Will our Jacobians ever be defeated as the French ones were? -Gore Vidal, Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace
Tag: Politics
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Almost Fail of the Day #16
Trying but unable to find the outcome of the argument between Jefferson and Madison regarding whether or not the earth belonged also to the dead. For you see, dear worst-reader, according to one or both (founders) there is an advantage and a disadvantage to declaring the dead property owners. Gee, I wonder why. Rant on.
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Highest Hoard
Comparisons. Compare on a daily basis living between countries. What a bore. What a drag. But sometimes a comparison or three is worth it. Especially when I’m visiting “home”. Like. Reading the articles below, for example. Couldn’t help but think about all the times I’ve walked around Germaninland in the middle of night only to see the same empty (and dark) apartments that I would see during the day whenever I had to search for a new rental. You know. Renting in Germania is a bitch. Seriously. For one thing, no matter what anyone tells you about how that country is doing, it’s all bullshit. Their accounting books are managed the same way as any other country’s accounting books. Which means it’s all a mess and the only thing government does there is manage the whims of the elite. But things have changed somewhat for worst-moi as my better-half decided it is time to BUY a house–I guess she had rented enough. So we started looking about three years ago. And you know the difference between buying a house and renting an apartment in Germania? There is no difference. Like apartments, real-estate (and everything else) is hoarded. And it’s all hoarded to favor a small group of investors which also protects the government from complete collapse. If there is any difference in real-estate acquisition between my beloved American’t and snobby Germania, the Germania government does serve the collective a tick better. That is, there are laws that only allow so-much exploitation of renters. Wow, eh. Nomatter. The articles below made me laugh at the authors of them. What do American’ts expect when an apartment in NYC goes for ninety million dollars? Do they expect this not to happen? Do they expect this apartment to not sell to a rich foreigner? Jesus H Tiddly Winks! And I thought I was the only one out there in the blogosphere to write shit about all that’s krapp. Double wow. Rant on.
Introducing Ghost Skycrapers | Zerohedge.com
Stash Pad | New York Magazine
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Fail Not Alone
America was a country founded by failures who could not get along in the Old World and who came to a wilderness because there was simply no place else to go.
A fascinating article that I wish I read when it was first published in 1976. Wow. What was I wasting my youth on in 1976? What was I being taught so that I would become just another automaton? Doesn’t matter now, eh. No. It doesn’t matter. For they will publish this article again in a hundred July 4’s from now. And it won’t matter. Money’s a pretty powerful thing, baby. The love of money and success and… whatever.
via Roger Simon: America’s glorious failures – Roger Simon – POLITICO.com.
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Best Worst Quote of the Day #2
Let’s borrow from the US Constitution, they’re not using it. -a Ukrainian journalist and via the Interwebnet
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Do Not Enter Taxation
Tommi’s, aka worst-writer’s, prediction of the day and some lazy, pseudo armchair economics. But first, a question. Being home for a few weeks is both thrilling and daunting. Thrilling because I love it here–even though when I’m here I’m at the beach but all I do is work on Mom’s house. It’s daunting here because this is an opportunity to come down from my thirty-thousand-foot view of all-things-American’t–i.e. my view of home from Eurowasteland. The first few days in the States I feel bombarded with things like gas prices, milk prices, the negativity of news, the sour-puss faces of the abused, so on and so forth. It’s all right in front of me–I guess I miss my thirty thousand feet sometimes. But let me get back to the question.How do the powers-that-be tax the hell out of you?
The genius of politics in my grand United Mistakes of American’t is how conservative politicians are able to milk their dumb downed constituents as though they are the endless teats of a über-fat cow–that gets off on being milked. Obviously, post-Reaganomics, American politicians can’t just raise taxes anymore. Yet it feels like, for the most part, the exuberant cost of living here is mostly a form of indirect taxation. Inflation alone has to make up most of that cost and that same inflation is being used to ONLY service the monstrous debt because the country is unable to pay it off. So. Again. How does the State increase revenue–tax you to do something other than just service national and local debt?
