No doubt most here already have their Halloween plans pretty well cemented together. If not, then spending the evening with the House Of Wax trilogy is a useful and entertaining use of the evening. Have plenty of snacks handy, and grab the two film House Of Wax DVD set, which includes the 1933 Mystery Of The Wax Museum and the 1953 Vincent Price House Of Wax, and also pick up the brand new 2005 DVD version of a film called House Of Wax, but with little relationship to the first two films. All are Warner Bros. products.
The original 1933, Mystery Of The Wax Museum, with Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray(the lead actress in King King), has been compared to both Front Page and also Frankenstein by some. It involves the suspicions of a young female reporter about some strange events surrounding a wax museum. It seems that some mysterious deaths seem to revolve around this establishment, run by a currator who years earlier survived a fire that destroyed his previous museum. Now disabled in a wheelchair, the wax figure designer is back, but the young reporter has a hunch that something is amiss. A truly frightening secret involving bizarre crime starts to unravel. A very good early 30's horror/crime mystery film.
In 1953, a more modern version of the film was made that was filmed in 3D. It did include some corny sight gags that were intended for the 3D viewer, such as Second City TV used to satire, but beyond this, it was one of Vincent Price's greatest films. The film was a very effective update on the 1933 film, and perhaps the best of the three House Of Wax films made, although the 1933 is argued to be the best by the critical judgement of others. Vincent Price plays a wax museum owner badly injured in a fire set after an arson attempt by a co-owner who wanted the insurance money to invest elsewhere. The kindly wax sculptor, Vincent Price survives as an insane phantom who lurks at night, killing persons to encase in wax to rebuild his destroyed museum as his hands are no good after surviving the fire. Eerie music in the scenes involving Price as the insane phantom tell you that he's definately a very weird and dangerous guy.
Now comes the 2005 film called House Of Wax. Unlike the first two films which were definately an evolution of the one script and story, the 2005 version of House Of Wax involves a wax museum and people being killed and encased in wax, but beyond that the similarity ends. And if you can survive the sheer boredom of about the first 45 minutes of the film in which little much really happens, then you are rewarded with a genuinely chilling horror and crime story for the last half of the film, where weird and unsettling events quickly grow worse and worse for the fate of the young actors involved in the story. In this version, not just the figures, but the entire museum is supposedly made out of wax. Massive amounts of peanut butter were actually used in some scenes to simulate the melting of the House Of Wax during the fire scene, with most sets actually constructed, and very little green screen work done. And watching the filmed demise of Paris Hilton's character isn't entirely without reward either. The film becomes reasonably effective and worthwhile as better than many horror films aimed at a teenage to young adult viewers when taken as a whole. Not really that bad of a film, despite a mere 24% positive reviews according to Rotten Tomatoes, the film review website. By comparison, the 1933 and 1953 films both have 100% positive reviews, both extremely high marks for horror genre films, and a testament to just what a great franchise these House Of Wax films have become.
If your plans for Halloween aren't set in stone, or at least in wax, then spending an evening with the three enjoyable House Of Wax films from the Warner Bros. catalog are a worthwhile tour through creepy Hollywood filmdom.
Senin, 31 Oktober 2005
Minggu, 30 Oktober 2005
Iran Makes Itself A Focus Of New Fears Once Again
With Iran's new comments this last week of seeking the complete destruction of Israel, the world community has new reason to be alarmed. While Iran claims to seek nuclear power for peaceful ends, the statements about Israel send up red flags to the world community that seeks MidEast peace and stability. It also puts Shanghai military alliance states such as Russia or China in a difficult position. These nations both profit from arms sales as well as other trade with Iran, yet it is not to their advantage to create the possible cornerstones for WWIII by assisting the possible development of nuclear weapons spun off from even a peaceful use of nuclear power in Iran.
With vast resources of oil and natural gas reserves in Iran, it has failed to prove to many that a need for the peaceful use of nuclear power to supply it's energy needs exists. And the tense and reckless statements of Iran only serve to remind the world community of Israeli or U.S. concerns that Iran probably seeks peaceful nuclear power only to spin off a weapons program to create a serious conflict in the MidEast. Unless effective sanctions from the U.N., an effective change of policy by Russia and China towards Iran, then military action by Israel or the U.S. could result, and a serious war may ensue in the MidEast and completely destabilize the MidEast or even result in WWIII.
This week America was reminded once again of troops still in Japan and Germany. And troops still remain in tense South Korea along the border with North Korea. And with a major commitment of troops in Iraq, the U.S. forces are increasingly spread thin throughout the world.
Iran has a military that numbers in the millions. The conventional American forces in Iraq would face a difficult military situation to repel a massive conventional arms invasion by Iran in response to any Israeli self-defensive attack to prevent the Iranian development of nuclear arms. Involvement of U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf would be required to protect the American ground forces in Iraq, and the use of antiship Silkworm cruise missiles by Iran may even result. A difficult chain of events in which it would be difficult to put the genie back in the bottle may result.
Unfortunately Iraq was a beginning of new chain of serious situations developing in the MidEast. But the apple cart will really tip over if the world community does not constructively respond to Iran's goals of seeking nuclear energy development. Their own statements this week point out why they should not be allowed by the world community to seek nuclear energy programs.
With vast resources of oil and natural gas reserves in Iran, it has failed to prove to many that a need for the peaceful use of nuclear power to supply it's energy needs exists. And the tense and reckless statements of Iran only serve to remind the world community of Israeli or U.S. concerns that Iran probably seeks peaceful nuclear power only to spin off a weapons program to create a serious conflict in the MidEast. Unless effective sanctions from the U.N., an effective change of policy by Russia and China towards Iran, then military action by Israel or the U.S. could result, and a serious war may ensue in the MidEast and completely destabilize the MidEast or even result in WWIII.
This week America was reminded once again of troops still in Japan and Germany. And troops still remain in tense South Korea along the border with North Korea. And with a major commitment of troops in Iraq, the U.S. forces are increasingly spread thin throughout the world.
Iran has a military that numbers in the millions. The conventional American forces in Iraq would face a difficult military situation to repel a massive conventional arms invasion by Iran in response to any Israeli self-defensive attack to prevent the Iranian development of nuclear arms. Involvement of U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf would be required to protect the American ground forces in Iraq, and the use of antiship Silkworm cruise missiles by Iran may even result. A difficult chain of events in which it would be difficult to put the genie back in the bottle may result.
Unfortunately Iraq was a beginning of new chain of serious situations developing in the MidEast. But the apple cart will really tip over if the world community does not constructively respond to Iran's goals of seeking nuclear energy development. Their own statements this week point out why they should not be allowed by the world community to seek nuclear energy programs.
Sabtu, 29 Oktober 2005
Edward D. Wood's Major Contribution To Halloween Movie Fun
Halloween seems to become a bigger event even each year. And not only costumes but creepy films become a major part of this outrageous and fun holiday. No other 1950's filmmaker but Edward D. Wood Jr. produced some of most outrageous Halloween movie fun titles.
Edward D. Wood Jr. was the producer of the worst SciFi and horror movies ever made. His film Plan Nine From Outer Space is the greatest hilarious halloween party movie ever produced. Using a little bit of silent home movie footage shot in 1956 just before the death of Bela Lugosi, Ed Wood sought funding for an ambitious film to entitled Grave Robbers From Outer Space. But afte having to turn to a Baptist church for film investment, the church insisted that the title be toned down. In one funeral scene in the film, pastor Lemon from the church actually appears.
By 1959, a full three years after the death of Bela Lugosi, Ed Wood finally had enough funding to complete what had to be the most confused and awful screenplay ever, involving an absurd movie plot where aliens from outer space resurrect the dead as zombies or vampires to kill the living to prevent the development of a weapon that would threaten the aliens in the future. But with only very limited screenplay writing and filmmaking skills and only a few minutes of silent Bela Lugosi footage, Edward Wood produced what is generally considered to be very worst movie ever made. So bad in fact, that it is considered to be the "Citizen Kane" of bad movies by some.
