This book and the interview below alone demonstrate just how insane civilization is. I really urge you to take the time to watch and think on this.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Police are the 99 Percent?
Democracy Now! today was about the weekend Occupy the World protests. Lots of interesting voices that you're unlikely to hear on the lamesteam media (to quote the Tea Party).
The most amazing scene, captured on video (you can see it on the video above), was a woman going to her [sic] bank to withdraw all her [sic] money. A plainclothes cop confronted her at the front door and she said that she was going into her [sic] bank. She had her bankcard out. She showed it to him, she was well dressed even, not some dirty hippy as if that's an excuse. The cop grabbed her and a pile of other cops jumped in.
Amazingly, and the cops obviously don't understand the importance of pretending to be impartial, they hauled her into the bank branch to arrest her.
Banks and cops together at last! Oh wait, they've always been together, since the dawn of civilization.
The most amazing scene, captured on video (you can see it on the video above), was a woman going to her [sic] bank to withdraw all her [sic] money. A plainclothes cop confronted her at the front door and she said that she was going into her [sic] bank. She had her bankcard out. She showed it to him, she was well dressed even, not some dirty hippy as if that's an excuse. The cop grabbed her and a pile of other cops jumped in.
Amazingly, and the cops obviously don't understand the importance of pretending to be impartial, they hauled her into the bank branch to arrest her.
Banks and cops together at last! Oh wait, they've always been together, since the dawn of civilization.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Get Away
Since moving here most of my friends are baby boomers. It's just a fact of life in the youth-depleted countryside. I'm not complaining (you can learn a lot from your elders) but it does offer some new perspectives.
I was at a party tonight and chatting with some of the people there I learned that a good number of them are leaving for a number of months this winter.
One lady told me she is going to Thailand to soak up the sun (I would assume). I guess that she gets CPP and other pensions directly deposited into her account. CPP goes a long way in Thailand.
Earlier this year we had an older, boomer wwoofer visit. She was so lovely and helpful. She no longer spends winters in North America. India is her second home.
Another couple I know is heading to either Thailand or Taiwan to escape winter. They haven't decided which yet.
Yet another boomer friend leaves for Florida each and every winter. I think she has been going down for years now. She was a teacher so she must have a fat pension.
My partner's parents go to Mexico for the winter. They have a lovely casa there and can sit back and enjoy the margaritas. I guess Mexico is a little closer than south-east Asia. Oh yeah they are going to Mexico after a family Christmas but first in November they are checking the Galapagos Islands off their life checklist. Next up Antarctica!
Imagine all the other boomers flying about here and there who I haven't met yet. Or maybe they are just one year away from retirement and then it's Brazil or maybe Hawaii instead of winter.
The lady heading to Thailand reminded me that Thailand is experiencing some massive flooding. Unprecedented really. It's a national emergency. Presumably these floods are related in some way to climate change. And climate change is related to air travel. But regardless she said that when she arrives she'll stay in the airport and fly north beyond the flood waters.
Nice to be able to get away.
I was at a party tonight and chatting with some of the people there I learned that a good number of them are leaving for a number of months this winter.
One lady told me she is going to Thailand to soak up the sun (I would assume). I guess that she gets CPP and other pensions directly deposited into her account. CPP goes a long way in Thailand.
Earlier this year we had an older, boomer wwoofer visit. She was so lovely and helpful. She no longer spends winters in North America. India is her second home.
Another couple I know is heading to either Thailand or Taiwan to escape winter. They haven't decided which yet.
Yet another boomer friend leaves for Florida each and every winter. I think she has been going down for years now. She was a teacher so she must have a fat pension.
My partner's parents go to Mexico for the winter. They have a lovely casa there and can sit back and enjoy the margaritas. I guess Mexico is a little closer than south-east Asia. Oh yeah they are going to Mexico after a family Christmas but first in November they are checking the Galapagos Islands off their life checklist. Next up Antarctica!
Imagine all the other boomers flying about here and there who I haven't met yet. Or maybe they are just one year away from retirement and then it's Brazil or maybe Hawaii instead of winter.
The lady heading to Thailand reminded me that Thailand is experiencing some massive flooding. Unprecedented really. It's a national emergency. Presumably these floods are related in some way to climate change. And climate change is related to air travel. But regardless she said that when she arrives she'll stay in the airport and fly north beyond the flood waters.
Nice to be able to get away.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Kids are Alright
Wow, check out this amazing article about the student protesters in Chile. They are amazing. What organization! No shit, no surrender, no capitulation. Canadians could learn a lot from these guys and gals. And the students in the article are only 15. Bring it on!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
QE to Infinity
Is it just me or does quantitative easing (QE) make little sense? I mean I can understand stimulating the death economy if that's your thing. But aren't plans like quantitative easing and direct bailouts merely further lining the pockets of the rich?
