The current world leader of Roman Catholicism is the direct link to Pope Peter (St. Peter) the apostle of Jesus. According the Catholic Church Peter was personally appointed as the first Bishop of Rome by Christ. Over two thousand years of Christianity passed before Pope Francis was elected to follow Peter and lead the church forward.
Francis is known for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. To further his ideals Francis continues to reach out to people in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout his visits to Latin America and Cuba he was met by joyful and respectful crowds. In meetings with national and church leaders he spread good will across the region. The Pope and the Church knew that the United States was a unique case even before he arrived in the country. What they had not realized was that they would encounter Saint Kim of Kentucky and her mouthpiece who repeatedly poked the Pope with PR stunts. A man who lives on honesty can't understand the scam lessons taught on Madison Ave and streets of Hollywood.
This encounter cast a dark cloud over all the Pope had accomplished on his trip and may even destroy all of Christendom. St. Kim and the mouth made allegations that not only had the Pope meeting privately with Kim but blessing her martyrdom just short of canonization. According to the allegation the Pope was attempting to influence the U.S. policy and the court system.
Faced with a slippery slope the Church was quick to deny the allegations as the Pope beat a hasty retreat from the country. Not satisfied with casting the Pope's tour into the gutter, St. Kim and the mouth called the Pope and the church liars pushing all Christianity down that slope.
Consider if the Pope and the Church are lying now what else have they lied about. Did the lies go all the way back to St. Peter? What if Peter had lied about Jesus and he wasn't divine? What if Marx was right and religion was created by the elite as an opiate for the masses? The very rock on which Christianity is anchored on crumbles and Christians are cast adrift with the reality of their 2000 years of crimes against humanity no longer have divine forgiveness. Judaism acknowledges Jesus as important and Islam claims him as a prophet both without divinity. Anchorless Christians must now reach out to religions they have persecuted for centuries to save their souls. A new Dark Age engulfs the world with Muslims again protecting the world's light. Fear of lost souls drives many to embrace Islam
The mouth and the Kim Unity Movement draws lost evangelicals tightly around the Kentucky courthouse that is now the center of their religion. As they consolidate power they replace democracy with an evangelical theocracy that drives Jews, Muslims, Democrats, Romans Papist and other heretics into the rising seas.
Long live Kim! Careful what you wish for.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Displaced 092915
The news of the day is that Europe is facing a migrant crisis. Reality is that the crisis lies deep in Africa and Asia where displaced began to seek stability and safety in Europe.
Germany enacted the most liberal refugee and immigration policies in post WWII, opening its doors not only to Europeans but also the displaced from other lands. The present masses of displaced however find the German door hard to open. European nations are attempting to bar their doors in face of a growing migration. Border States are accepting the displaced from humanitarian concerns but are unable support the large influx or pass the migrants through locked doors while States debate the crisis.
The Twentieth Century was the century of displaced brought about by major wars and global economic depression. World War One displaced masses not only in Europe but also Africa and Asia. The Bolshevik Revolution added Russians to long lines trudging across Europe and Far East. Before these refugees were settled a global financial meltdown swelled to ranks of displace. Chinese and Spaniards joined the march while the depression was still generating wanderers. The States created by the Versailles treaty were unstable, sending more people in search of safety. Japan invaded Asia already at war with itself and the political collateral damage was more displaced. The classic displaced haven was the United States but even it was beginning to limit immigration. Without options the displaced wandered, living a marginal life to survive. Then came WWII where countries were destroyed with survivors becoming the new global displaced. WWII did not really end but became a cold war of very hot proxy wars with more displaced from remote regions, swelling the ranks of the unwanted.
It is probable that there will never be a reliable estimate of the vast numbers of Twentieth Century's displaced. Whole families died along the road; often no one was left to count. Others just disappeared, some resettled in their own countries, and still others were lost in foreign lands. The United States deludes itself that it can never happen there, but it has during the great dust bowl and depression along with ethnic cleansing of minorities.
That's the last century, the displaced of this century might exceed its flawed estimates. Great power politics and war has already sent millions of displaced wandering in search of a home. They are met with little sympathy even hostility as they arrive on to distant shores. The problem is not resettlement of the displaced but rather addressing the dynamics that forced them to take extreme measures to survive.
As they wander across the landscape even more villages are bombed daily swelling the endless stream. Disease and poverty are rampant in remote regions. Nations complaining of the masses at their door should address the causations that forced migration. Stop destroying cities and villages, assist peace, health and development efforts in regions generating much of the migrations. With the right turn and militarization within the developed States this is unlikely in the short term. Their humanitarianism wears thin and migrants are told to move on, they and their culture is unwanted.
Germany enacted the most liberal refugee and immigration policies in post WWII, opening its doors not only to Europeans but also the displaced from other lands. The present masses of displaced however find the German door hard to open. European nations are attempting to bar their doors in face of a growing migration. Border States are accepting the displaced from humanitarian concerns but are unable support the large influx or pass the migrants through locked doors while States debate the crisis.
The Twentieth Century was the century of displaced brought about by major wars and global economic depression. World War One displaced masses not only in Europe but also Africa and Asia. The Bolshevik Revolution added Russians to long lines trudging across Europe and Far East. Before these refugees were settled a global financial meltdown swelled to ranks of displace. Chinese and Spaniards joined the march while the depression was still generating wanderers. The States created by the Versailles treaty were unstable, sending more people in search of safety. Japan invaded Asia already at war with itself and the political collateral damage was more displaced. The classic displaced haven was the United States but even it was beginning to limit immigration. Without options the displaced wandered, living a marginal life to survive. Then came WWII where countries were destroyed with survivors becoming the new global displaced. WWII did not really end but became a cold war of very hot proxy wars with more displaced from remote regions, swelling the ranks of the unwanted.
It is probable that there will never be a reliable estimate of the vast numbers of Twentieth Century's displaced. Whole families died along the road; often no one was left to count. Others just disappeared, some resettled in their own countries, and still others were lost in foreign lands. The United States deludes itself that it can never happen there, but it has during the great dust bowl and depression along with ethnic cleansing of minorities.
