More Libya comments

I have some more comments on the newest war of ours. Yep, Libya again, or still, your choice.
First off please visit Reality Zone, he has posted a link to an article on how Ms. Maddow is now cheerleading for the war of Gobomber. Somehow, she now represents the "left" or at least that is her media role now days. No doubt many also still think of Olbermann as a "lefty", even though he no longer "graces" the TV sets. Or has he got a program at his new gig with Al Gore TV?
Actually, Ms. Maddow is like many supposedly liberal folks in the old US of A. How many of you have noticed that the anti-war movement is basically dead since the last presidential election? Oh boy! We have a member of the donkey gang in the "top job" so all is well with the world. The "we must support our president". And other assorted bull crap being tossed at us by the "professional left".
Well, bullshit on that noise! We, the decent human beings who despise war MUST protest all of the damn fool wars of choice, Libya included. YES, I DO want the people of Libya to be free to elect whomever THEY want to run their country. BUT, how about Gaza and ALL of Palestine? How about Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and every other country across this planet?  
"We" are very selective in just who it is that "we" think deserves "our" support in the quest for better government.
Back to Ms. maddow for a moment. If we are to go by her advise, we will not ever protest any war that is started by a democratic president. Somehow the wars they get us into are "better" or more "noble" or some such. Hey, remember, this president has a Nobel Peace Prize. Yeah, big damn deal. She says that he is less war like than Shrubbie. Oh, this guy, Gobomber, launched drone strikes against Pakistan in his first week on the job. In his just over two years in office, he has launched more drone strikes against Pakistan than Shrubbie did in eight years! Some "peace president". 
When old Smedley Butler said that war is a racket, he meant that for ALL wars. Not just those lead by a republican president. Holy crap! Wars are nasty brutish and vile. I have been in a shooting war in Vietnam. I do not want any other people to go through that ever again. As General Butler said, and I have posted here more than a few times, there are only two reasons for war. 1) to defend OUR homes, and 2) to defend the Bill of Rights. Where are "we" doing that anywhere today? Right, nowhere.
I caught some other bits regarding the Libya war that caught my attention. Some of which may have slipped through the cracks as it were. One very interesting bit is that Algerian and Ethiopian mercenaries are exempt from prosecution, but not those from Tunisia, Chad, Niger, and Guinea. THEY can be subject to prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating Gaddafi for crimes already. Now, just what is so "special" about the mercenaries from Algeria and Ethiopia? I wonder when or if we will ever be told why this is so.
While it seems that NATO will be "in charge" of the Libya war, I noticed that "our" newest military command Africom is not based in any of the 53 African countries. None of them wanted it, so, Africom is based in, wait for it, Stuttgart, Germany. Yep, the US military command responsible for all of Africa is based in that wonderful "African" country of Germany. No doubt many Germans will be wondering just when their country moved southwards.
Notice one other bit of news on the Libya war. The BRIC countries all opposed this war. In fact, at the UN, there is now a growing "coalition of the opposed".  Even the Arab League is not so "gung-ho" as we have been told. YES, the GCC states DO favor bumping off old Gaddafi, but look who runs those oil kingdoms. They tend to go along with whatever the Saudis say or do. Just look at Bahrain where they ruling clan has asked the House of Saud to send in troops to quell the restless population of that island kingdom. Can't let the Bahrainis revolt, the 5th Fleet is based there after all. Add the fact that the ruler of that island nation are on "our" side and you see just how much any "reform" has for the common people of that country. Yeah, none, or, much like right here in America, where the working class and poor are being told there will be cuts to anything they may benefit from while the very rich get more tax breaks. Some "democracy", at home and around the world as "supported" by the US government. America, what a country.
Another comment jumped out at me. Secretary of Defense(??) Robert Gates this week said the latest bombing of Gaza by the Zionist entity is/was a "legitimate use of force"!! Well, maybe I should no longer get pissed when I read this sort of bullshit, but I do. Yes, it IS standard fare for the US government and most of the European governments as well. Still, this hypocrisy gets me very pissed off. The Palestinians are human beings, just like all of us, and they deserve to have their own home country NOT with borders and the economy controlled by ANY other country. they have the absolute human right to have their own country and to live in peace with their neighboring countries. They have the right to be able to live without fear of attack by other countries and to be able to provide a decent life for themselves and their children. They ARE our fellow human beings and just about any sane person can tell you that there will not be real peace in the Mille East until the Palestine/Israel issue is finally resolved.
Until then, we will continue to be told, time and again, how ANY violent act by the Palestinians is terrorism while ANY use of violence by the Zionist entity is "legitimate use of force". We must demand that the supposed leaders of our country stop this outright bullshit. It is long gone past the point of double standards folks. It has entered the realm of absolute bullshit, plain and simple.
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Some thoughts on the newest War of Choice

While we are now at war, again, this time in Libya, I had a few things that I have found to be some what interesting.
The first, which I just ran across today while reading Tom Dispatch is that at first some of the senior people in the government were opposed to this war. That group included Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chief of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mike Mullen, National Security Advisor  Thomas Donilon, and Counter terrorism chief John O. Brennan. These men were initially against any military action against Libya. At the same time, three of the biggest supporters for the current war against Libya were/are, Secretary of State Hi-Larry Clinton, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, and Senior National Security Council member Samantha Power. 
Very interesting. Now, to my thinking, if I may call it so, it strikes me that while the failed Equal Rights Amendment (the ERA) was not needed after all. We have at least three very powerful women in this administration who are as hungry for war as any man recently. See, this "equal rights" thing HAS worked out just fine in the end. YES, I was being sarcastic/snarky there. Hey, I just call them the way I see them. I have always have a "twisted" view point at times. I "see" things a bit differently, as it were. It just struck me that, indeed, women ARE as capable of war lust as any man can be.
Another "odd" take on the current goings on in the world is this; does anybody else sort of "wonder" how the war with Libya just sort of started shortly after the news started getting very bad regards the nuclear plants in Japan? Now, I do not subscribe to any of the current conspiracy theories floating around the net, but it does seem a bit "convenient", to say the least, that just as some bad news about the "spent fuel pools" and the damaged reactors was coming out, here comes a new war to distract us all.
Call it my own conspiracy if you want to, but just stop for a moment and think about it. While any war is very nasty and brutish, also, usually un-needed, this one just happens to now dominate the news here in the USA. To me, the threat of the nuclear fuel/reactors is much more a lasting long term threat to us all than any war that are currently being fought around the world.
The very fact that the "spent fuel" will be very toxic for decades, possibly hundreds of years is very concerning to all of us. Just consider the long term storage of that "spent fuel". What guarantees can we have that hundreds of years from now, the people who will be living on this planet then, will be able to read the warning signs that we post today? This is something that needs to be considered. Also, the TOTAL cost of nuclear power must be considered. That cost starts with the mining of the uranium ore and goes through the long term storage of the "spent fuel". This is always down played or ignored by the proponents nuclear power. IF the TOTAL cost of nuclear power are ever considered, it will be very clear to all that renewable energy is MUCH more cost effective. We need to start telling our representatives this truth and demand that those who favor nuclear energy must be honest about the TOTAl cost of nuclear energy.  There ARE very good alternatives to nuclear power. It is time for us all to realize this.
One further note about the Libya campaign. As of yesterday, Wednesday 23 March 2011, the US has launched 162 cruise missiles to try and "eliminate" old Gaddafi. The cost for each of these weapons is over one million dollars. That makes AT LEAST 162,000,000 plus so far in just cruise missiles alone. Yet, here at home, we have politicians telling us that we must cut back on things like education, Medicare, Medicaid, police, fire fighters, and many other needed social programs. As another quote I ran across this week, when it comes to war, we have all the money we need, when it comes to feeding the hungry, we are broke. America is on the wrong track people. It is up to us all to make our voices heard by those who supposedly represent us. We need for the protests in Wisconsin to spread over the entire country. We the people need to reclaim what is supposedly to be, government of the people, by the people, and FOR the people.
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Another big disappointment

Well, by now all of you good people know that the "no fly zone"bullshit and the attendant air strikes by the newest "coalition" of the all too willing has begun. France claims to have made the first of the air strikes against Libyan air defenses and other targets.
Yes, this is most disappointing to say the least. However, there is one other thing that I saw that is an even larger disappointment. Worse than another "war" or, as it has been billed by some, a "humanitarian intervention"? Yes, worse that that. It was an interview on al-Jazeera/English between two al-Jazeera reporters on the main set.  One of the reporters was Marwan Bishara. What is bothersome to me, is that I respect him as an honest person/reporter. He was going on and on how it was "needed" that Gaddafi get pushed out of power as he was using military force against his own people. Marwan, excuse me sir, but why not bomb TelAviv, or Manama, or Sanaa? The Zionist entity has and still does, bomb the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Do you not remember that vile "Operation Cast Lead" sir? And what about in Yemen, where the leader of that country has and still does, allow his military and security forces to kill any protestors? Or how about Bahrain sir? The ruler of that island country has even "invited" Saudi troops to enter his country to assist in stopping, aka killing, the protests there? In short sir, you seem to have a very selective disgust with the leaders you feel should be done away with.
Very disappointing sir, very disappointing indeed. While I will continue to monitor al-Jazeera, as it is still better than what is "standard fare" for America, your "star" has certainly been dimmed some.
Just my own very personal 2 cents worth on this.
For the record, I DO think that Gaddafi has over stayed his "welcome" as the leader of Libya. I wish the Libyan people the very best and hope they are successful in getting the old colonel to step down before many more people are killed and wounded. I hope they are able to form the government they want, without being taken over by any outside peoples, such as the US or the EU.


semper fi.

