*Jakarta Globe, 2 December 2009

A country’s first impression is indelible. It leaves an imprint, like a lover’s first kiss. And more often than not, it is never quite what you expect.

When I think of Mexico, I breathe in the fire of the desert earth and the loneliness of immigrants who turn their villages into ghost towns by the borders as they strain toward the American dream. I dream of swirling sands and sad-eyed cows with bony hips, of people worshiping Maria statuettes by roadside altars and the idolatry of robed skeletons.

Then there is the Mexico of the movies. Filled with prayers and drug lords, it is one steeped in religion and violence. What I found in reality was nothing quite so dramatic.

But due to media influence, I was still apprehensive upon arriving in Mexico City and was pleasantly surprised to find an airport better looking than New York’s JFK. The vast modern space of shiny glass and metal was clean and orderly, and my immigration officer said “ bien venida ” (happy arrival) with a smile as we parted ways. At least the movies were right about one thing — the locals are friendly!

Ana, my couchsurfing host, picked me up at the airport in her little white Tsuru. We charged into the oncoming traffic of gold-and-ruby Volkswagen cabs, buses and trucks like an errant bull. “Here we have to fight,” said Ana, motioning to the vehicles zipping by with hardly a flicker of a signal as they overtook and switched lanes, just as they do in Jakarta. I felt at home already.

I pride myself as a culinary explorer. Some people scale mountain peaks for adventure, but I gravitate to whatever crowd is gathering around a street vendor and request the same. Unfortunately, my barely passable Spanish complicates matters as the names of Mexican cuisine are as familiar to me as sand is to an Eskimo. I discovered this dilemma is easily solved by simply pointing or saying “ uno, por favor ” (one, please). I was often left with a fiery breath that could put a dragon to shame. I soon noticed that Mexican dishes are basically different interpretations of the staples of maize and beans, the latter of which can cause enough flatulence to raise a king-size blanket off its sheets.

Ana lives in the Perralvillo area, where the surrounding streets have names like Beethoven, Wagner and Caruso. In the mornings, the narrow street near Beethoven market was jam-packed with cars of all shapes and sizes, and in various states of disrepair. Mahogany-skinned men were at work, repainting the vehicles.

They had taken over the street. In Ana’s neighborhood, food vendors lined the sidewalks, a stone’s throw away from each other. Around them the elderly congregated, children played and women chattered. There I was, bearing witness to the country’s culture of three C’s: cars, Catholics and communal gatherings.

Ana estimated that there were 20 million people living in the massive urban sprawl. With such a dense population, there is no room for personal space. Bumping, grazing, knocking and colliding into people on the streets is as normal as breathing. Doing so while standing still, I discovered, was also entirely possible. I only started fretting about the remnants of swine flu when I saw a herd of pigs transported on an open truck through the center of town.

I fretted for nothing. Like the airport, the city was spotless. The roads were devoid of trash despite the high number of bodies and the lack of dustbins. Furthermore, the presence of paupers was as rare as blondes in the city of darkly coiffed Latinos. I had stumbled over more beggars on sunny San Diego’s sidewalks. In their place were lovers abound, from youths to geriatrics, displaying their desire for each other in every public place imaginable. Mexico City seems to have overtaken Paris as the “City of Love.”

Performing the most minimal of my duties as a tourist, I visited La Casa Azul, otherwise known as the Frida Kahlo Museum. It is named for the vibrant blue of the home where the unibrowed painter and her lover Diego Rivera resided for 25 years. It was full of the usual paraphernalia of such famous artists, such as a letter of gratitude to Albert Einstein and a portrait of Diego by Italian artist Modigliani.

But what I found most interesting was a sketch by Frida called “Ruina” (Ruin). “For Diego,” she had written in the corner. The pencil sketch of a cracked face was Frida’s reproach of her husband’s womanizing.

Yet theirs was a great love and artistic alliance that survived the distress of infidelities. Looking at the lovers on the streets of Mexico City, it isn’t hard to imagine them sharing the same fate, even as commoners.

My first impressions of Mexico may not have been filled with the madness and mayhem promised by the silver screen. Hollywood is allowed her hyperbole but I prefer Mexico just as she is.

]]> http://killinmesoftly.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/up-in-the-air/ Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:58:39 +0000 Mz4Mz http://killinmesoftly.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/up-in-the-air/ http://thefinancialreserve.com/2009/11/30/a-scientific-catastrophe-climate-gate-2009/ Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:57:53 +0000 thefinancialreserve http://thefinancialreserve.com/2009/11/30/a-scientific-catastrophe-climate-gate-2009/

I just read an in depth report on the new “Climate-Gate” issue which is mind boggling to say the least. Chances are you haven’t even heard about it, so let me give you a quick synopsis. On November 20th a hacker broke into a computer at the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research (aka CRU) located in Norwich, England. The reason why this was such a big issue is that this university is the global recorder of data which is used to create regulations through the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) along with other policies on a global spectrum. This has led to a number of emails being leaked to the public from numerous sources including some top scientists involved in the push for global climate changes.

A simple check of these emails and you will quickly notice that a majority of the data was manipulated to make it look as though temperatures changes were much more dramatic than the actual readings . This sort of manipulation happens for a number of different reasons including the mere fact that these scientists failed to believe the facts and were willing take all necessary steps to avoid reporting the truth.

If you think this information is being hidden from us here in the US you are completely correct. You won’t find very much information on this although BBC and Reuters have been all over it. There is also another great article I read on the Telegraph UK website. There is no need to ask the question why this information hasn’t been plastered all over our media because as we all know there are plenty of big players in the world of climate change that stand to make a fortune from various taxes and policies set into place over the last few years.

This is a catastrophic blow to scientists around the world pushing for climate change. This will take an educated group of people to make something of this global agenda being pushed on all of us through the UN and our own government. This also brings to light the complex idea of Cap and Trade. Sadly the biggest money maker in the world of carbon credits and Cap and Trade will be none other than Al Gore. This is the guy who just a couple of weeks ago said the center of the earth had a temperature of millions of degrees on national television when in reality it is estimated at 7,000 degrees. Oh, and did I mention he won a Noble Peace Prize in 2007? It’s a little scary to watch how the most instrumental people involved in this climate scandal are less educated than most 5th graders. This very well could turn out to be one of the greatest scientific catastrophes of our time.

Now this information by no means allows us to continue the destruction of this beautiful planet as I agree we still need to find ways to create alternative energy. What this shows us is that we are now in a state of global control through lies and manipulation with a global agenda. If it isn’t enough that we are in the midst of a global economic meltdown, we now find out information that has been reported to increase taxes on a global level to curb this climate change has been completely falsified.

There are some huge climate meetings that will be taking place next month in Copenhagen, Denmark that should be welcomed with many protesters that may have recently been on the other side of the spectrum. The reality behind all of this is that we need to wake up as citizens and be aware that our own government may have ulterior motives in this whole game of climate change both on a national level and globally.

     Do you remember the number of times you had to sign and/or intial that pages of ALL the documents when you bought your home? How about the feeling of achieving the “American Dream… that house in the suburbs? Fastforward to the decline in property values, and the rising number of homeowner who owe more than their dream home is worth. And I am not referring to those who bought more than  they could afford, etc.

