least offensive first, Michael Bloomberg. Mr. Bloomberg is basically a Limousine Liberal Democrat who reincarnated himself as Rockefeller Republican. He pragamtically aligned himself with a gentler kindler “Guiliani” philosophy. Symbolic acts which make me suspect of Mr. Bloomberg are his embrace of Al Sharpton immediately after being elected and subsequent single minded focus on eliminating smoking from Lounges and Bars. Were these the most important issues facing New Yorkers post Giuliani? Furthermore, he did not actively engage in a debate with the Democratic City Council and his friend Gifford Miller who along with City Council approved a resolution essentially condemning war in Iraq. That is not the kind of support that will help us win the war against terror.
Mr. Bloomberg is otherwise a nice pleasant man, but you sir are no Rudolph Guiliani. I know Rudolph Guiliani, he was a friend of intelligent New Yorkers who took their city back from Tammany Hall politics. Sir, you are not him. As a non-smoker but social libertarian and pro-business conservative, the wrong thing to do to a semi-stable lounge and nightlife business was to undermine their ability to provide the freedom to smoke to their patrons.
Michael Moore is as irrelevant as his views are dangerous should anyone listen to him. Read Debbie Schlussels column, “The Moore the Scarier.”
Eliot Spitzer is is a self righteous, smug, self promoting, disengenuous, grandstanding, opportunistic miguided crusader who’s ambition for higher office was never more clear than the day he announced he was running for Attorney General. His issue? The corruption of Wall Street and his positioning himself as a savior & White Knight while essentially blackmailing and condemning them publically at a time of tremendous economic vulnerability. He may have considered working with regulators and the Industry in a cooperative fashion rather than promoting himself at the expense of creating further insecurity and doubt about the health of the financial markets. His actions made things worse, not better. In fact, one noted commentator labeled him The Wall Street Thug.
Why Tom Jaffee? Simply put, he is an “Imitator” and not an “Innovator” who’s business is a derivative and poorly run parody of the the Speeddating concept. 8 Minute Dating even appears to have derived their cocktail “logo” from Hurry Date. Speeddating was founded & created by AISH an international Jewish educational network, which still owns the service mark Speeddating. Speeddating has no affiliation with the McDonald’s of the speeddating concept, 8 Minute Dating. 8 MD lacks the heart and soul of what was initially intended by AISH and their Further, the CEO is a Bully who is certainly no good will ambasador for dating/romance business.
He is a behind the scenes manipulator akin to the “Great Oz” in the Wizard of Oz who’s singular goal is to build a nationwide database of singles. For what end? Perhaps to sell “his idea” for dating to a VC? Pull the curtain aside of the “Big Brother” of the dating biz and you find a small, impersonal, technical & controlling individual who’s single minded focus is on building a comprehensive nationwide data base of singles; all while undermining the economic security of the very people who assisted him in building his business. You need only consider the sad case of the Networking Girl. What was her reward after nearly 2 years of building the 8 Minute Dating brand in NYC? The Networking Girl was impersonally released from her contract via email no less, not paid pursuant to the terms of her contract, subjected to rumor, gossip and inuendo. Mr. Jaffe further threatened to enforce the terms of an oppressive non-compete agreement which she was either coerced into or otherwise signed with legal na�vete. Moreover, Mr. Jaffe has contacted numerous others in the dating, mating, event planning business threatening them with litigation should they choose to affiliate with her. Its kind of ironic since the Networking Girlwas a marketing force and presence on the New York Singles scene well before her affiliation with 8 Minute Dating and since he appearently disgarded her. This is the loveless side of the dating business. Now, there is a man with a heart. NOT!