Plan Nine opens with a terribly moronic dialog from psychic, Criswell that drones on about a silly view of the" future" that was supposed to be profound , but badly failed. Then part of the silent footage of Lugosi is used alng with moronic sound effects of an automobile hitting him. In the rest of the film, either silent footage of Lugosi is used, or of a chiropractor who is full foot taller than Lugosi attempting to play him in some scenes. This absolutely hilarious. In one scene Lugosi enters a home. The Chiropractor frightens the woman inside. And Lugosi leaves the scene outside. This is so awful that it's side splitting funny.
And the cast of actors was the worst of the worst. Former Swedish wrestler, Tor Johnson, for whom English seemed like a distant second language, stumbled over his lines as a police chief, but was soon resurrected as a 300lb. zombie. Paul Marco played one of the worst police officers ever, in this and one other Ed Wood film. Horsefaced actress, Joanna Lee played the alien woman. Crossdresser, John Breckenridge, grandson of former vice president John Breckenridge, played the alien leader. In fact Ed Wood was a crossdresser as well, and for no reason whatsoever, replaced a woman who faints in a scene by wearing a wig and nightgown in that scene. There was no reason at all for a "stuntman" use in the scene. It was simply that Ed Wood was odd.
One of the few things that worked well in the film was the use of former horror movie hostess , Vampira. Her scenes as female vampire were effective in the film. But nearly everthing else was a jumble of bumbled editing, bad props, poor acting and continuity errors. Some have counted as many as 88 continuity errors or other goofs in the film.
For lack of money the props used in the film were terrible. Flying saucers were actually Hudson hupcaps on strings. A shower curtain was drapped over a doorway to simulate an aircraft interior. A few old WWII war surplus electronics items and a chair and table were used to create the alien spaceship interior. Cardboard was used for the graveyard tombstones, and actors bumped into these and they freely flopped around in some scenes.
Despite the very best intentions of Edward D. Wood to create a very great science fiction and horror classic, the result is unintentionally one of the worst films ever, and one of the most enjoyable and hilarious films ever made. In the Mel Brooks classic film, The Producers, two schemers oversell shares in the worst possible play with the worst possible actors in an attempt to defraud the investors. But Edward D. Wood used the worst possible actors in the worst possible screenplay in a terriby failed attempt to make money for investors and himself, yet just like the Springtime For Hitler play in the producers, the effect is hilarious.
There are many films one can enjoy for a Halloween movie party. But Plan Nine From Outer Space is the king of bad films. It's perfect Hallowween fun.
Edward D. Wood Jr. was the producer of the worst SciFi and horror movies ever made. His film Plan Nine From Outer Space is the greatest hilarious halloween party movie ever produced. Using a little bit of silent home movie footage shot in 1956 just before the death of Bela Lugosi, Ed Wood sought funding for an ambitious film to entitled Grave Robbers From Outer Space. But afte having to turn to a Baptist church for film investment, the church insisted that the title be toned down. In one funeral scene in the film, pastor Lemon from the church actually appears.
By 1959, a full three years after the death of Bela Lugosi, Ed Wood finally had enough funding to complete what had to be the most confused and awful screenplay ever, involving an absurd movie plot where aliens from outer space resurrect the dead as zombies or vampires to kill the living to prevent the development of a weapon that would threaten the aliens in the future. But with only very limited screenplay writing and filmmaking skills and only a few minutes of silent Bela Lugosi footage, Edward Wood produced what is generally considered to be very worst movie ever made. So bad in fact, that it is considered to be the "Citizen Kane" of bad movies by some.
Plan Nine opens with a terribly moronic dialog from psychic, Criswell that drones on about a silly view of the" future" that was supposed to be profound , but badly failed. Then part of the silent footage of Lugosi is used alng with moronic sound effects of an automobile hitting him. In the rest of the film, either silent footage of Lugosi is used, or of a chiropractor who is full foot taller than Lugosi attempting to play him in some scenes. This absolutely hilarious. In one scene Lugosi enters a home. The Chiropractor frightens the woman inside. And Lugosi leaves the scene outside. This is so awful that it's side splitting funny.
And the cast of actors was the worst of the worst. Former Swedish wrestler, Tor Johnson, for whom English seemed like a distant second language, stumbled over his lines as a police chief, but was soon resurrected as a 300lb. zombie. Paul Marco played one of the worst police officers ever, in this and one other Ed Wood film. Horsefaced actress, Joanna Lee played the alien woman. Crossdresser, John Breckenridge, grandson of former vice president John Breckenridge, played the alien leader. In fact Ed Wood was a crossdresser as well, and for no reason whatsoever, replaced a woman who faints in a scene by wearing a wig and nightgown in that scene. There was no reason at all for a "stuntman" use in the scene. It was simply that Ed Wood was odd.
One of the few things that worked well in the film was the use of former horror movie hostess , Vampira. Her scenes as female vampire were effective in the film. But nearly everthing else was a jumble of bumbled editing, bad props, poor acting and continuity errors. Some have counted as many as 88 continuity errors or other goofs in the film.
For lack of money the props used in the film were terrible. Flying saucers were actually Hudson hupcaps on strings. A shower curtain was drapped over a doorway to simulate an aircraft interior. A few old WWII war surplus electronics items and a chair and table were used to create the alien spaceship interior. Cardboard was used for the graveyard tombstones, and actors bumped into these and they freely flopped around in some scenes.
Despite the very best intentions of Edward D. Wood to create a very great science fiction and horror classic, the result is unintentionally one of the worst films ever, and one of the most enjoyable and hilarious films ever made. In the Mel Brooks classic film, The Producers, two schemers oversell shares in the worst possible play with the worst possible actors in an attempt to defraud the investors. But Edward D. Wood used the worst possible actors in the worst possible screenplay in a terriby failed attempt to make money for investors and himself, yet just like the Springtime For Hitler play in the producers, the effect is hilarious.
There are many films one can enjoy for a Halloween movie party. But Plan Nine From Outer Space is the king of bad films. It's perfect Hallowween fun.
Jumat, 28 Oktober 2005
Score Yet Another Victory For Right Wing Thuggery
It seems that the right wing in America has found out that sheer thuggery that they can force their way on America. In the aftermath of the 2000 elections after Al Gore had a popular vote plurality of 500,000 votes nationwide, right wing thugs caused a noisy and illegal demostration outside of an election office holding a state court ordered recount. These thugs should have been arrested for disorderly conduct or even felony interference in the election process or a court order. Yet this thuggery stopped the court ordered recount, and a lawsuit before the republican dominated Supreme Court handed the election to George Bush. Right wing thugs proved they could muscle their way into the White House, and the rule of law means nothing to their lust for sheer power.
In the Bill Clinton years, republican lawmakers demanded that Clinton chose moderate judges, not liberals or progressives. Bill Clinton, a moderate democrat had no problem with this, and his appointments mostly reflected moderate choices. But now the far right seeks the most far right court justices they can possiby find to stuff the nation's courts.
But in another disgusting display of right wing thuggery, Harriet Miers had her chance to become a Supreme Court justice pulled from her very hands. Granted, Miers seemed like a very weak choice for the Supreme Court. But this would have been the greatest opportunity of her lifetime. She had the right to be heard in Senate hearings and judged by the Senate as to whether she was an acceptable choice for the nation's highest court or not. It was only a few weeks earlier that the same political right was urging that John Roberts be given a "fair hearing" by the senate, which he was. But in yet another disgusting act of right wing hypocrisy, this argument didn't matter in the case of Harriet Miers. Without even the benefit of a fair senate hearing, the far right began a ruthless attack on Miers, tearing her apart on the paperthin logic that she wasn't far right enough politically to sit on the highest court.
By every logical basis, it appears that Miers was farther to the right than Sandra Day O'Connor, and would have overturned Roe v. Wade, and would have sided with the most conservative justices on a number of issues. Yet there was a sense of decency about Miers, that maybe in some cases in which conservative ideology didn't automaticly drive her vote, that she might even fairly listen to cases brought before her on the court.
Now right wing lynch mobs of thugs will demand a far right court choice. Not someone who will fairly judge cases or listen to all sides before deciding a case, but someone meant to rubber stamp a rigid political ideology into law and force it on the entire public. This is the warped vision held by courts by the right wing, not the best qualified justice who make the nation proud of their wisdom, but a court dominated by a ruthless political ideology.