A few days before flying over the Atlantic I got the news that Wilmington DE was forced to close down highway 495. See map above. The closing is a big deal because it is the main route I have to take to get from PHL airport to the eastern shore of MD. 495 runs parallel to 95 and serves, I guess, as a kind of relief valve for both Wilmington and Philadelphia for traffic passing through the area on north-south 95. I read one news report that said, because of the closing of the bridge on 495, ninety-thousand vehicles a day now have to use 95. Find the reason you like why they closed down the 495 bridge–it truely doesn’t matter what they say the reason for the closing is, i.e. support beams cracked, base of bridge shifting, etc. The real reason they close it is this… (aka worst-writer prediction on its way):
I predict that when they finally get around to opening the 495 bridge in Wilmington DE it will be accompanied by a toll. And that is exactly how the powers-that-be raise your taxes. I mean, come on! How can a bridge built with the full power and ingenuity of a country like the US break-down? And then be closed? Did they forget a screw or bolt? Did they not dig the base support deep enough? I mean, seriously, this is absurd. But then again. American debt and the inability to pay is just as absurd.
Only in America, baby. So many wrongs continue to make so many…
Nuff.
Rant on.
-Tommi
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Krapp 2014
The aftermath of recent Supreme rulings starting to trickle in. It cannot be said enough. While American’ts vote their feelings, mostly derived from wingnut pundits and the inalienable right to remain stupid regarding the lies of krapp like reducing taxes or reducing government, etc., the true face of what conservatives have done has never reared its face so vividly. That America has to deal with this krapp in 2014 is astonishing. Good luck.
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Perpetual Sex Disorder
Perpetual War For Perpetual Peace, How We Got to Be So Hated by Gore Vidal
Americans morality has nothing to do with ethics or right action or who ever is stealing what money–and liberties–from whom. Morality is SEX. SEX. SEX. -Gore Vidal in the book mentioned here
The island of Mauritius is cool. It’s also pretty. For worst-writer, it was my first tropical island–or is it sub-tropical? Nomatter. Up to that point I had never seen the crystal turquoise waters of an island or other exotic place. Having grown up on the mid-Altantic coast of the USA with its green and sometimes brown waters, turquoise seemed like a distant and desirable experience. To say the least, I was mesmerized. As beautiful as Mauritius is, though, there is one other thing that I will never forget about the island that has nothing to do with its waters. On a day tour around its north-west coast, on a fifty foot sail boat that sails regularly to and from France, the first mate, a Mauritian, turned to me after hearing I was the only American on board and asked most sincerely and inquisitively: what is the matter with you Americans?
What a question, eh? And now for some, and not enough, context. The Iraq quagmire was in full bloom. With my attitude toward that quagmire I’m not sure I’m the one to answer such a great question. Especially not while sailing on the dreamy turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. But on that day, on that beautiful sail boat, surrounded by Belgians, Frenchman and Germans (allies?), I stood deaf and mute. The mate’s question lingered in my mind (and to this day still does). It was as though I could hear all the destruction at that moment that my beloved country was committing around the world post 2001. Subsequently, after visiting numerous exotic places, mostly enjoying the luxuries of life that I am privileged to afford, I have learned to hide my nationality. Does that mean I am ashamed to be American? Well, maybe. Or let me put it another way. After a while, whether at a hotel in Bangkok or on a dive boat on the red sea, I avoid as best I can being looked down upon as “an American”. I guess learning a second language does have it’s advantages. Even if you can only partly master a second language, it’s enough to hide behind.
