No Looting in Chicago Yet . . .

From the Los Angeles Times . . .

11 shot, including 3-year-old boy, as Chicago gun violence worsens

 

A Welcome End to American Whiteness?

At least that is what the title says. And so says Dana Milbank
Without the question mark of course. I added that.

My rule of thumb for thinks like this usually is, what happens when I change the word "White", or here "Whiteness", with "Jews" or "the Jews."

The President is Outraged . . . and He's Pulling a Little to The Left

World in Uproar Over . . .

. . . killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The other 140 odd killings in the St. Louis area in 2014 . . .meh, not so concerned about that. . .

Motes and Beams

Two States

This is no police state, but a state of anarchy, . . .

. . . and the Libertarian that can not tell the difference is not to be trusted.

Mike Brown Family Attorney Doesn't Know Saddam Hussein was Hung

You Mean Pouring Billions of Dollars . . .

 . . . into an economic sector causes inflation?

"According to the report from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, the federal student aid system “contributes to skyrocketing costs, finances a wasteful academic arms race, weakens academic standards, lowers educational opportunity, and worsens the underemployment/overinvestment problem.”

I doubt this has any relationship to rising transportation, food or healthcare costs.

Iowahawk

The Hands Up Demonstration . . .

 . . . that is more common in Ferguson, Missouri.

photos from Gateway Pundit

. . .  and which apparently excites less controversy.

Remind Me to Shop at Whole Foods . . . and Hold the Quinoa . . . Maybe.

From the Huffington Post . . .

9 Hipster Things That Actually Aren't All That Hipster


No. 9 relates to the title of this post, but I actually found the quinoa situation the most eye opening, if not surprising.

Quinoa has reached NASA but is becoming inaccessible for Andean consumers

Though NPR sees it differently . . .

Your Love Of Quinoa Is Good News For Andean Farmers

Though of course, the interests of farmers and consumers have often not coincided in history.

Let's here it for the 113th Congress. . .

 . . . for a job well done. And without a trace of sarcasm.

"The current session of Congress is on track to pass historically fewer laws of substance, according to an analysis by The Hill.

. . .

Out of the 126 laws passed by the 113th Congress so far, only 99 are considered substantive and not related to ceremonial recognitions.

By contrast, 144 laws had been enacted at this same point in the last Congress, and 105 of those were non-ceremonial."

If I may quote Mark Twain on this . . ."No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session."

The Big Bloody

In response to the tiresome mendacity, in re the "murder" of Michael Brown in beautiful St. Louis, I thought something that the mainstream media positively hates would be refreshing. It's called . . . context.

An remember this is ST. LOUIS, not EAST ST. LOUIS.

In many ways this selective agonizing and hand wringing, reminds me of the European response to the killing of Palestinians in Gaza, as opposed to let us say, the killing of Yezidis in Iraq. A protest versus a yawn.

Quotables

"Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

-Douglas Adams

I've always felt that pretty much everything invented after 1940 was against the natural order of things.

What is it? "Speak in Haste, Repent at . . ."

 " Good afternoon, everybody. As a candidate for President, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end -- for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world. After taking office, I announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011. As Commander-in-Chief, ensuring the success of this strategy has been one of my highest national security priorities. Last year, I announced the end to our combat mission in Iraq. And to date, we’ve removed more than 100,000 troops. Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their country’s security.

A few hours ago I spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki. I reaffirmed that the United States keeps its commitments. He spoke of the determination of the Iraqi people to forge their own future. We are in full agreement about how to move forward.

So today, I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over."

-Barack Obama, October 21, 2011

Fundamentals

The fundamentals of Democratic foreign policy:

When we drop bombs on people's heads it is because we are peace keepers and liberators.

When you drop bombs on people's heads is because you are warmongers and profiteers.

Ignore the Analogy I Just Made

Charles Lane at Investor Business Daily . . .

"Not since Lincoln pondered his Emancipation Proclamation has a president considered a more sweeping change to membership in the American community than the relief for illegal immigrants that President Obama is contemplating.

