From Nothing is off the Table:
The end of Free-Market Fundamentalism
American News Project
This is another post I have stolen. I found it while visiting Vigilante at The Vigil. It was in his comments thread that I read this post imbedded in a comment left by Nothing Is Off The Table. It's a must watch bit of video.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Flagellation
Oh dear, I'm must punish myself again. Impulsiveness is a problem, and should be curbed. I'd don't want to be seen or thought of as the John McCain of bloggers. I'd like to be smarter than John, which isn't saying much. Talk about lowering the bar. Maybe it's my age and underlying mental illness, but I just blurt out the damnedest things sometime.
Of all the weapons in my arsenal, I am probably best with a gun. Yes Sarah, I can shoot a gun quite well, and I'm accurate. But a gun isn't a weapon to punish yourself with, it's a way to end it all, and I'm too interested in the outcome of the presidential campaigns, for that. I can fence. I still have my custom made foil, and I sharpen the edges of the blade, hoping to wear away the bead of steel at the tip so it could really be used as a weapon of self-defense. But it would be damn hard to do more than scratch and scrape my legs and feet since I am too close to myself to do much harm. I have my strait edge razor, but I don't really want to bleed out, that's not the point of self-punishment. The point of self-punishment is to hurt yourself, not kill yourself.
Jesus everyone knows that.
When I was a kid we had every kind of weapon to play with. Guns, knives, and whips, mainly. If I had looked a bit I probably could have found the poisons. I had no use for poisons. Or at least not the imagination. However, I did love the guns, knives and whips. It never occurred to me to use the guns, knives or whips on myself. And in mastering the use of these weapons, I didn't really think of them as weapons to use on a person, especially not on my person. But along with the target practice of shooting cans and bottles, I threw a switchblade at trees, loving the thunk sound and the quivering of the handle when the point was firmly sunk in the bark. I'm not proud of hurting trees, but I didn't really think of trees as having feelings back then.
Now let's move on to the whips. Why did we have whips? I have no idea. I never saw a whip used on anyone, except in the Westerns my dad and I went to on winter afternoons after school. But I did still want to master the use of the whip, even if, in my young life there was little likelihood I would be asked to keep the cattle moving on a long winter round-up. But just in case, I thought it would be good to be able, on a long cattle drive to send the long tail of the bullwhip to crack just above their heads. So I practiced, and got pretty good. The arm action that worked best for me was to give my arm almost the same motion as throwing a rock or a baseball. It was an overhand or sidewise action with a snap of the wrist that seemed to travel down the length of the braided whip and end in a loud crack sound, like a small boom. A crack a boom a snap. And you can't use a bullwhip on yourself--it's too long. What you need for flagellation is a cat-o-nine-tails or a quirt. Now I have used a quirt. And any Ag store worth it's name would have a nice selection of quirts, mainly used in horse training, dog training, and the like--moving livestock is its intended use. I was a horse rider from my earliest memory and some farmers insist that knowing how to use a quirt is as necessary to riding as spurs. I don't agree about either the quirt or the spurs, (I've used both) but as a kid, what did I know? I just wanted to ride. So I used the damn quirt, mostly held in the right hand, the hand not holding the reigns, and I wore the damn spurs, but never used them the way intended. I thought they were cruel and I was a better rider than that. But my impulsiveness as a woman who blurts out whatever is in her mind, often at inappropriate moments, and often in writing is making me want to punish myself. Maybe I need to make a trip to the Ag store and get me a quirt to remind myself that there will be consequences for future screamed on the page brain farts. Cause who needs to read that. It's just embarrassing.
I know writers who crumple the page and throw it away or delete it. I've done that. But sometimes I like to look back at how damn dumb I have been. It's instructive to have your humiliation out there. Reminds you what you don't want to do in the future. And in the end allows me to forego the trip to the Ag store.
Of all the weapons in my arsenal, I am probably best with a gun. Yes Sarah, I can shoot a gun quite well, and I'm accurate. But a gun isn't a weapon to punish yourself with, it's a way to end it all, and I'm too interested in the outcome of the presidential campaigns, for that. I can fence. I still have my custom made foil, and I sharpen the edges of the blade, hoping to wear away the bead of steel at the tip so it could really be used as a weapon of self-defense. But it would be damn hard to do more than scratch and scrape my legs and feet since I am too close to myself to do much harm. I have my strait edge razor, but I don't really want to bleed out, that's not the point of self-punishment. The point of self-punishment is to hurt yourself, not kill yourself.
