Surviving Interesting Times

Signs of Occupy Wall Street from around the county

2011-10-09T15:11:00.003-04:00

I myself, wondered what if any message is coming out of the occupy Wall Street movement that has appeared not only in New York but around the country now. I searched Images of the protesters signs, and have included the sayings, statements and slogans that are variously scrawled painted printed on cardboard and pizza boxes flags and banners and a few nicely printed by unions and other organizations. I did not find any clearly unifying message but there are some common trends. People are hurting economically in a lot of ways; they can’t find jobs and are living with friends or parents.

People are scared they will lose the little they have now and, are mad that the rich corporations and companies have gotten a bailout at our expense, and that nothing has really changed at the banks or on Wall Street. In short people are mad as hell and regardless of the mixed message and views of the protesters, the government has to be crapping its pants at the thought of what the protests will look like when the unemployment runs out, or the market finally crashes.

Please take a look and comment on anything that stand out and by all means add to the list for me please. This is just a sample from a few hours of searching. I haven’t changed anything or pick and choose. Enjoy and comment.

Cleveland OH

A job is a right: Fight to get one fight to keep one.

SEIU We are the 99%.

I got 99 problems but the rich got none.

Wheres our loop hole.

Greed will be the end of America

Vote no on issue #2 (Repeals the new Ohio state collective bargaining law)

People over profit.

New York

We are the 99%

Transport union workers votes to support occupy Wall St.

Workers rights are human rights

Regulate Wall St Now.

NO MORE CRIMES in the name of Democracy.

Industrial Civilization is Murder.

A Few Prosper Millions Suffer.

Stop Capitalism.

WAR IN IRAQ Recession

Unemployment War in Afghanistan.

Who’s Making Money

Wall Street

You are the 99% Join us.

Hey Wall Street Suck my Debt.

Wall Street Bling-Bling

Americans Bing-Ping Poor.

Hitler’s Bankers Wall Street.

United Against Citizens United.

# Occupy Wall Street.

99% Serve 1% Occupy Wall Street.

I can’t afford a lobbyist I’m the 99%.

I’m a student with $25.000 in school loans I’m the 99%. Socialist party USA.

No more corruption get Corporations out of Law Making.

We are the 99% don’t back down.

Stop the Federal Reserve.

Wall Street and corporations have corrupted the Political Process.

Stop the War on workers (Union)

There IS enough to go around.

O.W.S For a better World.

Wall Street is Our Street.

A job is a right, Capitalism Doesn’t work (Workers World Party)

Due to recent budget cuts the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

NO MORE:

Carried interest loop hole

Tax breaks for Bonuses

$ Stock options

CBO Pay inflation.

The people are too big to fail.

Weed not Greed.

Proud Union Mama.

Shit is Fucked Up and Bullshit.

We’ll Create jobs Soon……Someday…..We promise

The Billionaires.

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free, Goethe.

Money Hungry Fascist Bankster.

People not Proffits.

Compassion does not exist in a profit driven economy.

As of March 2011 congress has approved $1.288 Trillion for military operations. End War now.

Wall Street 1% We are the other 99%.

Can ordinary people really change government?

People Before Profits.

This Financial district is responsible for most of the poverty and suffering on this Planet!

I won’t believe corporations are people until Texas executes one.

An alternate version of this seen in Dallas reads:” I won’t believe corporations are people until Rick Perry executes one”.

No Frack (I can only assume this applies to gas and oil fracking process or a battle Star Galacticia fan).

Even in a good economy I’m unemployed.

Screw you Mr. CEO. (Unless you’re hiring.)

We demand sweeping unprecedented change.

Were like the tea party only with fewer misspellings.

Don’t bail out Wall Street Bail out the Porta potty on Fulton Street. (City Hall).

Dissent is patriotic.

5 years service to this country, including 2 deployments. 4 years to get my degree. 1 year looking for a job, drained my savings to survive. I would be homeless if I didn’t have people who cared about me I am the 99%.

If you never change your mind why have one ?

No bulls, no bears, only pigs.

America failed as a society because of so called Christians.

Arrested yesterday back today this tide will sweep the nation.

The power of the people is stronger than the people in power.

Give me back my future.

Dallas TX

Honkies Why don’t you take you’re asses back to Europe. ( Image Of Che Guevara on the sign Ironic given his position on blacks)

Debt Is Slavery.

Revolt against Socialism

End The Fed.

Class Warfare?

When I Fuck Up who bails me out- No one.

If I had a job I wouldn’t be here.

Rome Burns Again.

Don’t Frack me over.

Media Bias For Mitt Romney Is Ignored By Most Americans

2011-10-08T18:26:00.000-04:00

Americans appear leery of Mitt Romney and Rick Perry as reflected by the recent polls that show Herman Cain generally in the lead with Romney and Perry lagging behind, Despite the major push by the media for Romney. The straw polls clearly indicate that Americans are looking for something besides the same career politicians that have performed so poorly. In asking people who they favor in these still early stages of the process virtually every one has responded in some fashion any one but Obama. On follow-up about the candidates specifically these were the results

Mitt Romney: He might be better than Obama but we don’t trust him. Romney has name recognition but little else, it seems most feel that he is just another slick rich guy in a suit that has improved his pitch, with little if change to the candidate he was in 2008. Romney’s positions on many issues seem more a reflection of electability, than strong convictions on his part. People lack confidence in his will conviction or ability to actually make needed changes and see just another big government Republican who is too liberal for most conservatives and moderates and apparently not liberal enough for the liberals.

Most of the people I interviewed just didn’t trust Romney. When asked about the fact he is Mormon, generally people didn’t acknowledge it was a factor in the decisions except with fundamentalist Christians.