The world is changing

No need to tell any of the regular readers of this small corner post site that the world IS changing. Big time. But, is it for the better? Ah yes, there lies the problems.

First off, some not so good news. I have al-Jazeera English on and they have as the lead story the UN Security Council approving military force in Libya. It is bad news as this means that NATO, the outfit that has long outlived its original purpose, will be in the lead on this. Yes, that means the old US of A will no doubt send some of our aircraft to bomb old Gaddafi again. Again you ask? Oh, some of you may not remember, due to Alzheimer's?, that old "saint" Ronnie of Raygun did that way back when he was our "acting" president.  We missed old Gaddafi Duck back then, but, we did kill his adopted daughter and a few other innocent civilians.

YES, I DO support the Libyans who want a new government. I just do not believe it is the responsibility of the US government to make that happen. "We" did stay out of Tunisia and Egypt during their successful efforts to toss out their former leaders. Why not allow the Libyans to do the same? Yes, I know that Gaddafi has used tanks and heavy artillery against the protestors. Still, the idea of a "no fly zone" will lead to having troops on the ground. Do not toss Kosovo at me. That was a fluke and the air war lasted 78 days. In the end all that little war that Billy Bob Bubba got us into only gave us an "independent" Kosovo where the drug smugglers and human traffickers can have a nice safe haven. Not all that many countries recognize Kosovo as a "real" country even today.

A better(?) example of just what a "no fly zone" will end as would be Iraq. After Gulf War One, brought to the world by papa Bush, "we" imposed "no fly zones" (two of them!) on old Saddam. That did NOT stop him from killing large numbers of Kurds in the North and countless Shia in the South of his country. Also, Shrubbie went back to "finish" the job that papa started and well, you know how that has played out.

I am very happy that the people of Tunisia and Egypt have tossed out the dictators who used to rule over them. I wish them well and hope that they finally get some decent governments.

I feel the same for the people of Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and every other country, including the USA. It looks like Wisconsin may be the starting place for that here in the old US of A. Maybe.

On Thursday, 17 March, I read a report that says that Hi-Larry will not stay with gobomber even if (a very big IF) he wins re-election. Seems the poor gal is over worked and cannot tolerate that Gobomber seems to have no plan at all. Well, I told people back as far as the summer of 2007 that Gobomber was just all talk. The guy gives nice speeches, but it is all empty words. No doubt Hi-Larry knew this but what the hell, being Secretary of State pays good and it has sweet perks. Plus, it sure kept her in the news. Anybody think she is getting set to run for president again in 2012?

Well, as to Gobomber being wishy-washy, no kidding. The guy sends more mixed signals than any politician in a long time. He is all for the ruler of a given country until it looks like he has been forced out, then, and maybe only then, he sort of comes out in favor of the former leader going away. 

Oh, with some exceptions. BIG exceptions it seems. No doubt Gobomber will back the ruler of Bahrain until the very last. Not one small word, not even a peep, when the Saudis invaded Bahrain. Well, OK, maybe not an invasion, more like they were "invited" by the ruling clan of Bahrain. Yeah, the poor folks in Bahrain who want a more democratic government can be shot with live ammo, no problem. Hey, remember, they have OIL and "we" have a Navy base there. Never forget also, the majority of those protesting in Bahrain are Shia. Yep, just like those pesky folks in Iran. Need to stamp them down into their place ya know.  Hey, if any sort of "regime change" is successful in Bahrain, old Saudi Arabia might be next. The Saudis ARE very worried about that in fact. The majority of the Shia in Saudi Arabia live in the provinces with the bulk of their oil. Plus, the house of Saud does NOT want to give up the power and perks they have enjoyed for all these many decades. 

Gobomber is also quite silent on Yemen. There we also have a border with Saudi Arabia and the Saudis have sent troops into Yemen in the recent past. Another powder keg in the Gulf area. 

No wonder Gobomber can't make a decision. Just look at all the countries around the world that are just coming out of a revolt, in revolt, or damn close to having a revolt. Poor Hi-Larry also. Part of the job of Secretary of State is, no doubt, to keep track of this sort of thing and to help the president to decide what to do or not do. Well, Gobomber never did claim to be a "decider", yeah, that was old Shrubbie. 

Just to add more fuel to the fires, Mexico is still in the midst of a nasty drug war. The killings have not slowed down much and the total is well over 30,000 dead in just the past few years. Did I mention that there is no end in sight to the war and the killings? Hey, just look at America and see how "quick" a drug war can be won. Oh, yeah, we have been at that war since old Nixon was president and we still have not ended "our" drug war. Sorry Mexico, you are in for even more blood shed. All because America has not addressed any way to slow down the demand for drugs. Just throw more money and guns at the problem of illegal drugs. Yeah, that works.............not.  The US drug war has been going on for close to 40 years now. No end in sight here either.

The US economy is still in the dumps. Oh, the stock market has been up. OK, fine if you own stocks. Just how many of the recently unemployed and homeless own stock? How many of the people who have been foreclosed on own stock? I thought so. The "market" being up does nothing at all for the working class person and even less for those who are at or below the poverty level. The market being up is only good news to the banksters and the "too big to fail" gang.

If all this and more were not enough for poor old Gobomber and Hi-Larry, a nasty 9.0 earthquake and then a tsunami just had to hit Japan. Good grief, haven't those people suffered enough from nuclear radiation? Japan being the only country to ever be hit by nuclear weapons and now, their reactors are failing and possibly spreading huge amounts of radiation across their country and beyond. 

So much happening in the world. I was trying to hold off and try to write about how the revolts in Tunisia and Egypt came out. Of course there isn't much news from either of those countries now. They are no longer in revolt/protest and no longer "news" I suppose. Also, so many other countries are trying to copy them, see above for starters. Any way, so much has been going on, the idea of waiting for some good news seemed like it may be months. 

On a side note, I highly recommend the latest "Tomgram" over at www.tomdispatch.com.

He takes apart the way the US does "air war" today. In the opinion of this old former US Marine/Vietnam vet, he does a damn fine job of it. Extremely highly recommended. Warning, it isn't "pretty", but war never is. No, he does not get into the "blood and guts" descriptions, that is not his style. Just an independent and honest look at the way "we" do air wars now.

I have ranted on that topic before, in particular the use of drone aircraft. Mr. Engelhardt does it very well.

So, YES, I wish the Libyans can toss old Gaddafi Duck into the trash can of history, or even the ICC if that is their wish. I just do not want America to get into another damn fool war. If we send in troops, it will be "our" third invasion of a Muslim nation in less than ten years. That will not play well with many people around the world. France, Britain, and Italy seem to be the most in favor of this "no fly zone" crap. Let them have at it, just keep the US out of the mess. And, trust me, it WILL end up as a mess is we get into it. Just look to our recent "successes" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some track record there folks. 

I really do want ALL people in all nations to be able to have decent government. I just think we should stick with what the founders of this republic said back in the 1770's. Fair trade with all nations, entangling alliances with none. Sounds like very good words to live by. As president Madison said, we should not go about the world looking for monsters to destroy. Hell, we have more than enough of them right here at home.