Jesus everyone knows that.
When I was a kid we had every kind of weapon to play with. Guns, knives, and whips, mainly. If I had looked a bit I probably could have found the poisons. I had no use for poisons. Or at least not the imagination. However, I did love the guns, knives and whips. It never occurred to me to use the guns, knives or whips on myself. And in mastering the use of these weapons, I didn't really think of them as weapons to use on a person, especially not on my person. But along with the target practice of shooting cans and bottles, I threw a switchblade at trees, loving the thunk sound and the quivering of the handle when the point was firmly sunk in the bark. I'm not proud of hurting trees, but I didn't really think of trees as having feelings back then.
Now let's move on to the whips. Why did we have whips? I have no idea. I never saw a whip used on anyone, except in the Westerns my dad and I went to on winter afternoons after school. But I did still want to master the use of the whip, even if, in my young life there was little likelihood I would be asked to keep the cattle moving on a long winter round-up. But just in case, I thought it would be good to be able, on a long cattle drive to send the long tail of the bullwhip to crack just above their heads. So I practiced, and got pretty good. The arm action that worked best for me was to give my arm almost the same motion as throwing a rock or a baseball. It was an overhand or sidewise action with a snap of the wrist that seemed to travel down the length of the braided whip and end in a loud crack sound, like a small boom. A crack a boom a snap. And you can't use a bullwhip on yourself--it's too long. What you need for flagellation is a cat-o-nine-tails or a quirt. Now I have used a quirt. And any Ag store worth it's name would have a nice selection of quirts, mainly used in horse training, dog training, and the like--moving livestock is its intended use. I was a horse rider from my earliest memory and some farmers insist that knowing how to use a quirt is as necessary to riding as spurs. I don't agree about either the quirt or the spurs, (I've used both) but as a kid, what did I know? I just wanted to ride. So I used the damn quirt, mostly held in the right hand, the hand not holding the reigns, and I wore the damn spurs, but never used them the way intended. I thought they were cruel and I was a better rider than that. But my impulsiveness as a woman who blurts out whatever is in her mind, often at inappropriate moments, and often in writing is making me want to punish myself. Maybe I need to make a trip to the Ag store and get me a quirt to remind myself that there will be consequences for future screamed on the page brain farts. Cause who needs to read that. It's just embarrassing.
I know writers who crumple the page and throw it away or delete it. I've done that. But sometimes I like to look back at how damn dumb I have been. It's instructive to have your humiliation out there. Reminds you what you don't want to do in the future. And in the end allows me to forego the trip to the Ag store.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tengrain, Tengrain, Come Out Wherever You are.
I have been following Tengrain's funny, smart comments all around the blogosphere. Town sounds better. But hell, let's be honest, I troll the ether looking for Tengrain. I have blog rolled Tengrain, but just when I think I am there, no luck. What the hell? So, please, please won't someone please drop Tengrain's http:// thingy in my lap again? I bet UC's got it. I find Tengrain at Johnstown, but when I try to follow him/her home(I'm not fussy) it turns out to be a snipe hunt. Once I actually located Tengrain. I had the best laugh of the previous week or so. I read post after post and split a gut. I'm worried laughter is a little like the orgasm, always too rare, but never a bad thing. But that the use it or lose it adage applies. Tengrain left me a sweet, sly little comment today, but left it unlinked, so I could not follow Tengrain home. WTF? Why so mysterious? Maybe we're soul mates. Come on...
PS, I found Tengrain, obviously. But Tengrain has no use for me. I'm going to take to my bed now in abject embarrassment. Oh, I know I could delete this post, but I think the occasional humiliation is cleansing for the soul. Like a little flagellation.
PS, I found Tengrain, obviously. But Tengrain has no use for me. I'm going to take to my bed now in abject embarrassment. Oh, I know I could delete this post, but I think the occasional humiliation is cleansing for the soul. Like a little flagellation.
