Journal: Brooks on Assange, Others on Brooks

04 Education, 07 Other Atrocities, 10 Security, 11 Society, Civil Society, Collective Intelligence, Corporations, Corruption, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Government, IO Sense-Making, Journalism/Free-Press/Censorship, Military, Misinformation & Propaganda, Money, Banks & Concentrated Wealth, Officers Call, Power Behind-the-Scenes/Special Interests, Privacy, Secrecy & Politics of Secrecy

EDIT of 5 Dec 2010 to add commentaries by various others.

Op-Ed Columnist

The Fragile Community

By DAVID BROOKS

Published: November 29, 2010

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, had moved 37 times by the time he reached his 14th birthday. His mother didn’t enroll him in the local schools because, as Raffi Khatchadourian wrote in a New Yorker profile, she feared “that formal education would inculcate an unhealthy respect for authority.”

. . . . . . .

She needn’t have worried. As a young computer hacker, he formed a group called International Subversives. As an adult, he wrote “Conspiracy as Governance,” a pseudo-intellectual online diatribe. He talks of vast “patronage networks” that constrain the human spirit.

Far from respecting authority, Assange seems to be an old-fashioned anarchist who believes that all ruling institutions are corrupt and public pronouncements are lies.

Read the rest of this revealing assessment….

Phi Beta Iota: We like David Brooks. He's less submissive than David Ignatius, less pretentious than Fareed Zakaria, and generally has something interesting to say. In this piece, most revealingly, he displays his limitations to the fullest. We are quite certain that David Brooks means well, but the depth of his naivete in this piece is nothing short of astonishing. The below lists of lists of book reviews will suffice to demonstrate that David Brooks is not as well-read as he needs to be, not as intellectual as he pretends to be, and not at all accurate in his assessment of Julian Assange. We share with Steven Aftergood of Federation of American Scientists (FAS) concerns about Assange's judgment in releasing some materials that are gratuitous invasions of rightful privacy, but we also believe that Assange is finding his groove, and the recent cover story in Forbes captures that essence. WikiLeaks is an antidote to corporate fascism and elective Empire run amok. It meets a need.

Other Commentaries on the Same Article:

Continue reading “Journal: Brooks on Assange, Others on Brooks”

2010/12/052010/12/05

Journal: Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction All Lies?

03 Economy, 07 Other Atrocities, 10 Transnational Crime, 11 Society, Budgets & Funding, Collective Intelligence, Commercial Intelligence, Corruption, Cultural Intelligence, Government, Misinformation & Propaganda, Money, Banks & Concentrated Wealth, Power Behind-the-Scenes/Special Interests

editor spinney time — Chuck Spinney Recommends....

Casting Light on “The Moment of Truth”

Where’s the evidence to back up the fear mongering? A challenge to the Fiscal Commission’s report.

James K. Galbraith

James K. Galbraith is General Editor of “Galbraith: The Affluent Society and Other Writings, 1952-1967,” just published by Library of America. He teaches at The University of Texas at Austin.

The report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, issued on December 1, 2010 by Chairmen Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, is entitled “The Moment of Truth.” The words appear in block caps on the second page, weighty and portentous. They reappear in the first paragraph of the preamble:

EXTRACT: These sentences set the tone. The first is a bald-faced lie, as a Westerner like Senator Simpson knows perfectly well. To the contrary, we have often fallen under the sway of robber barons, water barons, oil barons, bison-killers, clear-cutters and strip-miners, hell-bent on maximum pillage in the shortest time. Only occasionally have a few heroes like Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot and Harold Ickes Sr. emerged to battle for the most precious physical elements of our heritage — and then only with limited success.

EXTRACT: Noticeably missing from the Commission’s plan are measures that would fall on the “leaders” themselves. The very richest pay cash for their houses. The commission would reduce, not increase, marginal income tax rates. There is no suggestion of a financial transactions tax.

