Is this really the 21st century where all humans – no matter which sex or color – are treated as equals?
The good old sexist agenda is still with us – just in a different disguise – especially in the Presidential Elections in the US.
It’s seems like that an odd mutation of feminism, religion and sexism has created new barriers for women …
(This is an update to Those evil European Ideas? What does Mike Huckabee really know about Europe?)
Brett Dobbs has send me this clip from McCain from the fabulous Big Think Blog praising Europe. Thanks a lot.
But McCain hardly represents his whole party in this. He certainly formed his ties with many European Leaders in the past. But not many Americans have been in Europe as often as McCain.
Wow, the Huckabee moment just demonstrates perfectly WHY European think many Americans are rather ignorant and stupid.
Huckabee demonizes those “European ideas” which are just waiting to take over America and make Americans poor slave of these “ideas”.
We talk here about old European Communism and Socialism – and we also talk about modern “old” Europe.
Europeans overall enjoy better social systems, better health, better justice system (we don’t kill criminals here and our prisons are far more humane) and actually more civil liberties than Americans – and not just since Darth Cheney and his Chimp killed the last bits of the progressive side of America.
Europe also offers a higher social mobility and better pay. Most people here can afford a good life without working two or three jobs. Europe is certainly NOT perfect, but overall the middle class and the poor are better off here than in the US of A.
We have “the gays” serving in several European armies and we also allow them to marry like everybody else also in almost all European nations. So far God hasn’t killed or punished Europe with a Hurricane.
Now to the ignorant part: especially poor and uneducated Americans have been voting against those evil ideas like a universal health care system by letting the Republicans run the country. Indeed they have often voted in a rather dumb patriotic spirit against their own interests and better lifes.
After WWII we Europeans looked at progressive America to replace the old imperialistic and nationalistic Europe with a more united and progressive version. We learnt a lot from our American friends.
But it is extremely frustrating how a country holds itself back or perverts the very ideas we all admired: liberty, justice, democracy and compassion.
It’s time for America to renew itself – and maybe learn from others …
Yes, this is not going to John McCains VP, but your next president.
Since America is so much in love with old white males ruling the country – Muslim change from Kenia has to wait.
Mr McCain might be a tough guy, but he is 72 years old the job of being president will kill him sooner or later.
So my dear Americans your country will be run by a superbreeder and Über-mother that has even less experience than Obama.
But don’t despair: she is a fine Christian and Creationist.
Isn’t that what your country is looking for in a good President?
Interesting insight into the Arab point of view on the DNC, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
45 Minutes
(the first five minutes are just applause and ass kissing)
It has momentum, it has spirit and it has character. Great speech for the troops and the media. Let’s see if the Americans are willing to elect this guy and change their great nation.
Let the muddy fight begin!
BBC News: NASA’s 50 years in Space (Videos)
The dogmatic search for a better future was the driving force of the 20th century.
Let’s go back to the Age of Enlightenment that was driven by new insights and lofty goals for humanity. It was the time of colonialism, conquests and the true start of globalization. Although under the brutal direction of European Colonials the world was for the first time completely explored, connected and aware of each other.
Excuse me, we are nice colonists and are looking for a place to build a spaceport.
But it was also the Age of Humanitarianism, when we realized that King & Country were not eternal and that humanity needed better tools and ideals to guide itself into the future. One outcome of this new Idealism was the French Revolution as well as the United States of America – a totally new way to govern modern societies.
Compared to the former religious societies our Forefathers suddenly had “mental space” for a different and better future. Under Religion and Royals there was no “improving” future as we know it today. There was only the continuation of yesterday until Judgement Day. Any change driven by human ideas was considered blasphemy and unnecessary – since everything was nicely arranged in God’s perfect plan.
Move aside God – we need space for the future …
The Industrial Age of the 19th Century with it’s incredible social and scientific achievements where the ultimate proof that “God was dead” (Nietzsche) and that the nation state transcended Religion and Kings. The eternal plan was scraped, finally there was a Future and the mental space for real progress.