That's the last century, the displaced of this century might exceed its flawed estimates. Great power politics and war has already sent millions of displaced wandering in search of a home. They are met with little sympathy even hostility as they arrive on to distant shores. The problem is not resettlement of the displaced but rather addressing the dynamics that forced them to take extreme measures to survive.
As they wander across the landscape even more villages are bombed daily swelling the endless stream. Disease and poverty are rampant in remote regions. Nations complaining of the masses at their door should address the causations that forced migration. Stop destroying cities and villages, assist peace, health and development efforts in regions generating much of the migrations. With the right turn and militarization within the developed States this is unlikely in the short term. Their humanitarianism wears thin and migrants are told to move on, they and their culture is unwanted.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Nostalgia 092715
People appear to love the game of " what if-if only,." Academics entertain students with what if: what if the south had won the American Civil war; what if the colonial powers had broken up China instead of trying to own it all: what if Al Smith had been a Protestant rather than a Catholic; what if the Indians had beaten back the white man's land grab or Santa Anna had defeated the Texans. Give it up prof it didn't happen, it's not going to happen and the outcomes would have been totally different than expectations.
If only is a more egalitarian game, everyone plays at some point in life. If only you married your high school sweetheart or if only you hadn't. If only you knew then what you know now. If only you had invested in APPLE when it first opened. If only and what if are exercises in futility generated by "publish or perish" and deep disappointment of paths taken. The games look backward at choices as if they were a "Y" in the road, but you can't go back to that "Y" it no longer exist. Life travels from where you are not where you were. Different choices equal different outcomes, change one, change future options; the past is not reversible.
Nostalgia also looks back but for pleasant memories of what was rather than with disappointment. Nostalgia is a game of the elderly, remember when!
A gallon of gas, a pack of cigarettes, a working man's lunch and all day movies were all ten cents. Even panhandlers welcomed a dime. Phone calls were a nickel, at phone booths everywhere and MA BELL's helpful operators were romantic visions of beauty to lonely GIs.
Kids walked to school in safety, the boys carrying girls' books, by high school they would be holding hands. Local cops knew everyone on the street stopping to chat while keeping neighborhood kids in line. He earned his flat feet and took great pride that he had never shot anyone. After 20 or so years they might get a three wheel Harley for their beat but they would get off to still talk with their old friends along the street.
The Dodgers actually played in Brooklyn and farm teams reach out to kids playing pickup games on vacant sandlots where kids actually played for fun. Almost everyone paid cash and debt was low. Radio ruled the airways sending imaginations soaring while selling beer and soap. Shade tree mechanics could fix anything and taught generations to repair cars and invent the future. Boarding a plane was pleasant experience; the stews were young and beautiful. The meals were good and flying at 8,000 feet gave window seats a real view. Ethics and integrity were honored traits in business and politics.
A nostalgic view doesn't generate a desire to return to a distant past. What ifs and if only and a return to some mythical past are the new conservative political game. Their political game interpretations ignores the realities of the past. The past had nostalgic high points but its reality incorporated more deep dark points. The future begins from where we are, not from were we were. Politics should look to the future not to a mythical past that never really existed.
If only is a more egalitarian game, everyone plays at some point in life. If only you married your high school sweetheart or if only you hadn't. If only you knew then what you know now. If only you had invested in APPLE when it first opened. If only and what if are exercises in futility generated by "publish or perish" and deep disappointment of paths taken. The games look backward at choices as if they were a "Y" in the road, but you can't go back to that "Y" it no longer exist. Life travels from where you are not where you were. Different choices equal different outcomes, change one, change future options; the past is not reversible.
Nostalgia also looks back but for pleasant memories of what was rather than with disappointment. Nostalgia is a game of the elderly, remember when!
A gallon of gas, a pack of cigarettes, a working man's lunch and all day movies were all ten cents. Even panhandlers welcomed a dime. Phone calls were a nickel, at phone booths everywhere and MA BELL's helpful operators were romantic visions of beauty to lonely GIs.
Kids walked to school in safety, the boys carrying girls' books, by high school they would be holding hands. Local cops knew everyone on the street stopping to chat while keeping neighborhood kids in line. He earned his flat feet and took great pride that he had never shot anyone. After 20 or so years they might get a three wheel Harley for their beat but they would get off to still talk with their old friends along the street.
The Dodgers actually played in Brooklyn and farm teams reach out to kids playing pickup games on vacant sandlots where kids actually played for fun. Almost everyone paid cash and debt was low. Radio ruled the airways sending imaginations soaring while selling beer and soap. Shade tree mechanics could fix anything and taught generations to repair cars and invent the future. Boarding a plane was pleasant experience; the stews were young and beautiful. The meals were good and flying at 8,000 feet gave window seats a real view. Ethics and integrity were honored traits in business and politics.
A nostalgic view doesn't generate a desire to return to a distant past. What ifs and if only and a return to some mythical past are the new conservative political game. Their political game interpretations ignores the realities of the past. The past had nostalgic high points but its reality incorporated more deep dark points. The future begins from where we are, not from were we were. Politics should look to the future not to a mythical past that never really existed.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Focus 022815
The Greeks welsh on their debts. Africa is disease ridden. Palestinians are terrorist. Israel practices ethnic cleaning. North Korea is insanity with a BOMB. The Russians are coming. Muslims are taking over the world. Christians demand renew crusades. The United States is on the verge _____. (Fill in the blank)
It's all sound bite foreign relations. Sound bites built around grains of truths but foreign policy is a very big sandbox. Objective news reporting is a causality of the electronic age, there are some objective scholarly journals around but they are to esoterically objective for politicians to understand. So they turn to their favorite polarized think tanks that support radicalized political agendas for grant money. As a result foreign policy leaps from one crisis to another, resolving nothing and creating a chaotic bubbling stew that satisfies no hungers while leaving an offensive taste in billions of mouths.