    So the new moral dilemna is what to do when one has lost every bit of equity in the home, every dime of the down payment. Do they struggle it out, or do they take that proverbial bullet, and simply walk away. That is the subject of a paper by a law professor from the University of Arizona:

Go ahead. Break the chains. Stop paying on your mortgage if you owe more than the house is worth. And most important: Don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t think you’re doing something morally wrong.

That’s the incendiary core message of a new academic paper by Brent T. White, a University of Arizona law school professor, titled “Underwater and Not Walking Away: Shame, Fear and the Social Management of the Housing Crisis.”

White contends that far more of the estimated 15 million U.S. homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages should stiff their lenders and take a hike.

Doing so, he suggests, could save some of them hundreds of thousands of dollars that they “have no reasonable prospect of recouping” in the years ahead. Plus the penalties are nowhere near as painful or long-lasting as they might assume, he says.

“Homeowners should be walking away in droves,” White said. “But they aren’t. And it’s not because the financial costs of foreclosure outweigh the benefits.”

Sure, credit scores get whacked when you walk away, he acknowledges. But as long as you stay current with other creditors, “one can have a good credit rating again — meaning above 660 — within two years after a foreclosure.”

Better yet, homeowners can default “strategically”: Buy all the major items they’ll need for the next couple of years — a new car, even a new house — just before they pull the plug on their current mortgage lender.

“Most individuals should be able to plan in advance for a few years of limited credit,” White said, with minimal disruptions to their lifestyles.

For full article: http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/news/la-fi-harney29-2009nov29,0,3801270.story

Nothing.

Just having a day.

Fuck aaaallll this shit – fuck school/fuck work/fuck it all

What’s the point?

The American Dream?

Whose dream is it anyways?

better yet, just get pregnant!!!!

“It’s shocking to realize how seldom we change our basic beliefs or understanding when confronted with new information that normally would affect change. Instead, we bend or ignore facts to fit our established world view. John Maynard Keynes once said “When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?” Sadly most people don’t subscribe to this logical practice. Instead, conformation bias and denial are the tools we use to manage and manipulate information to our liking. And there are plenty of governmental, corporate and private citizens ready to help us accomplish this through deliberate and targeted propaganda. The most common personal warning sign that this is happening is the pain of cognitive dissonance, which is usually set off when new information is in conflict with long established and dearly held views.

Rarely do we push through this cognitive pain to reappraise our inventory of established truths for validity or relevance. It’s so much easier to discard ugly deviations, or cherry pick information that confirms our preferred vision, rather than conduct the top to bottom review that’s called for when the facts change. Intellectual laziness is the polite term for this phenomenon. I think a more honest explanation is deliberate and mostly conscious denial. However, even when I’m alert for and aware of this phenomenon, I’m still surprised how often I participate. It’s frightening to see how deeply conditioned we are in the art of self deception. The truth hurts, so I employ the most powerful pain killer know to man, that of denial. It’s extremely difficult to reject popular opinion and strike out on our own independent path. Group think is indoctrinated into us from birth and socially rewarded at every turn. It’s emotionally safer and more comfortable if you stay near the center of the pack. Herd mentality in all its glory, which is corralled by the public myth and which we too are the keepers.”

End of Empire – Propaganda and the American Myth

Zero Hedge by Cognitive Dissonance on 11/29/2009

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive”….ourselves. With apologies to Sir Walter Scott.

If only life were as neat and orderly as my ancient history text book showed it to be. There it was on glossy paper, spread out across two sets of adjoining pages, maps of the ancient and modern world. Including time lines top and bottom, with countries outlined and identified. Underneath their modern English names were one or two older names in smaller stylized script, often including exact beginning and end dates. I remember one in particular that caught my eye. “United States of America” followed by the year 1776. But with no end date indicated, it looked like unfinished business to me. You’ve got to love those historians and their exact dates.

Of course, in reality there are no exact dates for the birth and death of city/states, other than in the author’s mind. Children continue to be born, the old still die, and life goes on under different circumstances. But you’re rarely informed of the subjective nature of historical events when you’re young and impressionable, so they’re presented in the history books as fact. The last thing the reigning Empire wants is to appear uncertain about previous Empires. Even before we begin to read and comprehend on our own, we’re presented with the illusion of a beginning and end to everything, often with very clear lines of demarcation. This concept is continuously reinforced through our daily indoctrination of carefully scripted news stories, care of our modern media saturated existence. Naturally, critical thinking is optional and definitively not encouraged.

Mix in a healthy dose of hard core science, where you learn very early there are correct and incorrect answers to all your questions, and a pattern of social myth making emerges. Of course, the correct answers are held for public safekeeping by our cultural high priests and authority figures, be they academic, governmental, scientific or religious. Lest you forget, cultural icons and heroes must always be respected and deferred to. Maybe now’s a good time to remember that most history and science books are written and re-written by those very same keepers of the public mythology. What we believe as a culture, sometimes called our public myth, is usually determined by those whose pockets are the deepest or most powerful, not by those who are the wisest and most knowledgeable.

Have you ever read a book written by the survivors of the vanquished, the so called losers? I have, a number of times, and it’s usually very enlightening to see the world from the other side of the bloody divide. In their hands, our cultural myths aren’t treated with the same loving care and respect we afford them, nor should they be. But of course they must be lying because they have an ax to grind. Revisionist history is how those in power politely describe the writings of the defeated and the victims crushed in the head long rush of conquering empire. The public myth tells us that the losers can do nothing but taut the victorious with their lies. Ignore them and they’ll go away. Besides, the winners never lie about the facts, though we’re told there’s plenty of room for differences of opinion. And just about everything can be reduced to an opinion if you’re looking to obscure.

Of course, one of the unspoken duties of the winners is to distort the written and visual record, so that it conforms to the public myth. This is the principle reason why recently retired or replaced holders of powerful governmental and military positions are handed huge advances to write their memoirs. These sacred tomes of divine wisdom are quickly embraced by other propagandists as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help their Gods of propaganda. Once in hand, it’s quickly woven into the fabric of the public myth as supporting documentation. Thus another slice of the propaganda cycle is complete and ready for its next rotation.

We possess extremely complex belief systems and world views. How they develop and evolve is greatly influenced by external information sources we rarely question or challenge. After all, these sources are our cultural authority figures, the experts, professionals and intelligentsia that form our cultural propaganda delivery and support system. These sources cannot be seriously questioned, particularly from within, without being declared a heretic. Just look at how Zero Hedge, and other non-conforming web sites, are treated as an example of how heresy is handled these days. While we may not pay much attention to everything we hear or see, our unconscious is absorbing it all, raw and unfiltered. This information feeds into and supports our world view with little conscious thought or scrutiny. This is the reason why repetition is so vitally important to effective propaganda. Our brain always absorbs even when we do not look and listen.

It’s shocking to realize how seldom we change our basic beliefs or understanding when confronted with new information that normally would affect change. Instead, we bend or ignore facts to fit our established world view. John Maynard Keynes once said “When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?” Sadly most people don’t subscribe to this logical practice. Instead, conformation bias and denial are the tools we use to manage and manipulate information to our liking. And there are plenty of governmental, corporate and private citizens ready to help us accomplish this through deliberate and targeted propaganda. The most common personal warning sign that this is happening is the pain of cognitive dissonance, which is usually set off when new information is in conflict with long established and dearly held views.

