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July 31, 2008
To coin a word: "Underfitting"
by HappySysiphus, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Michael Moore's FAHRENHEIT 9/11 is a good example of possible underfitting. In the film, he viciously attacked the Bush administration for its handling of the crisis at a time when few were speaking out. He was awarded the most prestigious film prize in the world for doing so.
Yet, he completely refrained from exploring some convincing theories circulating widely that the administration itself actually planned the attacks.
In this way Michael Moore created a compelling argument for the Bush administration: "Not even Michael Moore believes the Bush administration planned the 9/11 attacks!"
That's underfitting. |
Canada's military is in Iraq
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: As far as I can tell the Canadian government, contrary to its public pronouncements, is enthusiastically involved in the nebulous project of "The War on Terror." |
The metrics of lunacy
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 30, 2008
With Obama, a little uncertainty
by JR Mooneyham, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: You may not like this article, but it does make some decent points. Even if some of them make McCain look good, and Obama look iffy. I must admit the only thing I too know about Obama doing that I admire, was give a spectacular speech once. He even made me believe he was anti-war. But all the points he scored with me there he has since lost with his FISA betrayal, and his talk that he will continue to war-monger and throw infinite cash at the Pentagon much the same as Bush or McCain after elected. And he might not do much towards universal healthcare, either. |
July 29, 2008
Appealing to our worse selves
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Oh, and keep up a steady stream of nice sounding lies about how all the above is part of how a free country that honors human and civil rights operates and imbue the people with a sense of exceptionalism and manifest destiny that puts them in the role of bringing "American Democracy" to the rest of the world. And by all means make sure that people believe that God is on our side. |
Snap out of it people, don't go under their spell
by Kathy Fisher, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: My candidate will piss on you. Yeah, well, my candidate will shit on you. OK folks, which do you want? One of these two BUFFOONS will be our next pResident. The idiots who still take this canard seriously will press the buttons and magically another four years of hell on earth will continue, that's for sure. |
Infusion of blood substitute won't save the US economy
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: When private institutions are allowed to create money the die is cast for eventual insolvency. It is in the interest of privately organized banking to drive the customer ever further into debt. There is no force to oppose this tendency when the power to create money is in private hands. |
Plutonium pistachios
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 28, 2008
6,000 centrifuges & uranium enriched to 3 to 5% = a little more fuel for the power station
by Marie K., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: To put things in perspective — it would take 40,000 to 50,000 centrifuges to produce the nuclear fuel needed for ONE plant for ONE year. The article also is only an announcement that Iran "possesses" the centrifuges. They also have to be installed and start working. Note that the US has 104 nuclear power plants — Iran is still constructing ONE. It MIGHT open in late 2008. |
July 27, 2008
Capitalism is dying, and good riddance
by Leon Fisher, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: A new system of economics, and a new system of government is long overdue. Not an economic system as we have at present, in which the wealth which created by the worker is confiscated and controlled by the wealthy, but an economic system in which the worker controls the wealth which he creates for the benefit of all. And a new system of government, not that of our present so called government which is nothing more than the political wing of Wall Street, but a government representing all the people, not just the wealthy few. |
The stealth invasion of Canada
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Canadian intelligence services and border patrol forces seem to be totally integrated with dominant US agencies. They apparently use bogus intelligence provided by the US enthusiastically, barring travel to Canada by US political opponents of the right-wing cabal that runs this country. The case of Maher Arar is a testament to the diminished rights of Canadian citizens, relative to US interests. Canadian troops are currently fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq against the overwhelming protest of Canadians. The participation of Canadian troops in the shameful military occupation and obstruction of democratic rule in Haiti is particularly egregious since no conceivable Canadian strategic interest is involved. Witnessing these things makes one wonder if it is already too late, if, as it seems, the functional equivalent of foreign control is not already in place in Canada. |
Implosion of the American financial system
by Mary Ann M., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: What we are seeing is a bail-out of the richest individuals and corporations. They make the rules, and their first rule is that they get bailed out first. |
July 26, 2008
Anger can be power if you know how to use it
by The Canadian, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I am absolutely surprised at the shit people take. ... I do not consider myself a bully, nor do I look for conflict, but I refuse to give up my personal presence and dignity. |
July 25, 2008
The storm of pent-up anger
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: This is my main message to people who would survive the coming struggles: Protect yourself and your family by doing everything you can think of to make your neighborhood peaceful and sustainable. Organize cooperatively for mutual aid or expect to find your independent self totally out of luck. |
Dear International Criminal Court...
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 24, 2008
Life goes on in Tehran
by Marie K., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Look at the pictures. I very much hope that the scenes shown will not be spoiled by the horrors of being attacked. Read the comments. You will see how bombing and murdering or injuring innocent Iranians would be ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL. |
Got to love that empire!