Sound bite diplomacy, chasing polls and jumping from frying pan to frying pan is indicative of a lack of strategic vision in foreign affairs. Can any national leader negotiate coherent foreign policies in the sound bite world? According to some sources a print reporter coined the phrase, "all politics is local," back in 1932, meaning that politicians must bring home the bacon. Politics were local back then while still true today it's also true that "All Politics is Global." What a politician in a small remote village says in a campaign for dog catcher is instantly flashed around the world and picked up by foreign politicians as reflections of national policy. It really doesn't matter what the official positions of governments are, minds hear the isolated sound bites of obscure politicians and holy men and react with a fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is fed by foreign policies that flounder from election to election. Governments no longer speak with one voice but with competing political gibberish that fills media space while passing as authoritarian confusing reality with constant electioneering. With all the foreign policy chattering it is little wonder that people hear what they want to hear and take offense at pseudo reality.
Until nations step back for a moment to see world reality, a coherent foreign policy can not be crafted. The first step for a nation is to identify its core values and interests, consider its present and future capabilities and devise a long-term strategy for sandbox games. Nations must get past sound bite diplomacy and selfies as world visions.
Great Britain began to lose its greatness during World War One but after a 100 years it still struggles with its past power player self image even as the much diminished Britain itself faces internal fractures. Failure to adjust to rapid changing foreign affairs dynamics may result in the New World Order increasingly becoming World Disorder as global sound bite politician battle for power.
It is imperative that national focus shifts from sound bites to negotiations for a coordinated and comprehensive world vision of the 22nd century. Failure is not an option.
It's all sound bite foreign relations. Sound bites built around grains of truths but foreign policy is a very big sandbox. Objective news reporting is a causality of the electronic age, there are some objective scholarly journals around but they are to esoterically objective for politicians to understand. So they turn to their favorite polarized think tanks that support radicalized political agendas for grant money. As a result foreign policy leaps from one crisis to another, resolving nothing and creating a chaotic bubbling stew that satisfies no hungers while leaving an offensive taste in billions of mouths.
Sound bite diplomacy, chasing polls and jumping from frying pan to frying pan is indicative of a lack of strategic vision in foreign affairs. Can any national leader negotiate coherent foreign policies in the sound bite world? According to some sources a print reporter coined the phrase, "all politics is local," back in 1932, meaning that politicians must bring home the bacon. Politics were local back then while still true today it's also true that "All Politics is Global." What a politician in a small remote village says in a campaign for dog catcher is instantly flashed around the world and picked up by foreign politicians as reflections of national policy. It really doesn't matter what the official positions of governments are, minds hear the isolated sound bites of obscure politicians and holy men and react with a fear of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is fed by foreign policies that flounder from election to election. Governments no longer speak with one voice but with competing political gibberish that fills media space while passing as authoritarian confusing reality with constant electioneering. With all the foreign policy chattering it is little wonder that people hear what they want to hear and take offense at pseudo reality.
Until nations step back for a moment to see world reality, a coherent foreign policy can not be crafted. The first step for a nation is to identify its core values and interests, consider its present and future capabilities and devise a long-term strategy for sandbox games. Nations must get past sound bite diplomacy and selfies as world visions.
Great Britain began to lose its greatness during World War One but after a 100 years it still struggles with its past power player self image even as the much diminished Britain itself faces internal fractures. Failure to adjust to rapid changing foreign affairs dynamics may result in the New World Order increasingly becoming World Disorder as global sound bite politician battle for power.
It is imperative that national focus shifts from sound bites to negotiations for a coordinated and comprehensive world vision of the 22nd century. Failure is not an option.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Sitcom 021415
Electioneering for next political festival has all the makings of a good situation comedy but for the people who must endure, it also has the aspects of the Greek Tragedy. The 16 comedy of errors began before election 14 was even decided.
Potential candidates began to stake out their claims of being more conservative or liberal than thou. For campaign watchers it was more fun than Saturday Night Live at its satirical best. The tragedy is that many of the wild-eyed promises will end up in party platforms. It's well accepted that most candidates will renege on campaign promises, but there might be one or two who honestly attempt to keep their promises to either the radical left or right. Honest attempts to deliver however may box the country into a similar position as the recently elected Greek government where unrealistic campaign promises now threaten to destroy the economy, government and country.
America's revolution freed the county from a tyrannical royal monarchy over 200 years ago. However, during those two centuries America began to develop its own, above the law, royalty and noble families. Senators and Congressmen virtually serve for life as few are ever voted out office with their descendants dynastically carrying on. It appears that next year's voters must choose between two competing dynasties as the leading candidates are Bush the third and Clinton the second.
The Bush family is already putting forward a Bush the fourth as the next generation to carry on the family's royalty business. Looking back at American history it seems the Clinton name has popped up in national politics at least four times, admittedly one was a British general during the revolution. Does that mean that Hillary is really Clinton the fifth? Maybe we need a fifth for this coming election, make that a hogshead of Jack Black Whisky (Scotch or Vodka may be preferred but are probably considered un-American and subject to denunciation by the conservative House.) Supermarket rags should forget about who is going to inherit the British throne for gossip about the Lord and Ladies of Washington and who will inherit the kingdom of Potomac. There is enough clay in the running feet to build a ten-foot brick wall around the country. That's an idea for House consideration for immigration reform.
Cost estimates for the next election runs into billions. For that kind of money it would seem that the country could afford a whole new slate of candidates rather than having to recycling the old entrenched Lords and Ladies. That is really carrying environmental recycling to an extreme.
Maybe the best candidates should be those that run poor campaigns by only promising too honestly do their best to govern in the interest of all the people. An impossible dream, the country doesn't want honest politicians who considers the interests of all those people who disagree with ME.
With two years to go maybe the country really needs a tanker fleet of Jack Black just to survive the rhetoric. We might not survive but at least we can go out happy.
