05.23.08
What should be obvious is screamingly obscure
Once again, the GOP prez candidate shuts the blinds against the light beams of common sense trying against all odds to stream in.
Think about it.
He’s chiming in with the preening Stalinists who have a majority in Congress and are going to run it outright come January. A few lone legislators that no one gives a diddly about are all that’s left in the struggle to hold utter madness at bay.
Send this to every smart person you know, even if they’re still willfully wallowing in stupidity because they think it’s somehow clever.
It’s very late in the day, people. Have a good time in your personal lives. Have a festive summer. We’re all going to be doing some big-time adjusting to a very unfamiliar way of operating all too soon.
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 2:36 am
An award winning 2005 work by the author of the newly released “The End of Food:”
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618562117/ref=pd_cp_b_3_img?pf_rd_p=317711001&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0618606238&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Z30GHWMXKZE87D09KZF
As Roberts makes abundantly clear, the major oil players in the world wield their enormous economic and political power in order to maintain the status quo. Of course, they get plenty of help from the tens of millions of consumers, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, who guzzle oil as if there is an unlimited supply. And this demand shows no sign of abating–nearly half of the world’s population lives without the benefits of fossil fuels and they desperately want to be among the haves. In countries such as China and India, where energy systems are already breaking down, Roberts discusses how they are looking to oil to fuel their race for development, in many cases ignoring environmental considerations altogether.
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Preening Stalinists? Are you gonna name call and further divide for the next 4 years or even until kingdom come? Of course anything else might make you a reasonable gentleman. We have a gas crunch, crisis, and/or catastrophe. We have serious corporate corruption bringing us scandal after scandal. Whether it is caused by cyclical or manmade global warming, over-development, factory farming or any number of other causes, we have serious ecological issues. Factor in considerable fear, greed, selfishness, cynicism and despair of the populace. And, yes, bloggie, we are reaping what
we’vesown. Should we bang some more heads in the name of freedom?
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 23, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Not name-calling. Just going for maximum accuracy. You see, when federal lawmakers pressure executives of private business organizations to appear before them and try to make them feel like they ought to somehow adjust their practices according to what said lawmakers see as a pressing agenda, that’s totalitarianism.
Let’s try to bring some clarity to our polemics, shall we? What does a generalized comment about corporate corruption – which is a small, isolated set of instances, certainly not some economy-wrecking pandemic – have to do with this particular situation? These are hardworking, job-and-wealth-creating, product-providing business people and how they manage their corporations is none of Dick Durban’s business. And “serious ecological issues” is a bit of a broad justification for convening a Senate-committee show trial, isn’t it?
As for this Roberts character, I have one simple question for him: How does he propose us “gas-guzzling” Westerners maintain our standard of living if we don’t consume petroleum?
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Another bad move by Congress. I have not at all been impressed by this one, our 110th. But if you don’t see corruption in the likes of World Com, Enron, the dot.com bubble, the mortgage crisis, etc., well, guess your injustice is blind. There’s widespread opinion here among our populace that our middle east meddling (and of course, worse) is all for oil, not freedom at all. Congress must investigate, hold hearings debate and then vote on serious issues involving our country. Who made it into a show trial? Start with the media. And blame the populace for either not caring or watching and formulating opinions based upon sound bytes. I did not say serious ecological issues were the justification for convening a Senate committee show trial (on gas prices), but there will be continued investigation and debate. Calling the side you are not on names does not endear the others to your positions. Certainly you take a cue from the vituperative talk show hosts heard daily on our airwaves.
Perhaps the issue is R&D:
http://www.amazon.com/Post-American-World-Fareed-Zakaria/dp/039306235X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211550988&sr=8-1
… as the Iraq muddle drags on and China rises, the larger story of the post-Cold War era has come into sharp relief: We are not the center of the universe. It matters less that particular countries are pro- or anti-American than that the world is increasingly non-American. We need to get over ourselves.
Ironically, the final third of The Post-American World, which focuses on us rather than on “the rest,” is the strongest. Zakaria argues that America’s world-beating economic vibrancy co-exists with a dysfunctional political system. “A ‘can-do’ country is now saddled with a ‘do-nothing’ political process, designed for partisan battle rather than problem solving,” he writes. That makes it hard to devise a grand strategy, and Zakaria offers just a few “simple guidelines” on the need to set priorities, build global rules and be flexible. But in this non-American world, it may be too late to restore U.S. leadership. “The rest” is moving on.
