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Pal -- If there is anything I would take seriously, it would be a "war mongering punk."
Greg Palast had an interesting article about the gold standard sometime in the past year. He described a key motive for the revolutionary war was England trying to force the gold standard on us. As Thom as often said the gold standard prohibits growth.
Gary R -- How about repealing every law passed from 1979 to 2009 (not including 2009)?
MMmmmNachos: Wow! Thai, German, French, and Spanish...and English too! I've spent years trying to learn Arabic, reading, speaking, and understanding the spoken language...and although I can read the script, and know a lot of words, it's still hard to entirely understand a conversation...there are a number of dialects. I can pick out words here and there but it is not so easy. I have used some of the well known language courses including Rosetta Stone, FSI, and a bunch of on-line courses, even Learn Arabic With Maha...she's cute. Anyway, I drift back into it and out again from time to time. It would be better if I was totally immersed back into Saudi Arabia or any of the other Arabic speaking countries again. But, I think I had just better hang on to my head a little while longer. I cheated death once! Not anxious to do it again!
Of course, now that I'm back in the states, I might get mugged and murdered by some punk who needs drug money. That's something I didn't have to worry about over in Saudi Arabia. Although, some people (expats and Saudis) did smuggle in some drugs and alcohol...but mostly, they just made wine from grape-juice. Maybe if we had public beheadings and behandings or stoning to death here in the states we would have a lot less street and home invasion violence. But, we'd also have arenas full of stoned women and beheaded men for adultery and huge piles of hands for theft. Somehow, I'm glad I didn't get on those yellow school buses to downtown Dammam to witness the festivities!
jproctor67: I agree with most of what you have said and I agree that Obama, at first, seemed to win more friends and influenced enemies because they all thought Obama was going to be different. He WAS different from that bumbling idiot, Bush (who deserves to be in prison, at least), but I gave up on Obama shortly after he started appointing all of those Clinton/Bush flunkies to be his advisers who caused the economic crises in 2008.
Yes, I voted for Obama the first time but certainly not the second time. And since Obama's regime did not readily cease our criminal actions in the Middle East or the torture chambers the US had in Iraq and Gitmo, since he immediate gave in to the HealthScare/Pharma/Insurance companies by taking Single Payer off the table without so much as a fuss...in fact, I think he gladly did it. I am certainly glad I didn't vote for him the second time. Since the heroes Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden and the other whistleblowers like Thomas Drake, and others, were wrongly treated so badly an unjustly by the Obama administration...and since the US spy agencies has gotten to such a dystopian nightmare...and since there has really not been any useful reverse in laws and enforcement against the corruption of banksters and Wall Street...there is really no good reason to think of Obama as a good President. He was and is merely the wolf in sheep's clothing that played us all for suckers. He was and is just another puppet for the ruling elite who will continue to screw us all.
Next time, vote for the candidate who is least funded by the ruling elite...and that leaves out both the Democrats and the Republicans. If we vote in an outsider, it will send a strong and chilling message to the wealthy overlords that their money will do them no good any longer. It happened in California...Brown won against his filthy rich opponents Fiorina and Whitman. Even if you think you will risk getting the Republicans back into power (yeah, right, like they aren't already in power!), if you continue to play the ruling elite's game of choosing between two parties that they own, we will continue to suffer the exploitation and indignity by the ruling elite.
Besides, wouldn't you rather the revolution took place during a Republican regime rather than a Democrat one? If you merely vote Democrat again...they'll just keep you strung along with false hope and excuses...that's what they do. With a Republican in office... that just might trigger what I think is inevitable...and necessary. History has shown that only revolution really changes things for the better for those who have been unfairly exploited and abused. Without it, they'll never fear and respect us, they'll just continue to screw us. But, if we're lucky, if the majority of voters choose a third party candidate, against all monied-leveraged odds, it will be a real revolution very much desired...all without people having to take to the streets.
Winning friends and influencing enemies is not the ruling elite's game anyway. They are greedy for total world conquest in our image...total subjugation. They need lots of enemies to keep USians constantly afraid so that we will continue to rely on our Military/Industrial/Spying/Corrupt-Congressional complex to keep us safe from the "bad guys". They don't want us to realize that the real "bad guys" are the beguilers and tricksters who created these "enemies" in the first place. It wasn't 19 Muslim hijackers nor OBL! They didn't start the backstabbing and threats ...even way back when "terrorist" activities happened long before 9/11 around the world... it was mostly all instigated by xenophobic, profit mongering bullies from the west who have throughout their history created "false flags" to fool their obtuse citizens into supporting their criminal deeds.