Potential candidates began to stake out their claims of being more conservative or liberal than thou. For campaign watchers it was more fun than Saturday Night Live at its satirical best. The tragedy is that many of the wild-eyed promises will end up in party platforms. It's well accepted that most candidates will renege on campaign promises, but there might be one or two who honestly attempt to keep their promises to either the radical left or right. Honest attempts to deliver however may box the country into a similar position as the recently elected Greek government where unrealistic campaign promises now threaten to destroy the economy, government and country.
America's revolution freed the county from a tyrannical royal monarchy over 200 years ago. However, during those two centuries America began to develop its own, above the law, royalty and noble families. Senators and Congressmen virtually serve for life as few are ever voted out office with their descendants dynastically carrying on. It appears that next year's voters must choose between two competing dynasties as the leading candidates are Bush the third and Clinton the second.
The Bush family is already putting forward a Bush the fourth as the next generation to carry on the family's royalty business. Looking back at American history it seems the Clinton name has popped up in national politics at least four times, admittedly one was a British general during the revolution. Does that mean that Hillary is really Clinton the fifth? Maybe we need a fifth for this coming election, make that a hogshead of Jack Black Whisky (Scotch or Vodka may be preferred but are probably considered un-American and subject to denunciation by the conservative House.) Supermarket rags should forget about who is going to inherit the British throne for gossip about the Lord and Ladies of Washington and who will inherit the kingdom of Potomac. There is enough clay in the running feet to build a ten-foot brick wall around the country. That's an idea for House consideration for immigration reform.
Cost estimates for the next election runs into billions. For that kind of money it would seem that the country could afford a whole new slate of candidates rather than having to recycling the old entrenched Lords and Ladies. That is really carrying environmental recycling to an extreme.
Maybe the best candidates should be those that run poor campaigns by only promising too honestly do their best to govern in the interest of all the people. An impossible dream, the country doesn't want honest politicians who considers the interests of all those people who disagree with ME.
With two years to go maybe the country really needs a tanker fleet of Jack Black just to survive the rhetoric. We might not survive but at least we can go out happy.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Russian way 021015
When the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union began to implode there was dancing in western streets. Western politicians gleefully proclaimed the "Bear" was dead and rushed into Soviet Republics. The truth is the Bear wasn't dead, just hibernating.
Wearing Cold War blinders the politician failed to appreciate that while the Soviets overthrew the imperial regime it built on its Russian culture. Keeping many of the imperial institutions under new management the Soviets adjusted and modernized the Old Russian Empire. People went into imperial labor camps in even greater numbers, called Soviet Gulags, returning them to a virtual serfdom that powered modernization.
In the mid-1800 the Russian Empire stretched from California across northern Asia deep into Eastern Europe. In 1867 the United States purchased the Californian settlements and all of Alaska for 7.2 million dollars. The Tsars (Czars) built their empire in the traditional way: by sword, political threats and bribery. Imperialism settled ethnic Russian in newly acquired territories, displacing natives, insuring their control the regions. This provided justification for any future incursions as protection of Russian minorities. The ebb and flow of Eastern Europe politics during the imperial period is complicated. Basically during the 18th and 19th centuries Russia seized much of Ottoman Europe, the splintered parts of the Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic States to complete its modern empire. When the Soviets seized power in Russia some of the states drifted toward independence but the Soviets quickly brought them back into the Empire as Soviet Republics with tactics reminiscence of Czarist Cossacks.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin's recent seizure of the Crimea is not a return to Soviet cold war strategy but rather a page out of the imperial Czarist playbook. Crimea was been taken from the Ottoman Turks in the mid-19th century and infused with Russians now considered to be historic Russian Territory. Putin's moves in the Ukraine (the largest country in Europe) also follows Czarist precedents, protecting Russians abused by the Ukrainian Slavs with patriotic "volunteers" defending the oppressed.
The West has a 100 percent record in understanding Russians, always wrong. The western model of foreign policy is a game for rational actors. The Russians have never been rational in the western sense but always act in a uniquely Russian manner as an imperialist amalgam of its Asian and European heritage.
It is probable that after nearly 20 years in the Russian power position Putin sees himself as the new Tsar. As "Putin the Great" he may feel driven to return the empire to its former glory. The world is focused on the Ukraine, which is classic imperial strategy of distraction, deception and attrition. Distraction from pressures placed on Eastern Europe, its southern border and deception in Greece and Egypt. Nothing is as it seems, historically Russia accepts cost that outweigh rewards. While the west contemplates giving away half of the Ukraine or destroying Europe in a scorched earth game of dominos Russia plays three-dimensional chess for an empire. It's the Russian Way.
Wearing Cold War blinders the politician failed to appreciate that while the Soviets overthrew the imperial regime it built on its Russian culture. Keeping many of the imperial institutions under new management the Soviets adjusted and modernized the Old Russian Empire. People went into imperial labor camps in even greater numbers, called Soviet Gulags, returning them to a virtual serfdom that powered modernization.
In the mid-1800 the Russian Empire stretched from California across northern Asia deep into Eastern Europe. In 1867 the United States purchased the Californian settlements and all of Alaska for 7.2 million dollars. The Tsars (Czars) built their empire in the traditional way: by sword, political threats and bribery. Imperialism settled ethnic Russian in newly acquired territories, displacing natives, insuring their control the regions. This provided justification for any future incursions as protection of Russian minorities. The ebb and flow of Eastern Europe politics during the imperial period is complicated. Basically during the 18th and 19th centuries Russia seized much of Ottoman Europe, the splintered parts of the Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic States to complete its modern empire. When the Soviets seized power in Russia some of the states drifted toward independence but the Soviets quickly brought them back into the Empire as Soviet Republics with tactics reminiscence of Czarist Cossacks.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin's recent seizure of the Crimea is not a return to Soviet cold war strategy but rather a page out of the imperial Czarist playbook. Crimea was been taken from the Ottoman Turks in the mid-19th century and infused with Russians now considered to be historic Russian Territory. Putin's moves in the Ukraine (the largest country in Europe) also follows Czarist precedents, protecting Russians abused by the Ukrainian Slavs with patriotic "volunteers" defending the oppressed.