In the UK today they announced QE of 75 billion pounds. The idea as far as I can tell is to pump imaginary money into the death economy which will encourage the banks to start lending again. But is there any incentive for them to do so? Why don't they just take the money on offer and lend it to blue chippers (like oil and gas companies who are such a 'good' bet and put the death in death economy) or just sit on the cash and collect the interest?
That same interest and those profits then get channeled to their shareholders also known as the super rich.
To most of us plebs, this is exactly what is going on. Governments, in our name, are printing money to enrich the super rich. And then they cut services for all of us because they can't afford them. But don't worry! Some private company will offer those services back to you. You'll just have to pay this time. Maybe you'll need a loan.
It's nice to see people occupying Wall Street and making a stink. Some of them are even calling for a revolution. But it feels more like a party than a serious revolution. Lots of hacky sacks and beans. We need some tactics.
In the UK today they announced QE of 75 billion pounds. The idea as far as I can tell is to pump imaginary money into the death economy which will encourage the banks to start lending again. But is there any incentive for them to do so? Why don't they just take the money on offer and lend it to blue chippers (like oil and gas companies who are such a 'good' bet and put the death in death economy) or just sit on the cash and collect the interest?
That same interest and those profits then get channeled to their shareholders also known as the super rich.
To most of us plebs, this is exactly what is going on. Governments, in our name, are printing money to enrich the super rich. And then they cut services for all of us because they can't afford them. But don't worry! Some private company will offer those services back to you. You'll just have to pay this time. Maybe you'll need a loan.
It's nice to see people occupying Wall Street and making a stink. Some of them are even calling for a revolution. But it feels more like a party than a serious revolution. Lots of hacky sacks and beans. We need some tactics.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Finally
In the Prophet's (peace be upon him) time this journey would have taken weeks. But for me and my brothers the journey would take mere hours. But the dangers remain the same. Islam has always had many enemies. These days you can't even see your enemy coming.
We had a meeting with a sheikh in Ma'rib City. A courtesy visit and a chance to bring him the latest copy of Inspire. He would need a translator, if he even cared to read it.
--
It's a 40 mile drive from my house in a suburb of Santa Fe to the base. I work the night shift, eight hours from midnight to daybreak. The wife and kids don't mind. We would have just been sleeping anyway.
And even if it's dark here, halfway around the world, where I actually work, the sun is shining. Not a lot of places to hide. Point and click.
--
Along the way, we stopped for breakfast and to stretch our legs. Unlike some other places I have lived, here any house will welcome you in. Here we are all related. The poorest man can trace his blood even to dictators. But the dictator and his soldiers aren't very popular here.
While his wife prepared the meal, our host spoke of the growing rebellion in Sa'naa and truly across Yemen.
"Tens of thousands are in the street," he said. "The young men have stood up."
"And let's not forget the sisters also in the street," I reminded him. I heard his wife chuckle. "First the dictators must go and then their masters in America. Inshallah we will see it through to the end."
My hotter brothers started to speak of what they would do to Saleh and his family if they only had the chance. I hushed them as the man's wife brought in the food. Words must be clear and appropriate for each situation.
Rice and curried goat. This was my second breakfast of the day. A good start.
--
I sat down with my second breakfast of the night. The good thing about this post is that the usual rules are more slack. We can eat at our desks, if we get results. Some guys think too much and don't last long here. They never get coffee and donuts and are moved out. Me? I get results. So my CO doesn't mind that I'm not in top shape. Brains over brawn he always tells me.
I'm not interested in sweating my sack off in the desert thousands of miles from home. I'll take air conditioning, a big screen and watching the Super Bowl at the right time.
The CO came up to me as I finished the first donut and had a look at my file.
"Big day today corporal," he beamed. Beaming means someone's about to die; if he's grumpy it's just more surveillance. "The order's come down from the top. The VIP we've been tracking, Desert Dog. You've got the assignment. You up to it?"
"Sir, yes sir", I turned to my screens. You've still got to have some kind of chain of command, some kind of order. I wiped some chocolate sauce on my pants and got down to it.
--
We left the house after some hot tea. I thanked the man for his hospitality and complimented him on his wife's cooking. He had made our long journey all the more pleasant.
We had parked our vehicle away from his house some distance. For one thing, we needed the walk. Secondly vehicles have a tendency to spontaneously explode in this part of the world. One learns to look up, especially if one has a name. Our host knew mine, I'm sure. But he never let on.