Rick Perry: Oh my god not another president from Texas! Perry again is another big name republican that the media have been touting since even before his announcement to run . While Perry says many of the things that conservatives want to hear, some of his actions contradict his declaration of conservatism such as the HPV vaccine and the in state tuition for the children of illegal’s. Many want Perry to be what he says he is, conservative, fiscally responsible and small government. Many would like to give him the credit for the excellent Economic condition of Texas but just are not sure at this point. And, have trust issues with Perry but not necessarily to the level that they do with Romney. Perry does not seem as attractive with moderates and social liberals, but you can’t please everyone. He may still be a contender but only time will tell.

Michel Bachman: Started off with a bang early on but has been unable to make a coherent statement on any issue of policy or intent. Basically running on the, I’m not Obama platform. This combined with her vague confusing statements and such plumbs as her “subservience” to her husband have made what initially seemed a promising candidate a lost cause. While it’s too soon to count anyone out, because hey, it’s politics folk’s, but most people seem to have written Bachman off as this point.

Ron Paul: Paul is extremely popular with some Tea party members and economic conservatives if he can move a bit to the center on certain key issues its possible he could be a viable contender for the nomination. Paul has been on the fringes of politics for years despite being a US congressman from Texas since the 70’s. Paul has always seemed to be the perennial outsider, Paul supporters are a small but dedicated group that supports him with the fervor of the true faith and to question Paul’s views is to invite a diatribe upon the virtues of Ron Paul. While many favor his domestic and economic policy’s, his controversial and isolationist foreign policy place him at a disadvantage with many voters due to his controversial and unpopular views on Israel, Iran, Osama Bin Laden and the possible impeachment of president Obama for the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki..

Herman Cain: Has emerged as a major contender for the republican nomination suprising Republican insiders and the MSM. Cain A virtual unknown just a few months ago has catapulted into the forefront of the race in recent weeks. Cain a successful black business man from humble beginnings, has become the candidate of choice in recent weeks for conservatives, Tea party members and many moderates. Cain’s plainspoken matter of fact approach to his campaign and policy’s appear to have struck a cord with many Americans. Cain’s 999 economic plan and his clearly explained position on the issues is a refreshing change from candidates who refuse to take a position on any issue.

New Goverment Emblem "The Condom"

2011-10-07T21:10:00.000-04:00

The Government should change its emblem to that of a condom because it more clearly reflects the government’s political stance.

A condom stands up to inflation,

halts production,

destroys the next generation,

protects a bunch of pricks,

and gives you a sense of security

while you’re actually being screwed.

Anti Wall Street Protests What Is the Real Message

2011-10-06T23:09:00.002-04:00

There is so much anger in general across the country today, and by virtually every segment of the population against Washington in general, and the President and Congress in particular. One has to wonder that anyone would deliberately fan the flames of what could easily become the next revolution. The only certainty is that as the economic situation becomes worse, the protests will escalate and make it harder for our fearful politicians to make any reductions in any entitlement program that affect any group.

The paralysis and platitudes of both party’s will remain ineffective, and all the while the economy crumbles under the massive weight of its own inertia, buried in entitlements that we simply cannot afford and burdened by taxes and regulation preventing the very economic recovery, without which all of our darkest fears may very well come true.

The protests in New York which seem more like an excuse to party than to change the world, sound childish and filled with vague threats. There ranks filled with ultra liberal factions, unions and others, of the same socialist bent who all seem to take there talking points straight from the pages of the Coming Insurrection. The “spontaneous” support from the unions and big money liberal organizations and the bizarre coverage by the MSM do not give us a coherent picture of the protests themselves while every politician seems bent on twisting the event to there own purposes.

Protesters say they were inspired by the “Arab Spring” seemly ignoring the implications of the string of violent protests, muslim uprisings and violent revolution they so admire. The apparent disconnect between the message of this protest and its effect make the whole thing seem more a political stunt inspired by behind the scenes liberal movers and shakers than any sort of true uprising by the mostly spoiled liberal whiners currently seen on television.

The protest has at least initially been instigated purely for political purposes over the last few months. It also seems clear that the instigators either don’t understand the risks of such an undertaking and the volatile unpredictable nature of such a mob or they don’t care about the continued decline of the United States or maybe that’s really the point.

No New Taxes during a recession says Obama , BUT

2011-10-06T19:50:00.001-04:00

Read my lips no new taxes, famous words that turned out, not to be true for Bush senior and even more not true now. The candidates don’t seem to get it, the president doesn’t get it and most certainly the house and senate don’t seem to understand people have reached the breaking point where those who work in this country are being penalized for the very fact that they are working. The air in Washington if filled with the smell of fear the elections are coming and politicians of all stripes and party are scrambling to say anything do anything to ensure their survival in the coming election

President Obama drags out the same tired rhetoric he has used for the previous three years and that he uses each time he wants to pass the next stimulus the next package the next bill.

The percentage of Americans who believe the rhetoric grows less and less with his approval rating lower than forty six percent in traditionally democratic states and even lower in swing and republican states the future of his presidency is gravely in doubt.

But it’s not just the Presidents tax and spend approach that’s the problem it’s the same old tax and spend philosophy of the party’s despite the promises and the rhetoric. Taxes keep going up but primarily to the working and middle class while the entitlements never end for the unemployed and the welfare recipients. At this point with rising food costs, inflation, and increasing medical costs due to Obama care.

No one doubts that there a re a few people that need help but one side of the equation believes that help means, doing it all and requiring zero effort of the recipient and providing such a high standard of living for doing nothing, is an affront to every hard working American.