With that in mind, now you know, dear worst-reader, why Gore Vidal’s subtitle appeals to me more than the title. First, the title seems to refer to Vidal’s never quenched desire to propel his (or her) reader into realms of history unknown and less understood. Or. Better put. Vidal has the most wondrous knack of making his reader and his listeners feel as though they are kinda stupid. And I don’t mean that in a sly way (like he does). I admire Vidal for his slyness. As I’ve said before, here and here, if you (if anyone) wants to know the history of America because dogma-public schooling taught you snot, read Vidal’s chronicles. And you don’t even have to read them in order. Just pick them out of any second hand book store, like I did, and start reading. (Although now, since I don’t buy physical books unless I have to, I prefer ebook versions which are all reasonably priced.) Things that can be learned from Gore Vidal include but are not limited to our history and our reality and the reason “we” are so hated–even though “Perpetual War For Perpetual Peace” doesn’t quite get to that (musical) note. The book is mostly centered around Timothy McVeigh, Vidal’s correspondence with him and many other quips about (our) empire and those who run it, promote it, spend for it, etc. But you can read all that in the book yourself.
The thing I really want to get at here is, luckily, America’s last great man of letters, who passed in 2012, Gore Vidal, did a lot more writing above and beyond his duty of telling us less mentally endowed (Americans) our own history. If you use the Google you can find a vast amount of all-things-media about Vidal. I especially like the tat-a-tats with his arch enemy William Buckley Jr. Buckley called Vidal a faggot on a televised debate. It was, I think, 1968! Which brings me to my point, what I really want to worst-blog about, and why I picked today’s worst-blog-title.
In all or most of Vidal’s non-fiction that I’ve read so far (which probably isn’t a lot but I’m going with this presumption anyway) there is something that permeates his genius. That something, which Mr. Buckley touched upon in their infamous debate–condescendingly and über-mockingly low-blowing with the utmost choice of descriptors regarding male sexuality–is what Vidal can’t seem to let go. I’m starting to think, since Vidal is of the same pre-war generation as my parents, that America will probably require a lot longer and a lot more than a sexual revolution to get passed what is obviously a symptom to a much larger problem. Obviously sexual repression is rampant in America. But is it part of our DNA? Will we ever be able to breed this thing out! I think Vidal thinks (knows) it is indeed part of us–because it is part of him. According to the work I’ve read so far, it’s most definitely part of him.
The thing is, as we emulate our enemies (and our enemies emulate us) it becomes easier to see the Cain and Abel paradox that is our demise. Something connects us to all that we do to this world–as Americans. One could say that something is religion–and I wouldn’t put up much of a fight to argue it. But there’s one thing that all religion has in common that is both the life and death ticket for us all. Sex. Yeah, baby. Sex. Sex. Sex. Sexuality is something that Vidal–a man who has admitted to being a platonic homosexual–what ever that means–has a serious problem with. Either that or he was completely right when he said that sex was just over-rated.
The chapter “The New Theocrats” begins with the quote at the beginning of this worst-post. SEX. SEX. SEX. Capitalized, baby. Caps because Vidal has something to say, loudly. And then he goes on about a high school girl having a baby during her senior prom and leaving that baby to die in a trash can only to then go about her prom business. This all somehow leads back to Timothy McVeigh who mysteriously hangs out with men-only who all hate the US government and might even be in cohorts with middle eastern terrorists because that was the only way to blow up a federal building in Oklahoma City. Now. Does all that mean that Gore Vidal, again, America’s last man of letters, is sex obsessed–just like the rest of sexually repressed America–or is he sincerely interested in getting to the bottom of McVeigh’s horror or, even, why we are so hated around the world?
For this question I have an answer: dunno.
All worst silly-ness aside, this book is worth the read. But to moi, everything from Vidal is worth the read–even that script he wrote which was subsequently gutted by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione. All things said–or missed–this book provides an interesting look/view at the Oklahoma City bombing, the siege at Waco, TX, both of which, to this day, amaze me because they are practically never spoken of unless someone commits some ghastly act of violence in the name of the 2nd amendment, false patriotism, a tea-party–or because Mama didn’t love enough, etc. I guess by writing, researching, thinking about all that stuff, Vidal knows why we are hated. Full stop.
Nomatter.
Vidal does a great job of avoiding all the conspiracy-theory nutbag krapp that is probably the reason so much of what America truly is–is truly never spoken about/of. Or something like that.
Rant on.
