Friday, October 31, 2008
1943
Polistra: Oh! It's just so sad. So beautiful! So inspiring!
Author: Good heavens! What?
Polistra: Now I see what Orlov is talking about. Look! Look! Look!
= = = = =
Addendum: A much newer Russian cartoon handles the same theme with less moral purity, less beauty, more plot and humor. ¶ 10:13 PM
Polistra: Oh! It's just so sad. So beautiful! So inspiring!
Author: Good heavens! What?
Polistra: Now I see what Orlov is talking about. Look! Look! Look!
= = = = =
Addendum: A much newer Russian cartoon handles the same theme with less moral purity, less beauty, more plot and humor. ¶ 10:13 PM
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Darwin wins, "Darwinians" lose
The Spokane NPR station reports this morning [can't find it online yet]:
A long-term study by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service has found the Spotted Fucking Owls are fading out because Barred Owls, which are apparently more aggressive and more fertile, are replacing them.
It has nothing to do with humans.
Repeat, not one fucking thing to do with humans, no fucking connection with habitat.
It's just good old Darwin 101. The more fertile species crowds out the less fertile species.
Needless to say, the fucking EcoMurderers, viciously and illegitimately claiming the mantle of Darwin, want to undo evolution by adding even more habitat protection for the Spotted Fucking Owl. Even though this has nothing to do with habitat, the Spotted Fucking Owl (or maybe I should start calling it the Spotted Not-Fucking-Enough Owl!) has become a Sacrament for the EcoMurderers.
It will be interesting to see how this comes out. Inevitably the EcoMurderers will bring suit to add more protection, and inevitably the Ninth Circuit Black-Robed Saboteurs will end up handling the suit. The Black-Robed Saboteurs will be firmly on the side of the EcoMurderers, sharing their goal of destroying civilization and the human race, but they will have trouble finding a legal basis for their genocide. The Endangered Species Act was designed to favor all other species by killing all humans. It says nothing about favoring one species over another when humans aren't involved. ¶ 8:41 AM
A long-term study by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service has found the Spotted Fucking Owls are fading out because Barred Owls, which are apparently more aggressive and more fertile, are replacing them.
It has nothing to do with humans.
Repeat, not one fucking thing to do with humans, no fucking connection with habitat.
It's just good old Darwin 101. The more fertile species crowds out the less fertile species.
Needless to say, the fucking EcoMurderers, viciously and illegitimately claiming the mantle of Darwin, want to undo evolution by adding even more habitat protection for the Spotted Fucking Owl. Even though this has nothing to do with habitat, the Spotted Fucking Owl (or maybe I should start calling it the Spotted Not-Fucking-Enough Owl!) has become a Sacrament for the EcoMurderers.
It will be interesting to see how this comes out. Inevitably the EcoMurderers will bring suit to add more protection, and inevitably the Ninth Circuit Black-Robed Saboteurs will end up handling the suit. The Black-Robed Saboteurs will be firmly on the side of the EcoMurderers, sharing their goal of destroying civilization and the human race, but they will have trouble finding a legal basis for their genocide. The Endangered Species Act was designed to favor all other species by killing all humans. It says nothing about favoring one species over another when humans aren't involved. ¶ 8:41 AM
Monday, October 27, 2008
Resting
Polistra and the Author are enjoying a long spell of fine fall weather.
The Author isn't enjoying as much as he ordinarily would. He's recovering from an accident a couple of weeks ago. He was hit by a car, not seriously injured but scraped and bruised all over. Mostly healed by now, but still not up to par.
A near-death experience --- or at least a moderately-close-to-death experience --- tends to change your perspective a bit. Small annoyances lose their importance.
Polistra is watching with Schadenfreudisch pleasure, as the Great Gray Experts finally come around to her view of the Great Nation Robbery.
= = = = =
Sidenote: the Author's accident happened immediately after posting the last episode of the Dream, which was the first time the Author showed his face in these columns. Plenty of material for superstition..... ¶ 4:23 PM
Polistra and the Author are enjoying a long spell of fine fall weather.
The Author isn't enjoying as much as he ordinarily would. He's recovering from an accident a couple of weeks ago. He was hit by a car, not seriously injured but scraped and bruised all over. Mostly healed by now, but still not up to par.
A near-death experience --- or at least a moderately-close-to-death experience --- tends to change your perspective a bit. Small annoyances lose their importance.
Polistra is watching with Schadenfreudisch pleasure, as the Great Gray Experts finally come around to her view of the Great Nation Robbery.