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Some good news from America

Well, we have some good news here in the US of A finally.
The deputy Attorney General from Indiana, one Jeffrey Cox, yes, the very person who said the police should "use live ammunition" on the protestors in Wisconsin, has lost his job. About time is all I can add. Actually, this person(?) should not only have lost his state job, he should remain unemployable for a few years. Yeah, let this clown stand in the unemployment lines for a while. Let him see just how "cushy" it is to be without a job. No doubt he won't be without an income for long though. He will likely get some nice job from some right wing outfit soon. Why do I think so? Have you ever heard the phrase about "thicker than thieves"? Yeah, that one.
All this anti union sentiment from the governor of Wisconsin and Faux Noise could set the country back to the 1890's/early 1900's. The bad old days when unions were struggling to get organized. Back to the really nasty, brutish days of Ludlow, Colorado. Back to the time when old mister Rockefeller paid the Colorado National Guard to go into the camps of the striking miners and kill a number of unarmed women and children.
While surfing the net this weekend, I ran across a bit of arrogant comment from a former US official. I found this to be typical of the "ruling class" of America today. A certain Mr. Daniel Oliver, who was an official of the administration of "saint" Ronnie of Raygun said that "...however great the interest of the Egyptian people in their own freedom and human rights, it is eclipsed, even if they don't realize it, by the national security interest of the United States......"
Now this is about the absolute height of arrogance in my own opinion. Notice I did NOT say my own "humble" opinion. Screw being humble. Humble has got us nowhere. No, I do NOT advocate arrogance, but being humble now will only get us stomped on, again.
I wonder how the Egyptian people think of their own personal human rights are "less" than the "interests" of America. Arrogance doesn't even begin to describe such a comment, by anybody. American "interests" trump ALL else in this world? And the "rulers" in D.C. are unable to understand why so much of the world despises the USA? Get a clue folks, it is precisely because of such comments and attitude that the US was attacked on 9/11. This is why people in other countries burn the US flag during protests at our embassies.
America needs to step back and allow other people in their own countries to try and get the form of government they want. The US needs to stop meddling in the internal affairs of other countries.
Oh, some will say, "we" need to have "favorable" foreign leaders. We need the resources they have. Well, guess what folks? All oil producing countries will continue to sell that oil to the highest bidder. Why? Because nobody can eat oil. Iran would like to sell oil to the USA, legally. No doubt we do buy oil from Iran. Probably, we never stopped buying their oil. It all gets sold on the world market after all.
Back at home, the protests in Wisconsin continue. Maybe, just maybe, there might finally be a true national strike here. There have been such actions in France and Italy, in particular, in the past. When will that happen here? Maybe very soon.
As I said in my last rant here at the old corner, the world is changing. We had best let the world do as it chooses. Any interference by us will only add to the backlash against us. Hands off the world America.
It is way past time for our government to take care of things here and let the rest of the world manage itself. Our founders said it best. Fair trade with all, entangling alliances with none.
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The world IS changing

The world is changing folks. Anybody who has even, in passing caught the "news" even on Faux or CNN can see that.
The changes are not to the liking of the rulers in D.C or NATO. No, the world is changing and the changes are being accomplished by the regular people, the working class, students, small business people, and the unemployed. In short, the "rulers" in many countries are no longer in control. 
Just look at Tunisia and Egypt for the truth to that fact. The people of those two countries have forced the former rulers to flee. In Bahrain and Libya, the people are working towards the same goal, to rid themselves of their rulers.
Even here in the old US of A we are seeing "people power" in Madison, Wisconsin. YES, in the state where I was born some 63 years ago, the people are protesting the government! Good old Wisconsin, the home of radicals since at least the 1960's and the Vietnam War protests. No doubt the governor of the Badger state will not cut and run as the "leader" of Egypt has done. No, he will likely stay till the bitter end. After all, this is America, not some foreign dictatorship. The governor of Wisconsin does have his helpers though. Yep, a deputy Attorney General from Indiana has said that the protestors should be met "with live ammunition". Wow! THAT is some statement from an official of government in the USA. 
I wonder, IS Indiana really a part of the United States of America? Or is it some foreign country, ruled by some sort of dictator? 
No doubt this same deputy Attorney General would like to see those like me who are permanently disabled and on Social Security just sit down and die. Most likely he would like every person who collects Social Security to just die. That way he would no longer have to support us with the taxes he and every working person pays into the Social Security funds. 
Well, ALL of us who ever held a job here in the US HAVE paid into Social Security. Yes, I am drawing from that fund. I became permanently disabled from an injury I sustained while AT work. Yes, I got hurt on the job. 
While this poor excuse of a human being who believes that those who are protesting in Madison should be met "with live ammunition" no doubt thinks of us who are on Social Security and/or unemployed are useless "welfare cheats", I have never wanted to end up like this. While I have been disabled for longer than I care to admit, not a day has passed that I have not wanted to be at work. Being disabled and on Social Security is NO picnic. 
In my own, unscientific survey of other disabled people over the past few years, an overwhelming majority of those who are disabled have told me they would rather be at work than to be disabled. We are not freeloaders by any means. None of us enjoys being unemployable. 
With the likes of that deputy Attorney General from Indiana, can a revolt here in the US be far off? How much more of that type of abuse are we going to take? 
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This is how the "tea party" supports the troops

Well, I had planned to take some time off from this corner. It is time for the racing season to get started and I wanted to put this blog on hold. After checking my usual web sites today, that is not possible.
What has me so fired up? Well, it is the looney tune idiot bimbo from Minnesota. She has "decided" that the government should cut funds to the VA for veterans health and compensation for injuries sustained while on active duty. Yes, this ass clown "thinks"(??) that we should CUT medical care for the wounded troops. How the bloody goddamn hell is THIS supporting the troops?
Remember, it is the idiotic "tea party" that is always running around shouting "support the troops". Well, I think that all of us should hunt down every member of the "tea party" we know and shove this idiot bimbos' statement in their faces. Make them tell you how this sort of goddamn bullshit "supports the troops". 
This is so typical of the politicians of America. They want all the troops they can get to go and fight some damn fool war, but when the troops get wounded, they don't want to pay for their care! Can you say hypocrite? Yes we can!
This is a stab in the back of those who have given service to the empire. If she gets her way and the Va funds are cut, then ALL veterans who have been wounded in any of our wars will face a decline in their medical care. Yes, there are even some old veterans of World War Two who are still under VA care.  I know of some Korean War veterans who get Va care on a regular basis. These people have earned that care. It is part of the contract they signed when they entered military service. To cut that care now when they most need it is a total denial of their service and the contract they had with the US government. 
No doubt the government will act as if it can do whatever it wants, any time it wants.
If this does pass, I would hope to see ALL veterans revolt against this betrayal.
We all need to let this moron Bachman know that we all oppose her betrayal of our veterans. 
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Killing, at home and abroad

No doubt you have all heard of the US Congresswoman, Gabriella Giffords (D-AZ) who was shot yesterday, 8 January 2011.  Six others who were shot at her meeting with her constituents have died. The last I read, as many as 19 people were shot. Among the dead are a 9 year old girl and a Federal  judge.

Funny, the reactions of people on the web. At many "left" leaning web sites, the "story" is that the shooter, who is in custody, was a Nazi who had read Mien Kampf.  Some have even suggested that he was a member, or at least a follower, of the "tea party".
On the "right" leaning sites, they say he was a communist, or at "best" a socialist. They claim he read Karl Marx.
Well, I have read both Marx and Mien Kampf.  What does that make me?  Back when I read them, I thought it made me curious. Yeah, imagine that, being curious about things and then getting a book or two to read. Yes, to satisfy my curiosity I read.  I still do, though now, my reading includes many web sites.  You could say that I am still curious, and that is very true.  In fact, I hope I never lose that curiosity. It makes for a more interesting life, just my opinion of course.

What really bothers me is that only now, with the shooting of a Congresswoman and the deaths of a child and a judge, do Americans come out to protest.
Yes, we have seen "political" killings in the recent past here in America. In just my own life time I have seen the killing of the Kennedy brothers, John and Robert. Also the killing of Malcolm X and Dr. King. At least four very high profile political killings, right here in America.
The question here is why aren't the people who are so upset about this shooting yesterday protesting the day in and day out killings of innocent children in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan?  Where are the protests and outrage over those killings?  Or, is it that "we" do not protest the killing of innocent children when those children are killed by the US military?  Yes, the death of the young girl from the shooting in Tucson yesterday is terrible.  But, is her death that much more different from the deaths of children in the above named countries?  How many children do "our" troops kill every day in the current idiotic, useless, damn fool wars of choice that "we" are fighting?