And many on the right are suggesting a far right choice that will be divisive and destructive for the nation as good for the political fortunes of George Bush. They think that the "brownshirt" politics of thuggery can prevail and impose their vision of law on the public at large. If those who disagree with this type of politics don't use this opportunity to speak up and defend the integrity of the court system, then America is heading towards becoming a lost state the will of the political right. The right wing has forced a president on America in 2000, who spent the first 40 years of his life involved in alcohol and cocaine abuse. The right wing has forced a murderous war on Iraq, that has killed as many as 100,000 civilians in that nation. The right wing is imposing laws on America protecting gun manufacturers who manufacture killing machine assault rifles with no legitimate hunting or personal protection use, from gun victims lawsuits. The right wing has voted to weaken the nation's bankruptcy laws. The right wing is voting to cut vital health service or heating assistence to the elderly and poor, while offering the most wealthy even more tax breaks. The right wing voted to impose fines or fees against those who file "frivolous" lawsuits. Yet it used to be the determination of the court what was "frivolous", not a predetermined notion by congress to prejudge cases before they are even heard.
Now it will be up to the more reasonable and progressive Americans to stand up for what's left of the American court sytem and stand against any far right judge and to keep the courts fair and open forum for all to be heard, not just the most wealthy. It's now or never time.
In the Bill Clinton years, republican lawmakers demanded that Clinton chose moderate judges, not liberals or progressives. Bill Clinton, a moderate democrat had no problem with this, and his appointments mostly reflected moderate choices. But now the far right seeks the most far right court justices they can possiby find to stuff the nation's courts.
But in another disgusting display of right wing thuggery, Harriet Miers had her chance to become a Supreme Court justice pulled from her very hands. Granted, Miers seemed like a very weak choice for the Supreme Court. But this would have been the greatest opportunity of her lifetime. She had the right to be heard in Senate hearings and judged by the Senate as to whether she was an acceptable choice for the nation's highest court or not. It was only a few weeks earlier that the same political right was urging that John Roberts be given a "fair hearing" by the senate, which he was. But in yet another disgusting act of right wing hypocrisy, this argument didn't matter in the case of Harriet Miers. Without even the benefit of a fair senate hearing, the far right began a ruthless attack on Miers, tearing her apart on the paperthin logic that she wasn't far right enough politically to sit on the highest court.
By every logical basis, it appears that Miers was farther to the right than Sandra Day O'Connor, and would have overturned Roe v. Wade, and would have sided with the most conservative justices on a number of issues. Yet there was a sense of decency about Miers, that maybe in some cases in which conservative ideology didn't automaticly drive her vote, that she might even fairly listen to cases brought before her on the court.
Now right wing lynch mobs of thugs will demand a far right court choice. Not someone who will fairly judge cases or listen to all sides before deciding a case, but someone meant to rubber stamp a rigid political ideology into law and force it on the entire public. This is the warped vision held by courts by the right wing, not the best qualified justice who make the nation proud of their wisdom, but a court dominated by a ruthless political ideology.
And many on the right are suggesting a far right choice that will be divisive and destructive for the nation as good for the political fortunes of George Bush. They think that the "brownshirt" politics of thuggery can prevail and impose their vision of law on the public at large. If those who disagree with this type of politics don't use this opportunity to speak up and defend the integrity of the court system, then America is heading towards becoming a lost state the will of the political right. The right wing has forced a president on America in 2000, who spent the first 40 years of his life involved in alcohol and cocaine abuse. The right wing has forced a murderous war on Iraq, that has killed as many as 100,000 civilians in that nation. The right wing is imposing laws on America protecting gun manufacturers who manufacture killing machine assault rifles with no legitimate hunting or personal protection use, from gun victims lawsuits. The right wing has voted to weaken the nation's bankruptcy laws. The right wing is voting to cut vital health service or heating assistence to the elderly and poor, while offering the most wealthy even more tax breaks. The right wing voted to impose fines or fees against those who file "frivolous" lawsuits. Yet it used to be the determination of the court what was "frivolous", not a predetermined notion by congress to prejudge cases before they are even heard.
Now it will be up to the more reasonable and progressive Americans to stand up for what's left of the American court sytem and stand against any far right judge and to keep the courts fair and open forum for all to be heard, not just the most wealthy. It's now or never time.
Kamis, 27 Oktober 2005
Two Refreshing Views Of Religion That Stay On Message
This week I happened to pick up two spiritually refreshing items, a copy of Watchtower and a copy of On Chanting Hare Krishna. What makes both of these items so refreshing is the genuineness of the faith of both groups who published the two magazines.
With such a tendency of some to soil the Christian faith, by attaching it to some of the most repressive and bigoted politics, to see two groups of very religious persons who stay away from politics and promote a healthy view of God. Both The Jehovah's Witnesses and The International Society For Krishna Consciousness reflect a view of God that is hopeful, promising and truly uplifting.
Unlike many Indian religions, the Krishna faith is monotheistic, and has high praise for all major Holy books such as the Bible, Torah and Koran. And Jehovah and Allah are both held in high praise as a unique understanding of persons who belong to those respective faiths. Jesus is also held in high regard as an incarnation of God on earth as well. And the rules that the Krishna members live by promotes a respect for living creatures by avoiding animal product foods such as meat, fish or eggs. It is a positive Indian based faith that deserves the highest of respect by members of other faiths.
And the Jehovah's Witnesses also promote a very positive view of faith, that earns them also a high level of respect as well. Members of this faith will help to repair damaged homes in the hurricane disaster areas. Members of this church also build their own houses of worship as well. Most members of construction groups can build a church over a two week period. This is very remarkable.
Unfortunately some in the politically conservative religious community have abused the Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court to debase the Christian faith by involving it in some very unChristian debate. But at least some others respect God enough not to bring disgrace on their faith, and also recognize the real power of prayer and the power to hear the will of God in their lives.
With such a tendency of some to soil the Christian faith, by attaching it to some of the most repressive and bigoted politics, to see two groups of very religious persons who stay away from politics and promote a healthy view of God. Both The Jehovah's Witnesses and The International Society For Krishna Consciousness reflect a view of God that is hopeful, promising and truly uplifting.
Unlike many Indian religions, the Krishna faith is monotheistic, and has high praise for all major Holy books such as the Bible, Torah and Koran. And Jehovah and Allah are both held in high praise as a unique understanding of persons who belong to those respective faiths. Jesus is also held in high regard as an incarnation of God on earth as well. And the rules that the Krishna members live by promotes a respect for living creatures by avoiding animal product foods such as meat, fish or eggs. It is a positive Indian based faith that deserves the highest of respect by members of other faiths.
And the Jehovah's Witnesses also promote a very positive view of faith, that earns them also a high level of respect as well. Members of this faith will help to repair damaged homes in the hurricane disaster areas. Members of this church also build their own houses of worship as well. Most members of construction groups can build a church over a two week period. This is very remarkable.
Unfortunately some in the politically conservative religious community have abused the Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court to debase the Christian faith by involving it in some very unChristian debate. But at least some others respect God enough not to bring disgrace on their faith, and also recognize the real power of prayer and the power to hear the will of God in their lives.
Rabu, 26 Oktober 2005
2,000 Dead Reached In George Bush's War
Today the grim milestone was reached when the 2,000th dead America soldier from the George Bush war announced. Some supermarkets offer a prize for the 2,000th customer. But in the case of the 2,000th American soldier killed, the only award is a trip home in a coffin and a flag given to the heartbroken loved ones.
And with a cost of $203.5 billion, or $1,831 per each American family, every household is also paying a cost as well. $1,831 takes food off the dinner plates of American families, or shoes off the feet of their children. It is $1,831 less that a family has to spend on living expenses such as rent or medicine, only to fund bombings of Iraqi villages or dropping 750lb. Mark 77 napalm bombs.
Equally as heartless as the carnage of Iraq is, is the cost cutting that congress is considering to continue funding the George Bush War. The Senate Finance Committee voted 11-9 along party lines to cut essential health care to the elderly and poor by $10 billion over the next five years with cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Big HMOs fought any changes to health care insurance services in America during the Clinton Administration, so today, the U.S. ranks as the world's only major industrial nation with no government run low or no cost health care. Even Canada, our neighbor has such a system.