-Tommi
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A Life Time It'll Take
Where is the most damage from thirty-plus-years of American’t political conservatism? Is it the economy? Is it the federal budget? Is it the middle class? Surprise! Yes to all the above. But here’s the thing. All the above could, if the political will (and knowledge) were there, be fixed. Seriously. With the wave of a magic election wand the shebang could be fixed. How? (Brace yourself, this is the advice from a guy who is worstwriter!) First. Tax the useless rich–i.e. tax those who have gotten rich off financial speculation, speculating that the US, post Reagan, would succumb to the same problems experienced prior to the Great Depression. Then cut the defense budget in half. Take 90% of that half and off spending completely. Take the other 10% and put it toward health care. Then get the war-mongering out of the way and let the middle class and beyond (or below) take over. That the military industrial complex utilizes economic conscription to fight unpaid wars has to stop. From there America’s true innovation will rise again as young men and women can pursue more fruitful life adventures–instead of fighting oil wars for oil men. But I’m off topic. The most damage conservatism has done to American’t is simple. Through false ideology and taking advantage of the dumb-downed conservatives have brilliantly manipulated the third branch of government to the point of no return. This is best exemplified in the life-time appointments of Supremes, but federal judges are part of the shebang, too. Yeah, baby. And get this. With recent supreme court rulings regarding corporations being people, money equaling votes and now religious beliefs determining what laws are followed, I’d say that the Supremes of the United States will be your worst enemy for the foreseeable future. If you want a speck of how things should or could have been if American’t hadn’t voted its feelings and emotions for the past thirty-plus years take a look at Ginsburg’s dissent. And to think her days on the bench are almost over. The only question then remains is, who will replace her in the minority position. Good luck suckers.
How Conservatism Will Forever Trick You And The Balls You Juggle | Go Ginsburg Fight Fight | Summary Via Salon
Supreme Court Decision Hobby Lobby Case | PDF Document
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Afeared Yet
If you thought the war mongering and greed freakshow that is the beginning of the 21st century was scary wait till the reality sets in of who/what your parents really are. Indeed. There is nothing more scary than the infamous Boomer generation. No other generation in human history has taken so much and given so little back. The best part? The(ir) horror show is just now beginning. Good luck suckers.
The Happy Story of Boomers Retiring on Their Generational Wealth Is Wrong | Zero Hedge.
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Useless Eaters All But One
Nothing in my useless eating worst-life will amount to an ounce of what Aaron Schwartz did. And that’s a good thing. That said. The real sad thing about his demise is that bureaucrats and corporatists will never see how their compulsive behaviorism is at the root of what’s wrong with everything. From the lawyers and the judge that prosecuted him to the Automatons at the university that tattled on him. They all have blood on their hands. So. If you have a job, remember this: you only have it because someone else can’t have one. If you have a career, remember this: you got it on the backs of others. If you think you’ve earned your keep, remember this: just shoot yourself because you’re obviously a mindless idiot. This is a lesser world without Schwartz. Good luck, suckers.
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Soap & Presidents
Still waiting. But. Will someone come along and replace him? Can’t wait. Waiting is futile. Move on. I guess.
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Who Taught The H-Word
There you have it. Less than sixty-thousand voters in the rural-bourgeois south are waking up to the inalienable right(s) of life, liberty and stupidity. They vote-out an incumbent that only a few years ago they loved–when their bank accounts reflected better the lust for debt and false ideology–and vote-in a guy that’s probably two-steps worse. Oh well. The only surprise is that maybe the reality is setting-in that there is no limit to certain political wing-nuttery. Good luck suckers.
David Brat: Hitler Could ‘Happen Again’ If We Don’t Embrace Christian Capitalism.
