The Weekly Watch
American Arrogance is Based on Exceptional Ignorance
Working from the base of the brain stem, the tribal chant of we're number one is all it takes to convince most citizens the US is GREAT. A misleading and profit serving corporate media does its share to maintain the illusion. But what is so great about us? We certainly create great violence and mayhem around the world. We work hard to destroy nature in order to extract and pollute...and woe be unto the country that opposes our corporate misuse of people and planet...because we worship the God of profit.
Nowhere in our hemisphere is the story (or distorted story) more obvious than oil rich Venezuela. I have a friend in Birmingham who has an interest in Venezuela because the conductor of the local symphony is from there. She's a regular NYT reader, and she is appalled about Maduro, who she describes as such a horrible man. I quizzed her about the socialist movement in Venezuela but she saw Maduro as the villain...that's what the conductor suggests. Let's see many classical music enthusiast are elites. I know not all, but it might explain why Maduro is the bad guy. Plus all the media outlets paint Maduro as a mad dictator.
It reminds me of Castro and Cuba. It is amazing Cuba has been able to stand up to US aggression for so many years. It will be difficult for Venezuela to survive our onslaught. Rex T, Exxon Secretary of State, want his oil back! The spin on Venezuela is everywhere, and they want more money to destroy Maduro.
The Bill would provide $10 million in humanitarian aid to the struggling country, require the State Department to coordinate a regional effort to ease the crisis, and ask U.S. intelligence to report on the involvement of Venezuelan government officials in corruption and the drug trade.
The lead sponsors of the legislation are Senator Ben Cardin, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the panel's western hemisphere subcommittee and a vocal critic of Venezuela's government.
"It is in the strategic interest of the United States to support the restoration of democracy in Venezuela and work with regional partners to put the country back on a path to peace, prosperity and stability," Cardin said in a statement.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa-congress-exclusive-idUSK...
US ambassadors lean on other American countries to overthrow Maduro's government.
https://www.iwnsvg.com/2017/06/19/us-ambassador-we-must-defend-venezuela...
Senator Marco Rubio from Florida and California Representative Ed Royce have not only introduced sanctions against Venezuela a key point in their legislative agenda, they have also met — on several occasions — with Venezuelan opposition leaders — such as Luis Florido, Lilian Tintori, Freddy Guevara, among others — to show them political support and diplomatic endorsement to the overthrowing agenda they lead on the ground
According to Open Secrets, in 2016 ExxonMobil was one of the companies that paid (the website does not specify the amount) to lobby for the law S.3117 (Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs of the Law of Allocations of 2017), which establishes the funds and political objectives of the operations of the Department of State in key countries for the United States.
Money leaked to agencies such as the NED or USAID are based on that law. On May 3, 2017, under the leadership of Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan (another politician financed by ExxonMobil in 2016 with US$14,025), the law was sanctioned.
According to the official page of the Congress of the USA, the sponsor of this bill was South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had the duty of lobbying for its execution according to the guidelines of its financiers.
Read more from this comprehensive piece from Telesur
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Route-of-Coup-Against-Venezuela...
In contrast, here's a main stream story from DW describing the situation.
http://www.dw.com/en/venezuelan-president-maduro-unveils-details-of-cons...
Despite US pressure, there is some support from the Americas for Maduro and Venezuela
“The popular movements gathered here recognize and support the constitutional government led by the President … Nicolas Maduro Moros, and offer our full and solid support to the people of Venezuela,” the People’s Summit said.
https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/13258?page=1
We don't interfere with other countries but...
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to take "strong and swift economic actions" if Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro goes ahead with plans to create a Constituent Assembly in a July 30 vote.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-usa-idUSKBN1A22EJ
And there you have it. Other sovereign countries better do our bidding or else! Just consider Iraq, Libya, and Syria....even Palestine (this report is about UK bank and financial institutions that are investing in companies, selling weapons, and military technology to Israel) 7 min and transcript
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19606:UK-Banks-Profit-from-Israeli-Crime...
and now they're working on a law the ban the BDS movement (13 min and transcript)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19594:Boycott-Israel%2C-Go-to-Jail%3F
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/19/u-s-lawmakers-seek-to-criminally-out...