The government is supposed to support a level playing field not control the outcome. The simple fact is that not every one is willing to do what it takes to enjoy any level of success. The immature and irresponsible refuse to do anything that requires effort or work..

Not everyone is or will be successful, the government cannot fairly administer aid the best the very best the government can do is stay the hell out of the way.

President Obama ,Americans Are Worse Off

2011-10-06T09:30:00.003-04:00

President Obama agrees that Americans are indeed worse off than they were four years ago but no surprise there is a but .
The Presidents failure to take any responsibility for his administration its actions or its consequences only serve to highlight his failure as a leader both domestically and abroad. It’s clear that our president has little if any leadership ability or any understanding of what it means to be a leader its not all fun and games and ovations and parades
In his interview during an exchange between Obama and George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. President Obama said “Well, I don't think they're better off than they were four years ago.”
He then went on with a litany of excuses as to why none of this is his fault and again how the whole thing happened before he was elected. I don’t know about you but (pun intended) I for one am tired of the leader of the free world being a petulant whiner.
We have all heard it before and frankly do not care about his excuses as to why none of his policies have had any of the effects that he and his administration promised. Speaking of promises, what did not happen, to all the ones he made on the campaign trail, but were not talking about that are we, nor is anyone in the MSM.

I don’t think that Mr. Obama understands that really we all want him to succeed here. The Presidents failure at this point has had the most disastrous affect seen in this country in three generations and it is not a game, a score or a touchdown were talking about here, but what may possibly be the future and possibly the very survival of this country.
The president has gotten his way on just about every issue he has brought to the table the massive second leg of the tarp the Obama care bill, and he has single handedly led the biggest increase in the federal government in history.
Mr. Obama comes across as arrogant, and offended, that most Americans disapprove of his performance and his administration. Mr. Obama was given unprecedented leeway upon his election as the first black president of the United States, and the very platform he ran on was hope and change unfortunately he has only delivered on the change and that for the worse and we seem to but all but out of hope at this point.

Mr. Obama has stated that he does not believe in American exceptionalism and I would have to say that I completely agree in his case. The elitist attitude that he and his administration have displayed are the worst aspects of the liberal class with none of the ability. One can say that he is at least fair in his disdain, not only with the common man and his political opponents, but with the very people who voted him into office. His recent remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus set off a storm of criticism from the black community, the very people from which he received the majority of his support during his campaign.

Its clear that in the presidents opinion that despite the three years of his leadership his political appointments his initiatives his ridiculous spending to prop up insolvent company’s, corrupt banks, and failing industry and despite the virtual takeover of the economy by his appointees that none of this is his fault..

I would say to the president what was told to me when I was a young buck Sergeant in the army during what is euphemistically called a learning opportunity. “You can delegate authority bit you cannot delegate responsibility” Simply put Mr. President as Harry Truman said the buck stops here, with you.

Obama Orders to kill americans Legal

2011-10-03T23:22:00.001-04:00

The recent killing of Anwar al-Awlaki has justifiably unleashed a growing storm of controversy over the killing of two U.S citizens . The two were unquestionably terrorists and one could assume classified as enemy combatants and legitimate targets in a time of war. The strike is problematic for several reasons one of the most glaring is the apparent secrecy of the quote unquote air tight legal justification purported from un named officials high in the Obama administration. If this extremely concerning new legal precedent is so above board, why the hesitation to release the information? The president and the federal government themselves are bound by the same laws as the rest of us and if this was indeed a good shooting or air strike In this case, why the resistance to submit there policy for public, legal and judicial review?

This administration has made much of its transparency and yet at every turn the President and his administration seem to conduct all business behind closed doors. These acts no matter the unquestioned legitamicy of the targets in this, case open the door to a whole array of unsettling precedence such as under what circumstances can the president of the united states decide that you a U.S should be killed. Is this a legal decision that the president can make, and if so what is to stop him form making such a decision within the United States.

President Obama’s actions to date including the barrage of executive orders issue by his white house seem to point more toward someone who does not feel that the rules apply to him and that he can with the waive of a wand or in this case an executive order by pass rules laws and the constitution at need.

While I can’t help but be glad that such an enemy has been eradicated I also cant help but be very disturbed in the manner of its accomplishment. The president after all is not judge jury and high executioner or is he.

American Apathy on the road to serfdom

2011-10-01T11:05:00.002-04:00

It is the nature of government to seek to expand itself, it is like the nature of all things to grow and become more. It’s like the tree in your yard that you plant for shade that over time almost unnoticed takes over the whole yard. A little judicial pruning could have over the years kept it in check. For whatever reason you failed to do the pruning. Maybe you were too busy or had other commitments maybe you were just too lazy or didn’t understand that things have to be maintained. For whatever reason you now have a mighty task ahead. What would have once been simple and painless is now a major undertaking requiring a crew of people and the power company. Because the out of control tree has limbs not only in your yard but the neighbors as well. You neighbor likes the shade and refuses to let you into there yard to trim the mighty limbs and if you simply cut them you will crush there fence.

Such has become our government, extending its reach into every faucet of our lives and step by step over the last seventy years or so it has become a parasite living off the life blood of the American people. Who is to blame? In the end it is “We the people” who are ultimately responsible. Its is we who have been asleep at the switch and have let the government take more and more control over our lives.

Where did the idea that the government knows best come from? Well from the government of course. There are now several generations of people that have swallowed the fiction that the government knows what its doing and that its looking out for you.

Many of people have given the government total control. Now they don’t see it that way, but there its is. If you rely completely on the government for your food shelter and support that is control. Even worse people now see these things as their right, and they deserve to subsist on the backs of others at no cost to themselves and they are ok with that .

