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December 31, 2008 at 15:05:10
Promoted to Headline (H3) on 12/31/08: by Michael Fox Page 1 of 2 page(s) |
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Have you ever noticed how the vim seeps out of any New Year’s Eve party at around 12:10am? It’s as if to say, “Okay, well, we had some champagne and kissed a flu virus shamelessly around the room, and now what?” I’ve always thought of New Years as the stupidest holiday; the one on which we celebrate the fact that for about the next three weeks we’re going to mess up every check we write and have to initial all those sloppily corrected dates. But then, I’ve always been sort of a premature curmudgeon. Perhaps I’m the Benjamin Button of curmudgeons, only I’m not getting any younger (or prettier) – nor, frankly, as would complete the metaphor, am I discovering optimism. No, I just started out as a cynical old fart and I’m growing into the part. This New Year is lacking an awful lot of “Happy.” Here’s where 2009 begins, and if you find the happy in it, you’re dreaming (or functioning on the one thing I have none of: faith): Domestic
The nation’s most important manufacturing industry is teetering on the brink of collapse, and while I applaud whatever support the government has begrudgingly given GM and Chrysler, I fear (with substantial evidence to back me up) that those companies will use every free dime to move more factories to Canada and Mexico. And Congress won’t do a thing about it. So, should you be in the fortunate position of shopping for a new car this year, and should you consider one of the excellent American car models available (I hope you will), make sure it’s American beyond the name; most of them aren’t. Better yet, verify that it’s a union-made model. The UAW is one of the last bulwarks against the final dismantling of organized labor begun in 1981. It’s really up to you.
International
The year also begins with Israel bombing the bejesus out of Gaza, ostensibly in retaliation for the missiles launched out of Gaza that, incidentally, injured no one. (perhaps Halliburton needed some orders to create as-yet unrealized stock depletion in Israel’s armories, so Cheney gave the go-ahead for some all-out carnage before leaving). Even Egypt is getting in on the act (tacitly supporting Israel, because they can scarcely afford the potential refugee onslaught of Gazans, nor do they want to lose their cut of the annual US foreign aid lottery), in spite of the fact that Gaza was technically taken from them by Israel in 1967. Yes, it is all about money, and money is that heartless.
First, admit to yourself - this instant! - Israel does not start a war without US approval. Can’t happen! And as bad as Bush & Cheney’s popularity numbers are upon exit, please remember these are scorch-and burn guys, and 21 more days can bring a lot more char. Skeptic that I am, I anticipate a few more scams on their way out the door, beyond the urgent two-trillion dollar (and counting) bank heist, the attempted UAW busting, and an extra war (two wars aren’t enough, so this proxy war on the side will do). They are going to see to it that Obama & Biden inherit the most devastated America since the one Buchanan left Lincoln.
Financial
Here at home, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian carnage is the painful sideshow distraction for an already very pissed-off Jewish community – pissed-off, that is, at one of their own. The number of very wealthy American Jews, as well as their foundations and charities, who were invested with Bernie before he Madoff with their money, is staggering, and the one – the only - distraction that will always divert the entire Jewish community from its own troubles: violence in Israel (as if there’s ever a moment without tsuris in Israel).
If you are a member of any minority group (or, like me, several) you know that hands-down the worst possible aberration for everyone within that group is public airing of its own dirty laundry. For the Jewish community, Madoff is a stain beyond dirty laundry, and not even dry cleaning can remove the dreaded soil that triggers the repetition of the most painful stereotypes.
Meanwhile, vis-à-vis the aforementioned, President-Elect Obama has put together a foreign policy team to keep the status quo in place, so expect much of the same Middle East policy and a dubious economic team of the very geniuses that virtually invented the modern commodities bubble, whence came Mr. Madoff himself (who actually was the head of the Nasdaq exchange).
The Inaugural Scam
Obama spit in the eye of the civil rights activists who inexplicably projected onto him the mantle of Gay Rights savior. For all his talk of unity, Obama has selected the divisive fundamentalist Christian preacher Rick Warren to give an invocation at his inauguration. Frankly, I don’t think any religious invocation is appropriate at an inauguration, but, in this case, if the Gay community wasn’t listening last year when Obama made clear how he feels about same-sex marriage, now they know: Warren was an outspoken supporter of California’s Proposition 8, and should have no place on that podium. Obama was honest about his position on the matter, but, as with so many other issues, his supporters have projected what they wanted to believe of him rather than listening to what he actually said. Now, based on this first display, the Gay community can expect the same level of worthless lip-service from Obama that they got from Bill Clinton for eight years. LGBT community: You’ve been had!