How did we get here?
I think this interview is from the mid nineties, but it is still so spot on. Noam explains how corporate media ownership and our education system create a misleading media. The interviewer tries to argue that the media never promotes propaganda, or has any type of medium intrinsic bias; he gets well and truly screwed on every point he tries to make. The irony is that Andrew Marr's total belief that he's not spewing out propaganda or is too establishment leaning is exactly the reason why the BBC gave him his job. (30 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suFzznCHjko
How did US workers end up on the losing end of things? Unions were destroyed largely by Red Baiting. Richard Wolff and Frank Annunziato give a brief rundown of the history of the American Labor Movement's decline in the recent years. (7 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9xtDmS8Vfg
What about T-rump?
Jeremy Scahill writes about T-rump and the fall of the American empire
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/22/donald-trump-and-the-coming-fall-of-...
T-rump's con job in the first six months
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/07/19/after-six-months-detailed-l...
Here's a interview with the Russian Lawyer , Natalya Veselnitskaya who met with Don Jr. Maybe She does have dirt on Clinton. She wants to testify to the Senate. (10 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SScpPqbDVsQ
David Cay Johnson, T-rump's biographer for many years, discusses his first six months in office. I found him to be particularly accurate. (7 min each with transcripts)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/20/david_cay_johnston_gop_budget_red...
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/20/david_cay_johnston_trump_is_appal...
How we treat our poorest citizens says much about who we are...
Frontline and the NYT produced a show together about parole. It aired this week. Here's the producer and writer talking about their research and production of this piece about our injustice system.
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/7/18/still_not_free_new_documentary_life
The Intercepted podcast hosted Alfred McCoy author of “In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power” McCoy is the Harrington Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Second half of the podcast or transcript
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/19/intercepted-podcast-veni-vidi-tweeti/
The Environment
Wild weather across the country, but still no mention of global warming as the culprit.
https://weather.com/news/news/storms-midwest-northeast-flash-flooding
Meanwhile they try to create more atmospheric carbon...
New energy guidelines from that great intellect Rick Perry trying to Make Coal great again... Max and Stacy talk to Tyson Slocum, Director of Public Citizen's Energy Program. Keiser Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNwbVXv_mmg
PBS is complicit as they discuss the future of electric cars with NPR correspondent. Electric cars simply don't generate the profit of trucks...and never a mention of reduced pollution (7 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Uy2d3TAhU
Portland's first-of-its-kind zoning ordinance, which banned new fossil fuel projects within city limits and prevented existing facilities from expanding, was overturned under pressure from the Western States Petroleum Association (14 min and transcript)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19597:Big-Oil-Overturns-Portland%27s-Lan...
May as well say goodbye to the Glaciers (14 min with transcript)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19605:Saying-Goodbye-to-Glaciers%27%3A-T...
I went to Atlanta this week. I have not been to the big city in quite awhile. The thing that struck me most was the blatant and obvious inequality. Upscale scenes and people adjacent to abject poverty. I guess it is more hidden and subtle here in the boonies. In little towns like mine everyone knows each other, rich and poor. In Atlanta they pass by one another like ships in the night....like Escher's Relativity
While in the big city, I went to the Georgia Tech Paper Museum http://paper.gatech.edu/
They had this posted which I'll leave as a last thought...
Rags make paper.
Paper makes money.
Money makes banks.
Banks make loans.
Loans make beggars.
Beggars make rags.
And round we go...have a good day and a great week! I'll look forward to any stories or comments from you.
Comments
Morning Lookout
Between you and EL. Every Sunday morning here is like picking up the Sunday paper. So much good stuff as always.
I want a Pony!
many thanks
glad to see you and hope all is well in your corner of the very deep South.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
@Lookout I'm not that far south.
I'm not that far south. It's only 3 degrees south of the equator.
It started out overcast. The sun is starting to shine through. Should burn off by afternoon.Might get to the low 70's mid afternoon. I'll go to the park and people watch.
