The Weekly Watch
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Much of this week's news cycle makes it plain that as a species we react, but we're not very good at acting today for a better tomorrow. Give me mine NOW! It isn't just the hurricane and UN climate report that drive this lesson home to me but also the WaPo journalist slaughtered in Turkey by the Saudis - where has the outrage been about the Yemeni children whose blood is on our hands too. And how about the so called correction (crash) of the market this week "caused by the tariffs"...while ignoring the over valuation caused by corporations using their tax cuts to buy their own stock (which used to be illegal). So humans seem pretty good at jumping after they've been burned, but not so good at avoiding setting the woods on fire in the first place.
Hurricane Michael certainly added some punch to the UN Climate report issued this week. My friends near Quincy FL are still without power. It was a powerful storm...a record breaker -
Michael, with sustained winds of 155mph (135 knots), is the first category 4 hurricane to make landfall on Florida’s Panhandle and the fourth strongest storm ever to strike the United States....
Last Sunday morning, Michael was a badly organized system of rain clouds “meandering off the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula”, according to the National Hurricane Center. It powered up quickly into a tropical storm by Sunday night then sprinted north across the Gulf of Mexico, leaping from a category 2 to 4 hurricane in just hours on Tuesday night, a record-setting pace.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/11/hurricane-michael-explai...
Infrastructure is an issue with these super-storms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjRWC3qcqiU (2.7 min)
It hasn't just been bad weather in the US, A weakened hurricane Leslie slammed into the coast of Portugal, leaving 27 people injured as it uprooted trees, brought down power lines and smashed store windows with gusting winds and heavy rain.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/cyclone-leslie-slams-into-portugal-lea...
https://www.hurricanezone.net/
As the atmosphere and oceans warm we can expect stronger and more frequent storms, as well as longer and more profound droughts. It will be our future. Yet people continue to purchase shoreline properties. That's what I'm saying about our tendency to react rather than be proactive.
NASA Climate scientist and educator JAMES HANSEN:
Yeah. Well, you know, the difficulty is the delayed response of the climate system and the fact that it includes amplifying feedback, so the public doesn’t see that much going on. The public does realize that climate is beginning to change, but it doesn’t have a good picture of the ultimate consequences of that, because they will be much greater in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren. And we need to begin to move on a path of decreasing emissions very rapidly if we’re going to preserve the same planet that we’ve enjoyed, for our children and grandchildren. And that just has not been clear enough, I think, in the prior—in the public’s mind.
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/10/ex_nasa_scientist_dr_james_hansen
(video or text)
Kevin Anderson, Zennström professor in climate change leadership at the Centre for Environment and Development Studies at Uppsala University and chair of energy and climate change at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester in Britain. He says that the IPCC report fails to hold the world’s highest emitters accountable, and argues a “Marshall Plan” for climate change is necessary to save the planet from destruction. “About 70 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide come from about 20 percent of the world population. … When we try to address climate change and reduce our emissions by focusing on all 7.5 billion people, I think it misunderstands where the actual responsibility of emissions resides,” Anderson says. “We’re not developing policies that need to be tailored to that particular 20 percent.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/9/climate_scientist_as_un_warns_of
(video or text)
The IPCC’s new report is groundbreaking, but it misses crucial points on climate tipping points and feedbacks that could make the crisis even more urgent, says Durwood Zaelke of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development -
...the weakest link in the chain of climate protection is the link that we trip over with self-reinforcing feedbacks, where initial warming feeds upon itself without any other climate emissions to cause still more warming. And when that warming accelerates, we can end up tipping over a series of dominoes, ending up with a cascade of further feedbacks and other tipping points that become irreversible, except perhaps in a geological time scale.... So these all interact, and once they get beyond a certain point, they’ll be out of human control.
https://therealnews.com/stories/climate-crisis-is-even-more-dire-than-th... (video or text)
Some people are more optimistic. The IPCC’s new report says we could face irreversible consequences of climate change by as soon as 2030, but a coordinating lead author of the report says policymakers, businesses, and individuals can still make big changes to protect our future. (Video or text)
https://therealnews.com/stories/author-of-new-ipcc-report-says-she-still...
But even Michael Mann, who often low balls the speed of warming, suggests the report doesn't go far enough...(video or text)
https://therealnews.com/stories/michael-mann-we-are-even-closer-to-clima...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXwa6wjFDdM (12 min)
And many others agree with Dr. Mann
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/09/whats-not-latest-terrifying...
