Passing Thoughts on Some “M” Topics

Magazines - From the Arab word for storehouse or granary. In print form, periodical publications whose subscription renewal solicitations start arriving before the first issue is received.

Malice - Desiring a bad outcome for innocent people for no direct cause. Sometimes, the outcome is focused on one who might deserve it, but the realization of the result is bound to injure innocent bystanders. When the means is suicide bombing, we say injuring innocent bystanders is evil. When the means is aerial bombing, we call such injuries collateral damage.

Management - The Chief to the Indians, both being essential to the Tribe. The best Chiefs treat the Indians fairly, listening to their input and then deciding and explaining the decision. But while Chiefs serve at the will of the Indians, corporate managers are controlled by corporate executives.

Masturbation - From the Latin word for masturbation, verifying the practice has been around a while. Here’s a Biblical question: Was there masturbation before Eve ate the apple?

Materialism - Over-valuing that which can be experienced with the physical senses, as distinguished from the spiritual. Locating the tipping point can be tricky, but it helps to remember it almost always is located more toward the spiritual than where we are now.

Maybe - Often an evasion or postponement of commitment. Sometimes a genuine intention to remain open to the best possibility. Occasionally rejected outright by those who don’t believe in never saying never.

McCain - An Admiral’s son who becomes a prisoner of war is quite unique, certainly more so than a supposed maverick Republican politician who becomes a brown noser.

Memory - The contents of the internal CD on which our experiences are recorded, and later often either not played back or played with too much distortion. Experienced counselors sometimes are able to facilitate more accurate playback.

Merit Pay - Usually a fraud perpetrated by non-union employers to browbeat their more timid employees into accepting low pay, and to fool the bold ones into believing they are being paid a premium. The scheme requires that pay scales not be published and relies on the employees not discussing their pay, the timid being too ashamed and the bold being too self-interested. Employer success with this hoax means all employees are underpaid, though some slightly less than others.

Microsoft - I remember years ago driving on the east side of Lake Washington and seeing two buildings occupied by computer related businesses - Microrim and Microsoft - and wondering how the public would ever be able to tell one from the other.

Middle Class - Between the haves and the have nots are those who almost have. With mortgaged equities and accumulations insured against risk, these people in the middle are essential for a free economy to work well, because their aspirations to become haves are strong enough to make them do the hard work economies require and because they are willing to spend much of their earnings as consumers. Many of the haves were born in that class and lack middle class experience, so they ignorantly work to acquire more at the expense of the middle class, thereby jeopardizing the economy.

Mohammed - Eighth Century warrior who delivered, or some would say invented, Islam.

Money - Money is not the problem; the LOVE of money is. Bill Gates is the richest person in the world, but he does not seem to be a money lover. He loves success in the economic marketplace, and the money comes incidentally. Even show offs like Donald Trump love the showing off , power and speculative risk more than the money itself. The purest money lovers are people we don’t see, the misers who love their money so much they cannot stand to part with any of it, even to enjoy the benefits of ordinary expenditures,

Movies - Arguably the most unique, comprehensive and fastest born art form. Expensive to produce and often diluted by collaboration, it is wonderful that some excellent movies have been made and not surprising that many more of poor quality have been produced.

Music - Mathematically based manipulation of crafted instruments according to precise designs executed with skilled craftsmanship and artistic style. Though appreciation of the outcome is subjective, some results are obviously glorious and others crappy.

Mutual Funds - Businesses that manage portfolios of stock and bond investments, selling portfolio shares to those of us unable or unwilling to manage our own. One of the few business areas where managers can be objectively compared with one another, thereby documenting the great variations of managerial ability. When people continue to invest in mutual funds that perennially underperform their peers, it is testimony to the marketing ability of the fund management, in spite of the fact the managers have no market ability.

Myth - Something we know may not be true but which we nevertheless allow ourselves to possibly believe.