Certainly the big cathedral by the park is super busy on this fine Domingo.
I want a Pony!
They call Alabama the deep south
I guess you're at the equatorial south? What would Antarctica be...The extreme south?
All the best to all directions.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
3 degrees south
could be Cuenca. No?
"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."
@vtcc73 Yes Cuenca
Yes Cuenca
Headed to Parque Calderon...two blocks away.
Here's a re-post from Friday...
I want a Pony!
I know the park and some of El Centro.
Three degrees south, big cathedral, and el domingo was a dead give away. Wonderful city and people.
Our plan is to be in Cuenca permanently by mid-November. We would be there already were it not for having to sell a house and move two big dogs and four cats by air. That means November or later.
"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."
my internet service is on the blink
As more people get online, I may lose my service. So, I may not be able to respond to all the comments as the day progresses.
The joys of country living.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Double post
n/t
I want a Pony!
Good Sunday morning, Lookout ~~
We have been interfering in the governing of other countries for many moons, now. However, our deeds are not sold as interference, but rather as aid. The benevolent US is out there helping other countries become or stay Democracies. The American people have swallowed this hook, line, and sinker because we then don't have to pay attention to anything other than our exceptional selves. The older and wiser I get, the more pissed off I become.
All week I've been commenting on how we're hoping for rain. All week the meteorologists have been reassuring me rain will come. Rain has come to all around me with my area getting the edges of some storms, resulting in only dashes of moisture. I remain steadfast in my positive-ness that our turn for significant rainfall will come. When our turn presents itself, I will joyfully post my happiness. For now, the morning is beautiful, the sky is blue, and the birds are in song. It is my daughter's 42nd birthday and she is well and happy.
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Sending rainy thoughts your way
Had a buddy travel to NM recently and he talked about rain. Hope you'll get a share. Last year during our drought I re-read the beginning of Grapes of Wrath describing the drought of the 30's. Powerful and painful.
Happy b'day to you and your daughter!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Morning lookout...
Much of importance in today's reads, not sure where to start, so many needs neglected by 'leaders,' should read lack of, but what the hell, their princely suits and smooth tongues fool no one.
Thanks for the work in bringing us Lookout and have a good one!
Hi
They just posted this on youtube...
On this week’s episode of On Contact, Chris Hedges is joined by Eugene Puryear, the 2008 and 2016 vice presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberation and author of “Shackled and Chained: Mass Incarceration in Capitalist America”. (25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buWC8f88uL4
Some great stuff in there. "The system isn't broken it is working just like it was designed." "Capitalism is the problem" "Sanders suggested socialism without addressing imperialism" And many more interesting thoughts....
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hey, thanks for the link..
got to run, see Mom, will watch later.
I've often wondered why so many people
love and are proud of a country simply because they happened to be born there or they or their parents immigrated to it.
Yes, there has been a degree of brainwashing. But, I wonder if some hard-wiring may be involved. I've wondered the same thing about xenophobia and tribalism. When every little thing was so hard to come by and food rotted quickly, you and your clan defending from all strangers the little patch of the planet you'd settled or inherited may have meant life or death for the entire clan and maybe even any strangers you may have allowed to join you as well. Just not enough to go around.
Maybe Darwinism favored the most territorial, xenophobic and violent? Is that why we're willing to have so many people die to defend a frickin' border?--usually nothing but an imaginary line someone drew on a map for some reason at some point in history.
"Country," too, is something of an amorphous concept. Is it the history, the current government, the real estate? I think that, if it's anything, it's the people currently residing in the "country," but I don't think many think of it that way. Most people seem to think of it as something apart from all that. Weird.
It's also a little weird, I think, that we pledge allegiance to "the flag" before the "country" and our national anthem is also about the flag. I mean, it's a very nice flag. The colors don't clash with each other (but we borrowed them from the Brits, our erstwhile oppressors) and I really like stars, but jeez. The pledge and the national anthem? hecate created a term for it, "fellating the fabric." She is a great writer.