The Economy...
There is no doubt we are headed toward an ecosystem disaster. Seems we are seeing the beginning of an economic collapse as well.
Here's a great discussion with Jimmy Dore and Stephanie Kelton on the basics of our economy. They ask the question how can a country that prints its own money find any program unaffordable? All you have to do is print more money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5baKgv7Zl5g (34 min)
Richard Wolff explains this weeks economic news
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RElsL1RKDnU (1st 12 min)
...to understand the new unemployment figures, and unemployment figures in general, we need to really look at the bigger picture of the economy in our society. What we found when we put together the Souls of Poor Folk audit is that there are 140 million people who are either poor or low income in the United States.
https://therealnews.com/stories/what-does-low-unemployment-rate-mean-whe...
Liza Featherstone in Divining Desire: Focus Groups & the Culture of Consultation shares with journalist Chris Hedges how advertising techniques developed by early Viennese intellectual elites were adapted and coopted by US elites to control politics, consumption and opinion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv---Ihmza4 (27 min)
Lee Camp discusses public banking with Josh Androsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfPZEb618Tk (1st 15 min)
Lee is back to explain how the new NAFTA is worse than the old NAFTA (plus more)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSgw6PGFX6k (intro to the 29 min show)
The Trump Justice Department has approved a $69 billion merger between CVS, the nation’s largest drugstore chain, and insurance giant Aetna. It’s the largest health insurance deal in history.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/robert-reich-were-living-in-a-new-gild...
Naomi Klein: we’ve entered a frightening new era of capitalism—one in which the 1 percent so dominate our institutions that they consider political power to be their natural birthright. In her latest essay for The Intercept, she dubs it the “Age of the Pampered Princeling” https://theintercept.com/2018/10/10/donald-trump-inherited-wealth/
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/naomi-klein-weve-entered-a-frightening...
The Shift to the Right...
perhaps people are desperate. Globally many have been displaced by climate change. Others have suffered from austerity for the working class and partying by the 1%. Symptoms of dissatisfaction are world-wide...from T-rumps election to Brexit to the several examples below...
The supreme court is going to shift to the right too. Hear from a couple of lawyers on the consequences of Kavanaugh's appointment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMqT5oztdM0 (1st 14 min)
Brazil
Maria Luísa Mendonça, director of the Network for Social Justice and Human Rights in Brazil...."the challenge is how do we deal with media manipulation, not just mainstream media, but the manipulation on social media." It is a world wide dilemma.
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/9/brazil_s_eroding_democracy_rise_of
Glenn Greenwald lives in Brazil. Here he is in print and video explaining the rise of the right there and around the world
https://theintercept.com/2018/10/10/watch-the-stunning-rise-of-brazils-f...
More from Brazilian journalist Rosana Pinheiro-Machado.
https://theintercept.com/2018/10/11/brazil-elections-bolsonaro-workers-p...
Even Germany is moving right...perhaps farther in today's elections (3.5 min)
https://therealnews.com/third_party_content/regional-elections-in-bavari...
Even in Canada - Quebec went for the conservatives in their recent election too...
I think we’re seeing around the world a surge in populism on both the left and the right. And I think Quebec is a good example of that, where there was for a long time, two primary parties that contested elections, the PQ and the Liberals. And in this election, we saw both of them reduced substantially, with strong growth and support for upstart parties on the left and the right that are more populist.
https://therealnews.com/stories/what-is-behind-the-conservative-win-in-q...
Our ally Saudi Arabia is perhaps the most conservative and repressive government on Earth. Like the US, they just kill people who question their policies.
Medea Benjamin said this week -
I want to denounce the Western democracies for their hypocrisy and their enabling of Saudi behavior for so many years now. (video or text)
https://therealnews.com/stories/is-the-u-s-complicit-in-saudi-journalist...
Why do we support a country like Saudi?
FOX HOST: What’s at stake with U.S.-Saudi relations, sir?
DONALD TRUMP:
I would say they’re excellent. I’ve told them they’ve got to pay for their military. You know, Saudi Arabia has a, is a very rich country. And for years and years- there would be no Saudi Arabia if there wasn’t the United States, because we protected them. And we don’t get paid for this protection. We should be paid. We spent billions and billions of dollars a year protecting Saudi Arabia. And I’ve told the king, King Salman, I said, King, sorry, you’ve got to pay
.
https://therealnews.com/stories/will-the-disappearance-of-journalist-jam...
“Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them,” Trump said in 2015. “They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.” https://www.truthdig.com/articles/ethics-watchdog-raises-pointed-questio...
So it goes. Another week. How can we be a dollar short? All we have to do is print another. All we need is some ink and paper and we're good to go. Ready to react to the next disaster, collapse, or catastrophe. We can always create a war if we need to distract or derail attempts to address the real issues...of climate, the economy, peace, and so on. Use human nature. We're easy to scare, and there is always a bogey man worse than ourselves - or at least we can say so. RUSSIA, CHINA,...
We all know the real deal...we simply must leave fossil fuels in the ground...no more extraction nor refining. We know the banks need to be broken up and no longer allowed to gamble with people's money. We know that our government is bought and paid for and we need to decouple our representatives from their lobbyists. But the system is so entrenched that it will take a revolution. Meanwhile, there's a new series to binge watch on Netflix, and I gotta take the kids to the game, and ...and....and...we never make forward progress. Well back to my theme that we can still act as individuals. And here's hoping your life and day is filled with hope and dreams and your personal revolt is leading you to fulfillment!
Comments
Lee Camp discusses Facebook Purge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY80X6H72gU (10 min)
Thanks to JtC for not purging those of us with whom he might disagree, and hooray for an outlet like c99 where people can write what they think without fear of reprisal.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Neoliberalism/capitalism is nothing but evil as
invoked by the amerikan empire
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
ain't that right!
It is the failure of capitalism before our very eyes...but our eyes are wide shut...at least according to Kubrick
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I just watched Jimmy Dore's interview
with Stephanie Kelton and Wow! She has a terrific way of explaining economics in terms that everyone can understand. I highly recommend everyone watch that video.
Just two words...$29 Trillion!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
orange paper or blue paper?
Cash or T bonds?
I really enjoyed and learned from that video too. Sorry there's no text for our readers.
Thanks for coming by and watching. Hope you escaped any bad weather in your corner of NC last week.
EDIT to add link to part 2 of the interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hfjisTs-WA (13 min)
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
$29 Trillion in ficticious capital
that will no doubt be used to create even more ficticious capital that will be used to siphon actual resources and destroy the planet in the process. But don't worry, the Chicago and Austrian schools will be more than happy to explain how everything is always the government's fault and capitalism can do no wrong.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
the nature of money is fictitious
or seems to me. Just a belief in value. Especially after we went off the gold standard.
Venezuela has a crypto currency backed by oil and metals - but they are illegal in the US (in theory)
On March 19, 2018 the Trump administration issued an executive order entitled “Taking Additional Steps to Address the Situation in Venezuela,” which prohibits all transactions related to the provision of financing for, or other dealings in, Venezuelan digital currencies, digital coins and digital tokens by United States persons or within the United States.
https://www.blockchainlegalresource.com/2018/10/venezuelan-petro-blocked...
Land, equipment, tools, and so on seem more real to me.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Correct!
The only value in US currency which really an IOU from the FED, backed by other IOU's (redeemable in lawful money i.e. other printed IOU's) is that you can pay taxes with it.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Have we created anymore
new wars?
dfarrah
a few hot spots?
We keep stirring up shit in Nicaragua and Venezuela. Then there's the ever present Iran war possibility. Of course there's all our current conflicts in Afghan, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, Syria, Somalia (and all through Africa). And if we need to pull the big guns we can always provoke Russia and/or China.
Maybe its easier to think about those with whom we are not at war.
Glad you came by.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Nice collection of links again, LO
"So humans seem pretty good at jumping after they've been burned, but not so good at avoiding setting the woods on fire in the first place." On the subject of "a day late & a dollar short" a basically retrospective essay about it being too late now, "How Capitalism Torched the Planet by Imploding Into Fascism," at an archive.
We can individually keep running around on our hamster wheels, but it is all just for show at this point.
IMO, there
are plenty of actors creating bad situations purposefully.
Like the Fed hiking interest rates - every increase in interest rates causes unemployment.
The Fed is one institute we should definitely get rid of.
dfarrah
round and round on our hamster wheels
Maybe we can harvest that energy and generate some electricity?
