It is not that we have an information overload. Nor, do we have a lack of contextualizers to give us the scoop. It is what Jack Friday was talking about in the black and white dazes of TV: the facts, mam, just the facts.
It is just stupefying to read that Rick Perry is talking trash about GW. That is akin to the anus calling the sphincter something dirty. It's right up there with criticizing Charles Manson for having bad grooming and weird tats. Perry is a blatant, hypocritical moron; for him to dis bubba is like eating one's young. Former Bush aids are upset at Rick. But surely they must know how craven and opportunistic Perry is.... They worked for the master of craven and raving himself....Mr. Mission Accomplished.
On the Republican zoological chart of candidates for 2012, Perry is not the craziest yet. He sees the advantage, at this moment, to move to the right: so he disses bubba on immigration and big government. You just gotta love it when the mad dogs start chasing their own tails. I'm hoping that Perry will catch his and take a big bite out of it. Where is Hunter S. Thompson, now that we need him? There was a man who could appreciate a surfeit of assholes.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Rockets Red Glare Indeed!
Hey,
Is it me or have you noticed that the rockets are really flying in Iraq and Afghanistan...not the D.C. Mall? The ten billion a month for the wars are producing some damned impressive fireworks displays e.g., the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. Sort of reminded me of the Soviet- style Intercontinental in Prague. I would suggest you try the Prague version at this point, even if reservations would be easier to get in Kabul this summer.
Yves Smith's latest post on Greek debt is priceless "Look What You Can Buy in the Greek Liquidation Sale." http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/07/look-what-you-can-buy-in-the-greek-liquidation-sale.html. Smith observes that the plan for Greece laid out by its new masters at the IMF and ECB call for Greece to sell off it many of its strategic infrastructure assets e.g., water systems, electrical plants, defense industries. It is the Chilean experience, short of a fascist coup.... But there is always time for that later. What about the Greek Army? Guess, they're staring at the Turks, who are staring at the Syrians and the Kurds.
Smith makes an aside about what we in the United States can look forward to if the Republicans can manage a financial collapse....The last time people spoke about selling off our water rights to investors people just revolted against the idea....Create a crisis now and perhaps opportunity will knock again for the boys at BlackRock and Goldman. Obama can't seem to see the benefits of Chaos in the national debt limits crisis; his fear is one the Republicans don't even think about...a mass revolt by the peasants across the political landscape. Obama is correct to worry that there can always be unintended political consequences to cratering the economy. The real threat is the political reawakening of a brain dead electorate. This is something that both political parties should be in agreement about.
Is it me or have you noticed that the rockets are really flying in Iraq and Afghanistan...not the D.C. Mall? The ten billion a month for the wars are producing some damned impressive fireworks displays e.g., the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. Sort of reminded me of the Soviet- style Intercontinental in Prague. I would suggest you try the Prague version at this point, even if reservations would be easier to get in Kabul this summer.
Yves Smith's latest post on Greek debt is priceless "Look What You Can Buy in the Greek Liquidation Sale." http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/07/look-what-you-can-buy-in-the-greek-liquidation-sale.html. Smith observes that the plan for Greece laid out by its new masters at the IMF and ECB call for Greece to sell off it many of its strategic infrastructure assets e.g., water systems, electrical plants, defense industries. It is the Chilean experience, short of a fascist coup.... But there is always time for that later. What about the Greek Army? Guess, they're staring at the Turks, who are staring at the Syrians and the Kurds.
Smith makes an aside about what we in the United States can look forward to if the Republicans can manage a financial collapse....The last time people spoke about selling off our water rights to investors people just revolted against the idea....Create a crisis now and perhaps opportunity will knock again for the boys at BlackRock and Goldman. Obama can't seem to see the benefits of Chaos in the national debt limits crisis; his fear is one the Republicans don't even think about...a mass revolt by the peasants across the political landscape. Obama is correct to worry that there can always be unintended political consequences to cratering the economy. The real threat is the political reawakening of a brain dead electorate. This is something that both political parties should be in agreement about.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Pack Up All Your Cares and Wows
It's election time and Obama is trying to keep the left off balance in order to avoid a primary challenge. To this end, he is floating stories about troop withdrawals in both theaters of war, Iraq and Afghanistan. The NYTimes has had a half dozen stories in the past several days concerning the possible implications of a speed up in withdrawals from the combat zones.