In Oregon, 42% of persons do not have dental insurance. To get dental assistance requires filling out forms, and waiting up to one year for possible approval. At OHSU, 2 children are hospitalized each day with 14 or more bad teeth, which results in heart or other systemic poisoning. No other major world government has such a problem.
In another move, the Senate with the support of only 11 republicans and 44 democrats defeated a proposal to spend 3.1 billion more on heating assistance to the poor that required 60 votes to provide essential heating assistance. Heating costs for oil have increased by 50% from a year ago. Heating oil is now nearly $3.00 a gallon. Some homes will require about $30 a day to heat. For the elderly, this is simply a death sentence if they cannot afford to heat their home when the weather turns cold in the winter.
Halliburton has continued to charge the taxpayer $400 per case for soda pop. FEMA is paying $7,000 per tree removal for homes, while $700 was the normal going rate before the disasters of Katrina, Rita or Wilma. One defense contractor was billing the Pentagon for hundreds of dollars for a one inch piece of metal with two holes drilled in it. Another defense contractor was billing the Pentagon for $400 each a glow plug wire for diesel engines that is the identical to one sold in autoparts stores for less than $20. The amount of contractor corruption is such an epidemic during the Bush Administration, that the law offices of Gary Galiher, with a phone number of 1-800-END-FRAUD is offering cash rewards for turning in the corrupt contractors that are having a golden age during the Bush era of free spending to big business contractors. The "culture of corruption" is having an unprecendented gold mine of cash to steal in contractor corruption schemes, while congress debates cutbacks to heat or essential health care to the elderly or poor to continue to fund the George Bush war in Iraq.
The George Bush war in Iraq will continue to take lives in Iraq, as well as at home in the U.S., when elderly freeze to death in their own homes they cannot affort to heat. And elderly and the poor will die from not being able to afford to go to a doctor or seek health care. And for the number of forces involved, Iraq is taking nearly as many American lives as Vietnam was for the forces involved there.
The enormous costs of the George Bush War will continue to fill body bags both in Iraq and in the U.S. Servicepersons risk and sometimes lose their lives, and Americans who have to sacrifice will pay such a high cost that some will freeze to death or die from lack of health care here.
And with a cost of $203.5 billion, or $1,831 per each American family, every household is also paying a cost as well. $1,831 takes food off the dinner plates of American families, or shoes off the feet of their children. It is $1,831 less that a family has to spend on living expenses such as rent or medicine, only to fund bombings of Iraqi villages or dropping 750lb. Mark 77 napalm bombs.
Equally as heartless as the carnage of Iraq is, is the cost cutting that congress is considering to continue funding the George Bush War. The Senate Finance Committee voted 11-9 along party lines to cut essential health care to the elderly and poor by $10 billion over the next five years with cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Big HMOs fought any changes to health care insurance services in America during the Clinton Administration, so today, the U.S. ranks as the world's only major industrial nation with no government run low or no cost health care. Even Canada, our neighbor has such a system.
In Oregon, 42% of persons do not have dental insurance. To get dental assistance requires filling out forms, and waiting up to one year for possible approval. At OHSU, 2 children are hospitalized each day with 14 or more bad teeth, which results in heart or other systemic poisoning. No other major world government has such a problem.
In another move, the Senate with the support of only 11 republicans and 44 democrats defeated a proposal to spend 3.1 billion more on heating assistance to the poor that required 60 votes to provide essential heating assistance. Heating costs for oil have increased by 50% from a year ago. Heating oil is now nearly $3.00 a gallon. Some homes will require about $30 a day to heat. For the elderly, this is simply a death sentence if they cannot afford to heat their home when the weather turns cold in the winter.
Halliburton has continued to charge the taxpayer $400 per case for soda pop. FEMA is paying $7,000 per tree removal for homes, while $700 was the normal going rate before the disasters of Katrina, Rita or Wilma. One defense contractor was billing the Pentagon for hundreds of dollars for a one inch piece of metal with two holes drilled in it. Another defense contractor was billing the Pentagon for $400 each a glow plug wire for diesel engines that is the identical to one sold in autoparts stores for less than $20. The amount of contractor corruption is such an epidemic during the Bush Administration, that the law offices of Gary Galiher, with a phone number of 1-800-END-FRAUD is offering cash rewards for turning in the corrupt contractors that are having a golden age during the Bush era of free spending to big business contractors. The "culture of corruption" is having an unprecendented gold mine of cash to steal in contractor corruption schemes, while congress debates cutbacks to heat or essential health care to the elderly or poor to continue to fund the George Bush war in Iraq.
The George Bush war in Iraq will continue to take lives in Iraq, as well as at home in the U.S., when elderly freeze to death in their own homes they cannot affort to heat. And elderly and the poor will die from not being able to afford to go to a doctor or seek health care. And for the number of forces involved, Iraq is taking nearly as many American lives as Vietnam was for the forces involved there.
The enormous costs of the George Bush War will continue to fill body bags both in Iraq and in the U.S. Servicepersons risk and sometimes lose their lives, and Americans who have to sacrifice will pay such a high cost that some will freeze to death or die from lack of health care here.
Selasa, 25 Oktober 2005
Rosa Parks: The Power Of An Individual To Change Society
The death of Rosa Parks was sad news of a great individual who made a difference in society. It propelled a young minister of God's Gospel, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King to wage a moral war against the sin of racial discrimination in American society.
Unfortunately most individuals often leave no more of an imprint on society in their 70 or more years of life than a footprint left in the sand that is soon washed away by the tides. But in her long life of 92 years, Rosa Parks made a difference in American society that is long lasting and permanent. And for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, it also represented the days when figures in the religious community were respected for opening up society for more opportunity for all, unlike some of the current religious community noted for horrible sex scandals based on abuse of power in unequal relations with their flock or for promotion of discrimination against homosexuals in jobs and housing.
American society, while better for minorities since the early 60's, still is an unequal society. The poverty of many in the American Black community was well noted in so many desperately poor in New Orleans during the recent Katrina disaster. Unequal economic standing still victimizes many in the Black community, and some "conservatives" still attempt to grab onto any bits of racism that they can by opposition to affirmative action, or support for "conservative" justices who are code worded as "strict constructionists". It was sweeping court decisions that ruled the segregation of Montgomery, Alabama's bus system was unconstitutional, or a sweeping decision that ruled in Brown v. Board Of Education, that "seperate but equal" was unconstitutional. Great men such as Abraham Lincoln, whose life was nearly that of a Biblical figure, combining the best of Moses with the long suffering nature of Job, had a vision of an equal society for all. Rosa Parks was the cataylst for one big step towards equality in American society.
Unfortunately most individuals often leave no more of an imprint on society in their 70 or more years of life than a footprint left in the sand that is soon washed away by the tides. But in her long life of 92 years, Rosa Parks made a difference in American society that is long lasting and permanent. And for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, it also represented the days when figures in the religious community were respected for opening up society for more opportunity for all, unlike some of the current religious community noted for horrible sex scandals based on abuse of power in unequal relations with their flock or for promotion of discrimination against homosexuals in jobs and housing.
American society, while better for minorities since the early 60's, still is an unequal society. The poverty of many in the American Black community was well noted in so many desperately poor in New Orleans during the recent Katrina disaster. Unequal economic standing still victimizes many in the Black community, and some "conservatives" still attempt to grab onto any bits of racism that they can by opposition to affirmative action, or support for "conservative" justices who are code worded as "strict constructionists". It was sweeping court decisions that ruled the segregation of Montgomery, Alabama's bus system was unconstitutional, or a sweeping decision that ruled in Brown v. Board Of Education, that "seperate but equal" was unconstitutional. Great men such as Abraham Lincoln, whose life was nearly that of a Biblical figure, combining the best of Moses with the long suffering nature of Job, had a vision of an equal society for all. Rosa Parks was the cataylst for one big step towards equality in American society.