GW those are all good struggles. I think there is some reward in struggle.
and as to the fed...it has always been a bankster's scam designed by the 1% for the 1%.
good to "see" you.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
My thinking has evolved on this.
I think the Fed should raise the rate. Things no longer work like they used to. The Fed has kept rates near zero for a long time now and yet, there has been no inflation. The reason for this is that the low-interest money does not "trickle down." It does not get to small business, it does not create jobs or raise wages. Instead, the investor class uses this free money to buy up existing assets. We have to look at just who has benefited from ZIRP. It ain't the 99%. Raise the rates, I say, and see what happens.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Jimmy and Stephanie's discussion
...touched on the fed. Her explanation of taxes was really interesting (it is toward the beginning) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5baKgv7Zl5g (34 min)
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yeah, I watched that one as soon as it dropped.
I also try to catch Jimmy's "Solid Chat Saturday" when I can.
They go live every Saturday, or most Saturdays anyway, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific. The one yesterday was pretty good. I'm going to try to catch a live show when they come to Phoenix.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
I, too, welcome the raising of the rates.
I would also welcome more Public Banking!
And I agree, thinks don't work like they used to.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Well, tell
that to the people who lose their jobs. There is a direct relationship between a % increase in interest rates and job loss.
And it will cause the economy to contract - just what we don't need when we are pushing for higher wages for employees.
But it will help those invested in certs of deposits and other interest bearing accounts.
Banks will benefit because their swept cash will earn them more at higher interest rates (which does not benefit the depositors of those funds). Credit card rates, already usurious, will increase - so it's more money for the creditors.
dfarrah
That's what I was trying to say.
It is possible that the direct relationship between interest rates and employment no longer holds. Zero interest rates have not led to greater employment or real economic growth. Rather, these low rates have been used ti finance share buybacks, casino capitalism and further concentration of wealth. A generation ago near zero interest rates would have caused wage and price inflation. They have not. The old rules no longer apply.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
negative rates blow my mind...
When the banks charge you to hold your money. I bet there are some US accounts where they are charged for not having enough money regularly deposited. Similar to the way we create a prisoner class with our bail system.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
There have been some experiments with
cashless economies. Couple that with negative interest rates and behold, you deposit, they skim off a percentage and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it. A banker's dream.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Cashless economies
India is one, I believe. It has been very difficult for the lower classes and rural areas.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Good points. It also makes the Casino
stock market one of the few places for investment. CD's, savings other safer places for your money have almost negative returns.
I wonder about coastal properties.
Obviously, the coasts are going to be underwater. Why do we rebuild in those areas?
I think it might be a good idea to fund construction inland as areas get destroyed (with the insurance and government funds) instead of rebuilding the same areas. Then the coastal areas could be national parks, maybe with a few hotels/structures that are built to withstand category 5 (or more) wind force and limited plumbing/electricity, with most the areas being bring-your-own tent.
This would be a shovel ready project that would further stimulate the economy.
dfarrah
Years ago students came up with an idea...
for what to do with all the boomers when they got old. Their concept was to put them all on cruise ships...might work for coastal escapes too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Read an article maybe a year ago . . .
Might have been here . . . about an elderly woman who lived on a cruise ship. It was cheaper than her living expenses back home when she included everything. Food, shelter, taxes, and all of the personal services.
Thanks for the OT!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
That's a good idea
I think I'm at the tail end of the boomers or the beginning of the next generation, whatever that was called. I really wouldn't mind living on a cruise ship. Hopefully the ship can have as low a carbon footprint as possible.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Kids come up with interesting ideas
Came up in a future problem solving contest...http://www.fpspi.org/
We were fortunate to know and work with the Torrances.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Future problem Solvers
Interesting this group is mentioned. Many years ago, in my early days of teaching in Austin, I was a Future Problem Solvers coach. The way the problem solvers set up the question, possible solutions, narrowing it down to the best possible solution made for very creative ideas. Unfortunately, expenses and new rules and regulations for the teaching day eliminated this program in the schools in Austin School District. This did not stop me from using the strategy for looking at problems in the world in my classroom.
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
future problem solving...
is a good program and approach to incorporating real world issues into the classroom. Kids have pretty good instincts and insights. We should give them the opportunity to develop and express their ideas more often. It is good exercise.