= = = = =
Sidenote: the Author's accident happened immediately after posting the last episode of the Dream, which was the first time the Author showed his face in these columns. Plenty of material for superstition..... ¶ 4:23 PM
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Who's the grownup?
Right now Obama is giving a quiet and deadly serious speech. He is going over all the important questions in an orderly way, showing clear thought and clear explanation. He tells us what he wants to do and why. Some of his answers may be wrong or counterproductive, but all are based firmly on reality and logic.
Yesterday Biden told us the plain truth, obvious to any rational observer, that new presidents are tested by our enemies.
And what do we hear from the other side?
From MC McCain: "My friends, I'm shocked! shocked! shocked! that my old friend Joe would say such a shocking and irresponsible thing!!!!!"
(Sidenote: I really wonder if MC McCain is capable of thinking anything besides "You can't say that!" All of his utterances, and most of his legislative contributions, reduce to variations on "Shut up.")
From Palin: "Nyah nyah nyah! You're a dirty socialist! Nyah nyah nyah!"
= = = = =
The distinction isn't usually so clear. Most of the time both parties emit similar mixes of logic and name-calling, but this week it's all one way. Brand-D is the adult, brand-R is the spoiled and retarded adolescent. ¶ 9:09 AM
Yesterday Biden told us the plain truth, obvious to any rational observer, that new presidents are tested by our enemies.
And what do we hear from the other side?
From MC McCain: "My friends, I'm shocked! shocked! shocked! that my old friend Joe would say such a shocking and irresponsible thing!!!!!"
(Sidenote: I really wonder if MC McCain is capable of thinking anything besides "You can't say that!" All of his utterances, and most of his legislative contributions, reduce to variations on "Shut up.")
From Palin: "Nyah nyah nyah! You're a dirty socialist! Nyah nyah nyah!"
= = = = =
The distinction isn't usually so clear. Most of the time both parties emit similar mixes of logic and name-calling, but this week it's all one way. Brand-D is the adult, brand-R is the spoiled and retarded adolescent. ¶ 9:09 AM
Monday, October 20, 2008
Taxation isn't socialism, dammit.
MC McCain is following the trail blazed by the conservative establishment (NRO, Rush, etc) in claiming that tax policy is socialism.
In the first place, both parties have been using tax policy to spread the wealth in various ways forever, so if it's socialism both parties are equally socialist.
MC McCain made a special point of helping to blackmail his own party into passing the Goldman Coup, which is unquestionably the largest one-time redistribution ever.
So he's in no position to criticize Obama (who also favored the Goldman Coup) when Obama wants to make a rather small increase in EITC, a more traditional wealth-spreading program first developed by Nixon.
In the second place, properly defined socialism ... government ownership of business ... sometimes leads to less taxation. Why? Because full ownership means the govt can run the enterprise responsibly and take its profits to displace the need for taxation. Consider the New Deal power utilities, TVA and Bonneville. Both have been operating competently for 70 years, offering low-cost electricity to consumers. These utilities followed a common practice in the '30s when towns ran their own power plants, bringing in enough money that they didn't need to charge any form of tax.
The Great Nation Robbery has all the worst aspects of socialism: waste, corruption, lack of accountability ... and none of the good aspects. Our govt now owns several big banks. When you own something, you can tell it what to do. We could order these banks to resume lending to good customers, order them to resume interbank lending. Nope, we still let them behave irresponsibly. We're paying the piper but we're not calling the tune; the piper is still free to drink and carouse in fancy casinos. = = = = = Much later update, Feb 2016: I took a closer look at Soviet taxation and found that it agreed with my assumptions here. Income tax in USSR was considerably lower than in US. ¶ 1:12 PM
In the first place, both parties have been using tax policy to spread the wealth in various ways forever, so if it's socialism both parties are equally socialist.
MC McCain made a special point of helping to blackmail his own party into passing the Goldman Coup, which is unquestionably the largest one-time redistribution ever.
So he's in no position to criticize Obama (who also favored the Goldman Coup) when Obama wants to make a rather small increase in EITC, a more traditional wealth-spreading program first developed by Nixon.
In the second place, properly defined socialism ... government ownership of business ... sometimes leads to less taxation. Why? Because full ownership means the govt can run the enterprise responsibly and take its profits to displace the need for taxation. Consider the New Deal power utilities, TVA and Bonneville. Both have been operating competently for 70 years, offering low-cost electricity to consumers. These utilities followed a common practice in the '30s when towns ran their own power plants, bringing in enough money that they didn't need to charge any form of tax.