9/11 was merely Operation Northwoods morphed into PNAC's "new Pearl Harbor" that scared and bullied everyone to fall into line and follow the real traitors in our midst who engineered it all.
Look where we are today, a failing economy. The world, while at first-light of the Obama era, won a few praises from the world... full of hope and expectations of real "change we can believe in", has now dwindled to practically the whole world hating us (hating our ruling elite, anyway...they probably just pity the rest of us). They are all moving away from the dollar, treating the US as a pariah nation. Why not, the US has scorned other nations, especially China, for spying on us when it was mostly the other way around. And I wouldn't put it past the US spy agencies to have originated the hacking incidences against the US that they claim came from China. They can easily make it look like China was spying on us when, in fact, it was the US spying agencies initializing the attacks (cyber-warfare false flags). In case you don't know it already..the war is largely against the American people as much as it is against everyone else in the world.
Read the book "Behold A Pale Farce--Cyberwar, Threat Inflation, & the Malware Industrial Complex" by Bill Blunden and Violet Cheung.
If you think you are safe with very well known Security Company's firewalls, virus, trojan, and rootkit software then you are being tricked. And every time you do an "security upgrade"...like monthly 2nd Tuesday Microsoft security upgrades...how do you know that they aren't just adding more spyware for the NSA? How do you know that they didn't do this a long time ago...even built into the Operating System? The NSA has put the heavy on these companies to make it easy for them to even crack your encrypted emails or files..install back-doors...install spyware...all so they can spy on us. And if they can do it...the hackers can use those exploits too...they too can use those weaknesses to spy on you...wipe out your bank accounts through identity theft. The profit is in keeping you forever afraid and willing to shell out your money for "fake protection"....it may keep out the script kiddies but not the real hackers. It is an illusion! And they profit very well from our gullibility.
Thom, I would like to remind you of a suggestion one of your callers recently made. Call the midterm election the "congressional elections." With the recent lowest-ever ratings of congress, maybe the new term "congressional elections" could increase turnout if folks thought they could vote against status quo. Unfortunately, people are more likely to come out to vote against than to vote for. If we could get Obama out of the Oval Office to campaign against a "do nothing congress" we might reduce the probability of a Republican takeover of the entire legislative branch. If the Republicans achieve a takeover then Obama can spend the last two years of his administration on a beach in Hawaii for all the good he would do sitting at a desk in Washington watching his impeachment successfully proceed.
I think we're living in a Nevil Shute novel in one way or another - or in all ways combined, gathering to a "perfect storm", as it were.
Pal -- I like what you say so much about 9/11, I hate myself when I suggest seeds of doubt. However, I can't stop myself. Do you know what was the composition of the explosives used to blow up the WTC in 1994? Next seed, if CNN and BBC were involved in the conspiracy, it is beyond my belief that any beauracy that large could have carried out the elaborate schemes that you describe.
I believe that people should only vote for the politicians who receive the least bribes (ie: contributions from big business) because big business will obviously "own" them and the politicians will turn their backs toward the people who voted for them...eventually. Let's see now...just how much was it that Obama received compared to the other candidates? Obama raised more. Although one could argue that more funds for Romney came from the wealthier donors but both Dem and Repub candidates still got lots of money from the wealthier donors compared to what the other candidates got. So both Dem/Repub candidates got huge donations from the wealthiest donors (ie: they are both owned by the wealthiest donors). And that is obvious when you see how Obama (the betrayer) acted after he took office...even after the first time. Vote for the little guy/gal who isn't heavily funded. If you really want to make an impact and show that money will no longer buy candidates...vote for them instead of the heavily funded candidates. That would be the simplest and least risky...certainly a lot less risky and dangerous than an all out revolution....which I believe may one day happen if things don't change.
You don't need to have a "movement" to take the money out of politics if everyone simply voted for the candidate who received the least amount of money from big business. Let them waste their money!
I'm all for supporting a "movement to take money out of politics but if you can't get voters to see the futility of voting for the candidate that gets large contributions from big business then I doubt anything else will work. Worth a try, though.
I wonder when "once a decade" will become "once a year"? It sure looks like that's where we're headed.
I think nuclear powered electrical generation plants could be a lot safer but it will never happen as long as there is profit to be made and without proper independent overseers that aren't bribable... which leaves out the politicians..they've proven their corruptibility. What politician, other than Bernie Sanders and a few others, will risk losing their next election by giving the finger to big business, big energy, big pharma, etc.?
Now if there was an enforceable law banning "revolving doors" between government and private sectors whereby no politician could ever benefit from the private sector, ever, and that they could never receive any kind of compensation in or out of office by their position in the government then they might be to regulate the nuclear power plants safely.
