Sure there may be neo-nazis in the new Greek government (see Naked Capitalism.com Nov. 23) but the real shocker was reading the NY Review of Books, Dec. 8th issue that outs George F. Kennan. The article by Frank Costigliola ties Kennan's extra-marital affairs to his frequent periods of illness over a long life. Christ, is nothing sacred! Did Dean Acheseson know? How come I didn't know? Well, honestly I couldn't care less. Still, I'm an old-fashioned guy who likes his WASP elite represenatives to be paragons of virtue. Okay, he wasn't born to the manor. Thus, he was the personification of the foreign policy intellectual, at a time when that actually meant something. So I'm just gob-smacked.
What about Hans Morganthau, Hermann Kahn (just gives me the creeps writing it down)Foster Dulles (nah)? Don't tell me. I can't live with the knowledge that Anne cheated on George Smiley. Sure, she was a fictiona character. What did LeCarre know and when did he know it? I mean about these other guys in the real world.
The above ravings are no more off the wall than the announcement by the police department of NYC , by a guy named Loeser, that the press were being protected when they were forcibly restrained from covering the police riots downtown.
The writers for the Daily Show need to catch up with the flacks for the cops...the true artful dodgers.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
They're rioting in Africa, the Borough of Manhattan and...
Perhaps Staten Island will fall to the Huns in due course. I must read Niall Ferguson's latest fairy tale about Western civilization to steel myself for the dark age to come. It is wonderful to see that the New york Press Corps are getting their asses kicked along with everyone else. This will help them gain some perspective that they may share with their editorial board colleagues...fat chance. Still, it is fun to read Michael Powell piece in today's Times "Gotham Reporters Meet the Fists of the Law."(NYT Nov.22) The Times is overflowing with turds of meaning such as the story on the hard times for young Wall Street types. I thought Tom Wolfe did the best job on I-bankers in his "I'm Charlotte Simmons." Kevin Roose tries to get us to sympathize with the plight of under employed or laid off I-bankers. Sorry Kevin. Read Kevin's touching tale in NYT, Nov.22 "A Blow to Pinstripe Aspirations." Roose does end this piece with an observation from a young woman , ex I-banker, who sees herself as having some sympathy for the masses she has recently joined. That should scare the crap out of Lloyd and Gary at Goldman. If serious, well trained people turn their energies to exposing the system that turned them out....well, you can understand why there would be gnashing of teeth on Wall Street. One Yves Smith is bad enough; imagine a dozen or more. I almost feel sorry for GS and its flacks. Still, they have a lot to be grateful for on this Thanksgiving: the cops are loyal for the moment and there is always the National Guard, the Army and private armies we created and armed for war in Iraq.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Beware of Greeks Being Democratic
Why oh why would the Greek Prime Minister want the deal he just cut with the EU, ECB, IMF to go before the Greek people for a vote? Possibly because he doesn't want to be lynched in his country; possibly because he can't depend on the military unless he has the backing of the legislature and a referendum of support from the voters. Who wants to be the next il Duce, swinging from a lamp post in downtown Athens?
The horror that greeted Papandreou's plan for a people's vote on the conditions of the austerity program and "financial rescue package" raises a question about who the bankers and their political hacks think they are dealing with: Greece is not a Banana Republic. Of course, there are some who miss "The Colonels." It was during the military's take over of Greece in the late 1960's-early 70's that the tax system was finessed so that the rich could escape taxation...fall out that is still with the Greeks to this day.
The Germans are shaking their heads, " We thought we had a deal?" The poor Wolfgang just don't seem to be able to see the Greek political situation as a mirror image of Angela Merkel's situation just weeks ago. Consent of the people and their representatives trumps the elite bankers needs to get this snow job over on the public.
Satyajit Das as a post on the blog Naked Capitalism that puts the current moves by the EU banksters and their political puppets in perspective (http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/10/31/2011). Das has a witty title," Europe's Plan to End the Debt Crisis- Put the "Con" in "confidence" Part 1. Read it and weep or laugh if your a masochistic type.
Meanwhile everyone is looking at the Chinese to save Western civilization as we deludedly think we know it. The Chinese are fucked. How so? Well, they have close to a trillion Euros worth of public debt obligations from the Euro zone. If the EU craters into an uncontrolled meltdown and decade long depression, Chinese EU paper will be just that paper, good for burning. The Chinese are not worried about the moral hazard issues; they are very un-Germanic that way. They don't want to get stuck with putting hundreds of billions into a rescue plan that is not transparent. The EU has still not required the banks to put all their liabilities on the table. No way the Chinese want to show their hand too early. Makes everything so clear!
Would you want to be holding anyone's cards in this casino? The chinese remember what happened to the Japanes ewhen they bought into the American humilation of the 1990's. The assets sold to them lost value over night and the Japanese were taken to the cleaners when their economy went south. It this just plain fun or what!
The horror that greeted Papandreou's plan for a people's vote on the conditions of the austerity program and "financial rescue package" raises a question about who the bankers and their political hacks think they are dealing with: Greece is not a Banana Republic. Of course, there are some who miss "The Colonels." It was during the military's take over of Greece in the late 1960's-early 70's that the tax system was finessed so that the rich could escape taxation...fall out that is still with the Greeks to this day.