The Great Nation Robbery has all the worst aspects of socialism: waste, corruption, lack of accountability ... and none of the good aspects. Our govt now owns several big banks. When you own something, you can tell it what to do. We could order these banks to resume lending to good customers, order them to resume interbank lending. Nope, we still let them behave irresponsibly. We're paying the piper but we're not calling the tune; the piper is still free to drink and carouse in fancy casinos. = = = = = Much later update, Feb 2016: I took a closer look at Soviet taxation and found that it agreed with my assumptions here. Income tax in USSR was considerably lower than in US. ¶ 1:12 PM
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Speed of light
Emir Paulson's eunuchs are mincing around this morning, chirping "Speed of light! Speed of light! Trading moves at speed of light! Need new rules! Need new rules! Speed of light! Awk!"
Yes, trading does move at the speed of light, and it has since 1860.
So that's obviously not the current problem. The current problem is that too many banks were selling things that do not exist. That is fraud, not technology.
The solution, as Polistra said before, is to let Bankerosaurus Fraudulenti die off, so that the honest banks, which are still quite common, can expand to fill the available needs honestly.
And the best way to let B. Fraudulenti die off is to eliminate his habitat entirely. Eliminate the stock exchange. Eliminate price controls on interest, eliminate interbank trading. Let each bank take care of its own money: pay enough interest to attract and encourage savings, charge enough interest to discourage frivolous borrowing. Traditionally, banks pay 3% above inflation and charge 6% above inflation. Since inflation is about 12%, the traditional rates would be 15% for savings, 18% for loans. This would re-close the circle, make each bank responsible for its own success or failure. ¶ 8:12 AM
Yes, trading does move at the speed of light, and it has since 1860.
So that's obviously not the current problem. The current problem is that too many banks were selling things that do not exist. That is fraud, not technology.
The solution, as Polistra said before, is to let Bankerosaurus Fraudulenti die off, so that the honest banks, which are still quite common, can expand to fill the available needs honestly.
And the best way to let B. Fraudulenti die off is to eliminate his habitat entirely. Eliminate the stock exchange. Eliminate price controls on interest, eliminate interbank trading. Let each bank take care of its own money: pay enough interest to attract and encourage savings, charge enough interest to discourage frivolous borrowing. Traditionally, banks pay 3% above inflation and charge 6% above inflation. Since inflation is about 12%, the traditional rates would be 15% for savings, 18% for loans. This would re-close the circle, make each bank responsible for its own success or failure. ¶ 8:12 AM
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Incoherent
Despite my better judgment, listening to tonight's debate.
Manchurian Candidate McCain took a completely incoherent position on Supreme judges.
He said, approximately:
"(1) As Senator, I didn't impose any litmus test on judges. I voted for Clinton's appointees because I think the President should be able to determine the ideology of the judges. Elections have consequences.
(2) As President I will not impose litmus tests on the judges I appoint."
Let's see if I can follow this. As President, you're going to continue being a Senator. You will continue to allow the President to decide the ideology of judges. Okay then, if you're going to be Senator when you're President, who's going to be President when you're President?
= = = = =
Aside from logic, the basic notion that we should appoint judges only for their "qualifications" is hopelessly naive. It's certainly a good rule for trial judges, and before the Communist takeover of our legal system it was also a good rule for appellate and Supreme judges. But under the current setup, where judges make the laws and Congress merely writes the checks, it's dangerously irresponsible to leave out the ideological aspect of a Supreme appointment. ¶ 7:12 PM
Manchurian Candidate McCain took a completely incoherent position on Supreme judges.
He said, approximately:
"(1) As Senator, I didn't impose any litmus test on judges. I voted for Clinton's appointees because I think the President should be able to determine the ideology of the judges. Elections have consequences.
(2) As President I will not impose litmus tests on the judges I appoint."
Let's see if I can follow this. As President, you're going to continue being a Senator. You will continue to allow the President to decide the ideology of judges. Okay then, if you're going to be Senator when you're President, who's going to be President when you're President?
= = = = =
Aside from logic, the basic notion that we should appoint judges only for their "qualifications" is hopelessly naive. It's certainly a good rule for trial judges, and before the Communist takeover of our legal system it was also a good rule for appellate and Supreme judges. But under the current setup, where judges make the laws and Congress merely writes the checks, it's dangerously irresponsible to leave out the ideological aspect of a Supreme appointment. ¶ 7:12 PM
Titular exception
The talking point heads and Experts always refer to Obama, McCain and Biden by their titles, as Senator Obama, Senator McCain, Senator Biden. (These are actually pronounced Snrbama, Snrcain, Snrbiden.)
But they very rarely include Palin's title. Nobody on either side calls her Governor Palin; it's always Sarah Palin.