--
"Got him," I reported. By now the whole room felt like it was crowding in around me. So much for air conditioning. "He's exited the building and is crossing the yard to the vehicles. Two others with him, bodyguard I suppose."
I switched to the drone screen and cast a glance to my left. Douglas had another drone in the air, backup in case something went wrong. Drones rarely fail but it's good to cover your bases. This target was clearly high profile. Not bin Laden high profile but someone clearly wanted to shut him up and evaporate all evidence that he had ever lived. We each have a file on our targets but honestly I don't need to know. What's the point? I don't decide who lives and dies.
"You are authorized to use deadly force corporal." I looked up to see the General staring at my screen. Big fish indeed.
Maybe I'll get a promotion for this one. With our mortgage and all the fees, heck even the price of gas, we could use the extra income.
Focus.
--
I got the rest of the day off. Not quite the promotion I was gunning for. Maybe a few more kills will do it.
I told my wife a very bad man had a very bad day. She doesn't really like what I do. But my job is to protect Americans. And I sleep soundly every single day.
We had a meeting with a sheikh in Ma'rib City. A courtesy visit and a chance to bring him the latest copy of Inspire. He would need a translator, if he even cared to read it.
--
It's a 40 mile drive from my house in a suburb of Santa Fe to the base. I work the night shift, eight hours from midnight to daybreak. The wife and kids don't mind. We would have just been sleeping anyway.
And even if it's dark here, halfway around the world, where I actually work, the sun is shining. Not a lot of places to hide. Point and click.
--
Along the way, we stopped for breakfast and to stretch our legs. Unlike some other places I have lived, here any house will welcome you in. Here we are all related. The poorest man can trace his blood even to dictators. But the dictator and his soldiers aren't very popular here.
While his wife prepared the meal, our host spoke of the growing rebellion in Sa'naa and truly across Yemen.
"Tens of thousands are in the street," he said. "The young men have stood up."
"And let's not forget the sisters also in the street," I reminded him. I heard his wife chuckle. "First the dictators must go and then their masters in America. Inshallah we will see it through to the end."
My hotter brothers started to speak of what they would do to Saleh and his family if they only had the chance. I hushed them as the man's wife brought in the food. Words must be clear and appropriate for each situation.
Rice and curried goat. This was my second breakfast of the day. A good start.
--
I sat down with my second breakfast of the night. The good thing about this post is that the usual rules are more slack. We can eat at our desks, if we get results. Some guys think too much and don't last long here. They never get coffee and donuts and are moved out. Me? I get results. So my CO doesn't mind that I'm not in top shape. Brains over brawn he always tells me.
I'm not interested in sweating my sack off in the desert thousands of miles from home. I'll take air conditioning, a big screen and watching the Super Bowl at the right time.
The CO came up to me as I finished the first donut and had a look at my file.
"Big day today corporal," he beamed. Beaming means someone's about to die; if he's grumpy it's just more surveillance. "The order's come down from the top. The VIP we've been tracking, Desert Dog. You've got the assignment. You up to it?"
"Sir, yes sir", I turned to my screens. You've still got to have some kind of chain of command, some kind of order. I wiped some chocolate sauce on my pants and got down to it.
--
We left the house after some hot tea. I thanked the man for his hospitality and complimented him on his wife's cooking. He had made our long journey all the more pleasant.
We had parked our vehicle away from his house some distance. For one thing, we needed the walk. Secondly vehicles have a tendency to spontaneously explode in this part of the world. One learns to look up, especially if one has a name. Our host knew mine, I'm sure. But he never let on.
--
"Got him," I reported. By now the whole room felt like it was crowding in around me. So much for air conditioning. "He's exited the building and is crossing the yard to the vehicles. Two others with him, bodyguard I suppose."
I switched to the drone screen and cast a glance to my left. Douglas had another drone in the air, backup in case something went wrong. Drones rarely fail but it's good to cover your bases. This target was clearly high profile. Not bin Laden high profile but someone clearly wanted to shut him up and evaporate all evidence that he had ever lived. We each have a file on our targets but honestly I don't need to know. What's the point? I don't decide who lives and dies.
"You are authorized to use deadly force corporal." I looked up to see the General staring at my screen. Big fish indeed.
Maybe I'll get a promotion for this one. With our mortgage and all the fees, heck even the price of gas, we could use the extra income.
Focus.
--
I got the rest of the day off. Not quite the promotion I was gunning for. Maybe a few more kills will do it.
I told my wife a very bad man had a very bad day. She doesn't really like what I do. But my job is to protect Americans. And I sleep soundly every single day.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
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