Already in the early Industrial Age authors like Jules Verne established many modern visions of a technological future: underwater cities, submarines, flying machines, rockets and interplanetary travel. All based on the work of daring scientists and engineers.
New political and social sciences radically changed western cultures: Psychology, Socialism, Mass Production, Consumerism and Individualism transformed the old Democracies into new powerful nation states.
He didn’t built any rockets, but he was one of many important fathers of modern science.
All new political ideas like Socialism, Communism and a new modern (Market) Capitalism were based new insights and sciences available at the time. Even Fascism got many of it’s ideas from science, especially from Darwinism and most of all Social Darwinism – which lead to the dreadful science of Eugenics.
Small side note: Social Darwinism has actually not invented by him – it was rather based on Herbert Spencer, Thomas Malthus, and Francis Galton work. It was first just a very convenient way to justify Colonialism and the Class System.
Sorry, your nose is too big to be an Aryan or an Astronaut.
Nevertheless – Science was established as the ultimate method to build a better life. Our future depended on better science and technology. Our Forefathers were delighted and enchanted by all the exciting new discoveries.
Already in the 1920’s and 1930’s a new kind of Futurism swept through America, Europe and some parts of Asia. Freud’s psychology fascinated people all over the western world and the although the great Depression was a terrible event for everybody modern Consumerism started to thrive in that time too.
Modern Consumerism always demanded High Tech.
But there was also a cultural Futurism (not to be confused with the Italian Futurism). Thanks to new forms of Mass Media (especially comics, radio and cinemas) science fiction presented a glorious technological future to the masses. Hero’s like Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and many others showed the way to the Future – first as comics, then as radio serials and later as movies.
Interestingly enough: early science fiction (in literature and on the screen) adopted Democracy and Humanitarianism as the ultimate choice for any lifeform. Technology and science as tools to archive the best way of life. This message is ultimately portrayed in the movie “Things to Come” (1936).
I am sure evil Ming’s military never faced NASA’s budget cuts!
The terrible conflicts of ideas first dismantled the old colonial powers in WWI and WWII. Both wars showed that science and technology was the ultimate weapon. The future belonged to flying machines, atomic power and electronics.
Many weapons invented in WWII are still stranger then (science) fiction like flying saucers. But the Cold War fathered even stranger and more futuristic machinery: like the atomic bomber, killer satellites or stealth fighters.
The space age already started with Wernher von Braun and his terrible V-2 rocket in 1942. But this was really only the beginning …
There is one small reason for NASA’s existence: Sputnik.
In the 1950’s rockets and spacemen were already deeply embedded into the public’s mind through science fiction and popular science. But on October 4, 1957 it all become real with the launch of Sputnik. Hardly a year later the Americans founded NASA on July 29, 1958. The space age finally took off with full power.
Once again the chimps got there before us!
From the 1950’s till the mid 1980’s popular culture and media was shaped by science, technology and science fiction. From Sputnik to the Space Shuttle and from Captain Kirk to Star Wars – it was the Age of happy technology and unlimited possibilities.
Star Wars 1977 not only my personal turning point in my childhood …
Every boys dream was to become an Astronaut. Being smart or even being a Scientist was considered cool. Building stuff that actually worked was even cooler. Toys like chemistry sets, rocket kits or ever complex LEGO machinery were best sellers.
Totally out of fashion today: being an Astronaut. Not as cool as being a Rapper or Supermodel.
I was born 1967 – I was two years old when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Too young to really watch it. But I do remember that I watched every bit of “space anything”, science fiction or scientific program on the telly.
Until the mid 1980’s my generation grew up on a positive vision of the future, science and technology. Sure – already in the 1970’s the Hippies questioned our modern lifestyle – but it was not until the start and success of the green movement that this positive and uncritical vision was replaced with a more darker, distrusting and often strangely esoteric vision of the future.