Rarely do we push through this cognitive pain to reappraise our inventory of established truths for validity or relevance. It’s so much easier to discard ugly deviations, or cherry pick information that confirms our preferred vision, rather than conduct the top to bottom review that’s called for when the facts change. Intellectual laziness is the polite term for this phenomenon. I think a more honest explanation is deliberate and mostly conscious denial. However, even when I’m alert for and aware of this phenomenon, I’m still surprised how often I participate. It’s frightening to see how deeply conditioned we are in the art of self deception. The truth hurts, so I employ the most powerful pain killer know to man, that of denial. It’s extremely difficult to reject popular opinion and strike out on our own independent path. Group think is indoctrinated into us from birth and socially rewarded at every turn. It’s emotionally safer and more comfortable if you stay near the center of the pack. Herd mentality in all its glory, which is corralled by the public myth and which we too are the keepers.

I often say all writers are essentially propagandists and that applies to me as well. I’m using this forum to cherry pick information which I then present in the most compelling manner to make my case. In effect, I’m feeding you my spin, which along with other pieces can be used to build a myth. The most effective propaganda is that whose basic premise is slipped by the reader or TV viewer so smoothly it’s never recognized. Once the premise is planted and accepted, the hard work is done and the fish is quickly reeled in. What’s that you say? You’re too smart to let the wool be pulled over your eyes? That you can discern truth from lies and would eventually figure it out given enough time and inclination? Honestly ask yourself, how much effort would you put into examining something you already believe to be true? Wouldn’t you deem it a major waste of your time? Consider the premise I put forth in the title of this article. Did you notice? Did you question? Or did you accept and start to read?

Most people see information as chunks of data that can be compartmentalized, examined and manipulated. But rarely do we recognize that many of the truths we hold as impeccable are based upon long lines of information. If at any point this information could be proven false, the entire line is suspect, along with your impeccable truth. Consider a long string of mathematical calculations. While there may be dozens of individual problems with separate answers, each answer then feeds into another calculation as a sum or variable. Make a mistake at any point in the line and the entire data stream is corrupt. How we view our world is based upon many preconceived notions and beliefs. Change just one small piece we previously thought correct and everything changes to some extent. Change two or three and suddenly we have a crisis of confidence and a cognitive dissonance. Yet when we feel that pain, how often do we reboot and reexamine everything? Why would you reexamine what you think you know to be correct, particularly when most everyone else is in agreement? Peer pressure and conditioning are hard to resist, even in the privacy of your own mind. “We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

My basic premise and the basis for this series of articles is that the American Empire is ending. In fact, it has peaked and is now in rapid decline. While I can’t offer an exact date for this change of direction, it doesn’t diminish my argument in the least. I’d be hard pressed to give you the date for the decline of the Roman Empire, but clearly it followed the same trajectory. Did Rome’s downward spiral start when the capital was moved to Constantinople in 330 AD? Or when Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 AD? It matters little at this point, except to the historians. While America descends, China and India ascend.

Actually I would argue that while Empires come and go, the culture of environmental and human exploitation and destruction we call civilization has grown in efficiency over the past 3000 years. We Americans now stand proudly at the pinnacle of the insanity, picking up where the Romans and Europeans left off. I’ll leave that thought for another day but I think you get my point.

America as a social and financial entity ceased to function at peak efficiency decades ago. This rapid decline is the main reason behind the massive increase in financial engineering, which is now coming apart at the seams, deliberately in my view. To argue over this or that detail is to be in denial of the obvious. In fact, I consider the official bickering over these details as a deliberate attempt to distort and distract while the final looting and rape occurs. Using propaganda and other psychological operations, our leaders lie about the economic condition of America. They do so not because they expect the lie to withstand close scrutiny, but rather to enable those who wish to believe the lie a plausible excuse to do so. Remember our conditioning. When in doubt, defer to authority and suspend disbelief.

A classic sales technique is the assumed consent close. Rather than directly asking you to purchase this new car, I simply assume you are purchasing and begin asking you closing questions. “Do you prefer the red one we looked at first or the blue convertible with the beige interior? Could you please get your insurance card out of the glove box before you clean out your car? Just sign here and here. Thanks.” You’d be surprised how many new automobiles, rooms of household furniture, whole life insurance, variable annuities and pieces of expensive jewelry are sold in this manner. Something similar to this technique is being used by the mass media to sell us something we already wish to buy. Only they aren’t selling the death of America, but rather its remarkable resilience and miraculous comeback. We’re being sold false hope, disguised as assumed consent questions such as, should we audit the Fed, can we expand healthcare with a public option, will Son of Stimulus be rolled out by the first or second quarter of 2010, should we……..well, you get the picture.

False hope binds us to impossible conditions and situations. Please read that statement again and then let it sink in for a minute.

As long as we believe there’s residual value in keeping America on life support, we’ll continue to pour borrowed money into this mess, rather than roll up the derivatives, fire the managers and start over. We don’t wish to face the reality that we’re in way over our heads. As long as we’re not forced to look too closely at the horrible condition our country’s in, we’re all too willing to do our part and avoid applying critical thinking to the subject. Like an old bull unknowingly led to slaughter because he thinks he’s off to mount another cow, we’re desperately trying to keep alive the magical American myth of life, liberty and apple pie while shielding our eyes from the rotting corpse it’s rapidly becoming.

That’s probably too harsh for the average American’s sensibilities, but let’s ask ourselves a few questions in an effort to find the truth, or at least something approaching the truth as we know it. Let me be clear on something before I get flamed for my harsh tongue. I’m not America bashing in the least. I’m America myth bashing. The American myth of exceptionalism is enabling her destruction as we stand idly by, applauding the mythical facade our leaders and media display 24/7. As long as we cling to the hope that all she needs is a tune up and some minor repairs, we’re condemned to a long and painful death spiral. We’re being sold exactly what we want to hear when we need to hear it. To claim otherwise is to lie to ourselves and to each other.

America is crumbling from the foundation up, and yet we gather around the TV, talking about a fresh paint job and a new screen door, both bought on credit, while handing our grandchildren a bill they’ll never be able to pay. The only way we can live with this lie while perpetrating these despicable acts upon our own family members is to deny it’s even happening. The big lie, which we must continue to tell ourselves, has taken on a life of its own and is consuming everyone and everything in its path. We are addicted to our own public myth and to sustain the lie, we simply ignore the truth. The only way to break through this lie is to go back through decades of propaganda and myth and find out what went wrong. Since this would be too painful, both individually and as a society, we distort reality as quickly as we change cable channels. It’s not just our leaders who are corrupt but we as well.

We have become cowardly, unwilling to commit to the tough decision of setting aside instant gratification in order to assure our grandchildren a home to live in. This is the ultimate act of selfishness, compounded by the fact that we claim we’ve been hijacked by our leaders. Sadly, our leaders are doing exactly what we want them to do, which is to continue the lie. Did we really think we could put our toys and war machines on the charge card and not worry about the bill, just because some politicians said we could? What are we, 5 year olds, pointing our fingers elsewhere when asked who broke the vase? Even if we personally followed the path of fiscal prudence, why didn’t we scream bloody murder, demanding we stop this insanity before the country began its suicidal plunge? Why do we still remain silent? Our hands are bloody and the only question is, how much is yours and how much is mine. Citizenship is all about individual responsibility, something we’ve been avoiding for a while now, at least since we started calling ourselves consumers.