The Change that isn’t coming
If this is change, Obama seems to be refining the word. Do you anticipate him telling Israel to shut up their ultra-orthodox extremists? Doubtful. Do you suppose that Obama will lift the hiring freezes and do-nothing practices of the SEC to make sure that the oligarchs are playing fair? Hold not thy breath. Do you think that there will be no American forces left in Iraq in May 2010? Nonsense!
With any luck, some stability will come to the economy, though not this year, as hopes for a new New Deal should be given a few years to play out. But that might be too optimistic as well, because if you want to know what the Bush clan is willing to do with New Deal types, remember that Prescott Bush participated in a very real plot to assassinate FDR in 1934 (if you don’t know the incident in question, Google: “Smedley Butler and Prescott Bush” and do yourself some learnin’ about just how far the rich in this country will go to maintain what they’ve got, deny it to others, and still get away with it all). No doubt Obama is well aware of the danger of rattling too many cages on Wall St., lest one of the heirs (direct or otherwise) of Prescott Bush try again, and lest there are few real patriots like General Butler still around.
And the Prescott Bush/Smedley Butler story, of course, is precedent to why you should expect absolutely no trial or punishment for any of the traitorous, thieving criminals who have been running this country for the past eight (or 28) years. It won’t happen. Like Prescott, some may yet achieve higher office.
Meanwhile, the rest of us continue living in a police state of such suspicion and terror (not of the intended bogeyman, but of the government itself) previously envisioned by guys like Kafka and Dostoyevsky. I expect that four years from now, you’ll still need a pedicure just to get on an airline flight, for no reason other than keeping everyone in perpetual panic. This will not change, either.
Death of La Vie de Luxe
All that said, we are in the second year of a depression (not a recession), and the only thing that seems to put a smile on my face is the daily stories of yet another few b/millionaires losing it all. Schadenfreude? Perhaps, but fuck ‘em - these are the very people from whom the much lauded trickle-down never trickled. Let them eat Spam! (Spam, by the way, is actually one of the few consumer products showing significantly increased sales)
The big surprise this season was that “luxury goods” sales were down 43%, and this was the one sector that anticipated being immunity from the depression. So Chanel and LVMH are having layoffs. Quel domage. Meanwhile, Vanity Fair reports that many of the very wealthy are cutting back hours for their staff, rather than giving up some of their valuable stuff. (Never mind that many of these women carry handbags that are worth more than what they pay the maid for a year, and have closets full of such bags).
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The people need to read more to understand the Arabs
Why the people with humanity values does not want confront the Arabs and say we are tired of your terrorist ideologies and holly wars of “Jihads”. How many more millions of people have to die so the Islam will be the tool for Arabs to take others land. Yes for the people who do believes in the justice. And they are acknowledging the true history of the Arabs and the people got hurt from them. Since they come up with their religions “Islam” and used it to take other people’s land has been ok for them. No for the hypocrites who are just one sided. The Arabs has oil power and money power, they are allowed to kill millions of people and take their lands without to many human lovers like President Carter to speak out the truth. Why you never hear President Carters and other human lovers to speak out about our people in Kurdistan and other Iranian lands. Every one has so much humanity when it is coming to the Palestinians. Yes oil lovers, you are showing your true humanity. The majority of the Arabs are the people do like wars always. They are not looking for peace because of the Islamic teaching and the culture they are brought up. They are making the World unstable because of their terrorist ideologies. The Arabs used to have only Saudi Arabia and part of the Yemen’s land. They are in positions of the land from Morocco to Iraq what else they want. The Arab and Jewish people’s problem can be solved based on truth about the past. When the Arab Imperialists are going to acknowledge the truth? By admitting the crime they did commit against the humanity in the past. The Jewish people are in title of more land than what they have now because they are the original people from the region. The Arab took the land of western Persian Gulf, Iraq, and half of Syria from our Iranian people just like few years ago Saddam Hussein took part of Kirkuk, Mousel, Daylia from our Kurdish in this modern ages. Now Noori Maliki the Iraqi PM want the land because he is clamming that the land belongs to his father from Basra/Iraq. When they are going to think about peace and stop the war of land in the region. by Jaff Sassani (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 138 comments) on Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008 at 3:24:17 PM  (0+)
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Michael
You said it all brother. I said Happy New Year back to my co workers today as I left the office. I felt extremely uncomfortable and hypocritical doing so.... by jersey girl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1201 comments [734 recommended, 12 rejected]) on Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008 at 3:56:12 PM (0+)
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We are asking the people who care abut the humanity