Who pays for this? Well, all of us who work and pay taxes, but the simple fact is that combined none of us make enough money to pay for all this. And that’s why we have the highest debt ever in the history of the western world right now. These things, welfare social security food stamps WIC and all the endless federally subsidized housing school loans and agriculture subsidies. All the fingers in the all the pies have driven us to this point.

In the end it has to end by our own volition if we are wise or simply over time by its own devastating weight. You cry foul, the government told me they would take care of me and that I had the right to Social security, Student loans, Welfare and unemployment. I mean come one “really”. Step back for just one second and look at this objectively.

How does a program that pays you NOT to work benefit anyone? It doesn’t unfortunately there is a whole class of people that are content to sit on there butt and do nothing till the end of time, or the end of the pay check depending. Why does the government do this? Not because they care I assure you. They do it to keep you docile and inline and they know they can count on you to support them again and again for ludicrous programs that do little but deplete already scarce or non existent resources. They do this to maintain political power and personnel wealth. Its time for America to put down the crack pipe and take responsibility for themselves. I know crazy idea but

if we do not stand on our own feet and take responsibility for our own lives successes and failures we are doomed to a path of ultimate repression and desperate poverty. The constitution is not a guarantee of success but a guarantee of freedom

We are free to reach our own level of success based on our skills ability desires and luck. You are not owed, or guaranteed a dam thing. Your life sucks because you have made it so, and because you did not overcome whatever it was, your race, religion or personnel circumstance. Not every one will succeed, and many will fail and that is as it should be. In life as in all things, there are winners and losers achievers and slacker’s victors and casualties.

I fear we are now so far past the point of recovery in the economy, and of our ethics and standards in our lives that the end will be very bad. While I don’t know what combination of factors will serve to escalate the already dire circumstances of the economy and the very peace of the world. I do know that the groundwork has already been laid for the inevitable cataclysm that awaits us, the inevitable defaults of the world economy the break up of the EU the rise of militant Islam, and the Machiavellian machination of the Chinese and the Russians.

These are dangerous times and the desperate actions of desperate governments and peoples around the world are most likely to result in a global cataclysm unlike any since the fall of the Roman Empire or the invasion of the Mongols.

Entering A "NEW" Recession

2011-09-30T12:42:00.005-04:00

CNN Money just posted a new story about the economy, brace yourselves.

Forecast says double-dip recession is imminent

Way to step out on a limb there CNN, this is not new. This is a situation that has been obvious to the average American since 2008. In truth we have never actually gotten out of the first recession. The whole fiction that there has been any positive growth in the economy or in job creation is the direct result of careful, manipulated financial data from the FED the BLS and the Department of Labor. Virtually every bit of information released by the white house and reported in the major media is so divorced from the true situation as to be total fantasy.

Wages are down, unemployment is up and there have been so many small businesses close their doors and so many homes foreclosed on , just in my local area that I don’t understand how people can continue to deceive themselves about the true gravity of our situation. It’s even worse that president Obama is trying to con everyone into another job’s bill that is pointless and will never create jobs or improve the economy and increases a debt that is already so astronomically high that we cannot possibly pay it off. The bill is simply another attempt at the appearance of action for political purposes. All we seem to be able to do now is appear to take constructive action we lack the will and integrity to take actual constructive action.

Where are the leaders that will look the issue in the eye, and make the hard choices do the right things not just the popular ones? We passed the precipice on this road to disaster some time ago and there is now, no way to prevent a financial and economic disaster unlike any the world has ever seen. The effects of this will shake the very foundations of societies around the world and what emerges from it will be very different from what we know now.

The level of misinformation and ignorance by most people is staggering. The apathy by many Americans on the consequences of our spendthrift liberal social policy’s is bewildering considering that they will be the ones to howl the loudest when they end and when in reality they contribute the least and consume the most .

Our government is today happily going down the bad road that has already been tried by Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Mao. Yes I know how that sounds but the policy’s that we currently have and many we are either enacting now such as Obama care, the patriot act, the TARP and others are taken directly from Communist Socialist Totalitarian dictatorships. Where is the basic distrust of big government that has always been a defining trait of Americans?

Senseless Policies

2011-09-29T12:14:00.005-04:00

Today we see the continuation of senseless policies and actions that subvert the freedom, Independence and the lives of the American people. Obama’s third tarp is an exact duplication of stimulus that has been attempted previously by both him and the Bush administration. The only thing that’s changed is it is less than the previous ones. The TARP has served only to grossly increase an already unsustainable public debt by rewarding the very government’s, company’s and financial institutions that played so great a part in the collapse. This idea that we reward the very systems that exercabated this issue is ludicrous and defies even the laxest standard of logic or common sense. The unregulated spending to prop up banks insurance company’s investment companies and failing industry are really just symptoms of a the greater illness which is the idea that separating actions from consequences is ever a good idea.

The simple fact of the matter is that the market has crashed the banks have failed and industry in this country is for all intents and purposes dead. The current price of the stock market has no real basis in reality and continues to be the greatest Ponzi scheme of all time. The infusion of borrowed money has served only to benefit the bad actors that purposely caused the very situation that they were saved from. The end result, those who were selected to be saved have more than recouped their losses from the very crash they precipitated. The average American and the average investor have paid the price. Now for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren they will be faced with an insurmountable level of debt that there is zero possibility that it can ever be paid off.

Politicians today are the very example of selfish, corrupt, power-hungry incompetents that we were warned to avoid by the founding fathers. Over fifty percent of Americans have abdicated all responsibility for their own lives and given the local state and federal government complete control and power over their lives.

