The Euro, Greece, theft etc.

Greg Palast has a lot to say about the Greek crisis and the Euro as a tool of theft:

http://www.gregpalast.com/euro-krieg-greece-surrenders-to-germany-2013-greek-radio-interviews-greg-palast/

Privatization rears its ugly head again.  Corporations gain control of a country's assets, pocket the profits, and leave the people to starve.

The Greek financial story we were never told ..

... but Greg Palast has the info:

http://www.gregpalast.com/lazy-ouzo-swilling-olive-pit-spitting-greeksor-how-goldman-sacked-greece/

Once again, the big banks/financial institutions prove that they care for nothing except their own bottom line, ... ... ... and they will break every law and ethical canon to get more profit regardless of who suffers from their profit-taking machinations.

Ain't capitalism grand, particularly when it gets to write and enforce the rules under which corporations operate?

Our governments are wasting their time and our money fighting terrorism!

Here's what has been accomplished in the 'terrorism' war recently:


http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-true-cost-of-the-war-on-terror/

All that seems to emerge is the fact that your death matters a lot more if it happens in a 'terrorist' incident, than if your messy death happens in a more mundane way (ie shot while being mugged, for instance).  Also 'terrorists' don't really kill all that many of us, while we seem to be collaterally killing a lot of 'them'

The real obscenity emerges when you consider what could have been accomplished if the money wasted on the 'terrorism' shenanigans (in excess of $2,000,000,000,000 since 9/11/2001) had been spent on something useful, eg:
       leprosy treatment
       malaria vaccinations
       safe drinking water provision
       alternate/renewable energy sources
       eliminating tax havens for corporations
       expanding medical care
       medical research
       education
       transit infrastructure
       etc., etc.,

All of these alternative uses of funds would have been of more benefit to the people of the world than the paltry results of the failed 'war on terror'.

But notice that the banks, corporations, mercenaries and Wall St. types would not have benefited as much as they have in the last 15 years.

There is a lesson to be learned in all of this ...

Some religious comedy

Here's a pretty good exposé of the hypocrisy related to the concept of marriage:


http://www.juancole.com/2015/06/biblical-marriage-between.html

The bible really is not where one should go looking for advice.

The Americam psyche ...

... is hard-wired to a war worldview.  Consider this article's insights:

http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/war-murder-and-the-american-way

It seems that the war propaganda and military-think are having some serious blowback effects upon the US population at home.  Who would'a thunk it?

Animals are dangerous when they realize they are dying ...

... So is the American empire.  Here a neat little summary of what is happening out there that you won't hear on the evening news:

http://www.lobelog.com/dangers-of-a-declining-global-power/

Canada needs to elect a government that will do more than cozy up to the belly of the dying beast.  Might even be time to distance ourselves from the soon-to-be corpse.

Welcome to Northern New York state ...

... police state, that is.

Watch this little video:

https://youtu.be/Cb8vOHExCYw

The 'officials' involved were US immigration agents, who are allowed to stop anyone they like within 100 miles of the border.  Can anyone discern what the suspicious 'crime' was that caused this stop?  Did it have anything to do with immigration?  Why did the 'officials' refuse to tell the detainee the reason for the stop?  Why was waiting beside her car such an affront to the 'official' that he had to taser the detainee?

From what I heard, the nervous behaviour of the detainee was the reason she was pulled over.  Who in their right mind would not be nervous when pulled over, given the way these 'officials' behaved toward their victim?

I'm sure that the citizens of East Germany, North Korea and hundreds of other despotic police states  fully understand the nervousness of citizens when faced with anyone in uniform.  I guess we North Americans will just have to learn how to deal with the rampaging mobs of  'officials' who are out there to protect us.

The measured effects of Free Trade agreements ...

 ... are not all that great for most of the people in the countries that have entered into them.  But - SURPRISE!! - the top 1% have made out like the bandits they are.  Here's and analysis to consider:

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/31244-don-t-believe-the-hype-about-the-benefits-of-free-trade

Corporations uber alles!

Crime pays, exhorbitantly and without penalty!

Read this little explanation of things:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2015/05/31/wall-street-costs-the-economy-2-of-gdp-each-year/

Money for nothing!  At least Dire Straits had to sing a few tunes to get their $.  Banks & Wall Street just steal straight from us and give nothing in return.