Wonder why? I don't think it's a sexual double standard; other female politicians are typically named with their titles. Hillary is usually Snrclinton, for instance. Is it a class thing? Palin is unquestionably more like a normal American than a Dubai Cosmopolitan.
= = = = =
Similar peeve: Why can't the Experts simply say President? In any normal context, President by itself means the President of this unfortunate land. The single word would have a different meaning only within a corporate boardroom, where it would mean President of the company. Yet the Experts always say President Of The United States (pronounced Prez-nigh-sates) and Constitution Of The United States (pronounced Consoosh-nigh-sates). ¶ 8:38 AM
But they very rarely include Palin's title. Nobody on either side calls her Governor Palin; it's always Sarah Palin.
Wonder why? I don't think it's a sexual double standard; other female politicians are typically named with their titles. Hillary is usually Snrclinton, for instance. Is it a class thing? Palin is unquestionably more like a normal American than a Dubai Cosmopolitan.
= = = = =
Similar peeve: Why can't the Experts simply say President? In any normal context, President by itself means the President of this unfortunate land. The single word would have a different meaning only within a corporate boardroom, where it would mean President of the company. Yet the Experts always say President Of The United States (pronounced Prez-nigh-sates) and Constitution Of The United States (pronounced Consoosh-nigh-sates). ¶ 8:38 AM
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Absolute censorship
This election is being run under total censorship, and the result either way will be total censorship.
What's the purpose of 'freedom of speech'? To insure that POLITICAL discussions, above all, can include truth. All of the important truths have been knocked out of this election, declared completely unspeakable and unthinkable.
Is Obama a Mohammedan? There's lots of circumstantial evidence in favor of this conclusion and very little evidence against it. Obama was unquestionably born into the Mohammedan faith. His grandfather and father were Mohammedan, so by the rules of that religion he belongs. He was raised in the religion for the first several years of his life. In the countries dominated by Allah, most people believe Obama is one of their own. Shouldn't we trust their understanding of their culture and religion more than our relatively ignorant judgment?
Obama claims to have converted to Christianity, but if he were truly a Christian we'd see fatwas against his life by prominent mullahs and imams. They don't allow important men to turn apostate. We have only his own word that he converted, and even his own words aren't always consistent. When he mentioned "my Muslim faith" quite naturally and unconsciously, the interviewer had to "correct" him. And the minister who taught him for twenty years was a Black Muslim before he allegedly became a Christian. Wright's preaching still resembles Malcolm X much more than, for instance, T.D. Jakes.
Similarly, is McCain the Manchurian Candidate? There's circumstantial evidence for this and not much against it. He gave many propaganda broadcasts for NV while he was in prison; he stayed when he had the chance to leave; he admitted during one debate "They broke me." Most importantly, NV has a memorial for him which still stands. Ho Chi-minh didn't build memorials for adversaries.
I have great sympathy for his plight; I would have broken much sooner. But sympathy and respect are not the same thing, and sympathy is not a good reason to elect a man who admits that his mind was broken by the enemy.
Since both of these questions are unthinkable, unspeakable and undebatable, there is absolutely no point in pretending that we have something called "freedom of speech".
We have two candidates who appear to represent enemy ideologies ... one of which is our current enemy, unless this whole war is a complete fake, which I'm really beginning to wonder about ... and we are officially forbidden to discuss it.
= = = = =
The most urgent question is being censored by a different method, a classic Soviet method. The people understand, instinctively or logically, that the Great Nation Robbery is evil in every possible way. It's simultaneously a reverse redistribution of wealth and a redistribution of good and evil. Wall Street gets all the money and escapes all the punishment. While the lowly Taxpaying Units starve in Weimar hyperinflation, Commissar Paulson and his Bathhouse Buddies will zoom off to Dubai and enjoy whatever nasty activities such unspeakably filthy creatures enjoy.
We are not forbidden to discuss this question, but we are forbidden to exercise any sort of influence on it. If we had a genuine parliamentary system, if we had a real two-party contest, we would get a choice. One party, presumably the party of Hoover, would defend the Great Nation Robbery; and the other party, presumably the party of Roosevelt, would promise to unravel the Robbery as soon as possible and immediately punish the malefactors instead of rewarding them.
We aren't allowed to make the choice. Instead we get the good old Soviet choice: we can vote for the Robbery or we can vote in favor of the Robbery.
Later thought: this could also be described under Polistra's corollary to Manweller's Rule: The questions that matter most to the elites are never allowed to reach a vote. ¶ 8:08 AM
What's the purpose of 'freedom of speech'? To insure that POLITICAL discussions, above all, can include truth. All of the important truths have been knocked out of this election, declared completely unspeakable and unthinkable.