Senin, 24 Oktober 2005
The Hope And The Hype Of Biofuels
This weekend, Portland, Oregon hosted a biofuel event in which automobiles were featured that run on old soybean vegetable cooking oil and also featured other alternative fuel powered vehicles. Biofuels on the surface seem to hold some promise to reduce petroleum oil fuel consumption, as soybeans are easy and cheap to grow. Yet at the same time some serious shortcomings exist to this biofuel alternate fuel approach.
Volkswagan AG and Archer Daniels Midland Corporation, the world's largest corporate soybean farm products business, have entered a joint project to develop soy based biofuels. To both of these producers soy biofuels have some advantages. They burn cleaner with less pollution than petroleum based oils and tend to clean, not dirty the entire fuel system. And such fuels reduce the the dependence on petroleum oil.
But there is a big disadvantage to biofuels. Soy based biofuels now require more energy to produce than they provide, and as far as corporate efforts to manufacture have proved, they are not cost effective. Only small backyard stills that process soy based biofuels and use used cooking oil from fast food businesses have been able to cost effectively produce user amounts of biofuels. This is especially true when solar power is used to provide the energy required to turn the engine blades that are used to create biofuels and produce the specific gravity required to create usable fuels that work in diesel engines or oil furnaces.
In addition, litmus paper and other test equipment must be used to determine certain factors related to each source of cooking oil to be processed, as well as testing with a hydrometer to gauge the specific gravity of each amount of biofuel produced.
In the long run, biofuels probably have a limited life as an alternative fuel source unless the production costs can be reduced to a level where major corporate production can be cost effective and soy based biofuels actually produce more energy than they require for production. But for now, only in the case of backyard stills, or for the sake of experimental purposes have biofuels proven themselves as worthy. It is possible to not only use soy and corn, but even yard grass clippings could be made into fuel with the use of engymes to break down the grass clippings into a fuel source.
Hydrogen or solar power actually hold far more long range alternate fuel source promise. Both come from plentiful and even far less polluting cleaner elements. Hydrogen is made by seperating water into hydrogen and water. Hydrogen usually only leaves water vapor as an exhaust product. It holds great promise. And solar powered electric automobiles now seem to be more possible as both solar cells as well battery technology have greatly improved. The recent use of hybrid automobiles includes the use of advanced technology batteries. But whether roof sections could be used for solar cell sections to provide enough power to the battery level storage, even with the use an alternator or generator to maintain battery level at a rate faster than the energy discharge under use.
I had an idea for a hydrogen/oxygen powered automobile that would use electrolysis of water in the fuel tank into hydrogen and oxygen, compress the two fuels, inject the hydrogen into the combusion chamber and use an unit similar to the old Paxton superchargers to compress the oxygen into the combusion chamber and the spark plug would ignite the mixture, creating mere water once again as the exhaust product that would run back to fuel tank that would be reused again and again as the cycle continues. The only question is whether this cycle could be completed fast enough to produce enough power to propel a 2 or 3 thousand pound automobile with a driver and passengers down a street or highway.
A few years ago, a relative of mine was the lead engineer for the William Lear steam engine project in the Nevada research site. Steam engines have existed since a crude prototype plans in 1698. In the 1800's, steam provided the power for locomotives, which used wood or coal to heat the water. In 1910, the Stanley Steamer was so fast that a standing offer was made that offered $100,000 to anyone who would drive a Stanley Steamer with the throttle wide open. No one took up the offer.
The Lear steam engine looked similar to an aircraft engine, and was a form of steam turbine design that could be appliedto aviation as well as automobile technology. The Lear design was able to run at 145 miles an hour in a test at the Bonneville Salt Flats, yet still suffered from the slow warmup time. Yet today, with microwave oven technology, these engines could be more viable than when first tested a few years ago as water warmup time could be reduced. Unlike the gasoline powered automobile, the steam engine always requires the comparatively slow water warmup process. And unlike the gas engine which is ready to go very soon after the key hits the ignition, this water warmup time for steam engines could extend for a few minutes. But the hot exhaust water could be recycled back to the engine to maintain the operating heat temperatures after this warmup period is reached.
Just like the days when the world depended far too long on whale oil for lamps, the age of use of fossil fuels has gone on far too long. It is more than time to develop a newer and cleaner energy source derived from the elements that cannot be exhausted and is cheap in supply.
Not only would a use of an alternative fuel be cleaner and better for the environment. Along with a ban on all public cigarette smoking, the use of alternative fuels would greatly clean the air and create far better public health. It would also reduce both the cost of declining availablity of fossil fuels. Most of the world's oil reserves now require the injection of gas or water into the reserves to maintain oil production, yet most have long since reached the scientifically arrived at peak oil in 1977. Yet the world's largest oil reserve in Ghawar Saudi Arabia, now requires that 7 million barrels of water be pumped into the oil reserve to maintain a 4 million barrel a day supply of oil.
Volkswagan AG and Archer Daniels Midland Corporation, the world's largest corporate soybean farm products business, have entered a joint project to develop soy based biofuels. To both of these producers soy biofuels have some advantages. They burn cleaner with less pollution than petroleum based oils and tend to clean, not dirty the entire fuel system. And such fuels reduce the the dependence on petroleum oil.
But there is a big disadvantage to biofuels. Soy based biofuels now require more energy to produce than they provide, and as far as corporate efforts to manufacture have proved, they are not cost effective. Only small backyard stills that process soy based biofuels and use used cooking oil from fast food businesses have been able to cost effectively produce user amounts of biofuels. This is especially true when solar power is used to provide the energy required to turn the engine blades that are used to create biofuels and produce the specific gravity required to create usable fuels that work in diesel engines or oil furnaces.
In addition, litmus paper and other test equipment must be used to determine certain factors related to each source of cooking oil to be processed, as well as testing with a hydrometer to gauge the specific gravity of each amount of biofuel produced.
In the long run, biofuels probably have a limited life as an alternative fuel source unless the production costs can be reduced to a level where major corporate production can be cost effective and soy based biofuels actually produce more energy than they require for production. But for now, only in the case of backyard stills, or for the sake of experimental purposes have biofuels proven themselves as worthy. It is possible to not only use soy and corn, but even yard grass clippings could be made into fuel with the use of engymes to break down the grass clippings into a fuel source.
Hydrogen or solar power actually hold far more long range alternate fuel source promise. Both come from plentiful and even far less polluting cleaner elements. Hydrogen is made by seperating water into hydrogen and water. Hydrogen usually only leaves water vapor as an exhaust product. It holds great promise. And solar powered electric automobiles now seem to be more possible as both solar cells as well battery technology have greatly improved. The recent use of hybrid automobiles includes the use of advanced technology batteries. But whether roof sections could be used for solar cell sections to provide enough power to the battery level storage, even with the use an alternator or generator to maintain battery level at a rate faster than the energy discharge under use.
I had an idea for a hydrogen/oxygen powered automobile that would use electrolysis of water in the fuel tank into hydrogen and oxygen, compress the two fuels, inject the hydrogen into the combusion chamber and use an unit similar to the old Paxton superchargers to compress the oxygen into the combusion chamber and the spark plug would ignite the mixture, creating mere water once again as the exhaust product that would run back to fuel tank that would be reused again and again as the cycle continues. The only question is whether this cycle could be completed fast enough to produce enough power to propel a 2 or 3 thousand pound automobile with a driver and passengers down a street or highway.
A few years ago, a relative of mine was the lead engineer for the William Lear steam engine project in the Nevada research site. Steam engines have existed since a crude prototype plans in 1698. In the 1800's, steam provided the power for locomotives, which used wood or coal to heat the water. In 1910, the Stanley Steamer was so fast that a standing offer was made that offered $100,000 to anyone who would drive a Stanley Steamer with the throttle wide open. No one took up the offer.
The Lear steam engine looked similar to an aircraft engine, and was a form of steam turbine design that could be appliedto aviation as well as automobile technology. The Lear design was able to run at 145 miles an hour in a test at the Bonneville Salt Flats, yet still suffered from the slow warmup time. Yet today, with microwave oven technology, these engines could be more viable than when first tested a few years ago as water warmup time could be reduced. Unlike the gasoline powered automobile, the steam engine always requires the comparatively slow water warmup process. And unlike the gas engine which is ready to go very soon after the key hits the ignition, this water warmup time for steam engines could extend for a few minutes. But the hot exhaust water could be recycled back to the engine to maintain the operating heat temperatures after this warmup period is reached.