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Automaton Demise Eminent
Oh look. Eurowasteland, under the führung from Germania and whatever random Munich trade-fair, is trying to bring some innovation to the continent. And how do they propose to do this? They choose what the Chinese have chosen so that the world can have tech products made with slave labor. Wait. That’s not exactly right. Nomatter. Move on. The only problem with this atypical day-late and Euro-short activity is that they haven’t beat Brazil to it. That’s right Eurowastelanders, once again you’ve been sucking on your beloved history a bit too long. Other than a few fancy cars and stuck-up fashion, what else do you have? So go ahead. Invest late and try to catch up. And what will you build in your new Automaton replacing robot factories? That’s right. Nothing. Unless you come up with a smart phone or something silly like that. Which doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Oh wait. Maybe you can make your cars at new robot factories. That way you can replace the robots you already have making them–on account they earn too much after all these years of use. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Way to go Eurowasteland! Pat yourself on the back. Drink a café-o-lay. Protect your Tower of Babel. And when that’s done, go buy some vacation.
Eurowasteland Advancing By Finally Finding A Way To Replace Overpaid Automatons With Robots.
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How To Carry A Gun
What struck me was the moment in the vid (at around 24:00) where Bob Bergdahl is walking while carrying a rifle. As he approaches the camera and then passes it he changes the way he carries the rifle. I can only assume that he does this because of the responsible way he learned how to handle a weapon. At no time is the weapon pointed toward the camera man. And then there’s the articulation, the solemnness and sincerity towards his son, his family, and what these people believe. That others are condemning the return of a soldier is typical to American’t politics. But whatever comes of this, this father deserves more than he will get.
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How To Be King
How do you become king? Who picks you? What grants you the right? Nomatter. Half of Eurowastelands problems could be addressed (not solved, of course) by getting rid of the useless that claim thrones. But then again. It’s 2014. That monarchs still exist says it all.
Spain’s King Juan Carlos To Abdicate After 40 Years On The Throne In Favor Of Son.
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Know Known Knows Unknown
Don’t forget to watch the vid to the link below. There might just be a few wows in there–especially when its admitted that Dubya committed war crimes. But I’m sure we all knew that, or? Otherwise you can buy the novel this guy wrote to accompany his story-telling about govt. service and such. (Sarcasm off.)
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Up Till The End
He does a great job up till the end. Because. There’s no need to ask the apathetic to do anything. For if they did do anything. Then there wouldn’t be apathy. Or something like that.
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Who's Your Sovereign
What astonishes you, dear worst-reader? I can tell you what astonishes moi. When words and meaning spoken connect. In other words, hypocrisy among the ruling classes is obvious. But when that hypocrisy is revealed and/or admitted to–especially by one of the rulers–well, it’s time to take a step back. Politics, international banking, high-stakes finance, etc., all have a treasure trove of hypocrisy. That’s why this is a moment to cherish. For hypocrisy has been blatantly revealed by the hypocrite(s).
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchener of Argentina: “It’s the first time in the history of the Paris Club that a country in our conditions has negotiated with a multilateral body without the intervention of the International Monetary Fund, and without giving up the autonomy that a sovereign country should have, and which reveals to us that when we’re allowed to grow, when we’re allowed to develop our own policies, that when we’re allowed to generate jobs and employment, the conditions exist to honor one’s commitments and take charge of its debt. We’re not, as the vultures say, serial debtors. They, the international financial capitalists, are serial predators not just on our economy but of many economies in the world.”
In case you missed the essence, here it is shortened and slightly paraphrased: “without giving up the autonomy of a sovereign country Argentina will now pay for its debt that was incurred because richer countries exploited us and that’s handy-dandy and Otto Kraus A-O-K.” Argentina’s leader is admitting that The World Bank, IMF and The Paris Club have been robbing sovereign nations of their sovereignty. Ok. Ok. I’m not (that) naive. Of course countries like Argentina have been treated poorly by richer nations. But that’s somehow not the point when words like the above are spoken in public. Any person who’s put a bit of effort into understanding world affairs knows that countries get dupped. That bigger, richer countries exploit smaller, poorer countries. But when was the last time one of the smaller, poorer countries actually called out and named the hypocrisy? When I heard the words from the newz clip below and that they were actually spoken by the head of a so-called nation-state I cringed, stood still, checked the ground beneath me. And. While streaming the broadcast to my KitchenAppleTV, cleaning my boots, washing the pots and pans, buttering the fish for tonights grill and hoping that my home-made vodka-cherry-sorbet would ripen enough for the festivities, I stopped dead and waited for my brain to reboot. I grabbed the AppleTV remote and hit the pause button. Outside my kitchen window a classic BMW R/75 parked in front of the village Brotchen café. Time for a stiff drink even if it is ten thirty in the A-M.