Is Obama a Mohammedan? There's lots of circumstantial evidence in favor of this conclusion and very little evidence against it. Obama was unquestionably born into the Mohammedan faith. His grandfather and father were Mohammedan, so by the rules of that religion he belongs. He was raised in the religion for the first several years of his life. In the countries dominated by Allah, most people believe Obama is one of their own. Shouldn't we trust their understanding of their culture and religion more than our relatively ignorant judgment?
Obama claims to have converted to Christianity, but if he were truly a Christian we'd see fatwas against his life by prominent mullahs and imams. They don't allow important men to turn apostate. We have only his own word that he converted, and even his own words aren't always consistent. When he mentioned "my Muslim faith" quite naturally and unconsciously, the interviewer had to "correct" him. And the minister who taught him for twenty years was a Black Muslim before he allegedly became a Christian. Wright's preaching still resembles Malcolm X much more than, for instance, T.D. Jakes.
Similarly, is McCain the Manchurian Candidate? There's circumstantial evidence for this and not much against it. He gave many propaganda broadcasts for NV while he was in prison; he stayed when he had the chance to leave; he admitted during one debate "They broke me." Most importantly, NV has a memorial for him which still stands. Ho Chi-minh didn't build memorials for adversaries.
I have great sympathy for his plight; I would have broken much sooner. But sympathy and respect are not the same thing, and sympathy is not a good reason to elect a man who admits that his mind was broken by the enemy.
Since both of these questions are unthinkable, unspeakable and undebatable, there is absolutely no point in pretending that we have something called "freedom of speech".
We have two candidates who appear to represent enemy ideologies ... one of which is our current enemy, unless this whole war is a complete fake, which I'm really beginning to wonder about ... and we are officially forbidden to discuss it.
= = = = =
The most urgent question is being censored by a different method, a classic Soviet method. The people understand, instinctively or logically, that the Great Nation Robbery is evil in every possible way. It's simultaneously a reverse redistribution of wealth and a redistribution of good and evil. Wall Street gets all the money and escapes all the punishment. While the lowly Taxpaying Units starve in Weimar hyperinflation, Commissar Paulson and his Bathhouse Buddies will zoom off to Dubai and enjoy whatever nasty activities such unspeakably filthy creatures enjoy.
We are not forbidden to discuss this question, but we are forbidden to exercise any sort of influence on it. If we had a genuine parliamentary system, if we had a real two-party contest, we would get a choice. One party, presumably the party of Hoover, would defend the Great Nation Robbery; and the other party, presumably the party of Roosevelt, would promise to unravel the Robbery as soon as possible and immediately punish the malefactors instead of rewarding them.
We aren't allowed to make the choice. Instead we get the good old Soviet choice: we can vote for the Robbery or we can vote in favor of the Robbery.
Later thought: this could also be described under Polistra's corollary to Manweller's Rule: The questions that matter most to the elites are never allowed to reach a vote. ¶ 8:08 AM
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Apology to Soros
Although George Soros is a rather nasty character, I owe him an apology.
Polistra has been maligning Soros consistently without actually listening to him. After settling down and listening to a long interview (with Fareed Zakariah on CNN today) it's clear that Soros is making almost exactly the same points that Polistra has been making.
I can understand why nobody is listening to Polistra ... and to the thousands of other bloggers and columnists who have been pleading for ordinary reality-based economics ... but I really can't understand why nobody is listening to Soros. He owns most of our politicians, and they're still too stupid to follow his advice. ¶ 1:57 PM
Polistra has been maligning Soros consistently without actually listening to him. After settling down and listening to a long interview (with Fareed Zakariah on CNN today) it's clear that Soros is making almost exactly the same points that Polistra has been making.
I can understand why nobody is listening to Polistra ... and to the thousands of other bloggers and columnists who have been pleading for ordinary reality-based economics ... but I really can't understand why nobody is listening to Soros. He owns most of our politicians, and they're still too stupid to follow his advice. ¶ 1:57 PM
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Polistra's dream, 8 and final.
Part 8 of Polistra's Dream.
(In which the author finally shows his mug.....)
Read Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 and Part 4 and Part 5 and Part 6 and Part 7 first.
October 2008, at the Mill.
The author is moping.
Author: Damn, I'm missing Polistra something fierce. I know she's having a better time in another decade, but it's drab and colorless without her around. All text and no pictures. I miss her smiling face and sharp mind.
Hmm. Worked for Alex Bell, maybe it'll work for me...
Author: Miss Polistra, come here! I need you! Miss Polistra, come here! I need you!