Political correctness is used as a club to suppress dissent from any who do not subscribe to the theories of social justice. This by racists using the very benefits of freedom of speech action and press they protest when used by their opponents are used to undermine the very fabric of American society.

Theories of inclusiveness and multiculturalism do in fact foster, prejudice, racism and hatred, emphasizing differences in color custom and culture, and is by its very nature divisive and directly opposed to the declaration that all men are created equal.

America’s strength has always been we are ONE people despite our differences. Celebrate diversity is directly opposed to a united anything Celebrate America is what we should be doing. We are all simply Americans; we do not need more hyphenated Americans. We welcome all who come here or live here with an honest intent and are willing to leave the past behind them with the understanding that we choose to be Americans first, before, race, color, tribe or heritage.

Equality and freedom are about treating everyone the same, not about special treatment for a few for whatever reason. All men have the freedom to achieve what they can, each based on their own limitations, ability, desire and circumstance. Freedom is not a guarantee of success, but the opportunity to live your life without interference.

12 Days to Collapse Of the Auto Induetry Failure in the Global Economy

2011-03-22T16:15:00.002-04:00

The Japanese earthquake and Tsunami on Friday March 11 2011 2:46 Pm local time devastated the eastern coastal areas of a 250 mile swath of the country, as well as having a major impact on the rest of the country. This caused power outages, travel stoppages and massive disruption of normal business in addition to the thousands of dead and injured all over the country.
But this is not about the loss of life and the devastating effect to the people of Japan, though they have our prayers. This is about the lay off and shut down of effected industry’s in the US and around the world A mere 12 days since the events and many companies are without parts to run their assembly lines, All the car makers in America and Europe, Sony, Hitachi, even the highly anticipated Apple I pad 2 has been effected and is in short supply.
Think about this, while a significant event, this really only impacted one country, and yet due to the nature of just in time inventory, if it’s not just in time you’re in trouble.

A single point failure is defined as: Element or part of a system for which no backup (redundancy) exists and the failure of which will disable the entire system.

The global economy has not served to lessen our risks of failure, in reality each part is so very dependent on the other , “we don’t even know” how all the interdependencies affect one another, and we can’t even calculate the possible damage or the effect of one country’s infrastructure or economy being removed , even for such a short time.

Libyan Airstrikes and the Western Oil grab in the name of "What"

2011-03-22T15:11:00.002-04:00

The ongoing Libyan airstrikes only serve to show that American intervention can only be expected in cases that impact our own, or the national interest of our allies, in this case France and the U.K. While I don’t have a problem with that in concept, I do mind the rhetoric, fundamentally we don’t really care about you or your country only its resources’ and access to them. Let’s not be hypocritical here if there were no Oil there would be no air strikes.

Currently Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen have ongoing protests and at least the possibility of overthrows or at least major changes to the existing governments.

I have seen no MSM (main stream media) coverage to date of the extreme instability in world politics or the effects (Nuclear) if the many oppressive governments we currently support Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Qatar, are overthrown. Or where we, (US) are going to get oil and what the other major players, Russia, China, and EU are going to do to get it (anything).

With the rapid rise in worldwide inflation, the plundering of the middle class around the world and the frustration of people everywhere fueled by world events, disasters, and the highest food prices in 30 years we may very well be on the edge of another world war.

Before and After Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant pictures

2011-03-18T16:13:00.002-04:00

Fukushima Daiichi power plant, before the 9.0 earthquake and Tsunami.

After

Digital Globes Before and after satellite images

" On March 14, 2011 between 11:00 and 11:04 AM local time (02:00 and 02:04 GMT), DigitalGlobe’s constellation imaged

the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant twice--approximately 1 minute before (see page 5) and approximately 3

minutes after (see slides 6,7 & 8) an explosion at the No. 3 reactor building. This is the second major explosion seen at the

facility, following the explosion at the No. 1 reactor building on March 12, 2011 (see page 4).

Substantial damage could be seen to the reactor building, including the upper structure being largely destroyed with the

building’s roof and side panels blown off. In addition, an extensive smoke and dust plume could be seen drifting east

approximately 2 kilometers from the damaged reactor building."

Sen Bernie Sanders Tells it like it is

2010-12-09T14:30:00.003-05:00

Sen. Sanders speech tells it like it is. That our government is bought and paid for and that we the very people that are supposed to be represented are last in line. This is one of my favorite speeches and I haven’t see this on the mainstream news.
Sanders lets them have it

No Compromise On Obama Compromise

2010-12-09T14:22:00.001-05:00

No we will not continue to funnel money, to the rich. they had the bail out, they had there tax cuts . now shut the hell up.

The idiotic lie that trickledown economics benefits us all is old and tired. The top 2 percent of the income bracket have 23% of total income. How much more money do we need to give these people to get them to start the Magic businesses that will save us all . Bull crap. Obama can keep his compromise bill and the rich can stick it. Ok Republicans, go ahead don’t give the middle class the tax cut, oh and don’t renew unemployment, ( even though both these things would benefit the economy, because they need this money to pay bills, buy milk they cant save it ) when the people who cant find a job because there aren’t any come for you, because guess what there’s no hope either, lets see what you tell them when they beat you to death with our own tired rhetoric and excuses. lets not forget your more of the same jackasses that sent all the jobs overseas in the first place .

War Against the Middle Class

2010-12-06T10:44:00.001-05:00

Bernie Sanders impassioned speech on the floor of the house, speaks the truth to a deaf audience both in congress and in the media, I have seen no coverage of this in the national media. Reguardless of your politics watch this, his facts are correct . To bad neither party will change anything and the vast majority are dazzled by the distractions thrown up by the Dems and the Rep both.