Look at the endless propaganda on TV that’s used to lull us back into a drugged stupor, so we don’t dwell on what we’re doing to our children’s children. American flags wave in the background as chiseled men and full breasted women expound on how wonderful we are for building and loving this great nation of ours. The great American love story, brought to you nightly on prime time TV. This is where the bad guys always loose, men are men and women are sexual objects to lust after. Watch closely children, this is the American dream. Why wouldn’t we love America the myth? It’s everything we want without the pain. Nationalism is our unifying religion, a potentially fatal addiction to our public myth that enables us to fiddle while America burns. More drugs over here doctor, the patient’s waking up.

So how do we deal with this, and what does this have to do with Zero Hedge? Well, I would say it has everything to do with ZH, but then again I’m just a propagandist, weaving my magical myth. But to be honest, in desperation I’m seeking another way, a different path. I’m tired of moving in and out of the various stages of loss and grief. One moment I’m screaming at my zombie neighbor, imploring him to wake up and see the insanity. The next I’m filled with self righteous indignation as another patsy banker’s head is placed on the public pike. Sometimes I start my morning bargaining with unseen powers, begging for a truce or cease fire, only to end my day crying in my hands in fear and frustration of it all. And I’m not alone.

Zero Hedge seems to be a refuge for the walking wounded, a safe haven inside occupied territory for the psychically damaged and demoralized. But we need more than rest and relaxation in order to regain our feet. We need to heal and grow our ranks, to find a way to help ourselves and those who follow us into the refuge. Surrounded by lies and deceit, we are indoctrinated to such an extent that we still speak the language of denial without realizing it. We have no choice but to start at the beginning. While Zero Hedge speaks truth to power, we need to speak truth to ourselves, to talk openly about what has happened and where we’re going. Part of the seduction of denial is the avoidance of personal responsibility. In my view this must stop, thus my declaration that we’re all responsible for this mess. I have no doubt America can be repaired but the process starts at the personal level.

From a financial point of view, I’m sure we’ve all held a winning trade past its prime, giving back money we should have booked. And who hasn’t kept a dog way too long, when we should have thrown it overboard months ago? While I’m certain there are multiple reasons for poor investment performance, a fearless and thorough examination often shows that bad investment decisions are the result of personal shortcomings, such as wishful thinking or denial. For myself, when this happens, I find I’ve violated one or more of my trading rules. They are as follows.

One, know myself, particularly my strengths and weaknesses. Two, know my trading environment or don’t play in the sandbox. Three, always consider the other side of trade. If I’m buying, why is the other guy selling? If I’m selling, why is the other guy buying? Look for weakness in my thinking. Four, from time to time, mentally clear my computer screen of existing positions and then follow step three with each holding. If I wouldn’t buy or sell it now, why am I holding it? Five, trust my instincts, not my heart. My heart lies to me all the time with plenty of help from my brain. Instinctually I usually know when to buy or sell but often I ignore my gut feeling and wind up screwing the pooch. Over the years I’ve found that too much thinking gets in the way and often makes things worse.

These trading rules, as with life itself, requires a clear eyed view and a deeper understanding of ourselves, our fellow man and the real world, not as we wish to see it but as it really is. Unfortunately we still engage in wishful thinking way too often, constantly pushing the hope “dope” button and regretting it afterwards. Considering the direction our world is headed, it’s going to be more difficult to think clearly unless we make personal changes. Old habits die hard because we desperately cling to them for emotional support. Understanding why we do this will go a long way to helping us jettison that old baggage. Even if we are trapped on the crazy train to hell, just because we can’t get off doesn’t mean we must participate in the insanity.

So with the active participation of my fellow Zero Hedge readers, I would like to continue this exploration in a series of “End of Empire” articles, each time focusing on a different aspect of the unraveling. We need to develop our intellectual, emotional and financial coping techniques. Of particular importance to me will be the comments and feedback I get from you, for I assure you I don’t have all the answers. This isn’t a rally to arms but rather a cry for help. Either we heal as a community or we continue to hemorrhage, alone and isolated. It’s going to be a wild ride so let’s buckle up and do this together. After all, there’s safety in numbers, inside the new herd mentality of Zero Hedge.

Cognitive Dissonance

Przełom ? Jeżeli film zdobędzie popularność Rain może stać się  światową gwiazdą !

Chodzi o nowy film  ”Ninja Assassin”. Jego polski tytuł to “Ninja Zabójca” .

Jak już pisałam jest to remake jednego z filmów Bruce’a Lee.

A oto jak przedstawia się jego fabuła :

Raizo (Rain) jako dziecko, został wyszkolony na niebezpiecznego mordercę przez tajne bractwo Klan Ozun. Poruszony śmiercią przyjaciela, bez litości zabitego przez Klan, Raizo przygotowuje się do zemsty.

Amerykańska premiera filmu odbyła się niedawno a polska odbędzie się 22 stycznia 2010 roku. Pójdziecie ?

I am a huge fan of Hunter S. Thompson but like most of his fans, I honestly don’t understand much of what he was writing about. It was his turn of phrase that always got me and the balls to just go with whatever was floating around in his brilliant drug addled brain.

Lately, I have been cogitating on the Death of the American Dream; something Hunter started writing about when I was like 3. His hatred towards Nixon and everyone connected with the man is legend and Hunter attributed the death of the dream to the legions of (in his mind) evil pig fuckers.

Later on in life when Hunter was ailing both mentally and physically he began to believe  George W. Bush to be banging the final nail in the coffin of the great American Dream and when Kerry got slaughtered in the ‘04 Presidential, Hunter really lost his faith in the government and politics.

I believe Hunter’s suicide had more to do with his lack of faith in what was happening to the country than it did his inability to get around as well as, a general malaise with his health situation. I believe Hunter saw what was happening around him as too depressing to deal with and ending it all was the only solution.

With the election of Barry, I also began to see what Hunter was talking about. He was right. The beginning of the end of the American Dream did begin during the late ’60’s and early 70’s although I believe it is an amalgam of everyone involved, not just Nixon or Bush but also everyone in between; past presidents and the Houses.

Let’s face it, the only reprieve we have had in 45 years from a bleak outlook for the future as a country was with Reagan whom we all rallied around and began to feel proud of the United States once again. We came back together as a country under Reagan. Ford was innocuous and boring, Carter was…well let’s not go there, Papa Bush was OK but no spitfire (I don’t believe he actually wanted to be Pres), Clinton doesn’t merit mentioning and W, well, W was W and although he kept us safe for which I am eternally grateful, he opened the door to the cult of personality that became Barry supporters.

The real death of the dream as aforementioned started some 45 years ago and what it has amounted to is the inability for middle class people to get ahead. I put partial blame on big business. Business people have begged and pleaded for years for Government to step back and let them do what they want. I completely agree with that philosophy to this day. However, what is wont to happen, did happen; complete advantage was taken of all of us when W helped to de-regulate just about everything.

Sup prime mortgages, banks playing loosey-goosey with credit card programs and then whacking their customers with crazy fees, Wall Street playing their usual games. It is all coming to a cataclysmic end.

There is no house in suburbia waiting for twenty something’s to purchase at a decent mortgage rate. There are no more BMW’s for those with combined incomes of $75,000. or less. Your kids are not going to private school unless you have a great inheritance. Forget college funds, they can go the way of your once fat 401-K in a heart beat.

Pulling yourself up by the boot straps does not exist anymore. Well, for a few maybe, but it is now even harder than it was for your old Grannie selling apples by the roadside during the Depression.