EXTRACT: “…we spent the past eight months studying the same cold, hard facts. Together, we have reached these unavoidable conclusions. The problem is real. The solution will be painful. There is no easy way out. And Washington must lead.”

The reference to “studying” is suggestive. Are there any studies? White papers? Background analyses? Normally, one might expect a commission to produce some. In this case, it did not. The Commission’s web site makes no mention of any such thing.

Read entire article.

Phi Beta Iota: The most important point in our view is that there are no studies to back up the hyperbole and the recommendations, at the same time that it is clear the deficit reductions are Of, By, and For Wall Street, not We the People. The White House and Congress continue to offer the public theater of the most absurd kind, lacking in all substance and assuredly not in the public interest.

2010/12/052010/12/05

Journal: Obama Fiddles While America Burns

11 Society, Civil Society, Cultural Intelligence, Government, Strategy

CORRECTED by source as probably fraudulent (created by a Congressional staffer to make his Member look smart). Leaving this up to share the thought.

Babette E. Bensoussan “The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.” – Cicero – 55 BC Wonder if we will finally get it in 2011??

Phi Beta Iota: Babette is one of the top dozen commercial intelligence specialists in the English language.

Who’s Who in Public Intelligence: Babette Bensoussan

2010/12/052011/10/22

IndependentVoting.org Sells Out–No Labels + Americans Elect + CUIP =Trifecta of Electoral Fraud

03 Economy, 11 Society, Civil Society, Corporations, Corruption, Cultural Intelligence, InfoOps (IO), Misinformation & Propaganda, Money, Banks & Concentrated Wealth, Power Behind-the-Scenes/Special Interests

nolabels two faces — Mike B & Jackie S? Just a Wild Guess....

Jackie Salit, who helped Mike Bloomberg get elected the first time around, appears to have sold out the Independent franchise. Below the line is a complete posting from their website preserved for the record…just in case they are tempted to rescript the history. They tipped their hand. NO LABELS is a fraud, and this makes Jackie Salit a fraud. For more on NO LABELS as “four more years” for Wall Street, see the links at the end of this posting.

“No Labels” connects to Independent Voters

Concern about the negative effects of partisanship is growing as evidenced by two high-powered political operatives—one a Democrat, the other a Republican—coming together to create the newly formed No Labels organization. Independent student leader Nolan DiFrancesco, founder of College Independents and an activist in IndependentVoting.org’s network, attended a No Labels meeting and paved the way for a meeting between our president Jackie Salit and No Labels founder Nancy Jacobson in July.

Continue reading “IndependentVoting.org Sells Out–No Labels + Americans Elect + CUIP =Trifecta of Electoral Fraud”

2010/12/042010/12/04

Journal: Marcus Aurelius with a Mixed Bag…

10 Security, 11 Society, Cultural Intelligence, Military, Officers Call

Marcus-Aurelius-150x150 — Marcus Aurelius Recommends

Hoyer: “Military Should Share Fed Civs' Sacrifice” (topix.com)

In reaction to the president's announcement, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) quickly said the freeze should also extend to troops in uniform.

Throw the WikiBook at them (Washington Post)

…however quaint that term may seem. We are at war – a hot war in Afghanistan where six Americans were killed just this past Monday, and a shadowy world war where enemies from Yemen to Portland, Ore., are planning holy terror.

Army, Marine chiefs cast doubt on gay service (AP)

The Marines are the most uncomfortable with the idea of lifting the ban, according to the Pentagon study that polled each service. Nearly 60 percent of Marines in combat jobs said the change would dent fighting mettle.

Aircraft #13 on the Doolittle Raid (imfa-austin.org)

A self-explanatory and compelling story of initiative, airmanship, and officership.

Phi Beta Iota: A few points of balance….

1. Military pay in wartime is very very good–the only people who should be exempt are the 4% on the front-line who take 80% of the casualties, everyone else is full-up on unearned combat pay, clubs, post exchanges, and ice cream shops.