Who's a hero?

Here is an interesting argument regarding the ritual fawning over military folks that you see at the start of every NFL, NASCAR, NHL, NBA and most other public gatherings in North America:

http://blog.independent.org/2015/05/20/the-militarys-heroes-and-the-scourge-of-nationalism/

The statistic that astounded me was the death rates for fishermen and for loggers when compared to military types.  It seems we should be saying a prayer every time we walk on a hardwood floor or inhale a fish stick, if we do indeed wish to show respect for those who have died to allow us to maintain our way of life.

It just shows that the way you die determines your value to our society.  Splash your brains and guts across the interior of your car while on your way to the cottage, and nobody cares.  Do it while interfering in the affairs of a foreign country, and you are automatically a hero. 

It is a strange calculus that our culture has adopted.

Krugman on the TPP ...

... can be found here:

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/the-mis-selling-of-tpp/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body

Notice that the red herring put forth by the supporters of TPP always touts the low tariff BS, never the real problem, which is the surrender of sovereignty to corporate dispute panels.

Oh! Look! The US Gov't hasn't been truthful, ...

... for the nth time.

original.antiwar.com/justin/2015/05/12/bin-ladens-end-the-truth-comes-out/

Obscene ...

... is the only way to describe this practice:

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/05/08/patriotism-price-us-military-paid-nfl-teams-honor-soldiers-games

A frightening, but illuminating, insight into why things are deteriorating

In the game of life, it seems, we peasants are not even playing by the same rules as the rich.  In fact, we aren't even aware of the actual rules.  We're still operating on the myths from the post-WWII boom when prosperity became a expectation for the average Joe.


http://prospect.org/article/political-roots-widening-inequality

Corporations uber alles!!

More horror stories about so-called free trade deals ...

Check out this description of recent events:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/26/1380441/-Another-Reason-To-Say-No-To-TPP?detail=email

The real purpose of these agreements is to gut the powers of nations to control their own resources and laws.  Corporations are to be allowed to do anything they want, anywhere, as long as their potential profits are not affected.  Countries are not allowed to do anything that could potentially lower these profits.

Only corporations are to be allowed to reap profits.  Nations will not be allowed to do anything profitable; any such activities must be turned over to corporations.  Examples include the privatization of highways, water supplies, airports, education and health care and the concept of mineral rights that allows corporations to develop mines and 'frack' under land that they do not even own.  The hapless land owner (local government, for instance) is always left to clean up the mess after the extraction process is finished and the corporate shareholders have pocketed their profits.

The TPP is not a trade deal ...

..., it is a means of giving corporations the power to overturn or avoid any laws that limit their ability to make profits:

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/30441-the-battle-over-the-trans-pacific-partnership-and-fast-track-gets-hot

Safety, environmental, health and even tax laws could be repealed if businesses don't like them.  The citizens of the country don't get to have a say in how their country will be run.

Why the TPP (TransPacific Partnership) trade deal should be rejected absolutely

More explanation of why this agreement will be horrible for people, but excellent for corporations:

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/04/bill-black-obama-tpp-every-one-doeth-evil-hateth-light.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NakedCapitalism+%28naked+capitalism%29

All the really successful thieves wear suits, and act strictly in accordance with the laws that they created that allow them to control the game.  You have more chances of winning at a casino than you do when dealing with corporations.

There is no longer any hope that any government will act in the best interests of its populace.

Why Bill C-51 should be rejected absolutely

This article explains the real purpose of Harper's Bill C-51, in a broad context.  It is worth reading, if only so that we can look back on it when the hammer falls.

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/30270-the-canadian-ministry-of-truth-reality-is-whatever-we-say-it-is

Only masochistic ignoramuses could vote for this bill.

Canadian lawsuit attempts to restore the Bank Of Canada

Here is an interesting development:

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/02/05/canadians-sued-the-bank-of-canada-won-mainstream-media-government-blacks-out-story/

This case could be monumental if it succeeds.

Banks usurp democracy ...

... by controlling the money supply.

Read this article:

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/30093-how-america-became-an-oligarchy#

It seems that all the votes in the world do not matter since all governments are indebted to private banks, most of which are multinationals.