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 23, 2008
You have one more chance to escape
by Pavel C., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: My own view, as of July 22 at 10PM, is that the global markets are temporarily recovering from their massive fears of things to come. This process will continue for a few weeks, or perhaps even a few months. During that time we are, as individuals, in a state of economic "grace" (sins forgiven, chance of redemption provided), and we can use that time exactly the way the Wall Street insiders are using that time - to escape(!) from our unwise choices of the past and find safe havens. |
July 22, 2008
Why did the warmongering mass murderer cross the road?
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 21, 2008
The good, bad and ugly truth about Obama?
by Theo Lipschitz, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: The good news about Barack is that he is highly intelligent and not unwise. He is actually well-intentioned, and not an evil man. The bad news is that he is a middle-of-the-road consensus builder, who will consult with experts and lead the country along a middle course, but do nothing politically dangerous. |
Sudan (Darfur) and Zimbabwe for progressives and liberals
by Marie K., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: As I see it, all progressives/liberals (I include myself) ought to have learned by now that wars are NOT the answer and that when there are conflicts, calling for resolution is the way to go. |
July 19, 2008
We tell ourselves it didn't happen
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I saw the sea change in the early eighties. I tend to blame the leadership. People like the actor/president, who's name shall not be mentioned, who informed the nation that the rules had changed, the laws no longer protected the little people, the new principle was, in his words "caveat emptor." The literal translation from the Latin is "Let the buyer beware," but his meaning, as has become more and more clear was "Let the little people beware." |
The insanity of paying attention to the election
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: As long as our minds are considered the private property of those with the money and incentive to construct false realities using mass media for their private benefit, elections have no meaning. Concepts of freedom and liberty, similarly, have no tangible reality without access to an accurate understanding of events. |
July 18, 2008
War criminal Pelosi complains about Bush
by Siegfried Lemelson, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Nancy Pelosi is a wretched example of a politician — and a person. It is sickening to hear her talk. It just makes me want to puke when I see her botoxed face on TV. If she is a "liberal" then we are doomed, and our Congress needs to be thoroughly reamed out in the coming elections. |
Democracy, theocracy, or just crazy?
by Chris D., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: If you're not horrified by now, you're either naive, moralistic to the point of delusionally assuming this is a blow only to promiscuity, or simply deliberately avoiding looking at either the big or small picture, for fear of having a deeper understanding. |
The Fannie/Freddie scam
by Hazel Burke, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: "The System" responded magnificently to the idea of a bail-out. Stock markets rose around the world, and suddenly, we're all wearing sunglasses even at night because our future is so bright! |
Executive privilege
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 17, 2008
Nothing new under the sun
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Just as in the days of old, if you are perceived by the ruling elite to be one of them, you can do no wrong. In fact your status may actually be enhanced by continually screwing up, since it serves like nothing else can to advertise the impunity of power. |
July 16, 2008
Wrong on every issue, big and small
by Amber Perez, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I have never seen anyone as consistently wrong as Bush. It is remarkable how the man is always wrong. You can take it to the bookie, then collect the winnings and take them to the bank: Bet against him and become a millionaire in the last six months of his presidency. |
The moral absolute!
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 15, 2008
Mixed signals on dangerous, dangerous Iran
by Chris D., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Iran's out to get us and secretly building superweapons, but don't worry, their conventional weapons aren't worth shit and they're bluffing about the progress they've made with their power plants. Also, terrorism is a threat to world peace, so the answer is to engage in war across the globe. |
Satire at the NEW YORKER?
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 14, 2008
Help speed the collapse of the whole rotten financial structure
by Leon Fisher, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: We must understand that this situation has not come about because of a change of weather or a witch's spell, but because of the unethical, criminal business practices of the Wall Street bankers themselves. What is worse is the reaction of Washington, which rewards these rascals with taxpayer bailouts when they should be subject to Congressional investigation, and if found to be in violation, prosecuted. |
Obama's massive miscalculation
by Angry Annie, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: There are a hundred issues I disagree with Obama on, but very few of those issues are life or death, make or break issues. This is one of them, right up there with if he had announced that he plans to expand the capacity at Guantanamo or refuse diplomacy with Iran and just bomb 'em. He has slashed at one of the key issues that make (made) Obama a better candidate than McCain. |
Our corrupt system vs. Ron Paul's purported libertarianism
by Marie K., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I do assume that Ron Paul's foreign policy ideas would reduce the number of guns, but his solution of (individual) self reliance and probably scrapping or mostly scrapping our welfare related programs and programs like Medicaid and Medicare (entitlement programs) just seems wrong to me. |
Democrats and Bush rush toward economic armageddon
by Mary Ann M., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: The only thing the US government has going for it now is that there are many countries with even less effective national leadership. The world has been in a Currency War, a war to print money faster than the other guys to maintain export competitiveness, and something like 50 countries now have 10%+ inflation rates. But if the US government's spendthrift policies continue I expect the people of the world to stop buying US dollars as "reserves" and to load up on other things, like, say, gold - or anything else, really. And if that happens, we're in deep sh*t. |
Tehranians 'r' melting
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 13, 2008
Gut-check: The courage it took to stand up for civil rights
by Randall P., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Pfft and blood and shrieks of terror and, yeah, sometimes even funerals, and still, men and women, black and white, came and massed and marched. It was never anything like the marches of today, where you maybe heard about a protest and decided whether it fit your schedule for a Saturday afternoon and if it did maybe you went and carried a placard for an hour or maybe you found an excuse not to go. No, it was something different. It was putting your life and your health and your guts if you had any on the line. It was a risk for the right thing but it was a serious risk. |
Coincidence or bribery?