Related issue: "I'm proud of my (fill in the name of a nation) heritage." Why? Because your parents happened to be born into it? I understand being proud of being a generous person, or a conscientious parent or whatever good thing you've managed to be. But proud of having been born something? Are you proud of having been born with ten fingers, too?
Noam Chomsky: I am so over idolizing people who rant against New Democrats for four years, riling us up against them, then, in year four, insist that everything good in the world means we HAVE to vote for whichever Democrat is running for President. If that's your bottom line, you are not my hero. And, if that's your bottom line, you should include it in every speech, column, essay, book, etc. you generate. Among other things, doing that may help you finally recognize the cognitive dissonance and upset you create for no good reason.
we are tribal by nature
and then we create artificial countries as with the middle east after WWI.
E O Wilson suggest we evolve as tribal units like a hive of bees or ants.
And our Anthem...bombs bursting in air...come on. How about amber waves of grain or this land is your land?
I miss hecate too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
This land is your land makes, I think, a very different point.
"This land is your land; this land is my land" means to me that, like the moon, this land belongs to all of us, not just the government or the elites--yet the government often sells "our" land (or our land rights, broadcast rights, etc.) cheap to the elites. Or maybe this land is our land is a First Nations approach--you may as well claim to own a piece of the sky as a piece of the earth.
I doubt Woody Guthrie would have written a jingoistic or nationalistic song.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzWeUkrah4s]
I miss hecate, too...
catching up with today's threads...wishing hecate would return to c99p.
One has to admit that the US flag
is very similar to that of the East India Company. Historically, freedom in the US was rooted preponderantly upon the freedoms endowed by capitalism and private ownership (including of other human beings). So to have its national flag based on that of a corporation seems natural.
British East India flag
First US flag - Grand Union flag
Interesting. Thank you.
I had always assumed that we'd worked from the Union Jack. Which once again goes to prove the wisdom of "Assume nothing." That's one of my favorite bits of advice, but I so often forget to think about it.
Cave 76
"Let them all go to Hell, except Cave 76!" -- Mel Brooks
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
survival of the most fit...
perhaps, question being, does it include humans? More sense, to me, imho, is the collective brain of more than one individual attempts to put down a rationalization about existence in simple conversation or in need of cohabitation, which in turn leads to everything else, the collective becomes dominant to the singular often demanding fealty.
Individuals see and experience life--for lack of an immediate better thought on the fly--as it comes to them, not collectively, a completely different view, hence our ages-long conflict.
And to make corrections, individuals need collectives, the circle repeats.
One big company ...
The slogan of the IWW was "one big union." With Amazon we have the opposite vision, one big company.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhOFtT7sq3Y width:500 height:300]
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
ain't that the truth
one big corporation...the global conglomerate...seem closer to reality everyday.
Thanks for the Jimmy Dore clip.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
That' a great bumper sticker
I don't normally put stickers on my car but ( God Bless Corporate Profits and the Lives Ruined Making Them ) I Would use that one if I could find one.
Yep, with the usual backwards, greed is great, mindset
running it. Rec'd!!@#7
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Some other nice interviews and articles
I guess all the users upstream are still at church, so I've been able to catch up on a few missed pieces. Some of you might appreciate these links...
Glen Ford on the Real News
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi and The Real News' Aaron Mate discuss the latest Russiagate news, the story behind the Magnitsky Act, the Clintons' $500,000 conflict-of-interest question, and how the liberal fixation on Russia could have long-term consequences (28 min and transcript)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19600:Russiagate%3A-Kooky-Characters%2C-...
Whatever else one hears about Venezuela, it is all about the oil.
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/170-more-blog-posts-...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Venezuela has the highest known reserves of oil in the world
Good morning, Lookout, thanks for the OT. Have a good one.
It doesn't matter how many elections they hold (& win), it isn't democracy unless our chosen people are in power. Crazy talk. What one should call fake news.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
"democracy"
When I read this in the original Essay:
I knew that the last thing the USA PTB wanted for Venezuela was democracy! Or peace, prosperity, or stability, for that matter!