The Germans are shaking their heads, " We thought we had a deal?" The poor Wolfgang just don't seem to be able to see the Greek political situation as a mirror image of Angela Merkel's situation just weeks ago. Consent of the people and their representatives trumps the elite bankers needs to get this snow job over on the public.
Satyajit Das as a post on the blog Naked Capitalism that puts the current moves by the EU banksters and their political puppets in perspective (http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/10/31/2011). Das has a witty title," Europe's Plan to End the Debt Crisis- Put the "Con" in "confidence" Part 1. Read it and weep or laugh if your a masochistic type.
Meanwhile everyone is looking at the Chinese to save Western civilization as we deludedly think we know it. The Chinese are fucked. How so? Well, they have close to a trillion Euros worth of public debt obligations from the Euro zone. If the EU craters into an uncontrolled meltdown and decade long depression, Chinese EU paper will be just that paper, good for burning. The Chinese are not worried about the moral hazard issues; they are very un-Germanic that way. They don't want to get stuck with putting hundreds of billions into a rescue plan that is not transparent. The EU has still not required the banks to put all their liabilities on the table. No way the Chinese want to show their hand too early. Makes everything so clear!
Would you want to be holding anyone's cards in this casino? The chinese remember what happened to the Japanes ewhen they bought into the American humilation of the 1990's. The assets sold to them lost value over night and the Japanese were taken to the cleaners when their economy went south. It this just plain fun or what!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Republicans Forcing Obama Win in 2012
It is just too strange watching the Republicans self-destruct as if they have been grabbed by a force field, powered by idiocy. Herman Cain has gotten so weird that it seems he is playing it for laughs. Perhaps he is hoping that he will be asked to appear on American Idol.
Romney continues to do the politico version of the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps on going and going, saying what needs to be said to keep him in touch with the untouchables on the candidate trail. How depressing is that?
Meanwhile Barack is watching CNN and hoping to god that Occupy Wall Street(OWS) does not morph into a primary challenge from a real democrat. If the labor movement becomes more involved, Barack will have less to fear from OWS. How tempting it would be ask Sherwood Brown or Ron Feingold to run against Obama for the nomination. It isn't going to happen...but we can dream.
Romney continues to do the politico version of the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps on going and going, saying what needs to be said to keep him in touch with the untouchables on the candidate trail. How depressing is that?
Meanwhile Barack is watching CNN and hoping to god that Occupy Wall Street(OWS) does not morph into a primary challenge from a real democrat. If the labor movement becomes more involved, Barack will have less to fear from OWS. How tempting it would be ask Sherwood Brown or Ron Feingold to run against Obama for the nomination. It isn't going to happen...but we can dream.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Oakland State of Mind
If you have been reading the blogospere about the Oakland vs Atlanta police conduct while dispersing supporters of Occupy Wall Street, you have to amazed at the differences...why? First, read NYTimes blog post by Mackey and Goldman. Nice work lads! Embedded with their commentery are video clips that show the contrast between Oakland and Atlanta polic eresponse to demonstrations (http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/26 ).
As I was posting my own comment on the boys blog, I came across an outstanding article on Oakland's police department: it's history of criminal behavior, cover-up of brutality complaints and multiple investigations into police department corruption. Sounds like James Ellroy is running the Oakland PD. (http://www.guardian.co.uk). A young chap by the name of Paul Harris wrote the piece. Of course it makes sense that a reporter in England would write the article contextualizing the brutality of the Oakland PD.
I am reminded of the famous statement by Eugene Debs about Utica New York, which applies equally to Oakland California, "If America were ever to need an enema, it would be inserted in [ Oakland]."
The Blogosphere is having a salutory effect upon the people who are the real potential for mass mobilizations after police brutality as in Oakland.
As I was posting my own comment on the boys blog, I came across an outstanding article on Oakland's police department: it's history of criminal behavior, cover-up of brutality complaints and multiple investigations into police department corruption. Sounds like James Ellroy is running the Oakland PD. (http://www.guardian.co.uk). A young chap by the name of Paul Harris wrote the piece. Of course it makes sense that a reporter in England would write the article contextualizing the brutality of the Oakland PD.
I am reminded of the famous statement by Eugene Debs about Utica New York, which applies equally to Oakland California, "If America were ever to need an enema, it would be inserted in [ Oakland]."
The Blogosphere is having a salutory effect upon the people who are the real potential for mass mobilizations after police brutality as in Oakland.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Oh my, MQ denied civil rights...perhaps.
I just don't get this, my favorite Yves Smith of the blog Naked Capitalism (http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/) is all in a lather over Colonel MQ getting offed by NATO and the overly enthusiastic local Libyans. The New York Times, Fahim and Goldstone(www.nytimes.com/2011/0ct.20/2011 ) seemed to pursue this story as if it were the execution of two members of the Black Panther Party in Chi-town in the 60's ( ask your parents about this reference). Anyway, what is going on here?
