Demographics, a science more dismal than economics.
Apocalypse Now: By the time you put all the pieces together, you'll see that the latest terrorist attack in the US was instigated by the FBI, planned by the FBI, the bomb was designed by the FBI and the components delivered to the designated patsy by the FBI. True, the accused seems to have wanted to do something, but he doesn't seem to have been allowed much free will in the matter. Ah, I love the smell of entrapment in the morning.
Data Mine: I went to the mall Friday, walked around, didn't even buy a cup of coffee. Apparently I had lots of company, traffic was up 2.2% but sales were only up 0.3% , small enough to be a rounding error.
In the Pouch: Why is anyone shocked to discover that US foreign policy is a combination of corruption, bribery, mendacity and double- It is not news that Pakistan's ISI invented and operates the Taliban, that billions of dollars in 'aid' are immediately stolen when they get to Kabul – if they get that far, that thieves run Russia, or that the Saudi's would love to see Iran bombed to pieces. That American foreign policy is run by a combination of right wingers and AIPAC is not earth shattering news. The big news is how insecure State Department security is – even though they seem to have had NSA mount someone mounted a denial of service attack against WikiLeaks – to no avail.
More Wet Water: “Upper-Class People Have Trouble Recognizing Others' Emotions.” They have even more trouble pretending they might care.
Cart/Horse: In Ireland they plan on passing a budget that sells the Irish into four years of indebted servitude, then holding a referendum on whether they should have done so. Heads the banks win, tails the people lose. Modern democracy.
Bypass: A pipeline to carry crude from Abu Dhabi's largest oilfields to Fujairah, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, has been completed. A small but important step in preparing the global petroleum delivery system for war with Iran.
Holiday Spirit: As you go through this festive season remember that 43 million Americans are on food stamps – an increase of 15 million since 2007. That's 14% of the population. Food stamps today are what soup kitchens were in the 1930's.
Goody Two Shoes: A lot of the alternative energy puff pieces imply that salvation is just around the corner, that we'll all have electric cars in a few years and the electricity they'll need will come from solar panels somewhere, somehow. Not true. The energy infrastructure is so complex and expensive that even as petroleum declines it will command the market. There have been few signs that alternative energy will be ready to play any significant role for decades, which is too bad because there will be a pretty nasty gap before a resolution is found.
People, speaking: Of 130 million potential voters, about 65% saw no reason to vote. Hard to claim a mandate for anything.
Quotas: The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna is continuing its fight to save the Atlantic bluefin by setting its 2011 tuna catch limit at 12,900 tons, down 600 tons from last year. Of course tuna fisherman haven't been able to catch even that many because they've caught too many for decades.
Big Boys Don't Cry: A man in Miami is being charged with “resisting arrest” for covering his head with his arms while two Miami police beat him unconscious while he lay on the street trying to commit suicide, passively.
Bombs, Not Bombers: TSA should concentrate on stopping bombs, not bombers. We need a device that will reliably sniff out sufficient quantities of explosive to bring down an airplane. If someone wants to blow off their foot or castrate themselves while in the air, fine, it won't bring down the plane. The body scan thing is solving the wrong problem, as does restricting liquids and x-raying shoes and asking if you packed your own suitcase. The aim should be to detect high explosive in quantities that are sufficient to cause significant damage. When explosives are found, take the person concealing them out to an open spot on the airport and detonate them – the explosive and the carrier.
His Master's Voice: In a few well chosen words explain why Homeland Security is shutting down websites without a court order or other legal proceeding. “Because they can” is not an acceptable submission.
Porn O'Graph: Bargain Sale, lots of charts – see 2, 3, &4 !
6 comments:
RE: Apocalypse Now:
GG has lengthy post on this you might like
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/28/fbi/index.html
MM
MM - Thanks - the link was inserted into the item... ckm
You doth protest too much on energy.
There are two sides to every equation.
The simplest solution usually wins out.
So if you can't increase supply why not destroy demand with a few wars.
Consequently, if you reduce energy "consumers" by 2-3 billion you solve the whole messy business of oil supply.
And if you manage to limit the conflicts to the emerging nations, you can ramp up alternatives in the privileged developed nations, just in time for the post war reduced oil infrastructure re-peak.
And as an added bonus all that worry about global warming is muted because the significantly reduced amount of energy "consumers" will be able to cope with climate change if it occurs.
See all is well. You just have to look at the bright side of life.
Holiday Spirit: "Food stamps today are what soup kitchens were in the 1930's."
No, they are not. The main beneficiary of this program is Multinational Agribusiness which did not even exist in the 30s. Food stamps are nothing but another socialization of industry to the benefit of only the corporations.
The "food" itself is, in the main, non-nutritious, unhealthy garbage contributing to the decline of the mental and physical health of the population fitting in nicely with the goals of fellow handout corporations in the Health Damage Industry.
Food Stamps---just another Fraud perped on the populace.
While Food Stamps do indeed benefit the sellers of food, they also benefit those who eat it - and the food one buys with them is chosen by the recipient. Let's not overdo the doom and gloom - there's enough around already.
I second mista charley. Food from soup kitchens was healthier than some stuff you can buy with food stamps (SNAP cards) probably becaue we hadn't let industry ruin the food supply in the 1930's.
My experience working in local soup kitchens (we don't call them that...)suggests that even back in the 30's there would have been a preference for sweets etc. You can put lots of spinach on the steam table, you can't make 'em take it.
Poor people are people first...
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