Just like the days when the world depended far too long on whale oil for lamps, the age of use of fossil fuels has gone on far too long. It is more than time to develop a newer and cleaner energy source derived from the elements that cannot be exhausted and is cheap in supply.
Not only would a use of an alternative fuel be cleaner and better for the environment. Along with a ban on all public cigarette smoking, the use of alternative fuels would greatly clean the air and create far better public health. It would also reduce both the cost of declining availablity of fossil fuels. Most of the world's oil reserves now require the injection of gas or water into the reserves to maintain oil production, yet most have long since reached the scientifically arrived at peak oil in 1977. Yet the world's largest oil reserve in Ghawar Saudi Arabia, now requires that 7 million barrels of water be pumped into the oil reserve to maintain a 4 million barrel a day supply of oil.
Minggu, 23 Oktober 2005
North Korean Companies Who Export Nuclear Technology Face New Curbs
While North Korea signed an agreement just last month in Beijing to supposedly end their nuclear arms program, at least 8 North Korean firms have continued to spread nuclear technology around the world. In a welcome move, the Bush Administration is cracking down on this nuclear technology proliferation. However, the major threat from North Korea was the major arms market in conventional arms such as the Nodobnng missiles. These have been converted by Pakistan into nuclear missiles. And Iran has undertaken a program to provide a longer range motor for these North Korean designed missiles just within the last couple of months, dramaticly extending their range to 2,000 kilometers, from the previous 1,300 kilometer limited range.
However the far larger and more serious issue of Chinese nuclear technology transfer to states like Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria was largely ignored by the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and second Bush Administrations. For political and trade reasons, China was given more freedom than some other states to trade in nuclear technology transfers. In fact, the U.S. has even offered a recent tax credit proposal to an American corporation that will assist the CNNC with development of nuclear reactors in China. And this is despite the fact that the CNNC has long been responsible for nuclear technology transfers according to U.S. intelligence.
The Chinese National Nuclear Corporation(CNNC) which is responsible for both civilian and military nuclear technology, both for China's industrial energy needs, as well as the nuclear arms force of the People's Liberation Army, has been able to transfer substantial amounts of nuclear technology to mainly MidEast states, much of it dual use technology.
Pakistan received the largest amount of nuclear weapons technology assistance from China. During the Reagan Administration while the Soviet Union was singled out as the "Evil Empire", China was able to provide a complete nuclear weapon design to Pakistan. By 1986, Chinese scientists assisted Dr. Khan's research laboratories with nuclear weapons design assistance. And in 1987, Chinese scientists assisted Pakistan's nuclear weapons testing program.
Later in the Clinton Administration some efforts to prevent some CNNC nuclear technology transfers were finally begun. But other efforts of the IAEA, were effective at preventing some serious transfers of nuclear technology. But with the aid that Pakistan has previously received, it has provided assistance to some other states such as Iran. Iran may now have as many as 20,000 high speed centrifuges needed to enrich uranium.
A serious threat to the American aircraft carriers is the transfer of many antiship missiles by China to Iran. These could be easily retrofitted with nuclear warheads thanks to the wide range of nuclear technology that china previously supplied Iran along with other vital recent nuclear technology from Pakistan.
Any attempt to prevent the proliferation of weapons oriented nuclear technology and arms is most welcome. However it is more likely than not that the genie is a out of the bottle, and any late efforts to limit worldwide proliferation may be too late. Pakistan or some other state now seems willing to provide nuclear assistance for a price to any state that desires nuclear arms.
However the far larger and more serious issue of Chinese nuclear technology transfer to states like Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria was largely ignored by the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and second Bush Administrations. For political and trade reasons, China was given more freedom than some other states to trade in nuclear technology transfers. In fact, the U.S. has even offered a recent tax credit proposal to an American corporation that will assist the CNNC with development of nuclear reactors in China. And this is despite the fact that the CNNC has long been responsible for nuclear technology transfers according to U.S. intelligence.
The Chinese National Nuclear Corporation(CNNC) which is responsible for both civilian and military nuclear technology, both for China's industrial energy needs, as well as the nuclear arms force of the People's Liberation Army, has been able to transfer substantial amounts of nuclear technology to mainly MidEast states, much of it dual use technology.
Pakistan received the largest amount of nuclear weapons technology assistance from China. During the Reagan Administration while the Soviet Union was singled out as the "Evil Empire", China was able to provide a complete nuclear weapon design to Pakistan. By 1986, Chinese scientists assisted Dr. Khan's research laboratories with nuclear weapons design assistance. And in 1987, Chinese scientists assisted Pakistan's nuclear weapons testing program.
Later in the Clinton Administration some efforts to prevent some CNNC nuclear technology transfers were finally begun. But other efforts of the IAEA, were effective at preventing some serious transfers of nuclear technology. But with the aid that Pakistan has previously received, it has provided assistance to some other states such as Iran. Iran may now have as many as 20,000 high speed centrifuges needed to enrich uranium.
A serious threat to the American aircraft carriers is the transfer of many antiship missiles by China to Iran. These could be easily retrofitted with nuclear warheads thanks to the wide range of nuclear technology that china previously supplied Iran along with other vital recent nuclear technology from Pakistan.
Any attempt to prevent the proliferation of weapons oriented nuclear technology and arms is most welcome. However it is more likely than not that the genie is a out of the bottle, and any late efforts to limit worldwide proliferation may be too late. Pakistan or some other state now seems willing to provide nuclear assistance for a price to any state that desires nuclear arms.
Sabtu, 22 Oktober 2005
The International Power Elite And Globalization
Tonight the U.S. Chamber Of Commerce held a dinner with keynote speaker, former Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, addressing the gathering. At first glance, the theme of his speech appeared to be the 20th anniversary of perestroika, or the restructuring of the old Soviet notion of an enclosed economy, that could be self-regulated from within with wage and price controls, government subsidized housing, etc towards an economy more similar to the not only world market economies such as in Europe and the U.S. , but also a member of the global economic community. And that's what soon become the prevailing theme of Gorbachev's speech, the subject of globalization.
It soon became clear that Gorbachev's address was to an audience that represented not only the "captain's of American industry" who are member of the Chamber Of Commerce, but also included Colin Powell, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, and religious leader, Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller, as well others representing a bipartisan cross section of the "power elite" of America. It soon became clear, that just as Sociologist G.William Domhoff, once argued, there is indeed a "national ruling class" in America, and this "trinity" now involves an elite of the business community, politics and religion, and cuts through both political parties, and shares a common economic religion of globalization of the world economy. It is also apparent in the bipartisan approach to promotion of international trade treaties such as NAFTA or CAFTA that surrender the sovereign rights of individual states towards these international documents that are beyond the grasp of any single state to change once signed. And interational trade organizations such as WTO even organize penalty actions against states that do not follow the agreed to trade rules in these super documents. Nafta was a 1,700 page document, and CAFTA a 93 page document in which the U.S., Canada, Mexico and now Central American states sign away individual local and national economic automony towards these international globalization trade documents.
On the back of the American dollar bill is the bizarre and cryptic symbol of the all seeing eye hovering above a pryamid. This bizarre cryptic emblem that looks like something from a secret society is annoited with the Latin phrase, "Novus Ordo Seclorum", or a New Order For The Ages. Some see this as akin to the "New World Order" often spoken of by the first President Bush. However in the latest Bush Administration, this is played out in often contradictory terms. There is tremendous hardcore conservative resentment towards the U.N. as a global political order body, while at the same time the interventionalist philosophy of the Bush Administration is to force MidEast states to become members of the world community, while Al Qaeda and Muslim insurgent elements push for an Arab isolationalist vision. Yet the steady drumbeat towards an internationalist and globalized economy continues unimpeded in the basic vision of this administration more than any past administration encompasses the goals and interests of the business community.