And, there are no solutions on the radar screen. An almost mystic, hope lactating, quasi-intellectual, do nothing and his cadre of fools now have dominion over our fate for the next four years. Quickly, his supporters seem to be realizing what a joke he and his administration are and there is nothing they can do about it for the next three years.

I have said many times that Barry is now irrelevant but I was wrong. He is very relevant as he has managed to screw up a situation that seemed to have no where else to go but up.

Our Non-President seems to think he is working with Monopoly money. He is unable to see or act upon the problems we are faced other than throw money at them we clearly don’t have.

In politics the best storyteller wins and Barry’s team of yarn spinners pulled a very brilliant although despicable trick on the American public. Their promises have all of course not been realized. Once actually in office they realized they didn’t have a clue and have now become experts in the spin doctor business, which is easy when you have bamboozled the media as well.

The lessons Barry’s crew of third graders are learning are great for them but awful for us. The stimulus package has made the United States slaves to foreign governments whom we should be avoiding like the plague. Can you say economic terrorism?

No jobs have been created. This is especially disappointing to the Green movement who were promised 5 million jobs by 2010. Read my lips people: this is Barry’s largest fuck up. Now is the time to reassess our use of resources and become a power on that front. We are getting our asses kicked in Copenhagen and that is just a shame.

Believe it or not, I have always been an optimist and I love this country, but even I am thinking about where I can live to be sure and provide my family with a solid situation until this shit blows over, if it ever does.

My brother whom I love dearly, likes to argue with me about Barry and says I should offer solutions instead of bitching about the situation. He’s right, the problem is unlike in the past, I can’t offer them because we are way too fucked up as a country for it to matter any longer.

We need a leader badly and I don’t see one coming along anytime soon. Goodbye American Dream, it was a good run.

In 2003 Mr. George W. Bush had this to say about America’s economy:

… Our first goal is clear: We must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job.

After recession, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals and stock market declines, our economy is recovering. Yet it is not growing fast enough, or strongly enough.

With unemployment rising, our nation needs more small businesses to open, more companies to invest and expand, more employers to put up the sign that says, “Help Wanted.”

Jobs are created when the economy grows; the economy grows when Americans have more money to spend and invest; and the best and fairest way to make sure Americans have that money is not to tax it away in the first place.

I am proposing that all the income tax reductions set for 2004 and 2006 be made permanent and effective this year.

And under my plan, as soon as I’ve signed the bill, this extra money will start showing up in workers’ paychecks. …

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/28/sotu.transcript/

The occasion was Mr. Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address.  Notice that Mr. Bush wanted to put more money in America’s workers’ pockets by first putting it in the pockets of  the wealthy. You’ll need more than “common sense” to fathom that one.

And Mr. Bush said:

If this tax relief is good for Americans three or five or seven years from now, it is even better for Americans today.

Well, by the end of  2007 the Bush team had crashed America’s economy. So the “if this tax relief is good” condition failed.  Should that impact the voodoo economics theory of the neocons? Not likely. Voodoo Economics is a defining characteristic of the neocons. The four pillars of Mr. Reagan’s voodoo economics, were never successfully practiced by anyone. If you view the below graph, you will see that the neocons’ financial “management” was exactly the opposite of the Republican centrist, the Republican Conservatives and the Democrats.

The below graph shows how the neocons spent America’s money:

http://zfacts.com/p/318.html

The neocons were not spending less of what America made but more of what America made. And the engine that drove that spending is:

The four pillars of Reagan’s economic policy were to:^[2]

1. reduce government spending,
2. reduce income and capital gains marginal tax rates,
3. reduce government regulation of the economy,
4. control the money supply to reduce inflation.

In his stated intention to cut back on domestic spending while lowering taxes, Reagan’s approach was a departure from his immediate predecessors. Although his record is still debated, Reagan succeeded with lower marginal tax rates in conjunction with simplified income tax codes, and continued deregulation. However government spending and deficits rose during his administration. …

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaganomics

And the below graph shows how the neocons put money into the working Americans’ pocket:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5303590.stm#graph

EVERTBODY BUT THE NEOCONS ALLOWED THE AMERICAN WORKERS TO BENEFIT FROM THEIR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY!

There is a huge difference between the RHETORIC of the neocons and the PERFORMANCE of the neocons. It is COMMON SENSE as to which should prevail.

Martha Masoero

So cosa state pensando: “Basta, un altro articolo sull’aborto no, mi rifiuto di dedicare il mio tempo a leggere le solite argomentazioni pro-aborto che mi sento ripetere da anni a ogni assemblea”. Io ho avuto la vostra stessa identica reazione quando mi hanno proposto un dibattito su questo tema durante un’ora di politica. Mi aspettavo che qualcuno fosse contrario all’aborto per motivi religiosi, ma non pensavo che l’argomento avrebbe ricevuto una reazione cosi’ forte da parte degli studenti dell’ultimo anno di liceo.
Conosco alcune persone al Gioberti che sono contrarie all’aborto, prinicpalmente perche’ lo considerano un peccato di fronte a Dio, ma la maggioranza degli studenti si dichiara in favore dell’interruzione di gravidanza. Qui in California (e da quello che ho capito e’ comune a tutto il Paese) sostenere il diritto all’aborto non e’ cosi’ comune e sopratutto mi sono resa conto che essere “pro-choice”, come dicono qui, o “pro-abortion” sono due posizioni molto diverse. Ci sono molte ragazze che benche’ protaggano il diritto di ogni donna di compiere la propria scelta personale non abortirebbero mai in prima persona.
L’Italia e’ un Paese cattolico, lo sappiamo tutti fin troppo bene, ma paradossalmente mi sentirei meno giudicata se abortissi a Torino che negli Stati Uniti. Forse mi sto dimenticando che il Gioberti non rispecchia esattamente la media italiana. Forse la differenza e’ che qui si presuppone che se una ragazza rimane incinta e’ perche’ non ha preso le precauzioni opportune, l’ipotesi che ci possa essere stato un’imprevisto non e’ contemplata. Fattosta’ che la parola ABORTO e’ evitata come la peste dai politici americani; molti credono che se Obama si fosse dichiarato apertamente “pro-choice” non sarebbe mai stato eletto.
Sabato e’ passata alla Camera la “Health Care Reform” (ricordate il mio scorso articolo? Non e’ una mia ossessione e’ solo che qui non si parla d’altro). Su 435 membri 220 hanno votato in favore della riforma, di questi 219 sono rappresentanti del Partito Democratico, tuttavia gli autori della legge hanno dovuto eliminare l’aborto dalla lista dei servizi coperti dall’assicurazione sanitaria pubblica affinche’ la proposta potesse essere approvata. Uno studio ha mostrato che Obama avrebbe perso ben 64 voti democratici se non avesse accettato di togliere l’interruzione di gravidanza dai procedimenti offerti. Molti democratici lo vedono come un buon compromesso, un piccolo male da dover accettare per poter ottenere un’enorme vittoria, altri pensano che sia stata una terribile strategia politica. La verita’ rimane: il tema aborto e’ stato ancora una volta accuratamente evitato dalla politica statunitense.
Forse dopotutto la Chiesa non influenza l’Italia tanto quanto crediamo se in un Paese che si presenta come l’incarnazione della liberta’ religiosa, l’isola di salvezza per milioni di perseguitati, un argomento come l’aborto suscita cosi’ tanta tensione. Nonostante il papa e i preti mi sento di poter dire che la maggioranza delgi italiani crede che ogni donna debba poter scegliere per se’ e che lo Stato debba finanziare la procedura, qualora scelga di portarla a termine. Qui negli USA le cose sono molto diverse, il Presidente non tocca l’argomento per paura di non essere rieletto e un diciassettene dice: “Non ho un problema con la liberta’ di scelta, ma sicuramente  non credo che le mie tasse debbano pagare per risolvere il problema di una ragazza che si e’ messa nei guai”.
In fondo e’ tutto parte dell’ “ American Dream”  no? Puoi tenerti tutti i guadagni del tuo successo, ma se hai un problema anche li’ tutte le spese toccano a te.