The point is that Obama could care less about the in-theater consequences of the withdrawals. He is doing what he has to in order to make it palatable for the liberals and independent voters to not actively oppose him in the primaries and the nominating convention. Only the weak of mind, could possibly believe that once Congress cuts off the money to these "governments" that the United Sates will have any influence beyond its judicious use of Predator drones.
Obama still has the Republicans to help scare the voters. With Bin Laden out of the picture Michele Bachmann is the threat he will use to frighten the voters into conformity with his failed administration. If the economy continues to limp along and the Greeks play along with their own tragic-comic role, the financial markets will pretend that things are just fine....until they are not. The Republicans are already talking about 2016 as their year for their comeback. In the mean time, they can further cripple the pathetic attempts of the current administration to manage the Japanese like economic slump that will last a decade. Can't wait to read Obama's memoirs.
The point is that Obama could care less about the in-theater consequences of the withdrawals. He is doing what he has to in order to make it palatable for the liberals and independent voters to not actively oppose him in the primaries and the nominating convention. Only the weak of mind, could possibly believe that once Congress cuts off the money to these "governments" that the United Sates will have any influence beyond its judicious use of Predator drones.
Obama still has the Republicans to help scare the voters. With Bin Laden out of the picture Michele Bachmann is the threat he will use to frighten the voters into conformity with his failed administration. If the economy continues to limp along and the Greeks play along with their own tragic-comic role, the financial markets will pretend that things are just fine....until they are not. The Republicans are already talking about 2016 as their year for their comeback. In the mean time, they can further cripple the pathetic attempts of the current administration to manage the Japanese like economic slump that will last a decade. Can't wait to read Obama's memoirs.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Seal Team Six and GS Downtown
It's just a thought. All the training and nothing to do....Seal Team could do some side stuff to keep interested in the work sort off. Say, like kidnapping the executive committee of Goldman Sachs an delivering them to Syria...wait, Jordon. We aren't talking to Syria right now. Unlike the SEC and the non Justice Department, the Jordanians have ways of doing depositions. One of those fantasies that one has when one sees justice being done 9 or ten thousand miles away from home.
I could see it working like this: 85 Broad Street and a bunch of bicycle cabs mossy on up to the building. With the fleet of limos, who's going to notice the guys with the rocket launchers, M-60 machine guns, bags of claymore mines and Balance Bars. Simultaneously with the role up of the biker cabs are the para-glider guys landing on the roof of 85 Broad Street. you don't want to mistake the Federal Reserve for 85 Broad...as understandable as that may be. The real power resides at Broad Street....
Then the glitches....What does Lloyd Blankfine look like? and his buddy Gary and other boys and girls of the E-Committee. No girls, okay. Even with pictures of Blankfine nobody would be able to pinpoint him in a crowd....he is power without a shadow. Can Seal Team 6 capture this guy and his fellow mischief makers. This is as far as I got before I woke up. Osama is gone but the guys who could really bring the whole thing down are still here and the lights are on.
I could see it working like this: 85 Broad Street and a bunch of bicycle cabs mossy on up to the building. With the fleet of limos, who's going to notice the guys with the rocket launchers, M-60 machine guns, bags of claymore mines and Balance Bars. Simultaneously with the role up of the biker cabs are the para-glider guys landing on the roof of 85 Broad Street. you don't want to mistake the Federal Reserve for 85 Broad...as understandable as that may be. The real power resides at Broad Street....
Then the glitches....What does Lloyd Blankfine look like? and his buddy Gary and other boys and girls of the E-Committee. No girls, okay. Even with pictures of Blankfine nobody would be able to pinpoint him in a crowd....he is power without a shadow. Can Seal Team 6 capture this guy and his fellow mischief makers. This is as far as I got before I woke up. Osama is gone but the guys who could really bring the whole thing down are still here and the lights are on.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Look at the Bright Side of Japan's Disaster
Japanese capitalism has been stuck in a holding pattern for decades. The earthquake now will allow the government to mobilize the country into a virtual state of war to revitalize the economy and rebuild the affected areas of the island nation. Qaddafi should give the Japanese some billions for taking North Africa off the web pages for a couple of days. I call this Goldman Sachs Mojo. Remember, of course you don't, that GS was on the ropes when the Haitian quake hit and GS disappeared from the front pages for a bit. There are always silver linings in those clouds; maybe, not so much silver if the clouds are radioactive...but still , some people will benefit from the chaos created by mother nature. GS, Qaddafi and many construction supply firms are about to have a good day.