Video

What Free Market

2010-11-01T14:43:00.001-04:00

Here is an excerpt from a really great article from http://www.frumforum.com/the-middle-class-hits-a-dead-end

It highlights I think all of our concerns about the economy and the truly unfair TARP and the policy's that got us here, check it out.

Excerpt:
One of the great undercurrents of contemporary politics is the growing sense of economic frustration or even despair among a broad swath of the American public.

But then, when a hedge fund or banking group risks faltering, the mantra from the same talking heads that ridiculed the economic difficulties of other workers suddenly changes. No longer can the free market have winners and (sometimes massive) losers. Now, it’s a CRISIS. Not giving bailed-out money
The point here is not to dispute the value or even the necessity of the various bail-outs that took place in 2008: the point is that many Americans, who lack PhDs in economics and may not have a great interest in the details of high finance, notice a surprising difference in elite attitude when the financial fortunes of multi-millionaires and billionaires are at stake than when the middle class suffers

Impossible Change

2010-10-25T21:25:00.002-04:00

There is a flavor in the air, a feeling, that we may be entering a time of change, cultures beliefs ideology's and religions seem opposed and positions have become polarized in, whatever genre you wish too look at. There seem to be few great challenges that engage our society's at a truly gut level. We may have our pet causes and some few may obsess over them but there is no space race, no great society no coming together in the face of adversity. Hope seems to be in short supply, people fill their lives with inconsequential things, maybe it's always been that way, its hard to tell. My own faith in the wisdom of our civilization is limited. I believe we think to much of what we have done, our advances have come at such cost to people and too the world. We use things up thoughtlessly without consideration of the consequences. That's a bad habit whatever your views, it lacks a common sense. I you know that things need to change why don't you? Will you tell others, yes I saw there were problems but I ignored them. I don't think those people they show on television, you know the neighbors just down the street from the serial killer, they always say oh he seemed so normal, no he didn't, he seemed like an odd ball and that strange smell , all the time coming from the house, but they never say that, do they.No they say," I hadn't a clue" , why you ask because they don't want to be told well why didn't you say something, do, something. Its easier to just let it slide, we my friends are the generation of letting it slide.

End of Our Golden Age

2010-10-23T15:29:00.001-04:00

It has been some time since my last post, I thought I would take the time to say a few things. In the time that's passed the recession has ended they say , but I see no sign of it here, and from the news and reports I have read I don't see it elsewhere either, I believe this is, but the calm before the storm and that the truly hard times lay ahead.

I cant have these conversations with most people, they don't know and they do not care that our society economy and perhaps the very fabric of our modern civilization are about to come undone.

Here in America in the last few years anyone who has bothered to look can tell that the majority of the news supports big industry and big government , how could it be other wise as there owned and operated by the very companies and mega cooperation's they are supposed to be reporting on.

The model that our economy is based on is broken, and there seems to be no way to fix it given the current political and economic situation. More, we lack the will for it to be fixed . The government stepped in and saved not the American people but the company's. Spending Trillions of dollars not to better the lives of the average American but to line the pockets of business and the rich.

Where, I ask are the billions we gave the banks in the bailouts, still in the banks and reinvested in the market very little money has been loaned to anyone. The banks have again been turned into giant casinos, benefiting only the house and its investors.

The myth of the American dream of the working class has been shattered, proven wrong and impossible to reach in this day and age, our savings and investments in the market that always goes up gone or reduced to a pittance of its former worth.

The dollar worth less and less over time, the real prices we pay go up and up but the government doesn't count these costs into its information because its too volatile and it alters the numbers. Well of course it does, in reality our incomes have steadily decreased since the 1970's and our cost have gone up and up. Do your own research its true.

There are so many uncertainties in the world today, so many interrelated factors that we only vaguely understand.

Each day offers a new crisis, as the media and politicians divert, obscure and mislead. no I don't think there is a plan, I just think its human nature and today most bend the way the wind blows , thinking that this to will pass and all will be well.

Good luck people, and remember the past always repeats itself , so prepare we have seen the end of the golden age .

Jobs Report From BLS At Odds With Reality

2010-04-03T11:21:00.001-04:00

The new BLS employment numbers are out and it looks like the numbers are a wash we have certainly not really gained 162’000 jobs in this country. The report is not accurate due to the underreported and needlessly complicated process the BLS uses, and what jobs we have gained are still being offset by the loss of quality jobs all across the country.

Facts you will not see in the BLS report are that unemployment among teen agers is 75% nationally. This means that all school aged kids out looking for work over the summer will be unable to find jobs and there is the fact that we need to create 100,000 jobs a month just to break even because of people entering the work force every month.

We continue to lose quality jobs that are only replaced with seasonal part time and Crap jobs in Retail and fast food. Americans are becoming more desperate and fed up with the Spin on the data coming out of the government across the board, and in particular with the White House, the FED, and every government agency that is selling a recovery that is total fiction.

The crazy’s are starting to come out of the woodwork fueled by the irresponsible rhetoric that comes from the cable news channels and even the floor of the house and senate.

To many in office and in the media these antics are just another round of gamesmanship by the press and politicians that care nothing for the damage they are doing but only for profits, ratings and political notoriety.

Damage is being done that will take, if we are lucky decades to repair most likely our grand children and great grand children will be dealing with the ripple effects of our economy and the political decisions that are being made for a hundred years.