Links:
- And to call it Paris Club
- Quote and vid from here
- Oh, how they like to label the amounts to be paid
- At least they shouldn’t have Paris
Relevant part of vid starts at 2:14.
Good luck to all debtors and debtor-nations.
-Tommi
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Better Left Unsaid?
There are two things about the Borg… Sorry. There are two things about the Germanins that scares the beejeezus out of me. The first thing is the bureaucracy (of this my adopted home). The second is the politics that feeds that bureaucracy. Worst-writer learned quickly upon moving abroad how nations act not unlike individuals. That is, nations reflect basic human needs and desires just like individual human beings. Obviously scales are different but as history has shown nations, like individuals, can change. They can also be manipulated. So the worst-question of the day has to be: how do you see through what you are being sold?
Germaninland in 2014 is a monstrosity of bureaucracy. This bureaucracy is so overwhelming that Germanins can’t even see it. They don’t know this bureaucracy exist as it does. Nor do they know the Sophie’s Choice that is everyday life here. With that non-sense in mind, worst-writer is gonna go out on a limb. There is something in Germaninland that few question. That something are the atoms that make up the monstrosity, the individuals that make the monster machine of bureaucracy. Everybody here just goes with it because, well, it lets you buy shit, go on vacation, and drive around in über-expensive cars that are paid for by taxing the shit out of complacency. Which brings me to the sub-category of politics in Germaninland: the politicians. These men and women are the handlers of all. They flip the switches of all. They are the gatekeepers and just like the gated they too are oblivious to the wonders of the success that is the wirtschaft-wunder, unification and the acceptance that consumerism is now the new bratwurst, bier and hot Fräulein.
As a foreigner I’m actually eligible to vote in the upcoming local elections. My aunt has been all over me about who I’m gonna vote for–because I have been teasing her for years about her SPD loyalty. Ever since LaFontaine, Schroeder & Co, the SPD has been a laughing-stock. But I won’t get into that here. When I told my aunt I was gonna vote for the Piraten-Partei she laughed. And then I said:
Liebe Aunti, everybody, in order to wake up, should vote for any party that is not part of the 5% minimum of national politics. And yes, that includes all the extreme parties.
Aghast!
So watch the vid below carefully, dear worst-reader. In it a status-quo leader of the bureaucracy-machine of this stagnant but consumerist-success-story of a country tries to put a loud-mouthed protestor in his place. The protestor is calling the politician and his ilk a fascist. And the pseudo-fascist response is breathtaking. The sheer, unmitigated, atypical, only in Eurowasteland kind of arrogance spewed by this politicians is truly astonishing. From the beginning of the video to the end it kept reminding me of something completely opposite of what the SPD is supposed to stand for. Then again, confusion runs rampant where there is chaos. And if the soul (pun) worship of consumerism is as real as it feels, chaos rules–no matter what Steinmeier attempts to say or do here. And so. See the second vid–if you can. And remember:
Hitler was defeated in WW2 but fascism won. –George Carlin
First Vid of arrogant German bureaucracy maker using his big microphone against those who will never have a microphone.
Second vid that no one is required to watch but if you dare you might see some history repeating itself.
This post was motivated by this post who, as far as worst-writer can tell, should get credit for bringing these two videos together.
Rant on.