I am still in my heart a spaceman, but I guess that era is over.
Some words of sanity compared to McCain’s dribble.
If you can cope with nasty British Humor – watch & enjoy!
Israel has been making serious threats against Iran’s nuclear program in recent weeks. But one has to wonder: when Israel bombed Saddam’s power plant they didn’t make a huge public announcement – they just dropped the bombs.
Iran’s threat to cut of international oil supply with a naval blockade doesn’t strike me as very smart either. Why punish your customers when you yourself defied the international community.
When you think $140 for a barrel of oil was expensive – just wait … when these idiots start another war in the Middle East the price could easily double. Petrol and food prices will skyrocket and there will be even more starvation and food riots.
If this happens Iran and Israel can very proud of themselves.
Let’s hope the next winters will be warm and mild.
What Ms Sklar clearly describes in this interview has been happening all over the industrial and advances countries: the middle class is disappearing and a new form of class system has been forming since the 1980’s.
Thank you Mr Reagan and Ms Thatcher for establishing the greedy philosophy of "free markets", "trickle down economic" and "market democracy". It simply isn’t a social way to run a society and establish a "just" economy.
Social societies are a GOOD thing. Capitalism is good, but it needs oversights and corrections to work for the benefit of all and not just a few people.
Watch, learn and weep.
The more I learn about western Imperialism, the angrier I get. Here are some more bit about American involvement in Iran.
So it’s Obama vs McCain = young black Kennedy vs Grandpa Munster. But I am pretty sure the Democratic Party will find ways to fuck it up.
It’s not Miss Liberty who awaits you in the United States of America – it’s someone from Homeland Security waiting to take your prints and a nice snapshot of your terrorist face.
Welcome to America!
I am sure this guy "fighting" Chris Matthews isn’t really dumb – but it was really dumb not to say "I don’t know". I love this kind of media coverage …
The year is 1921 and Margaret Gorman from Washington D.C. is the first Miss America. Compared to today’s beauty standards she isn’t very sexy: she lacks full lips, hips and tits. I guess back then people only cared for inner beauty and a good character?!
I am sure she also wanted World Peace!
Where are the Burgers?
Pope Bene doesn’t seem to have the traveling bug like his Polish predecessor. But at least he made it to the US of A – and received a Presidential pickup at the airport. Something Bush has never done before.
One has to wonder how much political power is left with the Catholic Church? It certainly is much weaker in Europe, but seems to flourish in the Americas and Asia. Especially in the new capitalistic China people long for a “meaning” now that they are richer on one side and “feel” emptier in a harsher consumerist society. Weird.
I really hope Pope Bene will publicly kicks Bush’s ass for being a torturer and war criminal – and make some day a stand for Tibet.
Crystle Stewart ain’t your usual bimbo: she has a university degree, runs her own business and isn’t blonde.
But still the whole contest is fixated on finding the most beautiful and fertile cow in the country – bikini contest and all.
Keith Olbermann once again points out the truth: the US Goverment made huge efforts to legalize their perverse desires and allow torture again as a means of interrogation.
It is such a sad story.
Finally the boss of the American Federal Reserve confronts reality -and uses the dreaded ‘R’-Word.
How much more obvious does American decline to be to get Washington and the public to act?
The US Dollar is weaker then the Canadian Dollar.
The Euro has eclipsed the Dollar and stands good chances to become the dominant currency for reserves.
The US infrastructure is crumbling and underfunded.
The middle class is slowly disappearing, instead tent cities are appearing.
Even Wall Street and big banks are in serious trouble.
The Industrial-Military-Complex has worked in the past – but only because it employed massive amounts of people. Today’s streamlined and outsourced manufacturing no longer is a benefit to the American masses (only to the stockholders).
Who is to blame? A lazy US congress, a very bad President, the huge American deficit, the expensive war in Iraq and the total lack of good oversight of the financial markets and big business.