The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) reports a net gain of 162,000 new payroll jobs in March 48,000 at least (probably more) are temporary census jobs so that’s 114,000 real jobs right, well maybe not the current ADP payroll report indicates that payrolls actually dropped by 23,0000 in March . Bear with me here so we have the BLS reports a net gain of 162,000 jobs ADP repots a loss of 23,000 ADP does not count government payroll jobs. So the census jobs would not be included in this total so that’s a difference of 25,0000 jobs . Also the numbers on the BLS report do not add up (as usual) in addition they do admit the long term unemployed went up to 44.1 percent a new record. it looks like the numbers are a wash as we continue to lose quality jobs and they are replaced with seasonal part time and Crap jobs in Retail and fast food if at all. The BLS did state long-term unemployed made up 44.1 percent of all unemployed persons, a record high. What this means is that Americans have been unemployed longer and there is no real end in sight. See my blog post for the Feburary BLS Report

Here are links to the latest BLS report and related stories you may find of intrest.

The BLS Report just released today
States, employment rose by 162,000 in March, unemployment rate was 9.7 percent for the third month in a row. The March employment increase also included 48,000 workers hired by the federal government for Census 2010.

LA Times Reports

March yields first solid growth in jobs since recession

ADP National Employment Report Shows U.S. Employment Decreased by 23,000 Private Sector Jobs in March
(The ADP National Employment Report, created by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP®), in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, is derived from actual payroll data and measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month.)

CBS Money Watch Reports
Memo to Congress: Stop Touting Small Business Job Growth

Fox Business Reports
Though most forecasters did not revise their outlook in light of the surprising ADP report showing a loss of 23,000 private sector jobs in March, the real ADP disappointments were that February jobs losses went from 20,000 to 24,000 and service sector jobs gains in January turned negative. The underlying messages in the ADP data were a) private sector hiring is continuing to lag other indicators and b) weather played little role in February’s report of 36,000 job losses, except to the extent that a smaller percentage of businesses contacted responded to the February jobs survey than the January survey. (Since participation in the survey is voluntary, firms which chose not to respond may have instead chosen to use the time to clear up work which had been put aside due to February storms.)

Several analysts did some strained verbal gymnastics to explain why they were not taking the ADP report into consideration and revising upbeat forecasts for the Friday jobs report, though in advance of the ADP numbers some of the same analysts noted how the ADP and BLS numbers (for private sector payrolls) have converged in recent months.

TARP Creates jobs OVERSEAS Where are the American Jobs

2010-03-29T20:50:00.000-04:00

Ok I have to do a blog about the stimulus for the environmental initiative that was put into the TARP you know the one that was going to create thousands of job here in America doing making homes energy efficient building wind farms and solar farms all across America. That’s what they told us anyway and at the time I didn’t believe it then and it seems not to be true now.

Excerpt : BP, Europe’s second-largest oil company, said March 26 that it’s stopping manufacturing at its Frederick, Maryland, solar plant and cutting 320 jobs because of high costs and declining panel prices. The announcement came seven weeks after London- based BP said the division that includes solar and wind power was losing almost $183,000 an hour.

Solar companies are ramping up manufacturing in Asia even as they take government incentive funds to hire in the U.S. Suntech Power Holdings Co., which got $2.1 million to assemble panels at a 70-worker plant in Arizona, will employ 11,000 people in China to build components. Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar Inc. plans to do 71 percent of its manufacturing hiring in Malaysia after getting $16.3 million in federal funding to hire 200 people at an Ohio plant.

The millions of dollars we pumped into this have gone where, overseas to china and Malaysia and other countries where the pay some poor Indian or Malaysian or Chinese ten bucks a day to put stuff together with his feet, why you asked because we don’t build anything here anymore .

We don’t we don’t build cars or planes or pencils for gods sakes American manufacturing has been in the shitter for years, why you ask? Several reasons the cost of labor has gone up dramatically here, it’s just cheaper to manufacture overseas.

The companies here don’t care about the country, the towns they work in or the people working for them, they care about profit. Cooperate ethics is a ten minute segment of the business course no one pays atention to because hey we know the corperations are above the law.

Profit for the multinational company why do they call it multinational why because it’s not really based in any one country it owes no allegiance to any one country its only loyalty and motive is profit by any means at any human environmental or economic cost dam the consequences to the workers there families the communities they are in and the countries that host them.

And after they have bled the area dry of resources devastated the environment and ruined the local economy they move on to the next place the next country the next profit.

Corporations owe a responsibility to their workers and there families the communities that host them the countries there are in and to the world as a whole. There was a time in America and around the world that this was understood, not always and the ruthless robber barons have time after time done great wrongs and sadly have never been held to account for their actions but enough good honest men and women were there to make a difference.

Sadly all we get these days is bread and circuses smoke and mirrors, when will the American people realize we do not have to settle for this and that we have the power to change the government and the world, what sacrifice is too much what degradation too horrible to bear what lie is too much

American Stonehenge in Georgia

2010-03-28T21:32:00.001-04:00

The Elberton Guide stone Mystery

I came across this article at CNN it’s about the Elberton guide stones, I myself lived in Georgia for many years and had never heard of the Georgia Stonehenge as some call it, the stones located outside of Elberton about a 100 miles east of Atlanta in what was a farmer’s field have a gift shop and are something of a minor tourist attraction . The stones were commissioned by a man who used the name of R.C. Christian who hid his true identify. The only man who still knows the identity of the mysterious man is an old banker, a local named Wyatt Martin who says he made a gentleman’s agreement not to reveal the man’s true identify.

The very fact the stones were commissioned at all is odd and to compound the mysterious nature of the stones they are have the following inscriptions consisting of a set of ten guidelines or principles is engraved on the Georgia Guide stones in eight different languages, one language on each face of the four large upright stones. Moving clockwise around the structure from due north, these languages are: English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.

THE MESSAGE OF THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.