The retailers maybe feeling black after consumers spent the weekend shopping. Hold on, we still have black Monday to ensure if we haven’t spent it all, retailers are there to pick-up the rest. Looking back over the weekend, did you get the best deals? Were you able to come within your budget. Is there a better way? Here are some tips to becoming a Savvy Saver!

Recommendations for spending less:
– Wait 30 days before buying anything you don’t absolutely need; chances are the urge to buy it will pass if you wait, and if not, you may find the item on sale.
– Avoid temptation by opting out of catalogs or e-mail announcements from companies trying to sell you things you really don’t need.
– Purchase birthday and holiday gifts throughout the year and keep them in a designated box or closet; making a list of everyone’s special occasion needs will make it easy to take advantage of sales.
– Try frugal gift-giving, like giving the gift of spending time with someone, giving something you baked or made yourself or helping them out with a project; it doesn’t have to cost a lot to be a generous gift.
– Create a sleeve for your credit cars(s) with pictures of things you really care about to remind you of what you are saving for… or the debt you’re paying off.
– Exchange your books, DVD’s, CD’s video games and other items with friends and family, or use an online service to swap or sell.

It’s time to educate yourself by Spending Smarter:
– Prevent unnecessary or poor-quality home and auto repairs by finding skilled, honest professionals from a trusted source.
– Evaluate your cell phone plan options regularly to make sure they match your needs; check to see if another plan would save you money. Also get rid of the excess channels on your cable package that you rarely watch; it’s cheaper to rent a movie once in a while.
– Use flexible spending accounts to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars; check with y our HR department for more information.
– Save on your insurance premiums by paying them annually or semi-annually instead of monthly or quarterly.
– Consider buying pre-owned; you can buy almost anything in a resale environment locally or online at a great price.

Taking these steps will educated yourself beyond the average consumer to what’s called; A Savvy Saver. Good luck and happy hunting and saving.

Photo by VC Ferry

from the root up
we need a radical change…
everything is so strange

the dog

the kids

the Americana nightmare
has lost its horizon

its on to the next

Fred Astaire
in the fame game..

Prostitutes, pimps
broken down winos
sleep under bill boards
white like albinos

muted jaded
no piece of the dream
American casualty

SCREAM!!!

Stephen Kalinich

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Ieri ho sentito una ragazza dell’Oregon  , un’agente di un Assicurazione di 29 anni.

Bene , partiamo dal presupposto che noi italiani , pensiamo sempre che negli states la vita sia migliore della nostra , l’erba del vicino è sempre più verde. Allora da classico italiano , che conosce gli stati uniti solo dalla televisione , gli propongo alcune domande:

Ciao Shawna , quanto guadagni? ti piace il tuo lavoro?

io guadagno 1200$ al mese per 30h/week  (800€)  e vorrei cambiare il mio lavoro , non mi piace.

Perchè non ti piace il tuo lavoro?

Il mio capo è sempre incazzato e bestemmia , ma soprattutto guadagno davvero poco  , riesco appena a sopravvivere. (mi viene in mente mia cugina calabrese , dice la stessa cosa)

Eppure noi , dalla televisione vediamo che ve la passate molto bene , lavorate , andate nei pub alla sera , feste private ed ognuno ha la sua villetta.

Si certo , quella è la vita che solo pochissimi fortunati si possono permettere , noi giovani americani invece lottiamo ogni giorno per la sopravvivenza in qualche catapecchia dimenticata da dio , le nostre case sono fatte di cartone!

Passiamo ad un altro discorso , è vero che voi americani , viaggiate poco perchè non ne sentite la necessità?

Si e no , ma diciamo che non viaggiamo perchè qua non c’è nulla e perchè non ci sono i soldi. Qui un americano medio può permettersi di andare in Canada o in Messico e ti assicuro che non è gran che.

Tu sei fortunato , vivi in uno dei posti più belli del mondo , sei a 2h ore da tutto , Parigi , Londra , Roma , Venezia e non sto ad elencarle tutte , insomma , avete molte più occasioni rispetto a noi.

Non guardate la televisione , dice solo bugie.

TIME cnn

By ANDY SERWER

Nov. 24, 2009

At exactly two minutes after midnight on Jan. 1, 2000, an alarm sounded at a nuclear power plant in Onagawa, Japan. Government officials and computer scientists around the globe held their breath. Was this the beginning of a massive Y2K computer meltdown? Actually, no. It was an isolated event, one of a handful of glitches to occur (including the failure of 500 slot machines at two racetracks in Delaware) as the sun rose on the new decade. The dreaded millennial meltdown never happened.

Instead, it was the American Dream that was about to dim. Bookended by 9/11 at the start and a financial wipeout at the end, the first 10 years of this century will very likely go down as the most dispiriting and disillusioning decade Americans have lived through in the post–World War II era. We’re still weeks away from the end of ‘09, but it’s not too early to pass judgment. Call it the Decade from Hell, or the Reckoning, or the Decade of Broken Dreams, or the Lost Decade. Call it whatever you want — just give thanks that it is nearly over. …

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1942834,00.html

Terrorist not withstanding, the neocons have done more damage to America and perhaps the world, than anyone in recent memory.

The neocon attack on labor was almost fatal. The neocons relaxation of controls on the financial industry was almost fatal.

And all the time, the neocons seem to be in “LA-LA LAND”. Was there any left over cocaine from the sale of cocaine in America’s minority neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California?

A fucked up gonzo journey in the midst of a spectral drug haze defiling all which is believed to be well in the materialistic culture of America in the early 70s. Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo: felonious acid casualties, chase the American Dream in the decedent hub known as Las Vegas. Maniacal drug addicts terrorize the land in a red convertible and a suitcase full of drugs. In a snarled etheromanicale confusion, they strike terror into the corrupt hearts and souls of the inhabitants of this freakish, fucked up realm. “No, this is not a good town for psychedelic drugs. Reality itself is too twisted.” In a messed-up drug cloud they seek to abuse and destroy symbols of Americas mainstream cult of consumerism and excess.

They were in search of the American Dream, what they found was a burnt psychiatric office.

How often do we open our cell phone bill, credit statement, cable bill, etc and notice new charges? Does anyone take the time to study their bill. These charges are often hidden in the fine print making it hard to find these charges.

Consider these facts as evidence to the above:
1.) Banks, thrifts and credit unions take in billions each year on fees. In 2006, they took in $36 Billion, up from $24.4 billion in 2000.
2.) IN 2003, credit card companies made $20.7 billion in credit card fees.
3.) The value of unused gift cards was estimated to be $8 billion in 2006.
4.) A recent study by Consumer Reports found that 25% of rebates are never claimed.
5.) Approximately 78% of cell phone minutes paid for remain unused.