These are very valid questions.  It IS fair to make this comparison. The "excuse" that there is a war going on in Afghanistan and the border area of Pakistan/Afghanistan is not valid.  Why is there a war there? Because America invaded Afghanistan as a reaction to the terrorist attack of 9/11.  The people who planned and carried out that attack were not in Afghanistan. None of them were Afghans. They were mostly Saudis.
Yes, the shooting yesterday is very sad. Consider though, America IS a very violent society. I don't have the statistics, but I would bet that America is either number one, or very close to it, for the number of shooting deaths per year. Our major cities are very violent places. The murder rate for New York city, Detroit, Los Angeles, and other major cities is high.  The most popular video games and movies are violent. Death, and in particular, shooting is very popular in the USA.
The president said in response to the shooting yesterday that violence has no place in a free society. OK, I agree, then when is he going to call and end to the damn fool wars of choice? When will the elephant gang call out the likes of Rush, Beck, O"Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, etc and Fox News and "talk"(hate) radio? And I DO lay those folks at the door step of the Republican party as the just mentioned gang are very much right wing/Republican. Of true, the Democrats are also to blame. They should have called for a halt to the hate long ago.  Where has our president been since he took office? Why has he not used the bully pulpit of the presidency to call for and end to the hate? The "idea" that it will go away if you ignore it is totally wrong.
BOTH major political parties share the blame for the hate and violence that is rampant in our country.  We all need to demand more of our "leaders". Our elected officials need to demand an end to all the hate. NOT with any new laws, we have more than enough laws as it is. What is needed is some honest enforcement of the laws we already do have. The same goes for any new gun control laws. We don't need any, just enforce the existing laws.
We should all email, phone, communicate in some means to our elected officials and tell them that we want an end to the hate and violence that has swept over our country. Remember, these elected officials work for us. If we all let them know that we are sick of the hate and violence, they will have to take notice. When communicating with theses officials, make sure to let them know that we want an end to the damn fool wars also. Killing is against most every religion in the world. America claims to be a "Christian" nation, well, killing is against that religion. It is time for the people of this country who keep telling us all that America is a "Christian" nation to stop the killing. Live up to their own religion or stop telling me that "we" are a "Christian" nation. This goes double for the Congress critters who most all of them make some claim or other to being so religious. Put up or shut up.
We will not end the killing and other violence in America until we stop the damn fool wars of choice. It is time for this country to end the senseless violence that we do around the world. It is time to treat ALL people the way we want to be treated ourselves. Stop the killing. Stop the wars.  It is time for all decent people to stand up and shout ENOUGH!!!!!
semper fi

When will we get pissed off?

A question for all Americans. When will you all, or at least a majority of you get really pissed off? How much crap are you going to take from "our" government? How many lies are you willing to believe?
I ask this because we should all be very pissed off by now. Pissed off at the damn fool idiotic wars of choice that consume untold amounts of money. Remember this, "we" are fighting these damn fool wars with borrowed monies. Yeah, the US government is borrowing the money to conduct the wars. China holds some where in the neighborhood of $1 Trillion dollars worth of US government bonds. Yep, "we" have in truth borrowed one Trillion(!!) dollars from communist China to conduct the wars we are still stuck in, with more yet to come. Even now, we are expanding these idiot wars. We have been bombing Pakistan and no doubt, ground troops in that country cannot be too long in coming.
Iraq, where despite the pronouncement of Gobomber, we are still at war. Afghanistan, Pakistan (drones only so far), Yemen (drones and no doubt "advisers"), Somalia (drones and who knows what else), and other countries in Africa for certain. 
This does not even take into account our "ally" Israel where it could be any day that the IDF will be back in action in either Gaza or Lebanon, maybe both. Of course the IDF is paid for by the US tax payer, remember that the Zionist entity gets approximately $1 Billion every year from old Uncle Sammy. Are you pissed off yet?
The "new" Congress is set to make all sorts of cuts to the federal budget. Not any at all to "defense" though. THAT is "off the table". Yep, while the country goes broke faster and faster each day, "we" will NOT cut any "defense" funds. Now any of the "entitlements" CAN be cut. Things that people really need, like Medicare, Social Security, education, health care, Medicaid, housing, and unemployment benefits. Those things, "our" Congress seems quite willing to cut., but NOT the "sainted" military. No way, nope, never gonna happen. 
Now are you pissed off? The items that "our" Congress is so willing to cut are things that actually help Americans. The programs to be cut are even needed by our fellow Americans. And yet, "we" cannot even talk about cutting the "defense" budget, let alone talk about honestly ending any of the damn fool, idiotic wars of choice that "we" are stuck in or in the process of starting. Remember, North Korea is "still" a charter member of the "axis of evil" and we need to remember that Iran is among that "axis" and they still refuse to give up their legal rights to process uranium for use in civilian nuclear power plants. Why, how dare they! How dare the Iranians demand that they be allowed to do what is legal according to international law? Just who do they think they are? Why, they are acting like an independent country, a sovereign nation! How dare they? 
Imagine that, foreign nations who dare to act in the best interests of the citizens of their own nation! Why, it smacks of heresy! Don't they know that they need permission from the Empire in Washington D.C. for everything? How dare they to act independent of the clowns in D.C.? Why, the entire world must bow down to and comply with every whim of Washington. Quaint relics like the U.N., the Geneva Conventions, and the rule of international law are just that, quaint old relics that the folks who "run" the world give lip service to every so often, when it suits their purposes.  Yes, they must be taught a lesson, that the folks in D.C. (and by extension, in Tel Aviv) rule the whole world. 
Now are you pissed off? The infrastructure of America is crumbling, but there is no money to repair/maintain our roads, bridges, railroads, airports, dams, and other needed infrastructure. There is no money for these things because "we" MUST fight this war OF terror all around the globe. Why it is the very "duty" of 'Merikkka to shoulder this burden. If "we" don't do it, why, who will?
Well, the short answer is NOBODY!  Nobody would be so damn stupid as to even think of a "war on terror". Terror is a tactic NOT a being or even a thing that can be fought. Terror is one of the last resorts of the oppressed, the outnumbered. It can be a tactic of guerrilla war, similar to what the colonists did against Britain during the American Revolution. You cannot fight a "war against terror" as terror is just a tactic. Even our own military leaders have acknowledged that for every civilian we kill in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Pakistan, we create many more "terrorists". This is because every one that "we" kill has family who want revenge. 
Just as in Vietnam, "we" have gone into wars with peoples and cultures "we" do not understand.  "We" do not understand what family means to these peoples. Their families matter greatly, even their extended families.  Kill one of these peoples and they have parents, children, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.  Now look at how many enemies that one death made for us. And realize that I am greatly underestimating that extended family in my example here. I was just giving the broadest of outlines. No doubt the actual situation is worse in the number of "new" enemies that "we" create with every person killed by US and/or NATO troops/drones. Now are you  pissed off?
We "need" more and more money for these damn fool wars, yet "we" are going to cut social programs that actually benefit honest, hard working Americans. You should be very pissed off by now.
Indeed, every American should be highly pissed off at the bullshit "our" government has thrown at us over the last decade. Actually since "saint" Ronnie of Raygun, but I'll confine this to the recent past, since 2000 just to keep it more manageable, easier to remember. 
Shrubbie has now come out and stated clearly that he authorized torture of the "enemy combatants". A US president who said out loud that he authorized torture. Yeah, I did repeat that, I want you to think long and hard on that. America is supposed to be better than that. Torture is against US law, it is against international law. And yet, a former US president  has said out loud that he authorized the use of torture! THAT should get every decent human being highly pissed off. Oh, but it gets worse folks, much worse. Our current president, old Gobomber, does not think that our former president who authorized torture, should be prosecuted! Our current president has said, out loud, in public, that "we" should look forward and not backward.  Yep, just like "we" have let the "too big to fail" banksters get away with causing the near total collapse of the world economy with their slice and dice "investments" that were just a huge scam. You remember what I am talking about, the "liar loans" and the "mortgage backed securities"  and all the other "instruments" that Wall Street found suckers to buy. And then "we", the tax payer HAD(?) to bail these very same crooks out of their own folly!
Man, it sure must be nice to be that rich. Only in America do the very rich get to pull off a scam like Wall Streeters did and have the government bail you out of your losses. Other countries put criminals in jail. Just look at Russia, where they sentenced one of their own super rich to real jail time for assorted crimes. When will America even prosecute the Wall Street crooks?
These same Wall Streeters still got huge bonus checks, even this year. These folks nearly cause the entire global economy to tank, they get the tax payer to bail them out, and they still get a huge bonus? Wow, only in America. Where the rich get away with every sort of crime and the tax payer foots the bill to clean up the mess. Just as we, no doubt will be paying to try and clean the Gulf of Mexico. Oh, you think BP will be paying for that? LOLMAO. Sure, they may pay some small amount for a short time, but, in the end it WILL be the US tax payer who will fund the clean up of the Gulf.
Now  you should be very pissed off.  And I have not even mentioned the odd die off of birds, fish, and crabs in the recent last few days. So far, nobody has any idea what caused these die offs. Still trying to figure this one out. No doubt there is more than one reason as the areas where the dying occurred are wide  spread and there are different species involved. Where is Sherlock Holmes? We sure could use his help.
 There is another item I want to touch on before I end this post. I read a good bit most every day. There are some web sites that I check every day and I even read the comments on more than a few. Recently I have noticed that some folks ARE getting very pissed off at what is being done in our name. The only fly in that ointment is that they are afraid of what the government may do to them if they speak out too loudly. To that I say bullshit. No way should we be afraid of the government. I believe it was old Tom Jefferson who said that government should fear the people, never the people should fear their government. Yes, I am getting "on" in years, I hit 63 recently. I survived the imperial war in Vietnam. I have managed to continue after becoming permanently disabled. I refuse to let the government frighten me though. Oh, some will say, be careful what you say, they might put you in jail. What? For exercising my First Amendment RIGHTS? Well, they can try whatever they decide no doubt. I will fight that. I was born in America, I still love this country, but I refuse to be silenced. I do not want violence. I do not want insurrection. I want the government to start being accountable to us, the people of America.  I want our money to be spent taking care of America and Americans. End the damn fool wars. Bring ALL the troops home and let them defend America.  Close all those bases "we" have in foreign countries. I want Americans to remember that Congress works for us, the citizens of America.  Yes, THEY work for US, we do NOT work for them. Every election is basically a job interview. EVERY elected official works for us, the people of this country. they are NOT our "betters" in any way. Yes, they DO act as if they are, but that is wrong, they work for us.
Now a change of pace. This entire post has been about many of the things we all should be highly pissed off about.  And I DO think we should be pissed about these things. However, I don't want to end this on a negative note.
I am asking each of you who read this post to try something.  The next time you go anywhere, try to treat all the people you come in contact with the way you would like to be treated. Just do simple things, like say "hello" to them. Maybe give them a smile or some friendly gesture. You just may be the only one who does this to them. You just might make somebody very happy, if only for a moment. It might even make you feel nicer. In fact, it may feel so good that it could become second nature to you. Any way, give it a try.
semper fi