There is obviously no analogy between slavery and the disadvantages that the undocumented face today"

 

I Am Sure This Will Turn Out Just Fine . . .

 . . . if you believe the twenty-first Century Egyptians are as competent as the nineteenth Century French.

"Egypt plans to build a new Suez Canal alongside the existing 145-year-old historic waterway in a multibillion dollar project aimed at expanding trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

. . .

Egyptian President Adel Fattah Al Sissi, said the armed forces would be in charge of the new Suez Canal project, which could bring in an estimated $5 billion in revenue per year, for security reasons. Up to 20 Egyptian firms could be involved in the project but would work under military supervision, he said."

"… why would you want to bring lawlessness to the United States of America?”

“I’m really sorry that you come from a lawless country,” he said. “I hope that you can have a happy life. But please, do not erode the rule of law in America.”

Call Me Cynical . . .

2002

"What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne."

2014

“When we have the unique capabilities to avert a massacre, I believe the United States of America can not turn a blind eye. We can act carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide."

The Great Charter

The Magna Carta tours America . . .

Lincoln's Magna Carta has been a massive hit in America – with thousands of visitors flocking to see the historic document. Lincoln's copy of the ancient text is on a tour of the US and currently on show at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. And, as Adrian Curtis reports, there are hopes the exhibitions will draw more tourists to our city.

 The charter is under 24-hour armed guard and reportedly insured for more than £30 million.

And it has been seen by more than 15,000 visitors in the first 15 days – 500 more than the total numbers who went along to see the document when it was on show at St Albans for a month last year.

"Born a Boy"

 From the Huffington Post . . .

" 'King: "Let's let people know about you, Laverne, because you were born a boy but--

Cox: "I was assigned male at birth is the way I like to put it, because I think we're born who we are and the gender thing is something someone imposes on you. And so I was assigned male at  birth but I always felt like I was a girl.'

In January, on Katie Couric's talk show, Cox had to spell out how cultural preoccupation with trans people transitioning functions as objectification of trans bodies."

I have always believed it was the "trans" people( I assume that is the term of the hour) themselves who have a preoccupation with the "transitioning" and "objectification" of bodies, not society as whole. Note the use of the language of oppression- "imposes on you"and "I was assigned."

And so the simple act of saying "It's a boy" is turned into an act of martyrdom.

We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.

-George Orwell

How Not To Do Metaphors . . . or Sail On O' Ship Of State

"Christianity is fundamentally imperialistic.  Its aim is to convert and control people with its assumed biblically revealed one true savior of the world.  The tip of its evangelizing iceberg is seen in the folly of Hobby Lobby."

- "The Folly of Hobby Lobby" CounterPunch  7-29-14

So is America then the Titanic?

The true source of our suffering . . .

On Nothing

"It was in Normandy, you will remember, and in the heat of the year, when the birds were silent in the trees and the apples nearly ripe, with the sun above us already of a stronger kind, and a somnolence within and without, that it was determined among us (the jolly company!) that I should write upon Nothing, and upon all that is cognate to Nothing, a task not yet attempted since the Beginning of the World.

Now when the matter was begun and the subject nearly approached, I saw more clearly that this writing upon Nothing might be very grave, and as I looked at it in every way the difficulties of my adventure appalled me, nor am I certain that I have overcome them all. But I had promised you that I would proceed, and so I did, in spite of mydoubts and terrors.

For first I perceived that in writing upon this matter I was in peril of offending the privilege of others, and of those especially who are powerful to-day, since I would be discussing things very dear and domestic to my fellow-men, such as The Honour of Politicians, The Tact of Great Ladies, The Wealth of Journalists, The Enthusiasm of Gentlemen, and the Wit of Bankers. All that is most intimate and dearest to the men that make our time, all that they would most defend from the vulgar gaze, . . ."

- On Nothing,  Hilaire Belloc, 1913