Author: Nothing. Oh well. It was worth a try.
Author: Huh?
Pol: Howdy. Had a feeling this would happen soon. I was listening to Calling All Cars and suddenly I heard your voice mixing in with Rosenquist... and then the radio started sucking me in. Barely had time to say Bye and Thanks For Everything to Fran!
Author: Fran?
Pol: I'll tell you the story later. Meanwhile, I suspect something big must be happening in this decade, otherwise you wouldn't have pulled me back into this miserable time.
Author: Yes. Watch the TV for a while and you'll catch on.
[Later]
Pol: Okay, I think I get it. For the last 40 years we've been in Phase 1 of the Leninist takeover. Redistribution of good and evil. Moral equivalence. No discrimination allowed except for the Approved And Enlightened Forms Of Discrimination, which are called Tolerance. You can't judge me because you don't know me. In other words, no thinking allowed.
Author: Right, right.
Pol: And now that reality is blurred, confused and forbidden, we're in Phase 2, where the New Certainties are imposed from above. Global Warming was the first of the New Certainties...
Author: Complete reversal of science. Take all the obvious facts and turn them upside down, then burn the witches who still cling to facts. Ptolemy gets his revenge on Galileo at last. Anyone who says the climate revolves around the sun is a heretic. Everyone knows that the climate revolves around the earth, no matter how many epicycles we have to pile on.
Pol: So then, what we're looking at here must be the complete reversal of economics. Take all the basic well-known mechanisms and turn them upside down. Anyone who clings to the old Unenlightened Ways is a Naysayer, a Denier, a Witch. Anyone who advises living within your means, anyone who says that an economy must depend on production, anyone who thinks a country should be self-sufficient, anyone who speaks against price control, is an Evil Protectionist.
Author: Yup. It didn't happen easily, though. What you aren't seeing on TV today is that the people actually tried to stop this coup d'etat, but it didn't work. As usual the authorities used blackmail on Congress to get enough votes. As usual Goldman Sachs wins and America loses.
Pol: I'm surprised, maybe just a tad bit encouraged, that there was some token resistance. But it had to go through in the end because the circle has been broken. Congress is so accustomed to taking its guidance from rich enemy agents that it no longer knows how to listen to its real constituents.
Author: Despite all that, a couple hundred members, of both brands, voted with reality, with true economics, and with the people.
Pol: God save those members. God have mercy on them. They will be burned at the TV stake. They will be given the Two Years Hate.
Author: So far it hasn't started, but you're rarely wrong. We'll have to watch for it.
= = = = =
Literary note: The Dream story ends here, now that I've pulled Polistra back into this unfortunate time. Episode 7 was left hanging. The Lodine character really deserved more time and attention, but the Goldman Coup came along and I found it necessary to write some plain facts instead of spinning a story. For now, Polistra and the Author will carry on in present tense, perhaps with some story-like episodes. ¶ 11:51 AM
(In which the author finally shows his mug.....)
Read Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 and Part 4 and Part 5 and Part 6 and Part 7 first.
October 2008, at the Mill.
The author is moping.
Author: Damn, I'm missing Polistra something fierce. I know she's having a better time in another decade, but it's drab and colorless without her around. All text and no pictures. I miss her smiling face and sharp mind.
Hmm. Worked for Alex Bell, maybe it'll work for me...
Author: Miss Polistra, come here! I need you! Miss Polistra, come here! I need you!
Author: Nothing. Oh well. It was worth a try.
Author: Huh?
Pol: Howdy. Had a feeling this would happen soon. I was listening to Calling All Cars and suddenly I heard your voice mixing in with Rosenquist... and then the radio started sucking me in. Barely had time to say Bye and Thanks For Everything to Fran!
Author: Fran?
Pol: I'll tell you the story later. Meanwhile, I suspect something big must be happening in this decade, otherwise you wouldn't have pulled me back into this miserable time.
Author: Yes. Watch the TV for a while and you'll catch on.
[Later]
Pol: Okay, I think I get it. For the last 40 years we've been in Phase 1 of the Leninist takeover. Redistribution of good and evil. Moral equivalence. No discrimination allowed except for the Approved And Enlightened Forms Of Discrimination, which are called Tolerance. You can't judge me because you don't know me. In other words, no thinking allowed.
Author: Right, right.
Pol: And now that reality is blurred, confused and forbidden, we're in Phase 2, where the New Certainties are imposed from above. Global Warming was the first of the New Certainties...
Author: Complete reversal of science. Take all the obvious facts and turn them upside down, then burn the witches who still cling to facts. Ptolemy gets his revenge on Galileo at last. Anyone who says the climate revolves around the sun is a heretic. Everyone knows that the climate revolves around the earth, no matter how many epicycles we have to pile on.