Another year, another mess

Well, it is a new year folks. Yep, old 2010 is gone. Welcome 2011. 
Big deal. Yeah, I know, where is they "happy new year" from the old cynic? Well, what is there to be so happy about? We are still stuck in endless damn fool wars of choice with the very real prospect of more endless damn fool wars to come. The economy is still in the dumps. 
Oh there has been a bit of "good" news of late. Since I now have had TV since late May, I catch a bit of what now passes for "news" on the tube every so often. According to one "news" item a few days ago, we should all be happy as the new jobless claims are down. Well of course the new claims are down, there are so few who have any jobs now. Most businesses have cut their staff to the bare minimum so that means fewer folks still employed and fewer to be laid off or fired. Just wait a week or two, those temp jobs to get through the "holiday" shopping season will be unemployed so the new claims will go up soon.
Oh yeah, Gobomber gave a "new years" speech where he claims he will now be working for the "middle class" this year. Oh joy, where the hell was he the last two years? Working for the rich? Well, he sure aided them getting a totally un-needed tax break. Oh joy. I see where some of the "left" are over joyed at the speech and are saying things like "here is the president we voted for". Sure, just count me a skeptic. I'll believe that he is working for the real people when I see some serious actions. I remember being told many times as a kid that actions speak louder than words. I will hold Gobomber to that same standard. 
How am I to be expected to seriously think he is now for the working class? The elephant gang now has control of the House. When dear leader had large majorities in BOTH houses of Congress, neither he nor his own party managed to get anything worth while passed. Where is a decent national health care program? Not in America. 
How many of the banksters who caused a global economic melt down are even charged with any crimes? Only in Russia, where Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been sentenced to serious jail time. It seems that the Russians are the only folks who have the guts to go after the banksters and other super rich crooks. On the subject of high level criminals, when will we see any investigations into the war crimes of Shrubbie and his administrations?  Best not hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Remember, Gobomber said he doesn't like to "look back". Yeah, just let those who are guilty go free, no trial, hell, not even a charge nor an investigation. And yet we really think the country can recover without this? Somebody explain to me how this country can ever seriously recover if we allow criminals to go free. this sure blows what I was taught as a kid out of the water. I was taught that you had to pay for your crimes. Now it seems that if you have a high enough rank, you do not have to even admit to any crime, let alone get punished for the crimes you commit. America, what a country.
When we allow those in a high ranking position to escape any punishment, any investigation, we send a message to the world. We even send that message to our own people, if you have any power, you can get away with anything. Wow, what sort of morality is this? Some lessons we are "teaching" to our children. And still, a large number of Americans keep telling me that this is a "Christian nation"?  Yeah, well, it looks like I will continue to be a heathen/pagan then. 
I'd really like to be able to sit here and write about how this new year will be so much better than last year was. I'd seriously like to believe that. Well, I do not live in a fantasy, I live in the real world and the new year does NOT look so grand. It looks like more of the same old bull crap that we have had since the days of "saint" Ronnie of Raygun. And by the way, this year marks the 100th birthday of the dear sainted Ron. Yep, I caught that bit on some web site early today. No doubt we will be bombarded with a flood of programs telling us how "great" a man the guy was. What a "great" president he was. Sure, he WAS our very first acting president is what he was. End of story. During his time in office, the country really started the downhill run we have been on ever since. Thanks loads there Ron. I mis the guy like I miss the plague, not at all. 
The only bright spot regards Ron is that his birthday is in early February so maybe we will not have to endure much of the crap about him after early March, I hope. 
How could 2011 be better than 2010? Well, for starters, Gobomber could pull ALL troops AND mercenaries out of Iraq. Yeah, I know, he pulled the "combat" troops out last year. Big deal. "We" still have over 50,000 troops plus many more mercenaries (aka contractors) still in Iraq. Speaking of which, the new prime minister wants all our troops gone by the end of this year. No doubt Gobomber will find at least one excuse why that cannot happen. Bets are that they already have a few on hand now. Got to be prepared you know. Yep, smoke and mirrors. Some things never change, like government lying. Yeah.
Funny, the environment is a mess. The economy is in the toilet, we have no decent health care. All these are as they are because we have no money for those things. And yet, "we" always seem to find plenty of money for damn fool, useless wars of choice. 
Well, there isn't much profit in a decent national health care system.  There is no profit in schools that teach our children to be critical thinkers. There is no profit in cleaning the environment. There is no profit in decent unemployment benefits. Ah, but there IS big time profit in war. Huge profits indeed. Just grab a copy of War is a racket by old Smedley Butler. Now, he was talking about the profits made by various businesses in World War One.  Even the companies that made socks and under wear made money. Well, sure, those troops need clothing. And food, and vehicles and all sorts of tools, blankets etc. The list goes on and on. War is big business and until we figure a way to take the profits out of war, we will, unfortunately, have more wars. And yet, some folks still tell me that America  is a "Christian nation".  Yeah, "we" sure do follow that commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" don't we? 
I honestly do think that if each of us would try and treat everybody else as we want to be treated, that we can make a difference. Just give it a shot. Next time you go out, any where at all, just try it. Treat all you come in contact with the way you would like them to treat you. No, there won't be a great uplifting, no flash of light, no clap of thunder. Nope, no "special" effects at all. But, maybe, just maybe, you might feel a bit better for it. Hey, you might even make some other person feel a bit better also.
I keep reading different comments on various sites. Some folks are looking for a "magic bullet" or something to change the world. Some think we need a new leader, a new Gandhi or some such. I don't buy that. WE are the change that we are looking for. It has to start with each of us. True, nothing much will change any time soon, but if we all just try, it could be a nicer place for all of us. Maybe I am totally wrong here, but I refuse to be completely negative.  Yes, I am very cynical and very sarcastic at times. Still, I think that each of us has the ability to make this a better place for all. It won't be easy. Not everybody will respond positively, but don't quit. Hell, failin' Palin is a quitter.  
Have the best possible year you can have.
p.s. Please stop by a blog I found. I think you may like it. It is "Dangerous Creation". The blog is by David G. and he really has much worth reading. The link is in the link section on the right side of this blog.
semper fi