By the Circuitous Route of Dr. Zias to CrooksandLiars and Now Stolen By Me. So Sue Me
The Pelosi speech that made Republicans vote to defeat a bailout called for by their President and Minority Leadership, the Chairman of the Treasury, and other luminaries in the wold of economics. Inflammatory if you know she's right. To the rest of us it just sounds like the truth
A Little Health Update
I have been thoroughly examined, prodded and poked, and though I have several heart related issues, I am not in urgent need of any surgeries or more testing. My sleep apnea situation if marginal, not acute. The hole in the heart could be repaired, but research shows that it's a less than fifty percent success rate. It's something to be watched, checked now and then, but not absolutely necessary that it be repaired. My heart rhythm problem has, for the most part, been controlled with drugs, so why risk surgery when medication can control the problem of atrial fibrillation. So I will stay on the blood thinner and other heart related medications. I notice no particularly noxious side-effects (other than the bruising). And I am relieved that I don't have to go spend a night in the sleep clinic or wear a martian mask to sleep. So, all is well enough, and I have had a pretty thorough going over.
I seem to be back to "normal" as far as my bipolar disorder is concerned. Nicely balanced. Not too happy, not too sad. And all this expensive work-up may save me from serious problems down the road. I will continue to bruise, but I have never heard of death by bruising.
Why am I telling you all of this when the sky is falling? Because I am relieved to have all the questions settled for now. No more worry. Time to concentrate on the important stuff. Like THE SKY IS FALLING!
I seem to be back to "normal" as far as my bipolar disorder is concerned. Nicely balanced. Not too happy, not too sad. And all this expensive work-up may save me from serious problems down the road. I will continue to bruise, but I have never heard of death by bruising.
Why am I telling you all of this when the sky is falling? Because I am relieved to have all the questions settled for now. No more worry. Time to concentrate on the important stuff. Like THE SKY IS FALLING!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Song as Metaphor
I keep hearing this song in my head as I watch the stock market plunge.
Mr. President, Have Pity On The Working Man.
Mr. President, Have Pity On The Working Man.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Shock Doctrine
The Stationagent has posted this piece on John Amato's interview of Naomi Klein. It is the best and most in depth interview I've seen with her on her book, The Shock Doctrine. It's almost an hour long interview. But it is so compelling you will not be able to turn away. Please listen carefully, and pass it on. You will never be able to say you didn't know the dangers of unfettered, unregulated capitalism again. I'm a big a fan of the two Naomis--Klein and Wolf.
Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine
Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Just Because I Watched Chris Rock's New Show Tonight
I was trying to find a clip of Chris Rock's interview on on Bill Maher last night. I missed the show watching crappy post debate "news" coverage. When I realized what I'd missed I was pissed. I've been trying to get it on On Demand today, but they won't let us see it until tomorrow. Somehow Dcup has a clip from the show. After I watched her clip on New Rules which is hilarious, I started looking at the Chris Rock segment from Dcup's clip. How did you get that? Anyway I went to the You Tube to find me some. But no, not for me. What I did stumble across was this bit from a Late Night segment. I had to be fairly recently, since Bill Clinton was on first and was talking about John McCain, patriot, and that other guy.
Rachel Maddow on the Economic Meltdown
Rachel Maddow is a favorite of a lot of us female bloggers. Several of us have expressed having a girl-crush on her. Here is the new star of MSNBC with my favorite comedian/social satirist, Bill Maher.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Abraham J Simpson for President
I have been having a conversation with a dear friend who is worried that McCain won. He is sure that the Headline on USA Today and Newsweek will give McCain a resounding win. He thinks John looked wise and strong. His is worried that McCain looked disdainful of Obama and that the sound bite for the debate will be John's line about Barack's inexperience and naiveté.