Pol: So then, what we're looking at here must be the complete reversal of economics. Take all the basic well-known mechanisms and turn them upside down. Anyone who clings to the old Unenlightened Ways is a Naysayer, a Denier, a Witch. Anyone who advises living within your means, anyone who says that an economy must depend on production, anyone who thinks a country should be self-sufficient, anyone who speaks against price control, is an Evil Protectionist.
Author: Yup. It didn't happen easily, though. What you aren't seeing on TV today is that the people actually tried to stop this coup d'etat, but it didn't work. As usual the authorities used blackmail on Congress to get enough votes. As usual Goldman Sachs wins and America loses.
Pol: I'm surprised, maybe just a tad bit encouraged, that there was some token resistance. But it had to go through in the end because the circle has been broken. Congress is so accustomed to taking its guidance from rich enemy agents that it no longer knows how to listen to its real constituents.
Author: Despite all that, a couple hundred members, of both brands, voted with reality, with true economics, and with the people.
Pol: God save those members. God have mercy on them. They will be burned at the TV stake. They will be given the Two Years Hate.
Author: So far it hasn't started, but you're rarely wrong. We'll have to watch for it.
= = = = =
Literary note: The Dream story ends here, now that I've pulled Polistra back into this unfortunate time. Episode 7 was left hanging. The Lodine character really deserved more time and attention, but the Goldman Coup came along and I found it necessary to write some plain facts instead of spinning a story. For now, Polistra and the Author will carry on in present tense, perhaps with some story-like episodes. ¶ 11:51 AM
Monday, October 06, 2008
Paid to destroy?
Listening to C-Span, a fake 'interrogation' of the pres of Lehman Bros. Waxman asks a rational-sounding question: "You took Lehman into the ground, but you got paid $480 million in bonuses. Is that fair?"
Polistra likes to assume that apparent contradictions reveal a deeper consistency. Apparent contradiction: Corporate chiefs destroy their companies and receive huge pay. Sounds like a paradox for sure.
Let's say you work with Jim Walston. Jim has an office with the title "Executive Vice-President" on the door. But you've never seen Jim doing anything but sweeping the floors and replacing light bulbs. You've also seen the boss smiling at Jim and saying "Good job!" You assume Jim is getting paid, because he seems happy and well-fed. What's your conclusion? Jim is paid for custodial work, even though his title says something different.
Same here. You see a man with the title "Chief Executive Officer" on his door. Normally a man with this title would try to lead the company toward success. But you observe, in many different companies, that the men with this title lead the companies toward bankruptcy, while getting paid monstrously large bonuses. What's your conclusion? The CEOs were paid for what they did. ¶ 9:54 AM
Polistra likes to assume that apparent contradictions reveal a deeper consistency. Apparent contradiction: Corporate chiefs destroy their companies and receive huge pay. Sounds like a paradox for sure.
Let's say you work with Jim Walston. Jim has an office with the title "Executive Vice-President" on the door. But you've never seen Jim doing anything but sweeping the floors and replacing light bulbs. You've also seen the boss smiling at Jim and saying "Good job!" You assume Jim is getting paid, because he seems happy and well-fed. What's your conclusion? Jim is paid for custodial work, even though his title says something different.
Same here. You see a man with the title "Chief Executive Officer" on his door. Normally a man with this title would try to lead the company toward success. But you observe, in many different companies, that the men with this title lead the companies toward bankruptcy, while getting paid monstrously large bonuses. What's your conclusion? The CEOs were paid for what they did. ¶ 9:54 AM
Sunday, October 05, 2008
"Unprecedented"
Commissar Paulson's media are still using the word "unprecedented" for the current economic situation. New territory, nobody's been here before, we don't know how to handle it, etc, etc, etc.
Nonsense. Other banana republics have been through similar situations: wild unfounded spending leading to hyperinflation. The cure is well-known: Austerity.
Argentina, Brazil and Chile have been through this at various times, and were able to regain stability by cutting off credit and revaluing the currency. Often the austerity was forced on them by American investors, by Sultan Bush himself, or the International Monetary Fund, which is basically an American outfit.
So the American government and the American investor class know how to cure this situation. They refuse to apply it to themselves. Instead, they are applying the opposite of Austerity. Expand credit, keep house prices high, keep interest low, expand gov't spending. Guaranteed to make the disease worse.
In simple terms:
The problem is spending money that doesn't exist.