If any of these points raise the hair on your back; cause you to scream or tear up your credit cards, take a look at a few tips to help avoid the frustration. There are plenty of ways to fight back and keep your money. Taking the time to conduct a search on the web, analysis and negotiate will put you in a better spot. At least controlling your money versus the banks and credit card companies controlling you. Fight Back and keep your money!

Shop around especially on the internet. It’s a great place to make sure you’re getting the best price, and there are a number of online sites you can use to search and compare services before you go to the store. If you decide to purchase something on the Internet, check several website and make sure you deal with reputable merchants.

Some great sites include:
www.pricegrabber.com
www.shopping.com

Consider reliability and warranties when comparison shopping. A high-quality product with a good warranty maybe worth paying a little more for up front. Consumer guides can be worth the cost if it leads to the right decision, and back issues can be found at the library.

Read the fine print before you buy. Look out for hidden fees, usage charges and costs for additional services. Always ask about refund and return policies.

Exercise your due diligence before you decide to purchase any kind of insurance, phone, cable or internet service, compare the bundled cost with the price for each service separately. Select the company that offers the best overall plan at the best rate.

While bundle and bargain offers can promise significant discounts, carefully consider the purchase of additional merchandise or services. If you don’t really want or need the extra’s, it’s not a good deal.

Often, special offers are temporary price reductions on a longer-term contract. Make sure you calculate the annual cost of each option for an accurate comparison.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate and ask for discounts. Always ask for fees to be waived; sometimes they will be, but if you don’t ask, they definitely won’t be waived. Be upfront and explain you’re total purchase.

Here are some of my recommended negotiating tips:
– Research prices and store policies, and bring evidence of better deals, such as Web printouts, flyers and ads.
– Be patient and plesant.
– Ask a manager – the person helping you may not have the authority to offer a discount.
– Be willing to walk. The most persuasive tactic you have is the ability to spend your money someplace else.
– Call your service providers periodically and ask for a rate reduction; competition is high and the mention that that you are shopping around is usually enought to get a vendor to compete for your business.

In 1982, George O’Dowd was twenty-one and the lead singer behind one of the year’s most successful pop tunes. With distinctly falsetto alto vocals, O’Dowd gained immediate recognition. Radio airplay of his moderately-produced recordings showcased accessible lyrics and infectious beats. Within a year following MTV’s debut, O’Dowd’s songs weren’t the only thing drawing the public’s attention.

American cable’s music television provided listeners a face with a name and images to coincide with mellow refrains and throbbing melodies. Although videos provided an additional layer to the music experience, an artist’s image would become as important as the music—sometimes eclipsing the relevance of performer’s artistry.

O’Dowd’s band, Culture Club, appeared with him in the music video for “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” Yet, it was O’Dowd’s alter-ego, Boy George, who was the primary object. (The use of the word object seems relevant here since this was the world’s introduction to “the Boy.”) Along with extras, who throughout the video seem perplexed by Boy George, television viewers also were trying to sort the man from the image.

At the video’s beginning, Boy George emerges into a public setting, shuffling, fingers snapping, aware, singing to his audience members. They are aghast.

He is fragile.

With skin pale contrasting with dark dreadlocks topped with a wide-brimmed hat tilted back, he is dressed all in white. Wearing an oversized tee shirt, he is fully made up—brows darkly penciled, eye shadow, eyeliner, lipstick. He is not a beauty yet, there is a certain softness and purity which lends itself to a look that can be described as subtly pretty.

As front man, O’Dowd is a confident vocalist which may offer him allowances to experiment with his looks “understanding (that) identity (is) something that could always be reworked, improved upon, and even dramatically changed” (Ouellette 120).

Following success of their first singles, fame offered the band higher video production values and, for O’Dowd, public affirmation of his Boy George. A more refined image—glamorous, even virtuous—would emerge. Still shapeless in colorful caftans and muumuus, the fashion industry began to look at Culture Club’s lead as an incomparable source of insight of what was always a female-driven commerce.

O’Dowd’s Boy never seemed to take himself too seriously. Dolly Parton identified with the pop singer’s flamboyance, hinting of a possible future duet recording.

Writes educator Pamela Wilson, personas like Dolly Parton and Boy George are “a social parody, hyperbolic stereotype, a tongue-in-cheek charade that playfully and affectionately subverts the patriarchal iconography of female sexuality’” (Brown 85).

Later, O’Dowd’s personal life would unravel amid allegations of sexual promiscuity and habitual drug use. O’Dowd became overweight, looking haggard and out of shape. The persona of Boy George, once youthful and virtuous, was now a pop icon for the history books and fodder for media tabloids. Neither O’Dowd nor Culture Club would ever regain the success of their earlier years.

Still, remarkably, even the likes of George O’Dowd achieved the American Dream on some levels, although short-lived. Like his and many other well-documented celebrity cases in which dreams are shattered or irrevocably diminished, the real question is not about its achievement; rather, it is about sustainability, building upon dreams in a meaningful, hierarchical fashion.

Only in instances involving well-grounded individuals surrounded by higher-grounded support systems is there any chance for permanence beyond the dream’s achievement.

Brown, Jeffrey A. Class and Feminine Excess: The Strange Case of Anna Nicole Smith. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.

Ouellette, Laurie. Inventing the Cosmo Girl: Class Identification and Girl-style American Dreams. Thousand Oaks: Sage P, 2003.

Since the late 80s, I’ve been in love with Norman Rockwell and the American Dreams he painted. So I had a lot of fun looking at the photos and reading “Norman Rockwell’s American Dream” in Vanity Fair.

I was delighted to find a few online videos about Rockwell from the Norman Rockwell Museum YouTube Channel.

American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell

The Four Freedoms, painted in 1943 during WWII, are my favourites, in particular “Freedom of Speech”.

The Obama administration’s arrogant push to bankrupt our nation is reminiscent of China and Mao Zedong’s failed policy of punishing the rich and stripping the trappings of wealth in favor of increased poverty for the masses, all in the name of the greater good.  Like China of that era, our country has  a strong, vibrant culture with many wealthy or “rich” people.  Like Mao, Obama has targeted the wealthy as the evil doers that must pay for all of his massive, debt incurring programs.

One of the many problems with this policy is that there are not enough of the so-called “rich” and every American will be burdened with massive increases in taxes.   Much like China, the middle class will bear the brunt of the schemes and the debts being levied now will result in heavy burdens for every American.  Thus, the so called “rich” are every one of us.  Ordinary families will be forced to pay for these programs with their jobs, standard of living and futures for their children.

Mao’s failed policy destroyed his reputation within China.  Rich families were forced to hand over family treasures and the educated were sent to the country to work the farms.  Ordinary families lived in crushing poverty.  Sound familiar?  With Obama the rich are expected to hand over massive new sums of money in taxes, fees and surcharges.  Insurance companies that are deemed too profitable will be forced to reduce income in a heavy handed nationalization of healthcare.  The energy industry and US based manufacturing base will be saddled with massive new carbon taxes.  Wall Street workers are having their pay capped.  As an industrialized nation, these taxes and other fees are tantamount to the destruction of industry and the American way of life. Much Like Mao’s backward assault on Chinese culture, Obama has targeted the very engine of our success – capitalism.  We as a nation will be crippled by the poorly conceived acts of this administration.