2. Guide reproduction wisely - improving fitness and diversity.

3. Unite humanity with a living new language.

4. Rule passion - faith - tradition - and all things with tempered reason.

5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.

6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.

7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.

8. Balance personal rights with social duties.

9. Prize truth - beauty - love - seeking harmony with the infinite.

10.Be not a cancer on the earth - Leave room for nature - Leave room for nature.

The monument was commissioned In June 1979, Supposedly using Wyatt Martin as an agent the Elberton Granite Finishing Company was hired to build the structure.

Apparently local opinion holds that the owner of the Elberton Finishing Company, Mr Joe H. Fendley Sr, built the monument to express his own beliefs and at the same time promote the local granite businesses. He apparently published a booklet in 1981, that said a minimum 12 additional stones could be built if “ a group of 'conservation-minded' sponsors willing to pay the price could be found, page 39 of the booklet states that Fendley is a high-ranking Freemason.

In addition to the guide stones Christian left behind a 1986 book, "Common Sense Renewed," that is still for sale at the Elberton Granite Museum.. In 1986, copies of the book were distributed to several thousand "political officials and shapers of public opinion" throughout the world. All members of the United States Congress received copies, as did Reagan and Gorbachev.

I have read a few pages of the book online, the parts I have read don’t seem so disturbing but then again the whole project seems to me to be the project of an eccentric. The stones and the book have become part of the conspiracy theory groups the tablets are said to be the work of the masons or the illuminati or some other new world order group.

In the end R.C. Christian whoever he was has achieved at least some small notoriety for himself and his message and after all that was his goal.

Consequences’ of the end of oil

2010-03-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

This is a three part report on the predicted impacts of peak oil to society and the world economies. The report while couched in the jargon of the scientific academia is terrifying in its implications. This scholarly article is a joint effort between two highly respected organizations.

Feasta, a leading international think-tank exploring the interactions between human welfare, the structure and operation of human systems, and the ecosystem which supports both, and,

The Risk/Resilience Network, an initiative which was established in order to understand energy induced systemic risk, the scope for risk management, and general and emergency planning.

For god,s sake at least look at the summary of the report

This paper talks about the likely systemic impacts of peak oil, including the possibility of collapse. With a long publication such as this, it is difficult to know how to present a reasonable subset of the material. In this post, we are publishing the Summary as Part 1. Our tentative plan is to publish three additional excerpts from the paper later. Those who wish to read the paper now can download it from the link .

The lead author of this publication is David Korowicz. You may remember him for his talk at the Oil Drum/ASPO Conference at Alkatraz, Italy last summer called Things Fall Apart: Complexity, Supply Chains, Infrastructure & Collapse.

Tipping Point: Near-Term Systemic Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production - Part 1 - Summary (report excerpt)

by Gail Tverberg

For Example : The credit crisis exemplifies society's difficulties in the timely management of risks outside our experience or immediate concerns. TRANSLATION people and society cannot handel events outside its immediat experiance AKA dident see it comming now were screwed, save me save me.

As individuals, and as a social species we put up huge psychological defences to protect the status quo. We've heard this doom prophesied for decades, all is still well! What about technology? Rising energy prices will bring more oil! We need a Green New Deal! We still have time! We’re busy with a financial crisis! This is depressing! If this were important, everybody would be talking about it!
TRANSLATION Its always been that way my daddy, mydaddies daddy have been living the fat happy good life and so will I.

Global Warming Is dead here comes Global Cooling

2010-03-28T11:14:00.000-04:00

Global cooling trends combine with volcanic eruptions in Iceland to create a more massive and devastating impact. Cooling is much more devastating than warming to society at large combined with the ever dwindling supply of oil and the devastating impact to agriculture the trends clearly show that the earth has in fact been cooling over all, for the last ten years not warming as previously predicated by the IPCC and the greens. Again the issue has been what is new and sexy and can be used to the greatest political and emotional impact. The scientific community has again failed us because of the desire to manipulate data to support their views in order to obtain funding for their own pet projects, and we have suffered for their arrogance and greed.

The potential eruption of Iceland's volcano Katla would likely send the world, including the USA, into an extended deep freeze.

"When Katla went off in the 1700s, the USA suffered a very cold winter," says Gary Hufford, a scientist with the Alaska Region of the National Weather Service. "To the point, the Mississippi River froze just north of New Orleans and the East Coast, especially New England, had an extremely cold winter.

Twelve-month long drop in world temperatures wipes out a century of warming

Over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snowcover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile -- the list goes on and on.

No more than anecdotal evidence, to be sure. But now, that evidence has been supplanted by hard scientific fact. All four major global temperature tracking outlets (Hadley, NASA's GISS, UAH, RSS) have released updated data. All show that over the past year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously

Wall Street Despised, Most Want Oversight, Poll Shows

2010-03-26T16:45:00.000-04:00

Wall Street Despised, Most Want Oversight, Poll Shows

Most people interviewed in the Bloomberg National Poll say they don’t like Wall Street, banks or insurance companies

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-24/wall-street-despised-most-want-oversight-poll-shows-update1-.html

Sales of new homes in the US fell to their lowest level on record

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8585568.stm

The latest Fox News poll finds that 79 percent of voters think it’s possible the economy could collapse, including large majorities of Democrats (72 percent), Republicans (84 percent) and independents (80 percent).

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/23/fox-news-poll-say-economy-collapse/

Fla. jobless rate reaches record 12.2 pct in Feb

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hQ-fyW7bNW0jkjNFEavBzzxs84UwD9EMFKP00

Colorado Jobless Rate Rises to 7.7 Percent in Feb.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/26/business/AP-US-Unemployment-Colorado.html