I wonder if most Americans will ever understand how long the Bush legacy, deficit and his idiotic war will burden their lives?
Mission Statement from 2003:
Start a War based on lies. 
Alienate all your European Allies.
Piss of the whole Muslim world.
Save money on protective gear and Hummvees.
Totally ignore the Shia and Sunni conflict in the region.
Totally ignore the Kurdish and Turkish conflict.
Ignore security and rule of law in postwar Iraq.
Dissolve the Iraqi Police for more crime.
Dissolve the Iraqi Military for more crime.
Torture your prisoners and take snaps for everybody.
Ignore war crimes of your own troops.
Forget to secure huge amount of weapons and ammo.
Drive up the price for oil.
Ruin your own military.
Start a job boom for Blackwater and other mercenaries.
Make Halliburton even richer.
Funnel Billions of Dollars into dark holes.
Funnel Billions of Dollars to contractors who waste the money.
Encourage a culture or corruption in Iraq.
Blame everything on Iran and al-Quaida.
Promise to pay insurgents to fight for you – and then don’t pay.
Lay the foundation for another war in the region.
Did I miss anything?
My dear Americans: are you sure that your country’s infrastructure is oke? Seems like you should spend more money on improving your electricity grid. It has been known for some time that most parts of the grid are in a bad shape.
Change? Make power companies invest more in the grids they own instead of giving all the money to it’s stockholders. Electricity is way to essential to leave it in the greedy hands of corporations.
Even here in Germany some electricity grids are in bad shape, because they have been privatized and neglected by big ass companies.
Water, Sewers, Electricity, Streets, Rail, Telephones and Internet access – all these components of modern life have been sold in many countries to private companies. And all the promises of cheaper pricesses, better service and constant innovation haven’t been fulfilled. But these companies ALL made huge profits.
Public necessities should stay in public hands.
All American presidential candidates always reinforce that national mantra of a strong defense and military against all these evildoers out there. The US spends more on defense and espionage than the rest of the world COMBINED.
But there is little or no reflection that the most expensive security and military apparatus has totally failed to destroy Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and Al-Quaeda. Instead America has helped with it’s bad policies and military failures to drive young Muslims in droves to suicide squads and terrorist groups all over the world.
So if Americans really want change – change your military doctrine, reduce the amounts of “security, intelligence agencies – and bases all over the world. If you do that you could CHANGE the current miserable state of your education, social systems and crappy state of your infrastructure.
Change would mean getting rid of that insecure bunker mentality – and accepting that no super weapon can stop hate. Friendship and diplomacy can make friends and sympathy – and this will protect you much better in the long run.
Osama is only dangerous, because people support his cause or are willing to look the other way.
This is one odd picture: the Russians have resumed their long-range bomber flights – which they stopped in the 1990’s because the country and their military was broke. Here you see a Tupolew Tu-95 followed by a hypermodern American F-22 Raptor. The first TU-95 flew 1953 (!!!) and the F-22 have just entered the service (2005).
Ten years in military technology is a long time, twenty years are a generation – but fifty years …
But don’t be fooled: the first mighty B-52 bombers entered American service 1955 – and they upgraded models are still killing people today. To anyone without modern missiles or AA guns such an ‘old’ machine is still deadly.
After Super Tuesday John McCain seems to be the winner and candidate for the American Republicans to run for President. Although Mike Huckabee is currently #2 I don’t think he will be the running mate as Vice President.
Joe Lieberman has been very happy to ’schmooze’ with the GOP since his recent reelection in 2006 and he is a big buddy of McCain. Plus on many issues he is more hawkish than many Republicans. As an Independent and former Democrat he sure would cover a wide spectrum of votes and interests
I think this can only be countered by a Hillary-Obama-Ticket. But who will take the second seat?
I am a big fan of Louis – his Weird Weekends documentaries are insightful and have an odd, but very honest touch.
So let’s enjoy his adventures and encounters in the wrestling world. Highly recommended! More to come …
I am all for making Afghanistan a better place and fighting the Taliban. I also agree that Germany and so many other NATO members have to do more.