The West has a 100 percent record in understanding Russians, always wrong. The western model of foreign policy is a game for rational actors. The Russians have never been rational in the western sense but always act in a uniquely Russian manner as an imperialist amalgam of its Asian and European heritage.
It is probable that after nearly 20 years in the Russian power position Putin sees himself as the new Tsar. As "Putin the Great" he may feel driven to return the empire to its former glory. The world is focused on the Ukraine, which is classic imperial strategy of distraction, deception and attrition. Distraction from pressures placed on Eastern Europe, its southern border and deception in Greece and Egypt. Nothing is as it seems, historically Russia accepts cost that outweigh rewards. While the west contemplates giving away half of the Ukraine or destroying Europe in a scorched earth game of dominos Russia plays three-dimensional chess for an empire. It's the Russian Way.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
American way 013015
America invaded Afghanistan and Iraq over a decade ago to overthrow regimes that resisted or embarrassed the United States. A pure military operation yet to play out. The military was successful in disposing the governments of both countries but failed in its objective to install the American Way. The expected six-month campaigns are now in their second decade and spreading from the Middle East throughout Asia and across the globe. So far the military is a clear winner in only one area, becoming a unilateral foreign policy actor bypassing civilian oversight. While denying any responsibility for the blood bath America is attempting to build support for new American Way campaigns in other foreign lands. Just what is this American Way?
Back in the 20th century when Israel was established and conflict raged the American ambassador to the UN gave a speech asking why the two sides couldn't resolve their dispute like Christian gentlemen. The Jews and Muslims asked each other how Christians handled their disputes. Neither knew so after some research they have been killing each other ever since. It's the American Way.
Speech is free only as long as no government official raises objections to the words. Pass laws so police can arrest citizens for things they say and think. Expand prosecutorial powers to enforce partisan political agendas. Auto-track the population through requirements that every citizen must carry government issued identification. The American Way.
Pass legislation authorizing the military to invade friendly countries and seize the World Court to preempt rulings deemed against national interest. Write laws authorizing the military to seize any domestic citizen and hold them incognito indefinitely. Allow a military disinformation department that targets domestic audiences with black propaganda. Secretly record conversations and e-mails of the entire population. Protect foreign oil fields for American use under an "Energy Security Initiative." That's the American Way.
America developed the advertising industry; television talk shows' spin, Internet blogs and partisan social networks. These innovations have enable continuous political campaigns and dirty tricks that deceives, desensitizes and distracts the population from real political corruption. Political candidates don't change their agendas; they just rhetorically chase the polls. It's the American way.
There are calls to police morals and thoughts by monitoring all communication; supplant free press with state run news outlets and even establish state approved religious correctness. Some officials are creatively reinterpreting the Constitution and in particular the "Bill of Rights." Sound like a secret police state? It's the 21st century's American Way, it may also be the beginning of the end of the America myth it is attempting to export.
Who is that pounding on my door?
Notes:
The Bush administration's oil troika (Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld) pushed a plan to occupy foreign oil fields under the Strategic Energy Security Initiative. Rumsfeld even boasted that the plan would turn a profit from the seized oil. The paper leaked and friendly oil producers strenuously objected to its broad provisions. Nigeria even deployed troops to defend against an off shore American Marine force preparing to land in the country, the invasion was called off and the force hastily moved out of Nigerian waters. While widely opposed in oil countries the plan went virtually unnoticed in America. The plan's title has been recycled a number of times giving it more benign meanings. Deception, Denial and Censorship that's the American Way.
Although legislation on the domestic employment of the military has passed the current President refuses to order out the troops. The laws and plans remain on shelf until some future administration feels sufficiently threatened to again open concentration camps.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Antiques 012315
Recently a model 1873 Winchester carbine was discovered in a national park. It was manufactured in 1882 but it's unknown when it was left in the park since many of those weapons are still in use after a century. The rifle had been there long enough for the stock to weather like and old fence rail and the metal to collect a patina of rust. The point is that quality material and workmanship created a mechanical device in the 19th century that possibly survived the elements for 130 years.
The rifle's survival is not so unique since museums are filled with the relics of past centuries. In the early 20th century: children played with cast iron toys, porcelain dolls and real wood blocks; important documents were written on parchment and books printed on high quality rag paper. Buildings were constructed of bricks and stone. Things were made to last and often served generations. A time capsule from 1795 containing relics from America's revolutionary era was opened this year in Boston. The rifle and Paul Reverie's silver attest to the fact that quality survives.
World War Two left much of the world in ruins and for the most part the survivors were more interested in building new than saving the old. A lot of heritage was burned and buried to make room for the new. A mystique built up around a throwaway society. Building new fed economies with a constant demand for replacements.
Don't repair; buy new toasters, automobiles even buildings creating more jobs and more wealth. Creating quality with parchment, iron, stone and steel gave way to disposable composites. Why worry, things only had to last a generation before being torn down, melted or buried to make room for taller buildings, bigger coliseums, fancier cars, flashy toys and the latest kitchen gadgets. Sometimes the latest didn't even last a generation before ending up on a trash pile, broken victims of new fads of the throwaway culture. Even grandma's heirloom jewelry sank into the melting pot to for a more modern rebirth.
A few poor examples of the era, discovered in long forgotten warehouses, now bring high prices at antique auctions. Its probable that dealers will soon flock to once closed societies like Cuba where heritage rests in a post war time warp. They had better move fast for the throwaway culture will soon export plastic replacements.
Archeologist of the future may only have a few bits of biodegraded plastic to judge the 21st century's throwaway culture. They will still have the pottery, gold and glass of prehistory to attest to the decline of civilizations.