Just another rant

Oh bother!
Well, it is my own damn fault. Yeah, I went and looked in on one of the "left wing" web sites this morning. Why oh why do I keep doing this? Good grief. There are a whole gang of these "lefties" who are still blaming Nader for the election loss by Gore/Lieberman in 2000! No kidding folks. Amazing, simply goddamn amazing. How can anybody even claim to be remotely "progressive" or even "liberal" and still blame Ralph for the moronic campaign that Al (never my pal) Gore ran back in 2000? They may "think"(??) they are "progressive" but to be totally honest, I seriously doubt that these folks actually think. 
How can one claim to have a functioning brain and still(!!) say that they hate Nader since he caused Shrubbie to win. Oh, yeah, they sure as hell have totally forgotten that Al (never my pal) Gore picked the worst possible excuse of a "liberal" to be his running mate. Yep, I am talking about Joe "Israel uber ales" LIEberman. That "choice" alone lost any "electability" that Gore had in my opinion. OK, so I didn't want Gore any way, but his "choice" of running mate sure ended any possible hope/prayer/etc that he might have dreamed of to get my vote.
All this has come about since it now looks like Gobomber  "may" get another member of the donkey gang to take a run at him in the primary in 2012. 
OK, OK, I know, that election is almost two years away. Still, the way Gobomber has been "working out" (or not working out) since he took office has a bunch of folks thinking that he may have a serious challenger in the next presidential primary season. The last time a sitting president from the donkey gang had such competition was old Jimmy Carter. Remember, back then Ted Kennedy gave Carter a run for the money during the primaries. Carter got the nomination, but he also got a bit of a fright from the Kennedy clan.
I do think that Gobomber needs to be challenged. Not just in the primaries either. Yes, I would like to see a full blown "third party" challenge. That would be much better for us all, as a primary challenger from his own party would not do much good. Anybody who makes it to the primaries in either wing of the war party will already have been bought and paid for. This is why Gobomber has turned out to be what he is. He was "vetted" before the first primary vote was cast. It will be the same if some other member of the donkey gang rises(?) to challenge him in 2012.
A possible candidate for this could be the former senator from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold. Or, it could be Mr. Nader, again, although he is getting a bit old and may not be physically able to run again. Maybe Ms. McKinney might make another run. Hey, I voted for her last election. I was going to vote for Nader, but she "won me over" and I would be happy to vote for her again. Man, talk about change, imagine the US of A electing a black woman as our president. 
True, she would have a very rough time getting elected, but it is still legal to dream in the states. Or, has Gobomber made that a crime? He is on record as claiming the "right" to kill anybody, even American citizens, if he deems that person a threat to our "security". 
Of course the dedicated followers of the donkey gang are nearly wetting themselves at the prospect of failin' Palin actually winning that office. Man, they are nearly as delusional as the "tea party" clowns who worship at the altar of the moose burger bimbo. Yes, these "Palin lovers" (freaks) are the same folks who only get their "news" from Faux Noise, but come on people! President Palin? Not even in your worst nightmare. It will not happen. No way. I don't care how much Faux Noise, Glenda Beckie, Rush Limpburger, or any of the other run off at the mouth about their new "goddess". That moron will never be president. I seriously doubt that she would even run for that office. Why should she? Look at all the money she would miss out on. She would not get upwards of $100,000 for giving campaign speeches.  No, the moose burger bimbo is making too much money with her book signings and her speeches to the choir who worship her. 
It used to be that while both wings of the war party would screw the public, at least the donkey wing made you feel half way OK about it. Now, with Gobomber, and even Billy Bob Bubba to a great extent, that has gone out the old window. Since Billy Bob Bubba, even us poor folks who might be tempted to vote for the donkey gang have been screwed as bad and as fast as the elephant gang has done and wants to do again.  No, there really is no choice at all between the two "animal" wings of the war party.  A pox on both their houses, which in reality is the same damn house. The house of the "too big to fail" folks. Yes, we used to say that there was barely a "dimes worth of difference" between the "two" parties. As recently as 2000, I was saying that they were just the opposite sides of the same damn coin. Well, even that is no longer true. They are just the two wings of the war party. Neither is any much "better" than the other, if you are working class or poor that is. And if you are among the top 2% in wealth in the US of A, well, what "differences" that may exist don't matter much. Just look at the tax cuts that Gobomber gave to the top wealthiest. What "fight" did he put up over this? Oh, did I mention "fight" in reference to Gobomber? Silly old me. Anybody with brains, eyes, and ears KNOWS that there is NO fight in Gobomber. Well, there IS, IF you are an Afghan, Pakistani, or Iraqi. Hell, he just might be "willing" to show the world that he has some "fight" for the iranians if old Nutty-yahoo can sway him a bit. 
Sorry there Gobomber, but you are a one term president. I do not see any way for this bought and paid for clown to win a second term. IF he comes back towards the center, they are all yakking on some "lefty" web sites. LOLMAO!!!!!! No way Jose! The guy is NOT going to even think about dreaming of moving anywhere near "left". 
I also get a kick from some of the posters on those sites who feel "cheated" by Gobomber. They say he "mislead" them during the campaign. What??? Mislead? How? Did they even listen to any of his campaign speeches? I mean REALLY listen? They could not have done so and now feel that he has "failed" them. Gobomber was NEVER anti-war. He never said he was going to actually DO anything for the working class and the poor folks. He voted FOR the huge bank "bailout" (aka legal robbery) when Shrubbies' Secretary of the Treasury, the vile Paulson, "demanded" the Congress give away the entire store to the "too big to fail" gang. Gobomber has NOT cut the "defense" budget. Before his first week in office he authorized drone strikes on Pakistan! In his, just less than two years in office, he has authorized MORE drone strikes against Pakistan than Shrubbie did in EIGHT years as president. True, Shrubbie didn't have any wars until late in 2001 and that was "just" his initial invasion of Afghanistan. The "real" war for Shrubbie didn't start until March 2003 with the invasion of Iraq.
Notice, also, how Gobomber put up no, or next to no, "fight" for any sort of public option for health care. He sold out to the big insurance companies as easily as Shrubbie would have. And this was back when he has majorities in BOTH houses of Congress! Hell, if he could not or would not fight for what the country needs when he had that going for him, just what do any
of these "left wing" folks think he can do now with the elephants controlling the House?
Seriously, just what the hell good would I be as a leader, if I had a majority in BOTH houses of Congress. Suppose MY party controlled BOTH houses and I had the presidency and yet(!!) I got zero, nada,nothing at all for the people who were my base and got me elected? I would think that even my own family would have to admit that I was a very piss poor leader in that circumstance. Well, that is what Gobomber has done. He had majorities in BOTH houses and got absolutely ZERO for the working class and the poor folks. Oh, they "gave"him an extension of unemployment benefits.  Aha, but at what cost? The "cost" was to let the tax cuts for the top 2% of the wealthiest remain in place for the next two years. Like it will be so "easy" to let them expire or end them at that time. Yeah, and I hear there is still a bridge for sale in New York city. 
While I despise Faux Noise, Limpburger, failin' Palin, Glenda Beckie, and that whole crew, including most of the "tea party", I have no love for the donkey gang either. All these supposed "left wingers" and so-called "progressives" had best wake up and damn soon. The next election cycle is getting close. What America needs is a real third party. Not as an alternative, but as a permanent fixture in our political system. This "two party" farce needs to end. 
It will not be easy. It will take hard work,but my Dad taught me that anything worth having was worth working for. Time for us to get busy.
semper fi

More reactions to Wikileaks

Yeah, here I am again. Yes, the topic is still Wikileaks.
Well, I just read a great article on this over at Counterpunch. Here is the link to the article. I think it is very worth your time to read this one. Mr. Johnson gives a good view of the latest leaks and illiteracy. A very good article and a fresh point of view.www.counterpunch.org/johnson12092010.html