The capitalists will cut corners and cheat on safety...that's just what they do... They'll locate nuclear plants in unsafe locations like on or near earthquake fault zones, rivers that have been known to flood, and near ocean/land boundaries that are subject to hurricanes and tidal waves....all because it serves their profit motives.
I know it takes a lot of water to properly control nuclear power plants, and it would cost a lot to not locate plants near bodies of water...so, large bodies of water need to be created and located in locations that would be able to isolate and contain leakages into the aquifers and natural ground level bodies of water. It would be very expensive, but if we are going to use nuclear electrical power generation, it has to be made as safe as possible and make the profit motive take a backseat to safety.
I'd much prefer the safer forms of energy conversion like wind, solar, wave, and geothermal all of which are far safer than nuclear.
Big fan of Ross Perot, sorry his campaign went bust. He spoke honestly, and that was something special, wasn't it?
I agree most of the working poor think it's over their heads (or, yikes, believe in the trickle-down theory; or that if you're Christian you have to be Republican, double yikes). But after seeing there is some progress being made, I think there is reason for hope. One reason is because of the jobs going overseas whole industries are having their wages go even below minimum wage for some jobs. For example, Medical Transcription. Used to be a great job. I did it for clinics. So, with the new competition I was upgrading to acute care. That's your surgical reports, people, not basic stuff. Working in my home, paying for internet, resources, etc., Nuance esp. (check GlassDoor) people making $7-10/hr. MT's used to make $25/hr or so, as they should, but are being fired en masse. I read about companies being successful not by innovation but "ruthlessly driving down wages," like Nuance. This is what's happening in the MT industry. I'm hardly over the shock myself. It seems to un-American, bashing people's dreams of bettering themselves. It's give a lot more and get a lot less. It is a good example of shocking people out of their malaise.
The other thing is there are a lot of well educated people helping our side, like OccupyWallStreet, and once people see we are being heard, we will learn how to strategize as we go along. I was very pessimistic about all this too but it's getting things in the media, getting heard, and NOT being polite about it either. Arab Spring and other things happened because finally technology can help us come together.
I am a major fan of Huey and love your button. He did so much for Louisiana that lifted the whole state, all the infrastructure, LSU, the charity hospital (which I think was destroyed in Katrina and will not be rebuilt, no surprise). You are right, we are the kind people and that makes it hard, but I think it's getting so bad people's fighting instincts will be ignited, especially the younger people. I have a wonderful niece who I think will grow up to protect the innocent and kick those corrupt bastards where it hurts. She's got heart and strength.
But I wanted to reply to the main thread. Sorry, not tech savvy.
I think what you said about the callous indifference the upper classes have toward our hardships is very true. I have seen the truth that people who hold wealth in such high esteem tend toward the sociopathic end of the spectrum. The truly caring people I have been fortunate to know all struggled financially. The best evidence I can think of about the poor being more caring is that Mississippians were rated the most charitable people in the nation percentage-wise, the poorest people in the poorest state giving the most.
Some people think it would be great to have a close relative who is wealthy, but I have one and can tell you it's not. Mine "checks in" and shows no real caring. It's like they're missing something inside. Also, my famly went to Saudi Arabia to make more money and came back looking at me as very much less than, especially my younger brothers who had a much better education. The most successful and entitled brother was put in charge of the inheritance and all my pleas for help were ignored as "low priority," which left me very depressed by the lack of caring in addition to the financial problems.
There is so much more involved than job training. The Child Protective Services kidnaps poor kids whose parents don't have the money to fight to get that big federal money. Suicidal and poor? Less civil rights than a criminal, a permanent record as a mental defective that ruins job prospects, and to top it off they will put your mugshot on the internet (if jailed awaiting a bed). And how are we supposed to keep up? Even if we live frugally it's an internet world and you either go to the library all the time (some are disdainful) or pay for all the bug fixes, etc. 70% of prisoner's first interaction with the law was a traffic stop, can't pay those big fees, jail, can't pay that, do something desperate, end up in prison. The list of things we go through goes on and on.
And the thing that gets me most of all is that they're so concerned about "life." Love those fetuses. Gotta stop those suicides. Hypocrites!! They let you know in a million ways you're not wanted. No shade at the bus stops and some places have seats that incline to dump you out. The anger at food stamps like someone can live on minimum wage. All the criminalization of homelessness. "Right to (get fired) work" laws that get out outta there faster than a fart in a dust storm. Oh, I love all the drug tests, too. I'd rather have my surgeon drug tested than the person that helps me to the bathroom, but there you go. And even though there is some "boom car" equality I guess, I hate those damn things. But if you get low-income housing they have no police to stop complaints or the drug trade, so that's where they boom the loudest. America may sound good as "the wealthiest country in the world," but I wish all the decent people could have our own country separate from those sociopaths who cut us and blame us for bleeding.