American labor, including myself, lament at the steady flow of jobs to developing world labor cheap economies such as China , India and Vietnam. American labor would like to see wage and job security protections for American workers, yet one of their strongest political advocates, Rep. Richard Gephardt is no longer in Congress, and any philosphy that could be seen as "protectionist" seems to be crushed under the weight of both national and international business interests. There seems to be a wholesale belief in so much of the business community in the economic religion of globalization that any realization of the negative impact on American workers with declining wages or job benefits seems to be lost as the tide of the industrial revolution that once transformed first Britain, then the U.S., is ignored in the sense of American national economic interests as the internationalist globalization economic religion seeks to profit from the labor cheap economies of the world to manufacture the consumer goods while many American workers are reduced down to mere Walmart or McDonalds service worker status.
Old time social analysts such as Tonnies(1887-1957) used to describe the metamophosis from an agarian to industrial economy in percise German terms such as gemeinschaft, gesellschaft or gellenschaft, and the differences in visions from the sense of the individual and the relationship to community. Now it appears that an international power elite believes that the individual and their relationship to the community has not only expanded from beyond local to state, and now from the relationship of state to international community role. The concept of community has become a global one, far from the early concept of a village as an organization unit.
All of this brings one back to Mikhail Gorbachev. Was he a modern secret democrat or even closet Christian hidden within the old Soviet Communist Party leadership? Was his Glasnost, or openess philosophy concept for Soviet society, or his perestroika, restructuring of the old Soviet economy, two inevitable and realistc goals for a society that could not remain closed, or was it that Mikhail Gorbachev became an early Soviet subscriber to the new economic religion of globalization? Gorbachev's words at the Chamber Of Commerce dinner seemed to voice some concerns about the negative consequences of globalization of the world's economy. Yet Gorbachev seemed to play a reluctant foot soldier role in this steady march of the world states towards this supereconomy vision of globalization in which corporations and economies operate as international entities and the old Soviet empire broke down to become a part of this international community.
And on a second glance, this event was not a meeting of former past top leadership, such as Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Colin Powell or Madeline Albright, but also the integration of Hillary Clinton into a community of national and international business interests as she cements the economic network to finance her run for president and her role as an American president in this globalized economy. And with the economic ties that both the Bush and Clinton familiies have cemented in the business community, it appears that leadership alternates between these two political families that have managed to form a temporary lock on American leadership. This is at least until another major family political dynasty forges an economic marriage to the globalization forces of the international business community and becomes their new darling to promote their goals and to secure their financial support to rule America and support globalist economic goals.
It soon became clear that Gorbachev's address was to an audience that represented not only the "captain's of American industry" who are member of the Chamber Of Commerce, but also included Colin Powell, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, and religious leader, Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller, as well others representing a bipartisan cross section of the "power elite" of America. It soon became clear, that just as Sociologist G.William Domhoff, once argued, there is indeed a "national ruling class" in America, and this "trinity" now involves an elite of the business community, politics and religion, and cuts through both political parties, and shares a common economic religion of globalization of the world economy. It is also apparent in the bipartisan approach to promotion of international trade treaties such as NAFTA or CAFTA that surrender the sovereign rights of individual states towards these international documents that are beyond the grasp of any single state to change once signed. And interational trade organizations such as WTO even organize penalty actions against states that do not follow the agreed to trade rules in these super documents. Nafta was a 1,700 page document, and CAFTA a 93 page document in which the U.S., Canada, Mexico and now Central American states sign away individual local and national economic automony towards these international globalization trade documents.
On the back of the American dollar bill is the bizarre and cryptic symbol of the all seeing eye hovering above a pryamid. This bizarre cryptic emblem that looks like something from a secret society is annoited with the Latin phrase, "Novus Ordo Seclorum", or a New Order For The Ages. Some see this as akin to the "New World Order" often spoken of by the first President Bush. However in the latest Bush Administration, this is played out in often contradictory terms. There is tremendous hardcore conservative resentment towards the U.N. as a global political order body, while at the same time the interventionalist philosophy of the Bush Administration is to force MidEast states to become members of the world community, while Al Qaeda and Muslim insurgent elements push for an Arab isolationalist vision. Yet the steady drumbeat towards an internationalist and globalized economy continues unimpeded in the basic vision of this administration more than any past administration encompasses the goals and interests of the business community.
American labor, including myself, lament at the steady flow of jobs to developing world labor cheap economies such as China , India and Vietnam. American labor would like to see wage and job security protections for American workers, yet one of their strongest political advocates, Rep. Richard Gephardt is no longer in Congress, and any philosphy that could be seen as "protectionist" seems to be crushed under the weight of both national and international business interests. There seems to be a wholesale belief in so much of the business community in the economic religion of globalization that any realization of the negative impact on American workers with declining wages or job benefits seems to be lost as the tide of the industrial revolution that once transformed first Britain, then the U.S., is ignored in the sense of American national economic interests as the internationalist globalization economic religion seeks to profit from the labor cheap economies of the world to manufacture the consumer goods while many American workers are reduced down to mere Walmart or McDonalds service worker status.
Old time social analysts such as Tonnies(1887-1957) used to describe the metamophosis from an agarian to industrial economy in percise German terms such as gemeinschaft, gesellschaft or gellenschaft, and the differences in visions from the sense of the individual and the relationship to community. Now it appears that an international power elite believes that the individual and their relationship to the community has not only expanded from beyond local to state, and now from the relationship of state to international community role. The concept of community has become a global one, far from the early concept of a village as an organization unit.
All of this brings one back to Mikhail Gorbachev. Was he a modern secret democrat or even closet Christian hidden within the old Soviet Communist Party leadership? Was his Glasnost, or openess philosophy concept for Soviet society, or his perestroika, restructuring of the old Soviet economy, two inevitable and realistc goals for a society that could not remain closed, or was it that Mikhail Gorbachev became an early Soviet subscriber to the new economic religion of globalization? Gorbachev's words at the Chamber Of Commerce dinner seemed to voice some concerns about the negative consequences of globalization of the world's economy. Yet Gorbachev seemed to play a reluctant foot soldier role in this steady march of the world states towards this supereconomy vision of globalization in which corporations and economies operate as international entities and the old Soviet empire broke down to become a part of this international community.
And on a second glance, this event was not a meeting of former past top leadership, such as Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Colin Powell or Madeline Albright, but also the integration of Hillary Clinton into a community of national and international business interests as she cements the economic network to finance her run for president and her role as an American president in this globalized economy. And with the economic ties that both the Bush and Clinton familiies have cemented in the business community, it appears that leadership alternates between these two political families that have managed to form a temporary lock on American leadership. This is at least until another major family political dynasty forges an economic marriage to the globalization forces of the international business community and becomes their new darling to promote their goals and to secure their financial support to rule America and support globalist economic goals.
Jumat, 21 Oktober 2005
24 Hours In The Party Of "Values"
In the 2004 election, religious voters were heavily courted by the Republican Party. There were numerous attempts in churches to organize voters and the Christian Coalition distributed many "voter's guides" informing Christian which political party supposedly represented "values". The fact that the standard bearer at the top of this "values" party ticket spent the first 40 years of his life struggling with alcohol or cocaine abuse according to biographers such as Kitty Kelley and others did not seem to matter much. Equally, the last roughly 24 hours were hardly characteristic of a "values" party either.
House Majority Leader, Tom Delay, managed a wide grin as he was fingerprinted and given a mug shot as his trial for felony conspiracy to violate Texas campaign laws trial is set to progress. Karl Rove and "Scooter" Libby faced another day of public scrutiny in the scandal of outing a CIA operative in a possible attempt to retailiate against an ambassador who did not support the war. Rumors that Dick Cheney may eventually resign continued. All issues that harm the political image of a self proclaimed "values" party.
In the Senate, a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage which has been stuck at $5.15 an hour since 1997, promoted By Senator Kennedy was voted down, with most members of the "values" party voting "no". Only four republicans voted in favor. Meanwhile in the House, a proposal to cut the essential safety net for the poor by $50 billion, while considering $70 billion in new tax cuts for the wealthy was under consideration. In the Senate, cuts to the Food Stamp program were fortunately sparred thanks to the efforts of two Republican Senators, Rick Santorum and James Talent, but whether they survive in the House is a very good question. Genuine religious right members such as Pat Robertson and others strongly support the moral notion of the wealthy sharing with the poor. But as the political leadership in the House "values" party look for new ways to cut the social safety net, further stressing state and local human services budgets, while looking for new ways to reward the big lobbyies and corporate donators with huge new tax cuts.