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I always try to remember to never say always or never, but I always never remember. It turns out that it is not true that cozy political graft never goes unpunished. A little story out of San Francisco about a guilty verdict on a official corruption charge is to news what the dog that didn't bark is to mystery writing. This is a sort of man bites dog kind of un-news. |
Pampered whiners
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 12, 2008
Ideology is a poison
regardless of the flavor
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: As Einstein famously said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."
This insight, as applied to the process of political reform suggests that the standard ideology of liberation is grievously at fault, if not simply a reflection of mass insanity.
An alternative approach, and the only one that has historically produced prolonged periods of economic equality, is to focus instead on the enforcement of human rights, as codified now in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
When we can achieve the maturity to see that an injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone, and that those experiencing the greatest injustice deserve priority attention, we will have earned the right to live in peace and abundance. |
Mr. Hanky goes to Wall Street
by Pavel C., Unknown News| |
Excerpt:
Listening to the politicians talk about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is like watching South Park's "Mr. Hanky", the singing Christmas turd. Singing turds, all of them. |
Philosophical pandering
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 11, 2008
The contemplative monkey
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 10, 2008
Violence in the times that blind
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 9, 2008
Black flag at half-mast
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 8, 2008
Smaller and more local is always better than bigger and more universal
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Local control and national sovereignty obviously does not guarantee freedom from control by criminal elements, but at least it offers the hope of containing and limiting such control in a way that offers a chance of being able to construct just societies. |
Omega 3 brain monkeys
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 7, 2008
The only plausible solution
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I am fond of our species and would like it to survive and see a better, sustainable future. I welcome any proposed solution, but as I think deeply about the issue and study the relevant scientific issues, the only plausible solution I have been able to imagine is the setting off of a few nuclear weapons in near space. |
On the brink of yet another war| |
Comment: We've been here before — all last year, in fact — but who can bet against the stupidity and mindlessness of George W. Bush. Check out this excerpt: "According to Israel’s media, President Bush even told Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he could not trust America’s intelligence community and preferred to rely on Israeli intelligence." Theo Lipschitz PERMANENT LINK |
July 6, 2008
A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it
by Sharon G., Unknown News| |
Excerpt: We kept the Republic for a couple of centuries, and made it better along the way, adding freedom for slaves and women, eliminating child labor and even adding a New Deal... but over the past few years the Constitution, the thing that made the Republic real in the first place, the thing that made it work, has been dismantled line by line... Is it still there? Have we kept it or has it been stolen away? |
A serpentine symposium
by Don Nash, Unknown News
July 5, 2008
Connecting the dots: The mind-numbing stupidity of GM and the American auto industry
by Mr. Chuckles, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: All of a sudden GM can produce 40 MPG cars, something they claimed would be impossible to do before 2016 without massive cost increases and technological advances. Has there ever been a more self-destructive company with such fat headed management that survived for so long? |
July 4, 2008
When all writing is for children
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: In the last stages of "civilization," which we are apparently living through now, all the natural relationships are turned upside down as the culminating result of constant manipulation and perceptual coercion. Status devolves to those with the greatest sponsorship by centers of power that maintain that power by virtue of an ability to coerce compliance. Advancing your personal status in these situations, including one's status as an author, becomes a function of your ability to communicate with a population that is functioning at very low levels of moral and intellectual development for the purpose of inducing compliance with the aims of the sponsoring hierarchical structure, be it employers in mass media, publishers of mass market entertainment or even technical and scientific writing. |
July 3, 2008
My hope is no longer audacious
by Siegfried Lemelson, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I expect nothing and hope for nothing from [Obama] or the other politicians. They've doomed the U.S. as a whole. Now it is time for individuals to tune out the nonsense and take care of their own personal business in a way that corresponds to the real Reality - and the first step is to find The Truth, discarding The Lies. |
July 2, 2008
Visualize high-altitude nuclear explosions
by Herb Ruhs, MD, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: Many horrendous effects would ensue, for sure. But compared to the relentlessly approaching doom from the effects of a runaway industrial culture, climate catastrophe, general famine, resource wars, and what have you, the consequences would be relatively mild, and populations of humans would be allowed to survive on sustainable terms. |
July 1, 2008
Woke up in opposite world again
by MonkeyMan, Unknown News| |
Excerpt: I don't understand why I have to call and register my phone number with a national "no call" registry. I don't want someone, to whom I didn't give my number, to call me. Simple. |
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