Of course, the United States and its NATO allies are happy MQ is resting in pieces. Can you imagine the stories he and his lawyers would have to tell if he were to be tried at The Hague? As it is, the ties among the various intelligence agencies over the last five years will sooner or later come out: depending on who's pensions (buys) off or eliminates MQs high level agents. . Amnesty International is calling for an independent investigation of MQs final days. Hell, why not wait for The History Channel's findings? Between History Channel and National Geographic, the whole story should out in no time.
One can only hope that MI-6 and French Intelligence don't shoot each other while trying to destroy evidence of each country's collusion with Libyan torturers under. The bigger story of MQs ties to his brother psychopaths in office in West Africa and beyond is still little analyzed in the Anglo-American media. One can only hope for someone to turn over that rock very soon. Of course, whomever does turn over that rock, will not be getting much sleep for a long time to come....
We await Amnesty International's call for MQs release from custody...oops to late. Perhaps the Mormons will retroactively save his soul. How much more fun can we have with MQ and the horror, the horror of his fate.... Give me a break.
Just do not get Yves Smith's going on about MQ, except from a fashion point of view. It will be interesting to see if the professors at The Fashion Institute of Technology have a take on the effects of MQs demise on dictator chic in the future....perhaps, more Kevlar in the pants and shirts?
Of course, the United States and its NATO allies are happy MQ is resting in pieces. Can you imagine the stories he and his lawyers would have to tell if he were to be tried at The Hague? As it is, the ties among the various intelligence agencies over the last five years will sooner or later come out: depending on who's pensions (buys) off or eliminates MQs high level agents. . Amnesty International is calling for an independent investigation of MQs final days. Hell, why not wait for The History Channel's findings? Between History Channel and National Geographic, the whole story should out in no time.
One can only hope that MI-6 and French Intelligence don't shoot each other while trying to destroy evidence of each country's collusion with Libyan torturers under. The bigger story of MQs ties to his brother psychopaths in office in West Africa and beyond is still little analyzed in the Anglo-American media. One can only hope for someone to turn over that rock very soon. Of course, whomever does turn over that rock, will not be getting much sleep for a long time to come....
We await Amnesty International's call for MQs release from custody...oops to late. Perhaps the Mormons will retroactively save his soul. How much more fun can we have with MQ and the horror, the horror of his fate.... Give me a break.
Just do not get Yves Smith's going on about MQ, except from a fashion point of view. It will be interesting to see if the professors at The Fashion Institute of Technology have a take on the effects of MQs demise on dictator chic in the future....perhaps, more Kevlar in the pants and shirts?
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Eating Children and Such
I may have dreamed this one up...it was several hours ago that I read on a news website that: witch doctors in Uganda were sacrificing children to guarantee prosperity for the businessman willing to pay to have the child killed (abcnews.go.com.2020/child-sacrifice-uganda-witch-doctor).
I must admit that Uganda has been off my list of places to visit for quite sometime. But this story got my attention. It seemed so grotesque as to be a parody. I thought that The Onion might have hacked the website of the news site. But no. Upon rereading the piece carefully, I let the full effect settle in.
I wonder what Swift would have said about this barbaric situation?
Then I began to think about whose children are being sacrificed to finance capital in my own dear country. Here we kill their self esteem by preaching "equality" of opportunity while making sure that formal equality is undermined by economic inequality. Tax bases are rigged so that schools in rich areas are able to provide extras for their pupils and wealthy parents can enrich their children's opportunities for success in academics and social climbing. A classic example of what i am alluding to is the systematic underfunding of the largest public school system in the nation, the New York City public schools. Generations of minority children, any already burdened by poverty, living in substandard housing, in neighborhoods with high crime and even higher unemployment go to schools that have been robbed of financial resources owed to them by the State of New York. No, it is not Uganda. Here we kill the child 's ambition and self-esteem....But, we let the children live on with fewer opportunities than their wealthy counterparts, poorer health prospects and shorter life spans. How civilized? How superior we are to our Ugandan businessmen.
I must admit that Uganda has been off my list of places to visit for quite sometime. But this story got my attention. It seemed so grotesque as to be a parody. I thought that The Onion might have hacked the website of the news site. But no. Upon rereading the piece carefully, I let the full effect settle in.
I wonder what Swift would have said about this barbaric situation?
Then I began to think about whose children are being sacrificed to finance capital in my own dear country. Here we kill their self esteem by preaching "equality" of opportunity while making sure that formal equality is undermined by economic inequality. Tax bases are rigged so that schools in rich areas are able to provide extras for their pupils and wealthy parents can enrich their children's opportunities for success in academics and social climbing. A classic example of what i am alluding to is the systematic underfunding of the largest public school system in the nation, the New York City public schools. Generations of minority children, any already burdened by poverty, living in substandard housing, in neighborhoods with high crime and even higher unemployment go to schools that have been robbed of financial resources owed to them by the State of New York. No, it is not Uganda. Here we kill the child 's ambition and self-esteem....But, we let the children live on with fewer opportunities than their wealthy counterparts, poorer health prospects and shorter life spans. How civilized? How superior we are to our Ugandan businessmen.
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