Pick a solution:
A. Stop spending money that doesn't exist.
B. Spend a hell of a lot more money that doesn't exist.
Other countries have picked A, and it worked for them.
When a government picks the suicidal answer EVERY GODDAMN TIME for EIGHT GODDAMN YEARS, you are not entitled to assume incompetence. An incompetent, a mere moron, would do the right thing more than half the time, because the right thing generally follows common sense. ¶ 2:38 PM
Nonsense. Other banana republics have been through similar situations: wild unfounded spending leading to hyperinflation. The cure is well-known: Austerity.
Argentina, Brazil and Chile have been through this at various times, and were able to regain stability by cutting off credit and revaluing the currency. Often the austerity was forced on them by American investors, by Sultan Bush himself, or the International Monetary Fund, which is basically an American outfit.
So the American government and the American investor class know how to cure this situation. They refuse to apply it to themselves. Instead, they are applying the opposite of Austerity. Expand credit, keep house prices high, keep interest low, expand gov't spending. Guaranteed to make the disease worse.
In simple terms:
The problem is spending money that doesn't exist.
Pick a solution:
A. Stop spending money that doesn't exist.
B. Spend a hell of a lot more money that doesn't exist.
Other countries have picked A, and it worked for them.
When a government picks the suicidal answer EVERY GODDAMN TIME for EIGHT GODDAMN YEARS, you are not entitled to assume incompetence. An incompetent, a mere moron, would do the right thing more than half the time, because the right thing generally follows common sense. ¶ 2:38 PM
Friday, October 03, 2008
Kudos to McMorris
Amid the shambles of what used to be America, I need to shout Bravo to Cathy McMorris, who represents Spokane and Eastern Washington. She proudly voted No both times on this monstrosity. Up till now, McMorris has been a fairly docile back-bencher, following the brand-R leadership on most important questions.
When you start from that baseline, voting with the people takes even more courage than when you've established a reputation for independence.
Of course the courage of a few crew members doesn't matter much when the captain has intentionally steered the ship into the iceberg.
Still, Bravo to McMorris and to the other Representatives (of both parties) who stuck with the people, stuck with sanity. ¶ 11:36 AM
When you start from that baseline, voting with the people takes even more courage than when you've established a reputation for independence.
Of course the courage of a few crew members doesn't matter much when the captain has intentionally steered the ship into the iceberg.
Still, Bravo to McMorris and to the other Representatives (of both parties) who stuck with the people, stuck with sanity. ¶ 11:36 AM
VP debate
In general, the questions that Biden and Palin agree on are purely false. The questions that they disagree on are trivial.
Purely false? Yes. They agree that Gaia is the One True Goddess, and All of our Future Decisions must be Holy Sacrifices to Mother Earth. They agree that Goldman Sachs is the Deserving Recipient of Our National Wealth, and that the Great Nation Robbery must be committed NOW to insure our instant collapse. Both of these Grand Statements are obvious and suicidal falsehoods.
Their loudest disagreement came on the question "Given the huge spending required to commit the Great Nation Robbery, what will you need to cut from your proposals?" Biden said that he would cut spending by not enacting McCain's programs, and Palin said that she would cut spending by not enacting Obama's programs. This is both trivial and bizarre.
I could only find one genuine and important disagreement. Biden appears to understand that Pakistan is our enemy, while Palin still maintains the Bush lie that Pakistan is our loyal ally.
The true status of Pakistan is a point that both Huckabee and Hillary were trying to make during the campaign, and both were hissed out of the game by their respective Party apparatus. I'm glad to see that the Obama campaign has picked up the point, even after destroying the messenger. ¶ 8:05 AM
Purely false? Yes. They agree that Gaia is the One True Goddess, and All of our Future Decisions must be Holy Sacrifices to Mother Earth. They agree that Goldman Sachs is the Deserving Recipient of Our National Wealth, and that the Great Nation Robbery must be committed NOW to insure our instant collapse. Both of these Grand Statements are obvious and suicidal falsehoods.
Their loudest disagreement came on the question "Given the huge spending required to commit the Great Nation Robbery, what will you need to cut from your proposals?" Biden said that he would cut spending by not enacting McCain's programs, and Palin said that she would cut spending by not enacting Obama's programs. This is both trivial and bizarre.
I could only find one genuine and important disagreement. Biden appears to understand that Pakistan is our enemy, while Palin still maintains the Bush lie that Pakistan is our loyal ally.
The true status of Pakistan is a point that both Huckabee and Hillary were trying to make during the campaign, and both were hissed out of the game by their respective Party apparatus. I'm glad to see that the Obama campaign has picked up the point, even after destroying the messenger. ¶ 8:05 AM