If people tell you you're worthless long enough, you begin to believe it. Except for my niece, that is, who fought for her rights as a 9-year-old. I'm so damn proud of that girl, a true dragonslayer.
A history professor I know thinks we're heading toward that violent revolution. I hate to think it would get that far, that I myself might get that angry and lose some of my humanity is very distressing to me. However, I am relieved to see some people are agitating for the peaceful revolution (Occupy Wall Street and others). Thanks for the quote.
You have stated the case with such eloquence, sir.
Wow...Yes, PALINDROMEDARY the United States of America is a pathetic joke in the eyes of the rest of the world. I too have found this in my travels abroad and even here.
I have familey and a few friends in Germany and Austrailia. ALL of them shake their heads whenever we begin to discuse American politics and our social issues and ideology.
My brother and sister who were born in the U.S. back in the late 60's grew up in Austraila. Through out their entire lives thay have traved the world. My brother has lived here in the U.S. Thailand, Greece, Italy, and Germany. He loves to visit the U.S. but vowed 30 years ago that he would never live in the U.S. again. As he put it, after living in the U.S. for 3 years; "As a working class person I have a better quality of life in Austrailia, and I am able to work and live knowing that I am able to at least provide for my familey the basic cost of living without working myself to death. What is life and a familey if you cannot enjoy them?"
My brother has worked in the resturant idustry for 31 years, (since he was 15) and has been a Master Chef for the last 12 years. He also speaks Thai, German, French, and Spanish.
I have found simmilar sentament like my brothers in all of my travels during the past 26 years.
EXCELLENT point and question Tomcalwriter1. And I can honestly say you are not alone in your thoughts and feelings regarding our countries Robber Barron economic/political policies and what to do about it.
A revolution is one way absolute way to change things, however like you pointed out "who" is going to step up and take leadership...Who has the integrity to be the voice of the average working class citizen. I can think of only 2 people that I would feel confident in, however like you pointed out "the system" is set up in such a way that those who choose not to do the Corporate Waltz Street Dance can't get in the club.
The occupy movement may have proven it's point through occupation of mass numbers, but it wasn't able to maintain its traction do to a lack of leadership and organization. The message was there as was the spirit, but it takes ardous dedication and with out some form of organized leadership people loose their gumption.
All across the U.S. thousands of people, (students, retirees and working class men and women), stand against this Corporate Highjacked Government, and even though the numbers are high when it comes to protesters, we can't seem to break down this current "System".
Why? How can this be? We live in a country that fought a bloody war to gain our Independence from an opressive political system, only to slowly allow back in The greedy Robber Barrons. How can this be when "We the People" are suppose to be the Government...a Government Of the People, By the People, and For the People. Do we not teach this in our schools any more? Have we become a country of selfish wankers? Too caught up in bullshit bloggs and cheap shinny things. Have we become a culture of selfrighteous politically ignorant do gooders that don't know how to kick the bully where it counts in order to take back our lunch money!?!?
In the end you wanna know who I blame???? I blame YOU and Me and Them...99% + 1% = 100% accountable!!! All of us that choose to continue on the same path, bitching and moaning, instead of sacraficing our comfy and lustful way of life so that - as we ALL have said - "...Can leave a better world for our children/grandchildren to live in.
Organize, Protest, Boycott, Sabotage. If you wanna kick the Corporate bully where it counts...STOP BUYING ITS GOODS!!!
Also stop casting fear votes.
Stop voting for Wall Street groomed candidates. Don't get me wrong I do agree with your feelings regarding todays"politicians". However a vote for Rocky Anderson or Jill Stein creates a voice and sends a clear and sound message that We the People are not happy and all those Corporate politicians should be shuttering with fear for their lives.
Excellent point DAnneMarc. I further yor point buy saying "Shop Local" whenever possible. Here in S.W. Florida my wife and I buy all our meats from the local butcher, which saves us about 35 dollars a month compared to what we would spend on meats at one of the 4 grocery chains through out Florida. We also buy all of our fruits and veggies (that which we don't grow ourselves) from one of 3 farmers markets in our town, saving us aprx $40 a month. The only thing we buy at a chain grocery store is dry/can goods and sometimes that "one item" we forgot at the farmers market.