We are asking the people who care abut the humanity to take some time and imagine without biased emotionally. If Arabs do poses power like Jews; what they are going to do to the Jewish people in Israel? If you really care about the humanity then you can see the truth about the unjust of the Arabs. The Arab and Jewish people’s problem can be solved based on truth about the past. When the Arab Imperialists are going to acknowledge the truth? By admitting the crime they did commit against the humanity in the past. The Jewish people are in title of more land than what they have now because they are the original people from the region. Saddam Hussein of Iraq in front of the eye of the World buried 180,000 people from our people the Iranian Kurds in Iraq; not too many people wrote about our atrocities. Why so many people are defending the Palestinian people without thinking about the problem between Arabs and Jewish people. The Arab calling us “Kurds” the children of devils’; they did kill our people, raped the women’s before killing and took our lands too. The US Government has been in Iraq for five years without giving back one inch of our territories back to us. They are clamming that they do not know about the region. The Arabs oil is doing the tricks around the world. If Jewish was not educated and powerless like us “Kurds” then the Arabs will kill all the males and older women’s and then will marry yang females and use them as sex slaves for life. The Arabs in Iraq used code name “Anfal” another name for holly wars of “Jihads” for our eliminations. For your information we are all Muslims. Most of the people got killed was holding Qur’ain too, but did not helped infant children’s. The Arabs does not have any humanity toward others. Yes we all do not like killing but when some one does not let you to have peace for one second, what you are going to do. Let Ask former President Carter with his humanity values. Because he is only see the Palestinians problems and blind to other human tragedies around the World. The Arab took the land of western Persian Gulf, Iraq, and half of Syria from our Iranian people just like few years ago Saddam Hussein took part of Kirkuk, Mousel, Daylia from our Kurdish in this modern ages. Now Noori Maliki the Iraqi PM want the land because he is clamming that the land belongs to his father from Basra/Iraq. We are all seeking justice from the Arabs too. Where are the people who care about humanity of Iranian Kurds in Kurdistan, none Arabs in Darfore, Barbars, and Christens in Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon and other people who are getting hurt by the Arabs around the World? by Jaff Sassani (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 138 comments) on Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008 at 4:58:00 PM (0+)
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Reply: Shame On You
Jaff Sassani, Smearing arabs in order to justify Zio horrors is disgusting and unacceptable . Your servile attitude towards the Establishment confirms what I stated before: that you, as a representative of Mujahedin-e-Khalgh, and your entire community, you are servants of he who pays you best, in this case Zio masters. You are nothing but mercenaries in the service of world class bandits abd criminals. Shame on you man for blaming the victims for attrocities commited in the hands of your handlers This site is dedicated to Truth, nothing but the Truth. So, don't try to bullshit us with rubbish. We know much better by ramsheyi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 793 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Jan 1, 2009 at 8:36:15 AM (0+)
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Ch-ch-ch-changes
"...turn and face the strange..." Big changes have never been very happy things at any point in history. People are afraid of change in general. But here we are facing very big changes. Ground-breaking stuff. Given the status quo of the past couple of centuries- think East India Trading Company and go from there- I'm looking forward to the other side of all these changes. The mess can't be seen myopically by staring at the pavement at our feet- best to turn the telescope around and climb a hill of perspective. The change itself is going to be painful, and only the truly adventurous are going to enjoy it- or maybe I should say, thrive in it, since "enjoy" isn't the exactly right word. People who can open up to radical change and not be scarred too deeply are going to do just fine. People who are vested in the recent illusions of "security" are going to be in hysterics as the illusions melt around them. People who don't understand the difference between "need" and "want" are going to suffer terribly, emotionally, until they figure out that they're not on fire or bleeding, at which point maybe they'll gain a shred of perspective too. Washington DC and the powers that be have pretty much shown that they'll cling to the last possible shred of pretence rather than step out of their delusions and face what's in the wind. This is nothing to be surprised about- they've got the most to lose when everything changes, and so they'll try to maintain that ol' status quo until they've drained the last drop of possibility from it. But it will go, in the end, and those who believe it won't are running on self-delusion pretending to be what you call "faith". I've stepped past all of that- I've gotten to where I run on certainty, not faith, despite my strongly spiritual bent. I'm certain we'll all muddle through if we only deal with the changes like grownups. I'll look a little further forward: how about Happy Middle of the Next Decade, instead? by Jennifer Hathaway (16 articles, 16 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 761 comments [221 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008 at 5:54:09 PM (0+)
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Happy New Year, Yes
Wishing Happy New Year should be more than wishful thinking. It is supposed to incite people to strive and to do their best so as happiness can become a reality for the individual and for the commuinity. So, may be we can put it this way : Happy Resolutions-Happy Endeavors-Happy Accomplishments Excellent by Michael Fox. Happy New Year to him by ramsheyi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 793 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Jan 1, 2009 at 8:50:13 AM (0+)
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