But let’s not forget: the NATO mandate was to support the rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan and provide some policing. It was expected that the Americans would continue their war on the Taliban.
But what happened? America went to Iraq and allowed the Taliban to remerged. They also ignored warnings from Afghans and the international community that the US sock puppet Hamid Karzai does not have the backing and power to push serious development in Afghanistan ahead. Instead corruption, drugs and local warlords succeeded. The Taliban are back and more and more locals support them instead of ‘their’ government.
Also the international rebuilding efforts were uncoordinated and wasteful. Not the kind of results you want to have to convince the locals that western democracy is better and improves the lives of the poor Afghan people.
The US loves to shift the blame to NATO for it’s own failures. While the rest of NATO is going through a tough realization of their shared failure. Loosing Afghanistan is not an option they say – but most countries lack the political will and commitment to make it work.
Very sad.
Image: Ralph Alswang
I liked Edwards – but how can he prevail against the possibly first woman or black president?
Hopefully his message to fight poverty won’t be forgotten and ignored after the elections.
It’s now the last year of his regency – the Age of the Ape is coming to an end. Aren’t we all happy?!
But how will clean up all the poo left behind? Will anyone be brave enough to maybe impeach the Ape just before the end? I think this Ape is mostly surrounded by chickens …
Adam Curtis / documentary / ca 44 minutes
From Wikipedia:
Focusing on the men of the Cold War on whom Dr Strangelove was based. These were people who believed that the world could be controlled by the scientific manipulation of fear – mathematical geniuses employed by the Rand Corporation. In the end, their visions were the stuff of science fiction fantasy.
Curtis most recent documentary ‘The Trap’ also comes back to these think tanks featured in this documentary.
More? Pandora’s Box Series
Once again the people of PBS / Frontline have produced a breath taking documentary: the medicated child (you can watch the whole thing online). America seems not only obsessed with it’s War on Drug – to protect children – but is also totally paranoid kids behaving differently. Compared to any other industrial countries huge amount of small kids and teenagers are heavily medicated.
Plus the pharma industry and doctors have invented many new illnesses and syndromes. It’s a HUGE business and scared / dumb parents willing to force extremely dangerous drugs down their children’s throats.
The documentary has just one serious flaw (maybe because of the time limits) – it really didn’t try to answer why so many kids are diagnosed with these serious psychiatric disorders compared to other countries AND if this is really true: why are American kids so much more ‘damaged’ than for example Swedish or Canadian ones?
I don’t envy these kids – and the is a whole new Prozac generation coming to the world stage. This is really a ‘Brave New World‘ coming true …
BBC Essay: In search of a ‘humane’ execution
What do countries like the USA, China and Iran in common? They still believe in executing hardcore criminals – including youngsters
It is hard to believe that in our modern world people still get killed by their Governments. I am deeply against the death penalty – and it’s a good thing that the EU has abolished it.
The BBC has an interesting article (link above) that gives an insight into the search of Michael Portillo for an humane way of killing (no unnecessary pain, etc).
CNN recently asked it’s viewers if they were sick and tired of all that shallow reporting? 94% of the viewers said yes. Even the question was so bloody obvious that one has to ask if not only the politicians, but also most of the mass media in that big country has lost contact with reality?
I recent weeks I watched the live reporting of the presidential primaries – and I was quite amused by the stupidity of it. The insights and talking points that the pundits and so called ‘experts’ used were chillingly flat – even I as an Non-American could see that.
This is not a dumbing down of a country – it is already dumb and shallow in the places were intellectuals should offer their brainpower to the people.
Apart from a few shining examples like Keith Olbermann I hardly see any TV journalist worth their money. Political agitation has become such a money game, that the messages they spread are so full of artificial flavor that they no longer need to have any nutritional value. American news has became like American Fast Food – it just bloats your mind, fattens your fears – but leaves you hungry and sick in the end.