All the best!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Boomers on a cruise ship
We actually met a lady that was visiting her friend here in Santa Fe and was living from one cruise ship to another and really did enjoy it!
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Wish I could remember why she said she was doing it.
Seems like it had to do with healthcare and rents, but cannot be sure.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Since I am a product of the coast
having grown up in St. Petersburg, Florida and having lived for a while on St. George Island, Florida, I will try to explain it as best I can. First, most people who live on the coast realize that they are taking a risk of some sort, just as people who live in area subject to regular flooding like along the Mississippi River.
Second, there is no place in Florida that is immune to the effects of a hurricane, even inland. Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida, is about 25 miles inland from the nearest water (St. Marks River) and about 80 miles east of where the eye of Michael hit. With few exceptions, the entire electrical system of Tallahassee was taken out by Michael.
Marianna, Florida which lies far inland near the Georgia border suffered severe damage from Michael.
The rewards for those who choose to do so outweigh the risks. For example, members of my family have lived in the St. Pete area for nearly 70 years and have never had to endure a major hit by a hurricane. Mexico Beach which was devastated by Michael consisted mainly of ground level homes (what we call old Florida) built decades ago before residential structures were being required to be built on pilings. So when they got their first major hurricane hit ever, it destroyed the town.
Preventing rebuilding seems like an easy answer but in the state of Florida, the bulk of the population lives somewhere near or on the coast. Hurricane insurance is extremely expensive and I would bet that few of these people were covered if they did not have a mortgage. My guess is that what probably will happen in the long term is that economics will force a lot of long time residents out and the properties will be rebuilt with condos or McMansion vacation rentals or second homes for wealthy out of state people.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
We are drawn to the coast...
seawater is similar to our cellular protoplasm and some suggest the waves sound like your mother's heart when in the womb. The ocean calls to us...but so do the mountains....and the forests....and the deserts....the whole natural world really.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I was blown away (pardon the pun) when
I saw this happen on Galveston. I had thought, surely people will not rebuild in the low areas. Hoobouy, was I wrong.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I'm not dissing
the state of Florida, but I kind of figured that it will be under water anyway (sorry). And good bye Galveston, Houston, and Corpus Christi (where I was born and raised).
I just thought some social engineering would be nice - in providing national parks accessible by everyone(yes, it is a silly notion).
dfarrah
Heh! I did not take it as a diss
I have no idea what other people's experiences are and just thought I would put a perspective on this from someone who has known the Florida west coast and Apalachee Bay area well.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Okay...good to know.
I'm in Colorado, so the big thing here is water and water rights.
I would like to move to a non-desert area someday.
dfarrah
"Why do we rebuild in those areas?"
Real Estate developers.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Someday the insurance
companies will refuse to cover the areas.
dfarrah
In Florida
When I lived on the coast of Florida, regular homeowner's insurance did not cover hurricane damage. Homeowners had to buy separate wind damage insurance which is incredibly expensive. For water damage, homeowners could purchase FEMA insurance and hope it will cover any water damage. If the residence had a mortgage, the bank most likely would require the homeowner have these other insurance policies, but if you owned outright, you were not required to carry wind damage or flood insurance.
I have not checked the regulations or requirements lately because I do not live on the coast and we do not carry either of these additional policies on our Tallahassee residence.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
One solution for the angst is to become a Trump supporter
Then you get a couple of years of bliss, pretending that everything is going just great, before the shit hits the fan.
Beware the bullshit factories.
that might be an approach
to thine own self be true.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Nice work, Lookout! Thanks.
Thanks for the left center right cute bird bit.
jb and I have been doing more editing photos and writing about this years camping in Africa trip. Came across this little guy, one of our favs.
We moved to Santa Fe after the place we retired to from Austin down on the coastal estuary got hit a glancing blow by Hurricane Rita. Feel for all who have been displaced and will be displaced in the future. After weeks of gorgeous weather is is raining outside just now, and we have been warned of temps dropping 30-40 degrees below normal for this time of year.
Good news is, they are predicting snow!
Now going to watch your link on Jimmy and Steph.
Have a great day, all.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
now that's a cute bird!
We enjoy our feathered friends - the residents and migrants too. Always something else to see in the yearly parade. Thanks for the photo and the visit.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
We have some lesser goldfinches
on the sock just now, feefing in the cold rain. Seems to make their colors more vibrant.