The 1873 Winchester will probably still be around, but what from this century will be in time capsules and cornerstones of buildings torn down each generation? What relics will the archeologist discover when they open our landfill mounds? What quality relics will be saved to mark the passing of this century? It is possible that the only antiques of the 21st century to reach the 22nd will be old people maintained by new life support.
The rifle's survival is not so unique since museums are filled with the relics of past centuries. In the early 20th century: children played with cast iron toys, porcelain dolls and real wood blocks; important documents were written on parchment and books printed on high quality rag paper. Buildings were constructed of bricks and stone. Things were made to last and often served generations. A time capsule from 1795 containing relics from America's revolutionary era was opened this year in Boston. The rifle and Paul Reverie's silver attest to the fact that quality survives.
World War Two left much of the world in ruins and for the most part the survivors were more interested in building new than saving the old. A lot of heritage was burned and buried to make room for the new. A mystique built up around a throwaway society. Building new fed economies with a constant demand for replacements.
Don't repair; buy new toasters, automobiles even buildings creating more jobs and more wealth. Creating quality with parchment, iron, stone and steel gave way to disposable composites. Why worry, things only had to last a generation before being torn down, melted or buried to make room for taller buildings, bigger coliseums, fancier cars, flashy toys and the latest kitchen gadgets. Sometimes the latest didn't even last a generation before ending up on a trash pile, broken victims of new fads of the throwaway culture. Even grandma's heirloom jewelry sank into the melting pot to for a more modern rebirth.
A few poor examples of the era, discovered in long forgotten warehouses, now bring high prices at antique auctions. Its probable that dealers will soon flock to once closed societies like Cuba where heritage rests in a post war time warp. They had better move fast for the throwaway culture will soon export plastic replacements.
Archeologist of the future may only have a few bits of biodegraded plastic to judge the 21st century's throwaway culture. They will still have the pottery, gold and glass of prehistory to attest to the decline of civilizations.
The 1873 Winchester will probably still be around, but what from this century will be in time capsules and cornerstones of buildings torn down each generation? What relics will the archeologist discover when they open our landfill mounds? What quality relics will be saved to mark the passing of this century? It is possible that the only antiques of the 21st century to reach the 22nd will be old people maintained by new life support.
Conflict 011115
It has been generally accepted that babies are born as blank slates where everything is yet to be written. Science has proven newborns are more like blackboards covered with fine chalk dust left by prenatal experiences. Acknowledging Genes, DNA, mothers who listen to classical music or abuse drugs, all babies are open to environmental input and delivered into a human world at war with itself.
From the days of the cavemen type "A" personalities have risen to leadership by blaming "Those" other people. The first marks on babies' slates are about fear, anger and hate. Those ancient leaders conditioned their followers to the ideas that it was Those other people who are responsible for all the troubles. Over time and despite "civilized enlightenment" demonization continues to seize whole populations. Conflicts raged to exhaustion only to rise again on new generations repeating old allegations.
By age 12 children have developed most of their core values and beliefs. The scribbling on the slates come from parents, schoolmates, politicians and doom merchants. Few ever question the truth of various claims because they are constantly reinforced within a given culture. The other guys are evil; they are responsible for all your woes. Similar to Stone Age leaders, modern opinion mavens amplify, broadcast and focus attention on Those people and away from their own failures. The demonization spans generations and it is difficult to break the convenience of suspicion and blame of Those people.
Early Christians found it convenient to blame the Jews for all their troubles. Hundreds of years later these spurious charges directly led to the Holocaust. For a while after the end of WWII anti Semitic rhetoric died down but the old claims are again being widely circulated. The Cold War began decades before there ever was a Soviet Union. Marx published his manifesto as the world began to industrialized and emerging capitalist sized on its rumored contents to attribute all labor disputes as foreign Communist inspired. When the Soviets overthrew a corrupt regime in Russia the capitalist found communist revolutionaries behind every rock to justify violent suppression of workers. Decades of demonizing Communism prevented any peace as the Soviets gave in to their own fears and demonic rhetoric. The Soviet Union has been gone for almost three decades but old cold warriors on all sides are again stirring the same old rhetorical pot.
Everyone has had a shot at bringing peace between Israel and Palestine over the decades but that conflict lingers. While the antagonist have grown old and seek a settlement the babies born during the conflict were conditioned by mutual demonization and now keep the culture of conflict spinning across the region.
All efforts to break the free of racism, xenophobia and the quest for political advantages are doomed to fail by the constant regeneration of ancient fears. Resolution intentions are at the mercy of politicians, clerics, business interest and media characters that see it is in their own interest to socialize new generations into the culture of conflict.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Outsource 011115
Buy new tech devices on the market today and if there is any documentation included its writing has probably been outsourced to non-native speaking students. After becoming totally confused, find the support telephone number. With a sense of relief dial the number and after navigating through the button menu drill a discovery is made that another group of students in a different country are manning the outsourced help desk. It's soon apparent that their translation of the translation has also confused them. Attempts at clarification of the resulting confusions are now a chaotic brain melt.
Why do billion dollar companies outsource their support desks to China, India, Mexico, Philippines, etc? Simple poor students there work cheap.
Students aren't the only poor and help desk aren't the only outsourced occupations. The textile industry is an example of outsourcing, outsourcing. Fabric in woven in one country, cut in another and sewing in still another before receiving name brand labels in a fourth. The cottage industries of the 18th and 19th century are now the mainstays of international commerce. Automobile component production is outsourced around the globe. Banks and insurance companies outsource administration and risk. Even giant corporations are outsourcing themselves to foreign countries for tax advantages. The good news is that products and services are cheaper; poor people are eating; education and skills diffusion is lighting up the darkest parts of the world. All this made possible by instantaneous communication and fast delivery systems.