Click image for an even bigger bang.
BBC – on this Day: Now that was a big bang and all the dust contributes to global warming today. It’s not only we humans that pollute the atmosphere, but also events like this – although volcanic eruptions are pretty rare and lame compared to some earlier earth periods.
More? Wikipedia entry and don’t miss the 1980’s section with some great images! Then you can ‘feel’ how massive that explosion was.
Today the American Mainstream Media is finally showing some backbone and attacks the Bush government. But for many years nobody was brave enough to raise his or her voice – with a few applaudable exceptions.
One of these exceptions is Keith Olbermann (and his crew) – anchorman of the MSNBC news show Countdown. The show itself follow the usual American pattern of facts mixed with some political pundits comments within a three to eight minutes slot between advertising. Nothing special here.
But his special comments are superb (click here to see a list of his greatest moments on YouTube)! Sometimes his monologues are up to ten minutes long and present well analyzed reflections of the current situation (or usually fuckup by Mr Shrub and his cohorts).
There is a brilliance and intelligence in his speeches that most mainstream TV journalists don’t come close.
So in the recent years he has been the voice of sanity in the dark called the United States of America. Thank you Mr. Olbermann!
Just watching and controlling all these Non-Americans …
The US has over 700 military installations worldwide. In contrast to that India opened it’s FIRST foreign military base in 2006 in lovely Tajikistan (do you know where that is?). China has not a single foreign military base. And on a funny side note the even lovelier country of Kyrgyzstan has a Russian and an American military base.
Not many countries can afford to keep military bases in other nations – and not many nations are willing to have foreign soldiers in their soil. (List of military bases by country)
Many American bases go way back to WWII like those big ones in Japan, Britain and Germany, but also to the cold war like in Turkey, Korea or Spain. Russia has closed down most of it’s bases since the end of the Soviet Union – most of the remaining ones are based in former parts of the Communist Empire. Britain and France have kept some bases in some former Colonies.
But nobody spends as much money, influence and hardware as the USA. Read this excellent article Chalmers Johnson on garrisoning the planet to get some deeper insights.
Comrades: We already rule Wal-Mart and Africa! And America can’t finance any war without us. There is no need for a stinking war …
Faced with such a staggering difference in the balance of power and obsession with keeping the upper hand – is anyone surprised that the US is accused of Imperialism? During the Cold War it made sense for NATO to keep a huge network of bases around the world, but this war is over.
And neither Bin Laden nor China or Russia will be contained by military force.
For terrorists military bases are excellent advertising for American Imperialism and they also make yummy targets to blow up. China understands that going to war is stupid and is way too busy to build up it’s already huge industrial and financial muscles – that is why the US is lending money from the Communists to finance it’s war in Iraq. And finally Russia – who also no longer needs a huge military presence anyway, because it can use it’s energy reserves as much more effective weapon.
Got some change for me Dude? I need to buy some bullets … this whole war thing is pretty expensive you know.
Imperial overstretch can destroy great Nations (here are two great essays related to that: part 1 and part 2). The American infrastructure, social fabric, educational system and manufacturing base is already showing serious signs of underdevelopment. And it’s mighty military has huge recruitment and moral problems.
The military industrial complex is destroying it’s own base. But the rich and mighty can always move on to another country and new wars to fight.
More? No-Bases.org
Click image for closer look.
Apart from the many unsolved questions of 9/11 and mysteries surrounding this even – this is one amazing image.
There are not many guns and rifles a normal person will know by name (unless you are a gun nut anyway). The Magnum .44 is something everybody knows – and the famous Winchester Rifle, which appear in any old western movie.
But capitalism is able to bring down even well armed icons. The company Winchester that produces the gun has moved abroad and no longer wants to manufacture this gun (BBC article here). It’s simply not profitable.
I wish that would happen to all guns and riffles!
More? Winchester Rifle @ Wikipedia and the movie Winchester 73