FWIW that bird is an African Hoopoe.
Seems there must be issues we could do more reaching out but still avoid Thirdwayism?
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Birds
Saw three juvenile male rose breasted grosbeaks when they passed through on their migration south. What beautiful birds they are!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
we had a group of female grossbeaks the other day
....on their winter escape wave. We love watching the seasons and seeing the migrants pass through. Always a pleasure!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Cheers for this good Watch.
Lots of catching up to do. Seeing more and more instances where corporate lobbists have co-opted medicare in delivery of needed services, problems in need of good journalists as i doubt the congress critters even have a clue.
Nursing homes using nearby hospital emergency services instead of paying for a resident provider capable of stitching up the little things, for instance.
Much to do, overwhelming at times.
Anyways, thanks again for this good read and links.
bad as the issues are with schools...
our healthcare system is far more problematic. good luck navigating the system!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hi S7. We saw that nursung center
behavior to one of our parents. Not right.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Hey brother, not right, indeed. Another issue is oxygen
suppliers, or should i say from what i've learned the last six weeks, profit takers.
And the relentless doubling-billing schemes; "out brown spots."
Hey, hope you two are well and in good spirits, btw.
hello lo...
Thanks for all the links and for keeping the global warming embers warm.
So much info coming out now due to Michael. Also, thanks for the update on the post hurricane situation in your area.
People need to move up and away from the ocean. Sea rise is happening. Tptb have been planning on ways to deal with sea-level rise for military infrastructure since May of 2009.
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
like it or not it is our new reality
We can help young folks to plan ahead. I try.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I don't know. I vacillate between blaming us and not blaming us
for the evil things the U.S. does at home and abroad. I guess I come down to this: tell me what, realistically, I can do to stop, for example, our activities in Yemen and I will get right on it, starting today. Even if it costs me my life. However, I am not going to a Lady MacBeth over things with which I vehemently disagree but have no power to stop. For those things, the people and organizations (who are also people, my friend responsible need to be shamed--though they seem quite content with themselves.
All I can suggest is...
to grow a garden, ride a bike, plant a tree, .... from my view we're down to individual actions. Although I will vote...for what it is (not) worth...mainly to convince myself I'm trying.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I did a local Peace vigil for a four + years
Did I change what was happening in DC? No, but I think I helped educate people and even possibly change a few minds.
We are weak against the powerful forces that actually run our government. But we can educate one another and create a community of oneness against these forces. The more we are able to reach out to each other, the stronger as a whole we are. And we must not be judgmental toward those who hold differing political views. We desperately need to find common ground because the powerful want to keep us divided.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
That's the key
That's what the Oligarchs fear. They've poured billions and billions into making it seem that we're the enemy of each other so that we don't come together and act in our common best interest.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Personal Revolt, yes. Today 240k Berliners protest vs. fascism
What's this? Mass solidarity between human beings of all colors?
Quick, get the flag.
"I Pledge Allegiance to the Wall St-owned USofA, and the Republic of Corporations, 24/7 shopping and entertainment, Get-Rich-Quick scams, delusions of self-sufficient Individualism & Xenopobia."
Saw another interesting story on Twitter about a Mayor in the Calabria province of Italy who has been targeted by the fascist Interior Minister for, god forbid, giving migrants and refugees a chance of a dignified life in his town in exchange for helping revitalize a crumbling town.
Apparently German filmmaker Win Wenders made a half hour documentary about him. Need to look into all this.
Thanks for your contributions, Lookout.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Always glad to see you
Sadly it is the way of things. All the best to you and your family!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Uber Uber Alles
nt
Beware the bullshit factories.
Good evening, Lookout ~~
Been enjoying the cloudy lazy day. Got work done, though - put up salsa, tomatoes, and corn.
Snow is moving in. We’ll be about 30 degrees below normal for this time of year. Rain has started. Maybe I’ll have a snow day tomorrow!
Thanks for the WW - it’s always educational. I’ve read through and watched a few videos. I’ve more to go but thought I’d drop in and say hey ~!
Have a beautiful evening, 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
Stay warm
I noticed our heat kicked in last night. The 250 gallon solar tank held enough heat that the gas back up didn't fire up. Fun to heat with the sun this time of year when it is enough to handle the demand. Times will change but we make hay when the sun shines so to speak. All the best to you and yours!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”