May 092012
 

By Tom Murphy, Do the Math

 

Some while back, I found myself sitting next to an accomplished economics professor at a dinner event. Shortly after pleasantries, I said to him, “economic growth cannot continue indefinitely,” just to see where things would go. It was a lively and informative conversation. I was somewhat alarmed by the disconnect between economic theory and physical constraints—not for the first time, but here it was up-close and personal. Though my memory is not keen enough to recount our conversation verbatim, I thought I would at least try to capture the key points and convey the essence of the tennis match—with some entertainment value thrown in. Continue reading »

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 Posted by at 6:30 pm
May 092012
 

“If You Want America to Fail…” (YouTube.com)

By Patrice Greanville

The United States has long been a highly manipulated nation, as it has one of the most class-conscious, well organized, ruling classes in the world (in contrast to the masses, who remain among the most benighted and politically confused in the world).  With trillions in assets, these plutocrats have innumerable tools at their disposal to brainwash the people around the clock–and they succeed.

The product of this horrendous chauvinist brainwash, besides laying waste to entire largely defenseless nations under false pretenses, a vile exercise in which the American mainstream media plays a critical enabling role, is an endless stream of policies supporting such wars and the gradual impoverishment of the ordinary citizen, these days a frontal assault on the American middle class, and their hard–won safety net, as more and more of the nation’s wealth is shoveled up–with impunity–not to the “1%” but to the 0.001%–where the real power lies.

Considering these rather self-evident facts, after a lifetime in America it continues to amaze me how many recalcitrant fools this country still has.  Here’s an example of transparent corporate propaganda fueled by the usual lies and distortions about the wonders of the free market, this time going so far as criminalizing environmentalism itself. Yet more than 2 million “liberty addicts” are there essentially saluting and cheering it on!

Under such circumstances can we escape a civil war in America? The right-wing mind cannot be reached as long as the system retains practically all the cards in the mass communications game. No one could have imagined in the 18th century that this nation would be literally poisoned by its “love of  freedom” –a value so twisted and cynically exploited today by precisely those who trample upon everything, starting with the lives and destiny of these fools, and, sweet irony, their freedoms.

But perhaps the unkindest cut is that many of these people are motivated by their hatred for Obama, who amply deserves scorn for his betrayals and hypocrisy, but these people–operating in an upside down reality system hate him for all the wrong reasons–thinking he’s a leftist, a revolutionary, a crusader for the people, the scourge of Wall Street, and so on. I wish that were true, for a change.

If you have a moment, go to YouTube and post a reaction

WARNING: Watching this packet of slick crap may make you puke. In fact I almost guarantee it.–PG
WATCH VIDEO BELOW Continue reading »

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 Posted by at 5:04 pm
May 092012
 

 

 

Saboteur

An interview with a domestic insurgent
“The real crazies are those who go along with this system and think they’re sane.”

From the book

RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War

By William T. Hathaway

I FIRST MET THE MAN WE’LL CALL TRUCKER in 1970 at a rally against the Vietnam War. Our demo was going to start on the Berkeley campus and continue with a march down Telegraph Avenue. This was shortly after the National Guard and police had murdered six demonstrators at Kent State and Jackson State, so the mood was extremely tense. The Berkeley city government had denied us a permit to march and called in police reinforcements from Oakland. The Oakland cops had a reputation for brutality (based on their treatment of the black population), and we were expecting an ugly and possibly violent confrontation. Out of fear, many people decided not to march, but others of us argued that marching was now more important than ever. We needed to defy the government’s attempts to scare us into silence. Continue reading »

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 Posted by at 1:15 pm