-Tommi
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Tone It Down: Intelligence
Worst-writer has no qualms with the common man. Misanthropy be damned. And these gentleman (see video at the link below) deserve respect. In fact, they command it. You can tell, worst-reader, that they are truly on the verge of eruption. Yet some degree of self-awareness, self-respect and being born of (some) mother, held them back. So let’s all thank Thor, the grand teapot in the sky, Zoroaster and some mother that they were able to maintain themselves. But. That said. This is what happens after a country has become impotent-of-mind in the arena of democracy. This is what happens when a country allows itself to be guided by branded lapel flags whose interests are self-serving and those interests are spewed from behind TV cameras and those interests do not reflect the common man that is (theatrically) portrayed here. Indeed. It is so hard to see thru what you/we have been sold by conservatism, Neoliberlism in The United Mistakes of American’t: the grievance, the belonging and the sentiment run deep. Which remind me: It doesn’t matter if George W. Bush was an ignoramus anymore. The video in the link below proves that Bush was the catalyst in lowering the bar to new levels. Some say that you can’t see the future but you can learn from the past. Well, American’t is proving that is no longer true and quite the opposite is real. Here’s to your future American’t.
Idaho gubernatorial candidates Walt Bayes and Harley Brown have a surreal debate..
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Crazy Elvis vs Edward Snowden
While most ask what would Jesus do, worst-writer asks: what would Elvis do?In the case of Edward Snowden I’m seriously confused about what to do. When the news about Snowden’s leak first hit and I was able to wrap my head around it, I thought: where’s the info? Seriously. Wikileaks was still all over the news and the question of the day was: when will Julian Assange stink-up the Equadorian Embassy so much that they have to throw him out to get rid of the stench? The second question of the day was: Why didn’t Snowden just give the leaks to Wikileaks so that the info could be where it belongs? Well, dear worst-reader, we’re starting to see the answer to that question now. Lawyer turned journalist, Glenn Greewald, is finally on a tour of the USA where he will release all… ALL… A L L of the information he received from Endward Snowden so that all of us can have a look at it and…
Wait. Stop the worst-presses. That’s ain’t quite what’s happening.
What’s happening is that Greenwald is on a tour to sell a book he wrote where he and he alone (well, there might be a few editors and friends along the ride) will determine what we all can see from the Snowden leaks. And his book currently costs between €10 and €20 Euros, depending on what format you purchase. Now ain’t that special! Why this reminds me of crazy Elvis, drugged out on stage in Vegas, just before turning too fat to do Karate while singing glory, glory, hallelujah, I’m not sure. Hopefully future generations of better informed worst-readers can figure that one out. But I won’t bore you with the worst (best) of Elvis’ Vegas closers. Let’s go for something more revealing, something that we don’t have to pay Glenn Greenwald for in order to hear some truth, like a guy that wants to sound like Elvis but sings about his love of the NSA.
Here’s a timeline of events worth a quick look.
Rant on.
-Tommi
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Weak Explanation
Gore still misses it. Demonising Koch Brothers is obviously the easy thing to do. The hell with them. But when is the real, true culprit gonna be challenged? Al Gore can’t do that. I suppose it’s hard to blame an idea, especially when that idea is manifest by so many who can’t realise the American Dream has been murdered in a hale of gun fire and gas guzzling. Oh well.
Al Gore Explains The Real Motivation Behind Republicans’ Climate Change Denial.
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Automaton vs Parasite
Today, dear worst-reader, let’s have a moment to converse in California west cost language: This is so gnarly, dude … surfs up … (nuff of that.)
You know, there was a time when posting pamphlets on doors reformed things. But I exaggerate. Nomatter.
The video above is NOT about google or tech companies. Hell, this worst-post ain’t even about the outrageous housing costs that San Franciscans pay that I’m laughing about. And it most certainly ain’t about a bunch of tech-dude talking heads who squeezed by as the US (in my humble worst-opinion) killed off the dotcom era by replacing technology and innovation with the past in the form of new & improved robber barons, Houdini-bankers and war-mongers galore.