Of course, if a nuclear plants goes critical and blows, we will need to shift our winners and losers lists a bit. Consult your map for wind patterns and iodine supplies in your area. Perhaps the retiring of the space shuttle is a bit premature. Those who can afford it (GS types) might want to pay for orbit time while the planet cools off from an extra does of you know what.
I just hope the horror of horrors does not happen...William and Kate must marry and honeymoon with Habitat for Humanity in Japan....I'm just such a romantic. Sleep well and cover your reproductive areas if you must.
Of course, if a nuclear plants goes critical and blows, we will need to shift our winners and losers lists a bit. Consult your map for wind patterns and iodine supplies in your area. Perhaps the retiring of the space shuttle is a bit premature. Those who can afford it (GS types) might want to pay for orbit time while the planet cools off from an extra does of you know what.
I just hope the horror of horrors does not happen...William and Kate must marry and honeymoon with Habitat for Humanity in Japan....I'm just such a romantic. Sleep well and cover your reproductive areas if you must.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
NPR: What Were They Thinking?
The flap over NPR fund raiser Ron Schiller's absolutely accurate characterization of Republican and Tea Party activists raises the question of "objectivity." NPR reports more real news in 15 minutes than Fox does in 24 hours...excepting the weather and traffic reports. This recent display of false humility and falling upon the sword by NPR executives makes you wonder: are these people in touch with reality?
The really obscene part of the secret tape by the Republican scam artist, O'Keeffe was what Schiller had to do to raise money for such a worthy organization. What he said about the trolls on the right-wing of the political spectrum were uninspiring; he was doing his best not to call them crypto-fascists. The thing that he really got in trouble for was the obvious truth of his observation that NPR would be better off without government money. There really isn't a good argument for government funding of the news....especially if the government can't manipulate it.
So, if the liberal community wants NPR, it should pay for it. Once freed of government interference, NPR can make its' professional judgements without fear of political reprisals....maybe. Or, when the reprisals come, NPR can be proud of them.
The really obscene part of the secret tape by the Republican scam artist, O'Keeffe was what Schiller had to do to raise money for such a worthy organization. What he said about the trolls on the right-wing of the political spectrum were uninspiring; he was doing his best not to call them crypto-fascists. The thing that he really got in trouble for was the obvious truth of his observation that NPR would be better off without government money. There really isn't a good argument for government funding of the news....especially if the government can't manipulate it.
So, if the liberal community wants NPR, it should pay for it. Once freed of government interference, NPR can make its' professional judgements without fear of political reprisals....maybe. Or, when the reprisals come, NPR can be proud of them.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Moammar, Sheen and Wisconsin
Great minds do think alike! The NY Times March 1 has a brilliant insightful piece on Chuck Sheen and Moammar Gadhafi, http:// www.nytimes.com It is not true that Charles is the son of President Bartlett. He is the spiritual love child of Moammar. It seems both took public speaking lessons from "Crazy Eddy." Anyway, check out Alessandra Stanley's piece in the Times today. The child has a flair for global thinking, sort of a Zizek like connectedness to the Zeitlice. She nailed Charles and his spiritual dad. Oh, in the mean time, the Cheese Head in Chief, Gov. Walker has gotten the unions off their knees and fighting mad....Thanks gov. and Kock brothers for doing what Obama and the Democratic Party would not do...put the fight back into the labor unions....Should we be concerned that Wisconsin could be our Egypt? Nah, we can shop all we want and swear at the meter maids; we are free, right? As Hillery chides Moammar about a lack of legitimacy of his government, she had better be careful. The war crimes of her predecessor and the gangsterism of our allies in Iraq and Afghanistan are, well, embarrassing.
Tah
Tah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)