OK, another article that I recommend to you folks. I agree that the leaks and literacy go together. If you cannot read, the leaks don't mean anything much to you. If you are unable to read, you would never be here in fact. While you might play video games, you surely would not ever check many web sites. Without being literate, you would be severely handicapped. In fact, you would be on par with the likes of Beck and failin' Palin in my opinion. Those tow may be able to read, well, not much serious reading, but I would bet they are both able to get through things like the readers I had back in my grade school days. You older folks know what I mean. They went like this "See Dick. See Dick run. Run Dick, run". Yep, sort of a Forrest Gump type of deal. Hey, it worked, well, it got me reading any way.
By keeping so many documents classified, we are kept from having that information. In effect, the classifying of so much information, makes us some what illiterate. That is a very good reason to support Wikileaks, as if we needed another. Yes, governments DO have a very legitimate need to keep some things secret. However, the US government has gone way over board, my opinion. We classify far more than you might think. Read the article I linked to above. The number of classified documents on a yearly basis will surprise you. And that is just what the US government has done in a given year. Here is a clue. The number of classified documents exceed the total number of published documents by the US, UK, China, Russia, and Germany!  No kidding, read the article. Told you it was a surprise. A huge amount gets classified, and most for no "real" reason other than because they CAN do so.
George Carlin is supposed top have said that if you have an illiterate and greedy population, you will have illiterate and greedy politicians/leaders. No kidding. 
Outfits like Wikileaks do us all a great service. As far as I have seen, there are no persons named who are in any danger from the leaks. They did not expose the true names of any spies, to the best of my knowledge so far. From what I have seen of the newest leaked documents, all that they released are basically gossip and other basically trivial things. That "we" disrespect our counter parts in other countries should be no new news to them nor us. Americans ARE, as a group, very arrogant. The book The Ugly American is more or less true. It was when it was published, and I would bet that it is even more true today. "We" have become ever more arrogant than ever. "We" claim to be the ONLY" indispensable country". And that was back in the days when Billy Bob Bubba was president and his Secretary of State, yep, old Mad-ass Al (not so)bright was saying things like the 500,000 dead Iraqi children due to US imposed sanctions was "worth it"! Imagine, had that been a foreign person saying such, how America would have reacted to such a statement. No doubt "we" would have put on our very best "excuse me" face and demanded that person apologize and then be fired and/or jailed for such an indecent comment on a national news program. Oh, but it was an American Secretary of State and "we" are oh so nice and all that bullshit. Yeah, sure "we" are.
Don't  get me wrong, as individuals, Americans can be and are some of the nicest, most caring, and giving people you could ever meet. As a country, or government, well, that is a very different story.  Just look at New Orleans after hurricane Katrina came through the Gulf area. Yeah, and that was a city and area in our own country! And now, how can anybody seriously believe that "we" don't bad mouth the diplomats of other countries? Please, give me a break. Or, maybe I could interest you in a bridge in New York perhaps?
Wikileaks is a needed group. No, maybe not the very people who are running it, but an organization and people like them ARE needed. We need those who are able to pull back the curtain and let us all see that the "wizard" is just some small man behind the big curtain. Yes, there will always be some things that governments DO need to keep secret. What we do need is better access to information. Not every communication/document from the government needs to be classified as "top secret" or even secret. Of course the government will continue to withhold as mush as they can. Knowledge IS power and they want it all for themselves. What Wikileaks did, and this really pisses off the powerful, is to have given knowledge to us common folks. And that gives us power. Those who have it never, ever want to share any of their power. We need Wikileaks and more folks like them, now and into the future.
semper fi

Wikileaks and other topics

By now most everybody knows that Wikileaks has dumped a whole truck load of emails, cables, and other information on the internet. Good for them, good for us also.
First, let me share a couple of "reactions" to this latest data dump by that organization.
The first one is from our least favorite former half-term governor. Yep, the failin' Palin wants Mr. Assange to be "hunted down" as if he were some member of al-Qaeda or some other "terrorist" outfit. The other "reaction" I want to share with you is from a "man of god". Yep, it is from another former governor, this time Arkansas though. I refer you to one Mike Huckster-bee. This supposed "man of god" said that Mr. Assange should be exterminated. Wow, some "god" old Huckster-bee believes in. I was told, back in my youth, that Christians said that god was a god of love. Well, maybe Huckster-bee is thinking more along the lines of "tough love".
Other reactions to this latest data dump have called Mr. Assange a "traitor". Now this is very odd. How so you ask? Well, Mr. Julian Assange is NOT a citizen of America. Nope, I believe he is Australian. Now he could not be guilty of being a traitor to the United States as he is NOT an US citizen. Only a citizen of this country could ever be guilty of being a traitor to it. A foreign citizen cannot ever be a traitor to America. He CAN be classified as an enemy of America, no doubt that has already been done by some clown in "our" government. There is a Interpol arrest warrant out for him on some charge or other. No doubt related, again, to a rather discredited charge in Sweden. Well, no doubt there will be more on this in the next few days. Stay tuned to the net for further updates.
Mean while, back in the US of A, we have the "wonderful" elephant gang signing a letter to Gobomber that they will refuse to vote for ANY legislation of ANY sort until they get the tax cuts for the very rich passed. Yes, the "patriotic" elephant gang are holding the country hostage until the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country are passed and signed off on by Gobomber. And this is the very same gang who are allowing the unemployment benefits for 2 million(!) families expire. What a "nice" Christmas gift to those folks. Makes one wonder just how can we ever "thank" these elephant gang folks. I have an idea, how about we, the people vote their nasty asses OUT of office next election, IF there is one that is. The way this "security state" is progressing, I am beginning to wonder if we will have many more elections here in the US of A.
Face it folks, America IS becoming a police state and it gets worse by the day.
WE have an ever increasing "security" regime being pushed onto us, been to an airport recently? I have not, and I refuse to fly any where. The airlines want to play along with this bullshit, well, screw them. If I cannot drive to where I want to go, I just will not go there. There are even internet sites that are organizing "no fly" actions. About time in my opinion. I quit flying years ago. It was after a major back surgery. I had to wear a back brace for six months after that surgery. Well, we decided to fly to lost wages (Las Vegas) for a short vacation. We usually drove as it was a nice drive from southern California and I like to drive. We were going with another couple, the wife worked with the wife of the other couple. Any way, we all decided to fly this time. Going through the airport in Ontario was no problem. Coming home was though. As I was approaching the gate in the Vegas airport, a "security" clown decided that I looked suspicious. Well, my sweater may have been a bit bulky, but I was wearing a back brace. He decided that he needed to "inspect" the brace. Now this was done right there, at the gate, in full view of the world. I told him what it was and could we go to anther room. Nope, right here, right now.  It really was no big deal, I had a t-shirt on under the brace so nobody "saw" anything. The whole incident however ended with me and my wife deciding that we would never fly anywhere again.  That took place in 1984 and I have not been on any aircraft since. What passes for "security" today is even more intrusive and it is not needed. That fact has been proven by others who have "beat" security checks even since the latest "improvements" to airport "security".
In short, a determined terrorist will find a way to beat,cheat, or by pass any security measures.
Fact, every  new security measure that is introduced today, for example, is already in the process of being defeated. I know this as a fact. I worked for a few years for a company that made "Stinger" missiles. Before the first production run was even started, we were working on an updated version so that when the first edition was able to be "cheated" we would have a newer one that could defeat the counter-measure. This is just the way the world works folks. As soon as the newest lock comes on the market, somebody is working to break it. In short, we can never have anything even close to "perfect" security.
Life has risks associated with it. That is just the way life is. We should minimize the risks, like wearing seat belts when we drive our cars and trucks. Wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or ATV is a good idea. Same when you ride a bicycle. There is no such thing as perfect security. Even if you stayed in bed you are not "totally safe". Nope, there could be a nasty thunderstorm in your area and the roof may fall in on your bed.
In short, we can minimize some of the risks in this life, but we can never be totally secure, such a thing does not, cannot exist.
The larger problem, my view, is that by giving in to this over-hyped "security" we lose our liberties. Each new security measure is an affront to our personal liberty. As old Ben Franklin is supposed to have said; "those who give up their liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security".
We must not allow ourselves to become a nation of cowards, hiding behind the false "security" of the TSA, NSA, CIA, or any of the countless "security" agencies that are supposedly working for us. They do not work for us, they work for the elites, the banksters and the politicians and their paymasters.
By giving in to this "security" crap we are basically letting the government treat us all as criminals. How so? Well, the intrusive "security" checks at the airports do violate our Fourth Amendment rights. The Fourth Amendment says; "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against which unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." There you have it, a word-for-word quote of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Now, just what "probable cause" do any of you folks present to the TSA when you want to fly some where? Is the very act of buying an airline ticket now "probable cause" to search you and your person and effects? If so, then by all means, go and fly and "enjoy" the back scatter X-rays and/or the intrusive "pat downs" by the TSA. If not, then quit flying. Oh, and write letters, make phone calls to the airlines and let them know why you refuse to fly.
When we give in to this "security" at the airport, we are basically letting the TSA and, by extension, the government, to treat us as criminals.  I don't know about anybody else, but for myself, I did NOT serve honorably in the Marine Corps for four years with a  tour in Vietnam just to "allow" some agency or other to treat me as a criminal just because I may want to fly to some other city. Screw that shit, I'll take my chances on the road thanks all the same.
semper fi