Indeed. What the boys in the vid should be talking about is a broken system, a country that has, as a whole (not in its parts), been lingering along the path of failing upwards for the better part of 30+ years. Our system of apathy, reaction and an ignorant voting populace combined with predatory capitalism that has sold-out to worldly globalization (that is made up of more apathy, reaction and ignorance) has left an entire generation (either the Xers or the millennials–I can never tell which one is which) in the wind. A whole generation of Americans has been lost and, for the most part, it’s also been forgotten–and these kids are barely old enough to figure out which coffee to order and which credit card to charge it on. And when these kids put a measly pamphlet on the door of an Automaton corporatist, well, what is left to be done? React(ion) is at hand. Demonizing is in the cards. Kevin Rose and Leo Laporte can get side by side and defend themselves against the oncoming mob. Mob with pitchforks ala Shelley’s Frankenstein. And who is the monster the mob is after? Frankenstein = Automaton? Full stop.
Ah, to have such a comfort zone so well earned. Wait. Short pause.
Now that they make me think about it. I too have a comfort zone that I’ve earned. But to get it I had to break away from the abyss of American’t suburban hell. I had to turn my back on the mind-blowing ignorance of cubicle-work-life. I had to sacrifice a living standard in order to save my soul. For I saw at a very young age how so many were willing to subject themselves to whatever scraps and tittles parents and generations left behind. Hence, American’t is now a place where you literally have to fight for the remaining scraps. And the people you see on the vid above have done well with those scraps.
If one were to look at the bank accounts of the panel blathering in the vid above, they all really have earned their bubbles. But there is a price–and they are far from recognizing that price. Still. Worst-writer say: hats off to them. Leo has built what could be considered the first and bestest internet/podcasting network. I watch numerous shows on twit. And Kevin Rose… well, he really seems like a successful guy, too. A “Venture Capitalist” employed by google. Only in these times, dear worst-reader, can the comforts of high-end employment earn the title Venture Capitalist. But don’t get me wrong. I’m not mocking success. I’m only mocking those who can’t see through how success is measured.
The essence of the problem San Fran is in might be what Leo claims. The ridiculous housing market could be due to the city being land locked. But it could also be attributable to something else. Worst-writer’s answer to everything that makes it American’t is once again applicable here. So stop looking at the tip of the iceberg, baby. Get scuba certified and go diving–the info is deep, deep, deeper. And besides, scuba is a totally sexy thing to do–it’s also a great way to meet chicks.
The essence of the problem that Leo & Co do not even venture to discuss is
nothing less than corporatism. And how do you get corporatism to be the essence? You are an American born of baby-boomers. You grow up never questioning whether the resources required (capital, credit, consumables, etc.) will even be there for your taking–like it was for the greed-generation, the boomers, your parents. You just go through the motions–like an automaton. And now, suckers, it’s too late. All that’s left is to paste pamphlets on the doors of your own–some of who have done better with the scraps that the American religion of greed and ill-success has left behind. And so. Silicon Valley is a beacon for what remains of the scraps of a dying idear. Or something like that.Wow.
I need a new google device really bad.
Links:
Here’s the vid.
Sarcasm on. Some über tech newz. Sarcasm off.
The whole twit show (warning: over 2hrs)
Good luck sucker.
Rant on.
Tommi
PS related post here.
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Thing To Watch
A video that every American’t should watch? Watch, that is, like TV is watched? Or watched (that is) to figure out what’s wrong with the whole shebang and then, possibly, figure out what to do in the mess that is democracy and thereafter have a basis for making a decision on whether or not to participate in… the shebang.
Whatever.
On the other hand, why is it that worstWriter kinda giggles everytime he hears about what ails the state of Michigan–the place that practically gave birth to the nightmare that today is the (American) dream? I mean, I laughed when Michigan went tea-party. When was that? Was it the 2010 elections? Not that it matters. The thing that really makes me laugh/giggle is how the place is the best example yet of what many should be worried about. I mean, for those who have made their way through the musical-chair game that is a “career” and for those who are even bold enough to think that they are in some kind of a “middle-class”, they/YOU should watch this in order to start planning for what you will eventually have to face up to.
http://www.democracynow.org/embed/story/2013/12/4/detroit_bankruptcy_wall_street_lost_revenues
Good luck. And…
Rant on.
-tgs-