The power of corporate lobbyies really proved itself when two bills to shield business from lawsuits were voted. One that shielded the restaurant and fast food industry from obesity lawsuits was voted. While such lawsuits may on the surface appear to be absurd, it was historically the role of courts to decide the merits of any case, not for the congress to prejudge cases before they are even heard. But this isn't the worst business lawsuit shield law voted in the last 24 hours. A far worse bill was passed to protect gun manufacturers and gun dealers from lawsuits by gunshot victims or their families was voted. This is yet another issue that begs the "values" question. Again the fact that congress is prejudging court cases without a hearing is brought into question. And some gun manufacturers have deliberately sought to profit by developing killer weapons such assault rifles that have no legitimate personal protection or hunting us. And gun dealers have knowingly sold dangerous guns to felons, drug dealers, gang members, criminals, mentally ill persons and others. Meanwhile stories abound in America cities of the use of guns in crime and in mentally illness situations and in suicide. In Portland, Oregon an argument resulted in a shooting, and a disturbed man climbed into a treehouse with a gun, held off police, then finally shot himself. The same man was involved in shooting earlier this month.
In a mere period of roughly 24 hours a bizarre and twisted sense of "values" by much of the leadership of the Republican party on important issues such as the minimum wage, gun crime liability, cutting social programs as well issues involving criminal conduct of figures connected to the White House are tearing down the "values" image of the Republican party. If the democrats cannot politically capitalize on this and offer alternative ways to govern as well reasonable counter proposals, then they are trully a sorry lot. In the next election, many voters may want to return to reasonable and moderate leadership, and Democrats and some moderate Republicans may have far better appeal than the hard right Republicans who talk about "values", but support a twisted platform with litle common sense or reason.
The last 24 hours were pretty bad. Well, today's another day.
House Majority Leader, Tom Delay, managed a wide grin as he was fingerprinted and given a mug shot as his trial for felony conspiracy to violate Texas campaign laws trial is set to progress. Karl Rove and "Scooter" Libby faced another day of public scrutiny in the scandal of outing a CIA operative in a possible attempt to retailiate against an ambassador who did not support the war. Rumors that Dick Cheney may eventually resign continued. All issues that harm the political image of a self proclaimed "values" party.
In the Senate, a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage which has been stuck at $5.15 an hour since 1997, promoted By Senator Kennedy was voted down, with most members of the "values" party voting "no". Only four republicans voted in favor. Meanwhile in the House, a proposal to cut the essential safety net for the poor by $50 billion, while considering $70 billion in new tax cuts for the wealthy was under consideration. In the Senate, cuts to the Food Stamp program were fortunately sparred thanks to the efforts of two Republican Senators, Rick Santorum and James Talent, but whether they survive in the House is a very good question. Genuine religious right members such as Pat Robertson and others strongly support the moral notion of the wealthy sharing with the poor. But as the political leadership in the House "values" party look for new ways to cut the social safety net, further stressing state and local human services budgets, while looking for new ways to reward the big lobbyies and corporate donators with huge new tax cuts.
The power of corporate lobbyies really proved itself when two bills to shield business from lawsuits were voted. One that shielded the restaurant and fast food industry from obesity lawsuits was voted. While such lawsuits may on the surface appear to be absurd, it was historically the role of courts to decide the merits of any case, not for the congress to prejudge cases before they are even heard. But this isn't the worst business lawsuit shield law voted in the last 24 hours. A far worse bill was passed to protect gun manufacturers and gun dealers from lawsuits by gunshot victims or their families was voted. This is yet another issue that begs the "values" question. Again the fact that congress is prejudging court cases without a hearing is brought into question. And some gun manufacturers have deliberately sought to profit by developing killer weapons such assault rifles that have no legitimate personal protection or hunting us. And gun dealers have knowingly sold dangerous guns to felons, drug dealers, gang members, criminals, mentally ill persons and others. Meanwhile stories abound in America cities of the use of guns in crime and in mentally illness situations and in suicide. In Portland, Oregon an argument resulted in a shooting, and a disturbed man climbed into a treehouse with a gun, held off police, then finally shot himself. The same man was involved in shooting earlier this month.
In a mere period of roughly 24 hours a bizarre and twisted sense of "values" by much of the leadership of the Republican party on important issues such as the minimum wage, gun crime liability, cutting social programs as well issues involving criminal conduct of figures connected to the White House are tearing down the "values" image of the Republican party. If the democrats cannot politically capitalize on this and offer alternative ways to govern as well reasonable counter proposals, then they are trully a sorry lot. In the next election, many voters may want to return to reasonable and moderate leadership, and Democrats and some moderate Republicans may have far better appeal than the hard right Republicans who talk about "values", but support a twisted platform with litle common sense or reason.
The last 24 hours were pretty bad. Well, today's another day.
Kamis, 20 Oktober 2005
The Reverse Robin Hood Party
In rank and file republicans, many, many good people exist. Actor Paul Newman, who has given more than $150 million to charity from his Newman's Own food products line is a fine example. However, in the republican congressional leadership, this sense of decency is often lacking. As early as this morning, the republican congressional leadership is promoting a cut of as much as $50 billion for essential services for the poor of America including cuts in nutrition, health care and education services. At the same time, the same twisted morality proposal awards $70 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy.
The bill cannot even be justified as a proposal to cut spending. It does not. It pushes the federal budget deficit even higher. And every tax cut proposal aimed at the wealthy usually does not even have the "trickle down" effect to eventually aid those at the bottom of the economic ladder. Every tax proposal that benefits the wealthy usually encourages more and more jobs to leave America for labor cheap states such as China, India or Vietnam. And this is despite the dismal human and religious rights record in China and Vietnam.
In the old Superman comics, a world known as the "Bizarro world" existed, in which right was wrong, and wrong was right. It the same sense of twisted logic, the justification for the current proposal to cut what little safety net exists for the poorest of Americans while further rewarding those of far more means than they can often possiby use makes no moral sense at all.
The legendary Robin Hood character sought justice for the poor, by giving back to them what the wealthy often stole. The current republican congressional leadership often lacks any sense of moral balance, unconcerned that poor children are permanently damaged by poor nutrition, or that poor persons needlessly die due to lack of basic health care. They embrace right wing organizations such as Focus On The Family or the Family Research Council, who are supportive of family issues in name only. These organizations lack any commitment to decent wages, health care, education or nutrition issues, and instead deceptiviely use the name "family" as a cover for a wide range of right wing issue covers.
Congress may get the chance as soon as early as this morning to prove where their heart actually is.
The bill cannot even be justified as a proposal to cut spending. It does not. It pushes the federal budget deficit even higher. And every tax cut proposal aimed at the wealthy usually does not even have the "trickle down" effect to eventually aid those at the bottom of the economic ladder. Every tax proposal that benefits the wealthy usually encourages more and more jobs to leave America for labor cheap states such as China, India or Vietnam. And this is despite the dismal human and religious rights record in China and Vietnam.
In the old Superman comics, a world known as the "Bizarro world" existed, in which right was wrong, and wrong was right. It the same sense of twisted logic, the justification for the current proposal to cut what little safety net exists for the poorest of Americans while further rewarding those of far more means than they can often possiby use makes no moral sense at all.
The legendary Robin Hood character sought justice for the poor, by giving back to them what the wealthy often stole. The current republican congressional leadership often lacks any sense of moral balance, unconcerned that poor children are permanently damaged by poor nutrition, or that poor persons needlessly die due to lack of basic health care. They embrace right wing organizations such as Focus On The Family or the Family Research Council, who are supportive of family issues in name only. These organizations lack any commitment to decent wages, health care, education or nutrition issues, and instead deceptiviely use the name "family" as a cover for a wide range of right wing issue covers.
Congress may get the chance as soon as early as this morning to prove where their heart actually is.
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