The bad news is that outsourcing is addictive quickly becoming a dependency even for governments. Many national armies now depend on sophisticated foreign support and manufactured weapons systems. Super smart electronics depend on components outsourced to SE Asia. In the continuing Afghan/ Iraq wars the American Army outsources many of the task normally preformed by soldiers to foreign companies. These companies do KP, stand guard and even drive massive Mercedes "honey wagons"
making the rounds of foreign porta-potties on "secure" bases. Washington saw outsourcing security and services for the Army as a way to keep down the numbers reported to Congress. Successful in deceiving Congress and the public the government is now the Mecca of outsourcing as Washington fills with outsourcing reps biding on contracts for both domestic and foreign jobs once accomplished by government agencies. City governments were quick to follow Washington's lead outsourcing procurements off shore or to domestic companies. There are now more rent-a-cops protecting the country than official police forces. Often cities fly American flags made in Taiwan. With outsourcing the true size of government is deceiving those paying the bills.
Not to be out done, criminal organizations now outsource frauds, scams, identity theft, drugs even human trafficking. Greater profit for less risk while blaming crime on foreigners. Those irritating mealtime calls shows that even telemarketers now outsource.
Before picking up a phone, outsource to a foreign answering service for a little get even.
Why do billion dollar companies outsource their support desks to China, India, Mexico, Philippines, etc? Simple poor students there work cheap.
Students aren't the only poor and help desk aren't the only outsourced occupations. The textile industry is an example of outsourcing, outsourcing. Fabric in woven in one country, cut in another and sewing in still another before receiving name brand labels in a fourth. The cottage industries of the 18th and 19th century are now the mainstays of international commerce. Automobile component production is outsourced around the globe. Banks and insurance companies outsource administration and risk. Even giant corporations are outsourcing themselves to foreign countries for tax advantages. The good news is that products and services are cheaper; poor people are eating; education and skills diffusion is lighting up the darkest parts of the world. All this made possible by instantaneous communication and fast delivery systems.
The bad news is that outsourcing is addictive quickly becoming a dependency even for governments. Many national armies now depend on sophisticated foreign support and manufactured weapons systems. Super smart electronics depend on components outsourced to SE Asia. In the continuing Afghan/ Iraq wars the American Army outsources many of the task normally preformed by soldiers to foreign companies. These companies do KP, stand guard and even drive massive Mercedes "honey wagons"
making the rounds of foreign porta-potties on "secure" bases. Washington saw outsourcing security and services for the Army as a way to keep down the numbers reported to Congress. Successful in deceiving Congress and the public the government is now the Mecca of outsourcing as Washington fills with outsourcing reps biding on contracts for both domestic and foreign jobs once accomplished by government agencies. City governments were quick to follow Washington's lead outsourcing procurements off shore or to domestic companies. There are now more rent-a-cops protecting the country than official police forces. Often cities fly American flags made in Taiwan. With outsourcing the true size of government is deceiving those paying the bills.
Not to be out done, criminal organizations now outsource frauds, scams, identity theft, drugs even human trafficking. Greater profit for less risk while blaming crime on foreigners. Those irritating mealtime calls shows that even telemarketers now outsource.
Before picking up a phone, outsource to a foreign answering service for a little get even.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Blinders 010515
Back in the horse and buggy days blinders were often worn by horses to keep them from being distracted by the events around them. In today's supersonic world it seems that it's the drivers that are wearing blinders, maintaining their view of the horse's rear end.
Governments may still be enraptured by their limited view of horses' rears but it's a New World that the blinders are hiding. Actually New World geopolitical realities may not be all that new as the current dynamics look a lot like those of the 19th century. Public corruption is rampant, robber barons are now international cartels, law enforcement violently suppresses all dissent, imperialist powers jockey for territorial control, labor is oppressed by big business and big business openly buys legislators and favorable protections support by creative judicial interpretations.
The most disturbing trend however is the slow disappearance of the middle classes. It is not the rich who advocate social equality, and it is not the poor that instigate social revolutions. The poor can't afford revolutions knowing they will bear the human cost. The rich oppose everything that threatens their position at the top of the food chain. It is a downward mobile middle class that embraces violent overthrow of the status quo. To paraphrase, "The rich get richer, the poor can't get any poorer so it's the middle where dissent grows."
Around the globe resistance is growing and violence increasing. Focused on the horses' bottoms politicians find excuses, "foreign influences, criminal elements, minorities, radicals or terrorist" and order ever-greater police oppression. History is replete, from Cossacks to company police to law enforcement and eventually regular armies are called in to break a few heads in support of the powerful. There are always enough that enjoy cracking heads so dissent become resistance. Politicians are quick to fill prisons with political prisoners. Contrary to political claims insurgencies do not just happen, nor are they foreign inspired. They are purely domestic in origin and the result political blunders, lack of solutions, attempted public deceptions and violent over reactions.
All dissent does not lead to insurgency but broad common anger and charismatic leadership can quickly tear the nations' social fabric. A hostile foreign power can not start an insurgency but it can provide material support and recognition to insurgents, leading to civil wars and eventual State collapse. A State that has angered its neighbors in the past may well find that they are supporting natives intent on its overthrow.
In pursuit of power politicians pour rhetorical gas on the fires of dissent, cut the budget of fire fighters and enact draconian head cracking laws that overcrowd prisons where violence is taught. This is a wide spread global problem, which is contagious and ignores borders. It is time for politicians pull their heads out, expand their vision from the horse's rear and come to understand that they do not rule people but rather they govern for the people. They should look around, stop being part of the problem, innovate solutions and exercise real leadership before the horses dump in their laps.
Governments may still be enraptured by their limited view of horses' rears but it's a New World that the blinders are hiding. Actually New World geopolitical realities may not be all that new as the current dynamics look a lot like those of the 19th century. Public corruption is rampant, robber barons are now international cartels, law enforcement violently suppresses all dissent, imperialist powers jockey for territorial control, labor is oppressed by big business and big business openly buys legislators and favorable protections support by creative judicial interpretations.
The most disturbing trend however is the slow disappearance of the middle classes. It is not the rich who advocate social equality, and it is not the poor that instigate social revolutions. The poor can't afford revolutions knowing they will bear the human cost. The rich oppose everything that threatens their position at the top of the food chain. It is a downward mobile middle class that embraces violent overthrow of the status quo. To paraphrase, "The rich get richer, the poor can't get any poorer so it's the middle where dissent grows."
