This link details a story about the recent spate of graffiti afflicting the upper-crust enclave of Atherton, CA. This is no ordinary graffiti, either - it's graffiti directed at the 1% who live there, and that has the local denizens quaking in their Uggs. The very theme of the graffiti has local law enforcement involving the FBI - after all, Occupy Wall Street might be rearing it's ugly head (to nearly quote from the article).
Note how the author already implicates Occupy, without any conclusive proof that they had any involvement. Note the dismissive tone given to the 99-percenters, and the two linked articles telling the same to "stop bellyaching", and how the 1 percent feels unloved.
This should be expected from CNBC - an outlet of rich people talking to other rich people. But I can't help but be irritated at the arrogance of the "job creators", and to grin somewhat about the fact that Occupy has gotten into these people's heads. This is what happens when we lose our middle class - the tony classes are seeing the plebs at the gates, literally.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Quibbles and Bits, Hearts and Bones edition
More semi-random flavored morsels for your eat-ification.
>>For your viewing pleasure, I submit this sentiment from one of our military veterans, made a veteran in large part because of our country's insatiable thirst for fossil fuels of all kinds:
To me, this stands as one of nearly limitless examples of why my problems have never been with the armed forces themselves, or those who volunteer to serve (and get screamed at by the professional assholes known as drill seargents and COs) - my problem is with the elected civilians who put them in areas where they don't belong, and for reasons most directly related to the profit margins of a select few. Who are they fighting for, anyway?
>>Here's another one:
...and these are the same people who complain about welfare for the rest of us. The bottom line is - they don't want us dependent on government - they want us dependent upon them.
This is why Reagan and his worshippers like to talk about the "inherent ineptitude" of "government". Make it irrelevant in the eyes of the people, so we go running to Peter Schiff, Kevin O'Leary, and the rest of their buddies on Wall Street. Great racket - nice work too, if you can get it.
>> I'm not paying much attention to the Sochi Olympiad - to me, it's just another advertising opportunity for oligarchy (American, Russian, and elsewhere) to separate us from our cash. I will say, however, that I find the "kill joy" talk being perpetrated by the American press rather amusing - since it's another example of how in the pocket the American press is to Corporate America, the banks, and their subsidiary, the US Government. We don't like it when world leaders stand up to us, like Putin (not a boy scout, but he was right about "American Exceptionalism"). And, of course, there's the controversy about Russia's anti-gay legislation (pure bigotry, wrapped in the mistaken belief that it will address the declining population crisis).
More quibbles and bits later.
>>For your viewing pleasure, I submit this sentiment from one of our military veterans, made a veteran in large part because of our country's insatiable thirst for fossil fuels of all kinds:
To me, this stands as one of nearly limitless examples of why my problems have never been with the armed forces themselves, or those who volunteer to serve (and get screamed at by the professional assholes known as drill seargents and COs) - my problem is with the elected civilians who put them in areas where they don't belong, and for reasons most directly related to the profit margins of a select few. Who are they fighting for, anyway?
>>Here's another one:
...and these are the same people who complain about welfare for the rest of us. The bottom line is - they don't want us dependent on government - they want us dependent upon them.
...This is why Reagan and his worshippers like to talk about the "inherent ineptitude" of "government". Make it irrelevant in the eyes of the people, so we go running to Peter Schiff, Kevin O'Leary, and the rest of their buddies on Wall Street. Great racket - nice work too, if you can get it.
>> I'm not paying much attention to the Sochi Olympiad - to me, it's just another advertising opportunity for oligarchy (American, Russian, and elsewhere) to separate us from our cash. I will say, however, that I find the "kill joy" talk being perpetrated by the American press rather amusing - since it's another example of how in the pocket the American press is to Corporate America, the banks, and their subsidiary, the US Government. We don't like it when world leaders stand up to us, like Putin (not a boy scout, but he was right about "American Exceptionalism"). And, of course, there's the controversy about Russia's anti-gay legislation (pure bigotry, wrapped in the mistaken belief that it will address the declining population crisis).
More quibbles and bits later.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Quibbles and Bits, Picturing the Truth and the Consequences Edition
>> Cold, hard truth about the illusion of "freedom", courtesy of the late, great Frank Zappa:
He was certainly not the only one saying this. Others knew that what we call "freedom" in the US is nothing more than an illusion, and since his passing, they have come forward: Peter Joseph and Chris Hedges in a direct fashion, Mike Ruppert and others in a more indirect way. Being in show business, Zappa knew an illusion when he saw it.
If we think about it, "freedom" is nothing more than a convenient weasel word - it can mean anything that the speaker wants it to mean. Freedom of what? Speech? Commerce? Press? Polluting a watershed because it's less profitable to dispose of your chemical waste in a less sensitive area and fashion? And, Freedom from what? "Tyranny" (another weasel word)? The sights of the homeless and less fortunate around us? A jackboot to the throat of a peaceful protester?
If you ask me, we're at the point where the scenery is being dismantled. We're seeing the brick at the back of the theater, obstructed only by the thinning, high-school-quality scenery in front.
>> Here's another bit from the Maestro:
"Real Estate" can be a metaphor for a lot of things besides land: material wealth in general, political clout, etc., which goes hand-in-hand with the ownership of real estate. The examples are out there: the ornateness of Vatican City and the wealth contained within, all of the Catholic Parishes around the world, the Christian megachurches in this country, the Mormon empire, and so on. These denominations are considered "mainstream", in large part because of their largess.
There seems to be an incongruity between their largess and their purporting to be "Christian" organizations. Remember what Christ had to say about rich people and the eye of a needle?
What are your thoughts?
He was certainly not the only one saying this. Others knew that what we call "freedom" in the US is nothing more than an illusion, and since his passing, they have come forward: Peter Joseph and Chris Hedges in a direct fashion, Mike Ruppert and others in a more indirect way. Being in show business, Zappa knew an illusion when he saw it.
If we think about it, "freedom" is nothing more than a convenient weasel word - it can mean anything that the speaker wants it to mean. Freedom of what? Speech? Commerce? Press? Polluting a watershed because it's less profitable to dispose of your chemical waste in a less sensitive area and fashion? And, Freedom from what? "Tyranny" (another weasel word)? The sights of the homeless and less fortunate around us? A jackboot to the throat of a peaceful protester?
If you ask me, we're at the point where the scenery is being dismantled. We're seeing the brick at the back of the theater, obstructed only by the thinning, high-school-quality scenery in front.
>> Here's another bit from the Maestro:
"Real Estate" can be a metaphor for a lot of things besides land: material wealth in general, political clout, etc., which goes hand-in-hand with the ownership of real estate. The examples are out there: the ornateness of Vatican City and the wealth contained within, all of the Catholic Parishes around the world, the Christian megachurches in this country, the Mormon empire, and so on. These denominations are considered "mainstream", in large part because of their largess.
There seems to be an incongruity between their largess and their purporting to be "Christian" organizations. Remember what Christ had to say about rich people and the eye of a needle?
What are your thoughts?
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