I think he may be right about USA Today, but who reads USA Today as a serious news source? If that is your main news source, you probably think Obama is a smarty-pants at best and uppity at worst and never would have voted for him anyway. If USA Today is a newsmag you read on your way to a plane, you are probably reading it like I read People in my dentist's office--because it's what's there. But given a choice, I would rather read The Nation, or Vanity Fair. There is a portion of the population that will not vote for Barack Obama. Period. No way. No matter what. But I do not believe at this particular point in our history that it is a majority. I think Republicans are not impressed with McCain's performance of the past several weeks. We are getting peeks at his Veep, and she scares and repulses most of us. Oh, I know there are men and women all over this land who want someone to win who is as ill informed and ignorant as they. I know plenty of these people. I had an unfortunate conversation with one of them today, at the pharmacy. She is old, she is white, she is Mormon, and I would bet money she thinks she is better than Barack because she is white. Just that. Anyone who thinks racism is dead is full of shit. It was not very long ago that "people of color" were not allowed to hold "the priesthood" (low level hierarchical male authority) in the Mormon church. It was beginning to be an embarrassment internationally, since The Church, as it is known in Utah, sends missionaries all over the world. It proselytizes ferociously. And if you come from a country in Africa, Utah is one of the very few states that will take all applicants for immigration. It took a "revelation from God" to change The Church's policy on black men holding the priesthood in Mormonism. Mormons love Sarah Palin. She sounds exactly like a Mormon woman. Mormons like and are comfortable with white male authority. Mormons like their patriarchs--old white men who talk in platitudes. John and Sarah are the perfect Mormon couple.
All the early polls seem to give Obama a win. But still Chris Matthews and my friend think the Strongman who never looks at his opponent wins. I think Obama missed many opportunities to point out McCain's recent erratic behavior and his past involvement in a very serious banking meltdown. We need to be reminded over and over about The Keating Five. It was our last big financial meltdown of a scandalous nature, and McCain was at the center of it. Barack missed the opportunity to piss McCain off, and let us all watch the meltdown. I am looking forward to that event. McCain keeps reminding us that he is not "Miss Congeniality." Well, he certainly showed that side of his personality. He was hunched over, snarling, nasty. His unwillingness to look at Obama makes him seem surly and thuggish. That will have it's appeal to a lot of folks. But would those people vote for Barack under any circumstance? If you like bullies, vote for McCain. If you like hotheads, vote for McCain. If you like scare tactics and bluster, McCain's your guy.
Jim Lehrer tried to structure this debate so that the opponents could address and question each other. Twice he asked that they do so. Barack was courteous enough to comply with his host moderator's request. McCain did not look at Obama once. To me, this made McCain seem surly, snarling, rude, dismissive. I want less bombast and incivility. I have just lived through the Bush years. I have never known a time of less civility in civic life unless it was the Nixon years, but history will certainly look more favorably on Nixon than Bush. It already does.
McCain is a war monger--bellicose and blustering. He wants us to be afraid, be very, very afraid. It is a dangerous world. "And I can win. I know how to do that. Aarrrrggg." Oh yeah old man? When? Where? What war? What serious world leader addresses the public and jokes about bombing another nation, while knowingly being filmed. I do remember St. Reagan making such a remark about The Soviet Union when he thought his mic was cold. The mic was open and it was very embarrassing. McCain's "bomb Iran" gaff, the infamous "Barbara Ann" imitation was loathsome and bears reviewing. This man is not Presidential material.
In the next Presidential debate, I want to see Obama throw a rhetorical punch that really lands, staggers the old man, and smile while he's throwing it.
But I'm giddy in anticipation of the next debate. Oddly it was Olbermann's interview with Joe Biden that was the best TV of the evening.