2. Assange is Australian and has not violated any US laws. Charles Krauthammer knows this and is venting for the ignorant that love him. This is a similar situation to where CIA claims it cannot tell Congress anything to protect sources and methods, when all it is protecting is its culture of corruption and its grotesque incompetence at operations, analysis, and technology. WikiLeaks is the antidote to Rule by Secrecy, Transparency is the 21st Century Killer App. Get over it, the game has changed and the public is on track to being sovereign again.

3. The Marines are the single most attractive service for gay men seeking “real men” and the dirty little secret of the Marine Corps has for a very long time been that it hosts a wealth of gay staff non-commissioned officers as well as lesbian officers who thrive in that environment. Cultures change over time–at one time the Israelis were right when they said women in combat took the focus off the mission. That is less true now. The day will come when gay and lesbian are accepted biological facts rather than cultural biases, on balance C/JCS is right. Red light green light protocols work just fine in same-sex situations as they do in opposite sex situations, as to administrative housing regulations.

4. Aircraft #13 is a truly great story. It's the kind of story that benefits from holding the moral high ground.

2010/12/03

Journal: Mercury Makes You Gay…

11 Society, Civil Society, Collective Intelligence, Commercial Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence

Birds Are Becoming Gay From Mercury Pollution, According To New Study On White Ibis Breeding

A new study on white ibis breeding has discovered that mercury pollution is resulting in males of the species mating with each other.

Dr. Peter Frederick of the University of Florida embarked on the five-year research to determine what was significantly impacting the reproduction of the birds, but even he was stunned by the findings. “We knew mercury could depress their testosterone levels but we didn't expect this,” Frederick told the Telegraph.

According to Nature.com, coal-fired plants and gold mining are the main sources of global mercury pollution, though the burning of medical and municipal waste is likely the prime culprit in Florida, ingested by the wetlands birds through their food sources.

Phi Beta Iota: We did a double-take, and then checked to make sure this was not in the Comedy section. This helps emphasize what many books have been reviewing, which is the unanticipated and now unaddressed impact on humanity of the many toxins and pollutants that corporations are allowed to not just externalize, but include within their products or as a side effect of their services. “True costs” is the meme, and Transparency is the method.

See Also:

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Disease

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Environmental Degradation (Other than Emissions)

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Poisons, Toxicity, Trash, & True Cost

2010/12/032010/12/03

Reference: How the Oligarchs Took America

07 Other Atrocities, 09 Justice, 11 Society, Commerce, Corporations, Corruption, Government, Misinformation & Propaganda, Money, Banks & Concentrated Wealth, Power Behind-the-Scenes/Special Interests

How the Oligarchs Took America

— Beverly & Pack/Flickr

Creating a country of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.

— By Andy Kroll

There is a war underway. I'm not talking about Washington's bloody misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq, but a war within our own borders. It's a war fought on the airwaves, on television and radio and over the Internet, a war of words and images, of half-truth, innuendo, and raging lies. I'm talking about a political war, pitting liberals against conservatives, Democrats against Republicans. I'm talking about a spending war, fueled by stealthy front groups and deep-pocketed anonymous donors. It's a war that's poised to topple what's left of American democracy.

Read the full article…..

Phi Beta Iota: A detailed and devastating article that recommends the book, Winner-Take-All Politics, and places the beginning of today's economic divide with President Jimmy Carter, not Ronald Reagan. We place it further back, in the 1920's, when Carnegie and Rockefeller structured the role school system and also oversaw the destruction of all public transportation systems they could buy and then liquidate. It provides details on the specific organizations and their leading lights unleashed by the Citizens United decision of the Supreme Court, and decision that in our view should suggest the need to first fire Congress and then pass legislation overturning all Supreme Court decisions permitting corporate “personality” and its requisite privileges that could be reserved for individual citizens.