Around the globe resistance is growing and violence increasing. Focused on the horses' bottoms politicians find excuses, "foreign influences, criminal elements, minorities, radicals or terrorist" and order ever-greater police oppression. History is replete, from Cossacks to company police to law enforcement and eventually regular armies are called in to break a few heads in support of the powerful. There are always enough that enjoy cracking heads so dissent become resistance. Politicians are quick to fill prisons with political prisoners. Contrary to political claims insurgencies do not just happen, nor are they foreign inspired. They are purely domestic in origin and the result political blunders, lack of solutions, attempted public deceptions and violent over reactions.
All dissent does not lead to insurgency but broad common anger and charismatic leadership can quickly tear the nations' social fabric. A hostile foreign power can not start an insurgency but it can provide material support and recognition to insurgents, leading to civil wars and eventual State collapse. A State that has angered its neighbors in the past may well find that they are supporting natives intent on its overthrow.
In pursuit of power politicians pour rhetorical gas on the fires of dissent, cut the budget of fire fighters and enact draconian head cracking laws that overcrowd prisons where violence is taught. This is a wide spread global problem, which is contagious and ignores borders. It is time for politicians pull their heads out, expand their vision from the horse's rear and come to understand that they do not rule people but rather they govern for the people. They should look around, stop being part of the problem, innovate solutions and exercise real leadership before the horses dump in their laps.
Darkness 121214
Politicians and media embrace simple explanations of events. It could be that they are simple minded but its more likely that they are insulting the public with their self image of superiority. It is easy to see that they often feel that the public is to stupid to notice their deceptions and outright lies in pursuit of their own agendas.
Unfortunately these gatekeepers of knowledge are not far wrong. The public is complicit in its increasing ignorance. In the not to distance past people read, anything and everything including many competing newspapers. Newspapers were never all that trustworthy with, "just the facts" nor the truth but readers could usually pin down who said what, when, where, how and sometimes even why. Print has fallen on sad times. Remaining major newspapers have slipped from a hundred pages a day to maybe that many a week, even the comics have slimmed down. Serious books once measured in pounds with thousands of pages have been replace by electronic books of 20 pages, 50 if there is enough sex included.
Politicians love the new reality; they can throw out a quick sound bite on any subject and deny they said it because it's not easy to track. The electronic media love sound bites because they fit between commercials. The public loves sound bites because they can seem intelligent without having to study or dirty their fingers with printer's ink. Born and matured in the 20th century electronic media is casting darkness over the 21st century.
The reality is that events are the products of a confluence of many factors that react in a particular time and space moment. A plane crashed, the sound bite "pilot error." The facts might be the ground controller spilled hot coffee in his lap and lost focus while ice built up on the wings because a mechanic left a rag in a poorly designed vent and the pilot missed it all because he was studying the latest government regulation, get the picture?
Television is blamed for the death of print, but think about it. Buy a new four-foot television and tune into one of the many news shows for the latest jokes and sound bites. There are three different messages speeding across the bottom of the screen while two more are crawling the other direction across the top, on the right is a column of some unrelated information. Viewers are left watching a ten-inch picture of some visual while a disembodied voice talks about something else; confusion replaces enlightenment. Independent studies have shown that people who receive all their news by television are less informed than people who receive no direct information.
The new Dark Age will have bright lights, color, music and laughs but contribute little to knowledge. Knowledge in the 21st century is not carved in stone nor inscribed on parchment. A thousand years from now space travelers studying our century will open our time capsules and find biodegraded CDs. Of course there may be a few isolated monks hiding in decaying libraries inscribing the decline and fall of mankind on a more permanent medium. Is there hope, sure light a candle in the darkness by demanding real explanations, debate and answers recorded in real libraries.
Unfortunately these gatekeepers of knowledge are not far wrong. The public is complicit in its increasing ignorance. In the not to distance past people read, anything and everything including many competing newspapers. Newspapers were never all that trustworthy with, "just the facts" nor the truth but readers could usually pin down who said what, when, where, how and sometimes even why. Print has fallen on sad times. Remaining major newspapers have slipped from a hundred pages a day to maybe that many a week, even the comics have slimmed down. Serious books once measured in pounds with thousands of pages have been replace by electronic books of 20 pages, 50 if there is enough sex included.
Politicians love the new reality; they can throw out a quick sound bite on any subject and deny they said it because it's not easy to track. The electronic media love sound bites because they fit between commercials. The public loves sound bites because they can seem intelligent without having to study or dirty their fingers with printer's ink. Born and matured in the 20th century electronic media is casting darkness over the 21st century.
The reality is that events are the products of a confluence of many factors that react in a particular time and space moment. A plane crashed, the sound bite "pilot error." The facts might be the ground controller spilled hot coffee in his lap and lost focus while ice built up on the wings because a mechanic left a rag in a poorly designed vent and the pilot missed it all because he was studying the latest government regulation, get the picture?
Television is blamed for the death of print, but think about it. Buy a new four-foot television and tune into one of the many news shows for the latest jokes and sound bites. There are three different messages speeding across the bottom of the screen while two more are crawling the other direction across the top, on the right is a column of some unrelated information. Viewers are left watching a ten-inch picture of some visual while a disembodied voice talks about something else; confusion replaces enlightenment. Independent studies have shown that people who receive all their news by television are less informed than people who receive no direct information.
The new Dark Age will have bright lights, color, music and laughs but contribute little to knowledge. Knowledge in the 21st century is not carved in stone nor inscribed on parchment. A thousand years from now space travelers studying our century will open our time capsules and find biodegraded CDs. Of course there may be a few isolated monks hiding in decaying libraries inscribing the decline and fall of mankind on a more permanent medium. Is there hope, sure light a candle in the darkness by demanding real explanations, debate and answers recorded in real libraries.
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