I think he may be right about USA Today, but who reads USA Today as a serious news source? If that is your main news source, you probably think Obama is a smarty-pants at best and uppity at worst and never would have voted for him anyway. If USA Today is a newsmag you read on your way to a plane, you are probably reading it like I read People in my dentist's office--because it's what's there. But given a choice, I would rather read The Nation, or Vanity Fair. There is a portion of the population that will not vote for Barack Obama. Period. No way. No matter what. But I do not believe at this particular point in our history that it is a majority. I think Republicans are not impressed with McCain's performance of the past several weeks. We are getting peeks at his Veep, and she scares and repulses most of us. Oh, I know there are men and women all over this land who want someone to win who is as ill informed and ignorant as they. I know plenty of these people. I had an unfortunate conversation with one of them today, at the pharmacy. She is old, she is white, she is Mormon, and I would bet money she thinks she is better than Barack because she is white. Just that. Anyone who thinks racism is dead is full of shit. It was not very long ago that "people of color" were not allowed to hold "the priesthood" (low level hierarchical male authority) in the Mormon church. It was beginning to be an embarrassment internationally, since The Church, as it is known in Utah, sends missionaries all over the world. It proselytizes ferociously. And if you come from a country in Africa, Utah is one of the very few states that will take all applicants for immigration. It took a "revelation from God" to change The Church's policy on black men holding the priesthood in Mormonism. Mormons love Sarah Palin. She sounds exactly like a Mormon woman. Mormons like and are comfortable with white male authority. Mormons like their patriarchs--old white men who talk in platitudes. John and Sarah are the perfect Mormon couple.
All the early polls seem to give Obama a win. But still Chris Matthews and my friend think the Strongman who never looks at his opponent wins. I think Obama missed many opportunities to point out McCain's recent erratic behavior and his past involvement in a very serious banking meltdown. We need to be reminded over and over about The Keating Five. It was our last big financial meltdown of a scandalous nature, and McCain was at the center of it. Barack missed the opportunity to piss McCain off, and let us all watch the meltdown. I am looking forward to that event. McCain keeps reminding us that he is not "Miss Congeniality." Well, he certainly showed that side of his personality. He was hunched over, snarling, nasty. His unwillingness to look at Obama makes him seem surly and thuggish. That will have it's appeal to a lot of folks. But would those people vote for Barack under any circumstance? If you like bullies, vote for McCain. If you like hotheads, vote for McCain. If you like scare tactics and bluster, McCain's your guy.
Jim Lehrer tried to structure this debate so that the opponents could address and question each other. Twice he asked that they do so. Barack was courteous enough to comply with his host moderator's request. McCain did not look at Obama once. To me, this made McCain seem surly, snarling, rude, dismissive. I want less bombast and incivility. I have just lived through the Bush years. I have never known a time of less civility in civic life unless it was the Nixon years, but history will certainly look more favorably on Nixon than Bush. It already does.
McCain is a war monger--bellicose and blustering. He wants us to be afraid, be very, very afraid. It is a dangerous world. "And I can win. I know how to do that. Aarrrrggg." Oh yeah old man? When? Where? What war? What serious world leader addresses the public and jokes about bombing another nation, while knowingly being filmed. I do remember St. Reagan making such a remark about The Soviet Union when he thought his mic was cold. The mic was open and it was very embarrassing. McCain's "bomb Iran" gaff, the infamous "Barbara Ann" imitation was loathsome and bears reviewing. This man is not Presidential material.
In the next Presidential debate, I want to see Obama throw a rhetorical punch that really lands, staggers the old man, and smile while he's throwing it.
But I'm giddy in anticipation of the next debate. Oddly it was Olbermann's interview with Joe Biden that was the best TV of the evening.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Remember the Keating Five!!!
I'm in the tank for Rachel Maddow and this really made her especially special for me.
Anyone notice how old McCain looked back then in the olden days? Just saying. I think John's had some work done, if you know what I mean. I bet Cindy flew him to Brazil to see her plastic surgeon.
Anyone notice how old McCain looked back then in the olden days? Just saying. I think John's had some work done, if you know what I mean. I bet Cindy flew him to Brazil to see her plastic surgeon.
Boom! Down Goes WaMu!
We finally get to see the dreaded bugaboo of the Republicans--The Domino Theory. Only they more than likely never thought of it in just this way. Well here's your laissez faire capitalism, your free market, and your deregulation gets you jack. And down goes WaMu to be plucked from the trading floor a worthless husk, a name only, one of many dominos.
Washington Mutual to Sell Deposits to JPMorgan
SEPTEMBER 25, 2008, 7:11 PM
Link to This
E-mail This
TOPICSMergers & Acquisitions INDUSTRIESFinancial Services
The federal government has arranged for Washington Mutual to sell its
deposits and some branches to JPMorgan Chase, people briefed on the
matter said Thursday night.
The deal does not include any branches in New York City.
Washington Mutual has seen its stock slide nearly 88 percent this year.
