North Korea
Well, well. Peck’s Bad Boy is at it again threatening to
take down demon America
with his missiles tipped with nuclear weapons. Every president since cessation
of hostilities in Korea have
labored to keep North Korea
a non-nuclear nation and one also incapable of firing missiles at all.
Placating the nation did not work. It only bought time. And much of that time
was spent by North Korea
in developing the capability both in nuclear bombs and missile technology to do
their offensive damage in many parts of the globe. They are not there yet but
very close if we give them any credit at all.
The world community has watched this tit for tat playground
spat for decades. They did little but hope that America
would succeed in quelling North
Korea ’s ambitions. But that didn’t work; it
rarely does. If you see a playground bully at work, for heaven’s sake get
involved and help the kid being bullied. In this case it is not North Korea .
No, it is the peace-loving world.
Halfhearted attempts to lend a hand to this process never
quite worked. Delayed progress, maybe, but not lasting solution.
Chief among the players at this game tactic is China . It did
attempt many times to curb North
Korea ’s appetite to do bad things. In the
end their efforts have come to naught.
The United Nations has lent its voice to discouraging North Korea but
that hasn’t brought desired results either. Neighboring nations have
dramatically wrung their hands in public view over North Korea ’s antics, but to no
avail.
No, the primary contestant in this battle of wills is America . And
that hasn’t worked either.
Other than wiping out the entire nation with one good
nuclear strike – a move not likely to happen – the only thing left is for China to step up and take on North Korea as
a parent must do from time to time. China
doesn’t like America having
mobile missiles temporarily on site in South
Korea as a deterrent to North
Korea , so it is in their interests to have them removed
by America as they (China) goes into North Korea and
disarms the impoverished nation. This appears to be the only solution that will
work.
I doubt North Korea
will bloody China
in this action. Afterward the global community can enter North Korea and
bring massive humanitarian aid – food, housing, medical care and education. This
is most likely the only peaceful option left on the table at this time.
The alternatives are too horrible to contemplate for any of
us in the world community.
Retail Apocalypse
Many soothsayer economists are decrying the upheaval in
retail markets across America .
Yes, the upheaval is real, but an apocalypse? No. That is an overstatement.
Internet shopping and massive door to door shipping networks
have eliminated shopping at malls and in stores for many people. But it has
also enabled people to do shopping that they were increasingly unable to do.
Think of the disabled, the mobility challenged, the elderly and other pockets
of consumers who found it impossible to get to the store. They now can purchase
freely and get the goods delivered right to their door. Those are huge new
markets opening up.
Then there are the consumers who are tied up with work,
commuting and family duties that shorten available hours once spent shopping.
They now scan on-line shopping sites and order home delivered goods.
Catalogs going extinct? Hardly. They are just being
replaced with on-line catalogs with vastly increased buying information and
helpful guidance. This is another market being enhanced enormously.
With disposable incomes rising shopping will increase as
well. So marketing will change, shopping routines will change, but goods and
services will still be sold and bought. Just not likely will they be traded in
large, inefficient malls or small mom and pop shops.
Trade remains healthy. The site of the trade and method has
changed.
Adapt and prosper. Or, lament and falter and fade away.
Which do you prefer? Which will you do? Or are you waiting for North Korea?
March 24, 2017
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