Any of those things requires Venezuela to remain Bolivarist/Socialist, and to retain ownership and control of its oil reserves. How likely are we to support any such thing with
Prince RamsesRex Tillerson as Secretary of State? I'd say "not"....."US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Great stuff, Lookout.
I especially enjoyed the Alfred McCoy interview with Jeremy Scahill.
The man endured CIA, FBI, IRS, Dept. of Education persecution, still managed to write about how the US has kept global power by spreading torture, drugs(into the USA), arms, unrest, overthrow of elected governments, and on and on...
Then, in summation, McCoy regrets the downfall of our Empire because we are not as awful as the Nazi Empire, or the Japanese Empire, and we spread democracy, individual freedoms, stand up for minority rights, gay marriage...
I will not waste money on McCoy's book.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
That was a strange conclusion about Empire
I heard the podcast, and here is a journalist/historian who documents how the American empire uses both overt and especially covert methods to wreck entire nations. The insights are revealing and brilliant. And he paid a price for it. And he then reaches a bizarre conclusion about empire. I would not call the Nazi Germany an empire. Hitler certainly tried to make it an empire with the invasion of the Soviet Union, but never succeeded at any level of extending and holding lands under sway of Nazi ideology.
@MrWebster Writing a history of
Writing a history of empire, then failing to recognize Germany didn't make the cut, then concluding spread of minority rights and gay marriage makes American Empire worth keeping around is a historian we should ignore.
Were you as shocked as I that his brilliant interview landed with such hard thud?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hard thud is right.
Human rights is a rhetorical tool taken out to justify violence against any regime that is not an ally--the ultimate irony I suppose. In fact, many times, the US has used violent proxies who violate every norm of just plain decency, to hell with human rights. This seems to be the norm, and not the exception. I would have challenged McCoy to cite examples to justify his conclusion. And the examples would have to be more significant in their effect than what we did in Libya, Iraq, Viet Nam, Syria, and countless South American countries.
Actually, the US came late
to banning slavery, women's rights, minority rights and even gay rights. The country is kinda like Hillary in this respect. They balk and stall and then when it finally becomes inevitable they say they were for them all along.
@CB No shit. And we
No shit. And we sell our values to every country with oil reserves! See how much improvements are being made in Saudi human rights?
Venezuela has to know they are high on our customer list.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I can't help thinking
$10 million humanitarian aid amounts to two Happy Meals and a Slurpy. The rest being lost to intermediaries.
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
Trailer for Stranger Things season 2
Stranger Things season 2
Season one was full of intense scenes and I had no idea where this story was going until I watched it the second time.
Season 2 looks like it picks up where it left off and it's darker because it goes into deeper detail of what is driving the story.
Huffpo has trailers for Westworld season2, The Walking Dead season 8 and the most anticipated movie, Ready Player One. I listened to this book a few years ago and it was well written with an amazing plot line.
Ready Player One trailer.
Ready Player One book
My mind couldn't imagine how the stacks looked in this surreal future so I was very surprised when I saw how it looked in the trailer. Wow!
Interesting comment by Professor Al McCoy
which I strongly agree. The power, influence and high standard of living in the US are not due to any moral "superiority" of America, but rather because the US$ is the world's reserve currency. When that goes, it will take with it this American advantage. Also, this occurring at a time when the country is literally disintegrating and rotting internally due to lack of investment and the offshoring of profits will be a double whammy.
The US will have to learn how to become an equal amongst equals. The question is, will the US go peacefully?
There was no mention of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. This will be the game changer for America. The potential for that initiative is immense. It will eventually dwarf America's influence in the world.
There are now huge currency swaps, gold based transactions and direct commodity trades between countries along the Belt and Road that were once US$ dominated. The trick here is for this to happen gradually. If the rush to the exit becomes too great, it could destroy the world's economy. The huge overrated stock market and debt bubbles in the US are going to be troublesome.
In the future, the two oceans that have served to protect America's rise to power will become moats isolating the country from the world. We will be seeing this being played out within the next two decades.
heard that somewhere