Say, since I was MIA for 7 months I seem to have lost the rythem of this blog...I keep missing the prime blogging time. When can I catch up with y'all? I miss being in on all the banter!
Cheers
Tom says the White Horse Prophesy calls the powerful adversary of virtue (supposedly Russia) "Gogmagog."
In fact the name comes from an ancient mythic history of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth, in which the first humans to populate the island were refugee Trojans led by Brutus, whose name was lent to the island.
Indigenous peoples were a race of giants, the last of whom was hurled into the sea at Cornwall by, if memory serves, its first human duke. This last of the giants was Gogmagog.
By the way, the first large-scale study of resveratrol use by humans (appropriately enough in Chianti) shows no benefit in reducing heart disease, cancer, nor in promoting longevity.
As so often is the case, something which seems incredibly promising in vitro and in animal studies proves not so when applied to human beings.
(I.e., we're all going to die.)
(Ref. Medscape, reporting JAMA/Internal Medicine mid May -- 15th, I think.)
As Thom stated the Trickle Down from the Criminal Reagan years started America's downfall long before Pres. Obama's time, America lost it's luster under Dubya/Cheney when he started trying to be the world's savior and trying to dominate countries that didn't need America to get into their business. He caused so many people around the world to think of America as a bumbling idiot that and his invassion of soverign countries to install his form of government, all he did was create so many terrorist that wanted to seek revenge on America for all of the innocient people killed during our occupation of their countries. Under Obama America has regained some respect from the world's people but it's going to take many years to repair the damage Dubya/Cheney did not only to the middle east countries but to America as well. Finally the jobs lost during the Dubya/Cheney years have been recoveried and now slowly there are new job numbers over what was lost and it's taken just 5 years to overcome all of the obstruction the Tealiban Bagger Terrorist Controlled Republicans have thrown into the game. If there is any mention of Obama's name associated with any jobs bill or plan these Terrorist throw every roadblock they can to stop it even if it was a GOP plan to begin with.
America is a dictatorship and the name of that dictator is
MONEY, NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
As long as we have a system where all politicians care about is
unlimited contrubution campaign funds, we will never have public servants in office.
Monopolies run america, sorry truth hurts.
Bring back the anti sherman trust act or remain slaves in economy that has no choice but to fall by greed
Ari Rabin-Havt is unable to allow people to speak or articulate a reasonable objection without interrupting and being rude. Not only that, he is so emotional that he cant even stay objective in a conversation without slamming his fist down on the table yelling at people telling them that what they are saying is "B------t"!??? Really? He didnt want to answer the questions on Benghazi that Americans want answers too. Instead, he resorts to diversion by becoming angry at the question rather than providing an answer - this is due to arrogance and an unwillingness to provide a reasonable response - because they dont have one.
Ms. Metcalfe, it makes plenty of sense when you can wrap your mind around the idea of our Congress having been taken over by psychopaths, whose distinguishing characteristic is the lack of a conscience along with an inability to feel guilt, empathy or remorse. - AIW
Thom
I was alerted to your prediction of the 2016 crash.
You are absolutely right. By different means - more mathematical using the development of the DOW from inception - in July 2010 I included a forecast in my book that a completed sequence would be seen between 16,000-18,000. From the manner it has developed it should be the higher target around 18,000-18,500. I suspect this will peak around the end of Q4 and will trigger a correction to the entire rally from inception. This suggests a similar type of development that has been seen in the Nikkei Index from 1990 which, as long as the 21,000 area is not exceeded, is not yet complete.
How can anybody take the U.S. seriously when we have the absolute clowns that are in the House of Representatives effectively controlling the country with their destructive obstruction? If their purpose was to destroy America they have succeeded.
If someone wants to be a victim of their own stupidity that's their problem but if they want me and everybody else to be the victims, that's just beyond outrageous.
I guess big corporations are trans-national now and don't need to care about America anymore.
According to today's Max Keiser show on Russia Today..."the currencies around the world are getting away from the US dollars". America is bankrupt and the rest of the world knows it.
I even experienced it a number of years ago when I tried to exchange US$ for Slovak Koruna at some Slovak banks. They wouldn't take my US$. Lucky I still had some Koruna and some Euros left. I just didn't make the purchases I was going to make.
Max Keiser: "the world just doesn't take the US seriously anymore, they don't take Obama seriously anymore, they don't take the Pentagon seriously anymore...they're just a bunch of war-mongering punks."
Stacy Herbert: "Now, again, this is amazing that America seems to be bankrupt on their own Ponzi scheme, that their own Ponzi scheme that they are pushing, and based on fake money that they just, essentially, print."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVfZIM3mY6g
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