The firm recently hired Goldman Sachs to solicit potential buyers, and
the list has included the likes of Citigroup, Wells Fargo, HSBC and
Banco Santander.
While Washington Mutual argued that it has adequate capital, it has
suffered debilitating downgrades of its credit rating over the past
two weeks, endangering its financial health.
The talks have continued amid heightened concern about all financial
companies and an intense political battle over creation of a giant
bailout fund on Capitol Hill. Washington Mutual plunged into the
subprime mortgage and credit card business over the last few years,
and has been ravaged by the worsening housing crisis. Analysts suggest
that it could rack up losses totaling $30 billion or more.
Washingon Mutual had struggled to find a partner earlier this year
willing to inject fresh funds in its ailing business. This spring, it
balked at an offer from JPMorgan Chase to buy the entire company.
Instead, TPG, the big private equity firm, led a group of investors
that made a $5 billion capital injection in April.
–Andrew Ross Sorkin, Eric Dash and Michael J. de la Merced
Washington Mutual to Sell Deposits to JPMorgan
SEPTEMBER 25, 2008, 7:11 PM
Link to This
E-mail This
TOPICSMergers & Acquisitions INDUSTRIESFinancial Services
The federal government has arranged for Washington Mutual to sell its
deposits and some branches to JPMorgan Chase, people briefed on the
matter said Thursday night.
The deal does not include any branches in New York City.
Washington Mutual has seen its stock slide nearly 88 percent this year.
The firm recently hired Goldman Sachs to solicit potential buyers, and
the list has included the likes of Citigroup, Wells Fargo, HSBC and
Banco Santander.
While Washington Mutual argued that it has adequate capital, it has
suffered debilitating downgrades of its credit rating over the past
two weeks, endangering its financial health.
The talks have continued amid heightened concern about all financial
companies and an intense political battle over creation of a giant
bailout fund on Capitol Hill. Washington Mutual plunged into the
subprime mortgage and credit card business over the last few years,
and has been ravaged by the worsening housing crisis. Analysts suggest
that it could rack up losses totaling $30 billion or more.
Washingon Mutual had struggled to find a partner earlier this year
willing to inject fresh funds in its ailing business. This spring, it
balked at an offer from JPMorgan Chase to buy the entire company.
Instead, TPG, the big private equity firm, led a group of investors
that made a $5 billion capital injection in April.
–Andrew Ross Sorkin, Eric Dash and Michael J. de la Merced
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Music as Tension Reliever
And now, once again, from the Leningrad Cowboys, via a hot steal from Unconventional Conventionist the other day when I was trolling for things to lug home to my place, we now bring you, Smoke on the Water. I chose this song because so much smoke is getting blown up our collective asses by John (I'm not ready to debate) McCain, and George (I was never ready to lead) Bush. And in contrast to all this smoke blowing we have the calm, cool, elegant Barack (I am ready to lead and debate and look good doing it all) Obama.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bush Plan To Bail Out Wall Street
Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke want the largest financial bailout in our nation's history with no oversight and no accountability. I have watched the Banking Committee hearings on CSpan today with growing fear and agitation. There were moments of reason and sanity, mainly from Dodd, Hagel, Schumer and Tester. Newcomer John Tester was a star in insisting that there be a benefit to the homeowner whose house has lost it's value through now fault of his own, the farmer, the main street small business owner, the small town rural citizens who have played by the rules and worked hard all their lives--they should not be forgotten as the stake holders in this debacle. I am paraphrasing, but Tester and the others expressed incredulity that we, the innocent victims of misleading sales pitches for refinancing our homes and small businesses are now being asked to pay for Wall Street's excesses and Bush administration's determined lack of regulation and oversight. Paulson and Bernanke are giving us five to ten days to fork over our futures and any hope we ever had for a better life for our children, without rules in place and no idea what we're buying, and whether we will ever see a return on our investment in Wall Street's glutonous, greedy, frenzy of bloated bonuses and Golden Parachutes--which sounds every bit as obscene as it, in fact, is. Just for starters they want a trillion dollars of our hard earned. And we get nothing in return, and if they run off to Argentina with the loot, too bad, sucker!
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