Turkey day thoughts

Well, I hope that all you folks had a nice, safe Thanksgiving.
We all know that may not have been easy this year, what with the economy, or what passes as such these days, is in very poor shape. Jobs are still being lost here in America. Home foreclosures are still going up, the dollar is still barely holding on and gold prices are still rising. In short, things here look very grim.
Our wars are not going all that well either. We recently have heard that the "Taliban leader" who was in negotiations with General "king" David Patraeus has turned out to be an impostor. Yep, the supposed "Taliban leader" is a fake. On the one hand it strikes me as hilarious. Here we have an ordinary person who was able to fool our intelligence and military people AND he got paid a good bit of money as well.  Now, most people would think that our military and intelligence types would have checked into the guy before they paid him much money and/or swallowed his story.  It just further proves the old bit about an oxymoron such as "military intelligence" doesn't it? 
Of course one could look at this from another view point.  It sort of strikes me as being in that old American spirit of pulling off a neat little stunt. Hey, give the guy some credit. He decides one day to fake being a senior member of the Taliban and sits for "peace talks" with US military and diplomatic types and gets them to pay him for coming to these talks. Personally, I think it took guts to do this. No doubt there will be all sorts of "reasons" why he was able to fool our people. Can you say cover up? Of course you can. No way will our people ever admit that they got totally taken in by this guy. There will be plenty of excuses for this, and none of them true. No doubt also, that the elephant gang will be demanding that he be punished to"the fullest extent of the law". Yeah, politicians and law don't exactly go hand-in-hand in my opinion.
Continuing with our wars, I highly recommend that you all take the time to read the article at Counterpunch by Mr. Brian Cloughley this weekend. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/cloughley11262010.html  Mr. Cloughley is a veteran and a writer and has earned my highest respect. He points out better than I ever could how "we" have dropped so very low with our "remote control" warfare". The use of drones to bomb people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to say nothing of the other countries where "we" are using these drones to kill our fellow human beings. This killing by remote control is obscene. As if "normal" warfare isn't obscene enough, "we" now use remotely controlled aircraft to do our killing. And remember that even in face-toface meetings, our intelligence types did not know that they were being fooled when they had the above mentioned meetings with a "senior Taliban" guy. How likely is it, do you think, that "we" can be certain that "we" are bombing the "right" folks by remote control? I would have to say, not very likely at all.  No doubt this all falls well inside the "margins for error" that "our" military and intelligence types make plenty of allowances for. Obscene is how I see it. Immoral and unethical come to mind as well.
Another excellent article that caught my attention this weekend is also at Counterpunch. Please take the time to read the latest by Missy Beattie. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/beattie11262010.html  As we all celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for the next holiday, please take the time to remember that ALL of us human beings are on this planet together. We are all in this folks. None of us are really alone here. We all need to try and get along with each other. Take the time to help those who really need it. It is easy, just treat others the way you want to be treated. Trust me, it will make your days much nicer. You'll be surprised just how much a simple act can make a big change in others.
And as we are now well and truly into the "holiday shopping season", check the article, also at Counterpunch by Mr. Saul Landau. The link is;www.counterpunch.org/landau11262010.html  Yes, the very same companies that have laid off their workers and off-shored those jobs are trying like mad to get those same folks to buy the newest products.  Now just how the people who lost their jobs and are close to having exhausted their unemployment benefits can even hope to buy the newest "goodies" is beyond me, but they sure as hell are trying to get them to buy, buy, buy. And just what are those folks supposed to use for money? Beats me.
What passes for an economy in America is ever more a joke. More people are out of work than a year ago. Home foreclosures are still going up. Credit is still tight and most people in the country are barely able to meet the monthly bills and have food to eat. And yet, the advertisers are bombarding us with ads that tell us the we "need" this or that newest gadget. Don't believe me? Just watch the TV for an hour or so. The ads come fast and furious. This is THE prime shopping season folks. 
More reading that I recommend. I have just finished two books that I am glad to have read. The first I highly recommend to all. It is "Idiot America" by C.P. Pierce. It is a relatively new book as he covers the election of Gobomber, not in detail, but enough to let you know that the book was recently written. He does a good job of providing some background in to the "tea party" and that line of "thinking" or as it seems most days, not thinking.  I found it to be very worth reading and it gave me some more insight into the mentality of the "tea party" types.  The other book I just finished is "Voices of protest" by Alan Brinkley. This book is a very interesting look into the lives of two very extraordinary men. Huey P. Long of Louisiana and Father Coughlin. They both came into fame as it were during the "great depression" of the 1930's. Now, in my opinion, the very best book about Huey Long is the one by T. Harry Williams titled "Huey Long".  I say this because in my opinion, he covers the entire life of Huey and he does it with little or no bias at all. Mr. Williams does not come out either "for" nor "against" Huey. That alone makes his book on Huey worth reading. Most every other book on the man is either "for" or "against" the man. Mr. Williams stays neutral.
Back to the other book though. Mr. Brinkley covers both Huey and Father Coughlin during the 1930's. well until 1935 for Huey as he was killed that year. Considering that economically, we are now very close to how it was during the 1930's. it makes me wonder if we will see the rise of another national figure like either of them. No, I do not think that either Rush Limburger nor Beck are any way close, yet. They may both, individually, have larger audiences than either Father Coughlin or Huey had, but as yet, neither seems to have the influence that either of those men had. 
Also, one must remember that there was no Social Security in the 1930's and that the people had a much different view of what the job of government was then as opposed to now. Also, it was much closer, in time, to the end of a major world war as well. The attitude of the people towards government was very different from what it is now.
One more comment on the economy and the "tea party".  Some of the newly elected Congress critters who ran as "tea party" types have said publicly that they ran on a promise to not vote to raise the national debt ceiling. Recently, some senior members of the elephant gang who will hold leadership positions in Congress have told these new members that they need to start "acting like adults", particularly with regards to raising the debt ceiling. Now that strikes me as absolutely hilarious. How so you say? Well, consider it just on its face. Here we have members of the "party of NO" telling its newly elected members to"act like adults". Well, call me a cynical, sarcastic old guy, but I find it much like the pot calling the kettle black. Or, if you'd rather, do as I say, not as I do (have done since January 2009). Yep, hypocrites. But, why not? It IS politics after all, and hypocrites are what they all are. Yes, even Gobomber himself. Anybody remember that campaign promise of his to close GITMO by the end of his first year in office? Yeah, THAT campaign promise. Well, he has been in office almost two years and GITMO is STILL open for business, as it were. Yes, calling a politician a hypocrite IS much like saying that fire is hot, I know, I know. Some times I just feel like stating the obvious.
It should be quite fun to see how the vote, which no doubt will happen early next year, to raise the debt ceiling will play out. Supposedly, the "tea party" members who were just elected have made a promise to vote NO. The elephant gang leaders are telling them they have to vote yes. IF they do break down and vote yes, will the folks back home rebel? Will they demand a recall? Will there really be repercussions for the "tea party" Congress critters is they DO vote to raise the debt ceiling? So many unanswered questions. So many possibilities. IF they vote to raise the debt ceiling and the constituents get angry, that could be a good thing for the donkey gang members, not the politicians, but the regular donkey gang voters. How so? Well, if the "tea party" get upset for their candidates breaking campaign promises, it just could, maybe, get the donkey gang voters to put real pressure on not only Gobomber, but the Congress critters who belong to the donkey gang to honor(!!) their campaign promises. Wow, can you even imagine that? I am trying to, but I admit that it isn't easy. Not just emails, phone calls and such, but REAL protest. Yeah, marching to the White House and/or Congressional offices, in D.C and back home. Man, now that brings back some memories of the 1960's doesn't it? Well, John Lennon DID write and sing the song.......Imagine..........And I certainly DO imagine. We all should, and then we should work towards a common goal of making this world a better place for ALL people and other living critters. Oh, don't forget the plants either. 
I honestly think we can do it. Seriously. Just start out by treating everybody else the way you like to be treated. Nothing complicated. If we all do this, I really do think the world can change. We don't need any leaders. We can each of us just try every day, in small ways, be nice to each other. It just might catch on, and then, maybe, some day, hopefully not too far off, we just might end the damn stupid useless wars of choice. We could demand of our leaders that even they remember that there are only two reasons for war. To defend OUR homes and to defend the Bill of Rights. And that EVERY other "reason" for war is a damn racket. Hey, I can still dream, it is still legal, as far as I know. Any way, give it a try. You just might be that spark that sets things in motion and the world just might be a better place for all.
semper fi