The Obama Administration (with the aid of his cohorts in Congress, Pelosi and Reid) has yet to prove itself capable of managing any project, let alone the nationalization of such massive sectors of our economy.  We face years of misery and further fomenting of contempt for our government.  It took China many years to recover.  Mao’s successor, Deng Shao Ping, is hailed a hero in China as the man who opened up the country for business and made being rich acceptable again.  In the same manner, so could Obama’s successor be hailed as a hero.  His disastrous and poorly conceived programs will be undone.  However, the cost to the standard of living for millions of Americans will be steep. How much of this disastrously poor leadership can we endure?

Hi, my name is Pammy and I don’t like teabaggers.

I don’t like right wing nut jobs that regurgitate talking points fabricated by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and others of their ilk.

I don’t like ‘hatriots’ who parade around in flags talking about truth, justice and the American way.

I don’t like people rewriting history and I certainly don’t like people who are too stupid to know the difference.

I don’t like selfish, lazy bastards who keep whining about taxes.

I don’t like capitalism for the poor balanced with corporate communism for the rich.

I don’t like people who think the status quo is better than healthcare reform.

I don’t like politicians who play games while people are dying from lack of medical attention.

I don’t like people that are so disgusting they would defend and support such politicians.

I don’t like people who think mob rule is better than majority rule.

But don’t let me bore you with all the things I don’t like. Let me tell you about the things I hate:

I really hate lima beans and people with shit for brains.

Other than that, I pretty much like everything else, especially people who are good to each other.

I like logic and people who can think rationally.

I like people who possess critical thinking skills.

I like people who have empathy, compassion, and clear insight. And I really love people who laugh at my Sarah Palin jokes.

Now that you read through my list of likes and dislikes, you probably want to know a little about who I am. So do I.

Some people call me a liberal elitist (usually in the derogatory sense). I take it as a compliment. I am an elitist. I look down on mindless fanatics and sneer at religious zealots.

I own a penthouse overlooking Central Park, but I was raised in an abandoned 14 foot trailer house that had plywood covered windows. I own a couple of businesses or should I say, they own me. They consume most of my time, but it wasn’t always like that. For years I waited tables and clipped coupons just to get through college.

I’ve traveled the great capitals of the world, but there was a time when I had to scrub other people’s bathrooms just to buy a bus ticket home for the holidays.

You might say I am living the American Dream, but it’s not my version of the American Dream. Granted, I’m rich and successful by most people’s standards. I’m self made. I’m in good health and I have great friends and a terrific family. But my American Dream is more than a fine home, fast cars and an expansive portfolio. My American Dream goes beyond the four walls of my condo in Aspen and the bumpers of my hybrid.

My American Dream covers all Americans; the sick and the poor, the wretched and the downtrodden, the educated and the ignorant. It covers the homeless and abused, the needy and the have-nots. And until everyone in this land who is in need of help is provided for, the American Dream is just a selfish illusion.

My American Dream includes a life of service to others and a continuous contribution to society as a whole. I don’t want to sound like Mother Teresa so I’ll close by saying that if your version of the American Dream is reflected in the words of Sean Hannity we have nothing in common and as far as I’m concerned, you can fuck off and die.

“A opinião de um círculo de pessoas que mentem é apenas um monte de rostos vazios. Houve uma época em que as pessoas morriam antes de mentir, mas hoje em dia qualquer pessoa que é verdadeira é vista como um estúpido, um palhaço tolo, até mesmo pelos olhos das crianças. Mentir é o modo americano de vida, e em poucos anos tudo se tornou amargo. Nós esperamos que os criminosos mintam, mas apenas um criminoso honesto, que não mente, é capaz de fazer parte do crime. Em negócios com drogas e coisas assim, a sua palavra precisa ser boa, ou você morre. Por outro lado, para se tornar grande no governo e na política você precisa mentir. A coisa toda na política é enganar o público. Eu sabia quando Nixon disse ‘Eu não sou um criminoso’ que ele iria se esconder e jogar a culpa sobre os criminosos.

A justiça de Deus, a justiça do homem, e a justiça do dinheiro. As pessoas que fazem as regras as fazem porque elas passam as suas vidas correndo em círculos, quebrando essas leis. Elas quebram todas as leis que elas fazem, elas contam mentiras, enganações, e depois elas fazem tudo de novo e assim o vórtex continua. Se eu pudesse descobrir como as leis de visitação são, seria um truque interessante. Eu vejo alguns policiais por aí, mas é difícil achar um que me olhe nos olhos, e muito menos que converse comigo mais de 30 segundos. Medo e culpa nesse nível são muito altos. Eles me fazem parecer ruim para que eles possam parecer bons. Quantos mais erros eles cometem contra mim, mais eles acobertam tudo.

A justiça de Deus entra em cena, e eles tem acidentes com carros, pernas quebradas, ataques cardíacos, mas o dinheiro recruta mais uma leva de lavadores de prato e pessoas que são incapazes de fazer mais do que isso, e se eu lhe contasse as regras, até você chegar aqui eles já teriam mudado elas de novo, se eles não gostassem do seu chapéu, ou se os seus tênis fossem engraçados, ou qualquer outra besteira assim. Mas se você viesse, eu seria colocado em correntes, e passaria por onde os outros andam desacorrentados, levado por uma mocinha de um metro e meio que trabalha aqui há somente duas semanas, ou algo assim. A minha vida seria colocada na linha, levado em meio aos corredores abertos algemado. Ao mesmo tempo, eu sou mantido longe dos corredores abertos, e eles dizem que é porque eles temem pela minha segurança. Eles não esperam que todos se comportem de acordo com as leis – isso os deixaria sem emprego. Eles precisam de medo e crimes para oferecer proteção ao público. É você quem paga e precisa de proteção. E depois que eles mentem para vocês, e dizem o quão ruim eu sou, eles se sentem culpados, e pensam que eu estou indo atrás deles, e aí são eles quem precisam de proteção. Aí eu fico nervoso com as pessoas que pagam para os policiais me matarem para que elas possam se sentir seguras em suas próprias mentiras.

E isso continua em um ciclo até que eu seja morto, e aí todos vão para a igreja e dizem que Deus deu o seu único filho. Eles dizem que eles não mataram CM, porque foi o juiz quem fodeu com tudo em algumas regrinhas. Eu teria saído andando daquele tribunal, mas havia muito dinheiro para ser feito. E para condenar um babaca por 900 milhões de dólares eles venderam ao público esse homem louco, e me fizeram ser isso, e me destruíram. E na justiça de Deus isso retorna no círculo em que todos correm. As notícias têm todos me odiando e tentando me matar. Eu tenho sido a última galinha na fila, e toda vez que o círculo passa por mim, ele produz mais medo, mais culpa, e todas as regras são quebradas. Quando eu morrer, uma nova religião existirá, e o balanço da justiça não permitirá sobrar muita carne. A justiça dos homens foi perdida em troca da justiça do dinheiro, e quem não mentiria por 400 milhões de dólares? Um livro fez 12,50 dólares por cópia vendida, e vendeu 27 milhões de cópias, sem contar os filmes, etc. Se eu tivesse algum dinheiro, eu não estaria em uma jaula agora. Mas eles até fizeram leis falando que eu não posso fazer dinheiro.

-Charles Manson”

© 2009 ATWA Brasil