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 2:15 pm
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/cont/node/7762
Capitol Hill Blue is an independent, non-partisan news site that belongs to no political party and subscribes to no political or philosophical point-of-view. Our columnists and bloggers are welcome to their opinions but readers should understand that their views do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of this web site.
Any registered reader of Capitol Hill Blue can have a blog. We also welcome comments on our stories, columns or blogs and we invite you to discuss stories and other issues in our popular ReaderRant discussion forum. We believe in civility at Capitol Hill Blue and must insist that commenters avoid attacks on other readers, obscenities or threats. We reserve the right to moderate or remove comments that we feel violate our rules. Posts that contain racism, homophobia, bigotry or Antisemitism will be removed and the posters banned.
Hey, it does not necessarily rule out calling certain members of the 110th Congress preening Stalinists. Wonder how they will be spending their Memorial Day, 2008? Honoring the Soviet dead, upon whose bodies their “empire” was built?
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 3:11 pm
30 years ago, what prescience?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fqCS7Y_kME
“…this country is going straight into the dumper.”
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 5:25 pm
quoted from Bill McKibben’s review of The End of Oil in NY Review of Books, 6/10/05
The End of Oil is a stunning piece of work—perhaps the best single book ever produced about our energy economy and its environmental implications. Paul Roberts writes regularly for Harper’s magazine, and he has schooled himself deeply in these questions. He writes with authority and depth, which makes it all the worse that his message is almost unrelievedly gloomy—the dismal prospects for hydrogen are just a small part of his argument. He begins with a careful examination of an important question: Are we about to run out of oil? This, of course, is a question people have been asking since the oil shocks of the 1970s, but now they are asking it with greater and greater urgency because we’ve used vast quantities of oil in the three decades since, more oil than prospectors have been able to discover. (Earlier this winter, in fact, Shell’s CEO resigned when it became apparent that the company’s reserves had been overstated by billions of barrels.) Country after country—Britain, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway—seems to have neared or hit the peak of its production, and even with all kinds of new technological tricks their oil wells can no longer maintain output. Even the mighty Arab fields are not eternal. Roberts begins his book with an account of his shock on hearing that the Saudis’ vast wells at Ghawar now need huge injections of water to keep pumping.
Meanwhile, demand continues to soar. Roberts’s statistics are up to date, and appalling. As recently as last summer, forecasters were predicting world oil demand would rise 1.3 percent this year. But the Chinese desire for automobiles is growing so rapidly that in fact demand may rise 2.25 percent this year—or two million barrels more a day. He quotes the Tufts researcher Kelly Sims-Gallagher, who attended the recent Seventh Beijing International Auto Show. “You had no elbow room—you were just being carried along on this wave of people,” she said. “I’ve been in China many times, but I had never experienced crowding on this scale, and that was when it hit home how many people there are who are absolutely serious about buying a car.” Or, in the words of a Chinese auto executive, “You could see consumers’ fever.”
Read more about author Paul Roberts, also of the recently published The End of Food at http://the-end-of-oil.com/_wsn/page3.html
Freedom hater? Chicken Little? Preening Stalinist? No oil may break our banks, but words (and name calling) can never hurt us.
But a simplistic response here may be, thanks hard-working, job-and-wealth-creating, product-providing business people for taking our jobs elsewhere and turning even our enemies into US! Better be behind fortified bunkers, rather than gated communities. Oh, that’s right. You already are.
Mr. Dings said,
May 23, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Last word. Tell it to the wind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moAZ1vKBZz0
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 12:03 am
Well, of course you’d gush over him. He writes for all the oh-so-correct Freedom-Hater publications and not a single common-sense publication.
Look, there’s puh – lenty of oil right here in North America. Also a lot of energetic, imaginative minds.
It comes down to a very simple question. Very simple. Do you want to see government take over the production, distribution and pricing of the energy by which we enjoy our modern lives? If you really mean this -and why would you get behind a smart-ass Marxist like Roberts if you didn’t? – being the person harboring raw intelligence that I know you to be, you’re surely aware that their endgame is cutting us off from that very modern life and herding us into little primitive bicycle-and-rickshaw-based villages where it’s easy to make us do their bidding?
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 12:25 am
I can only speak for me. I don’t call the WSJ, Nat Review, The American Spectator names. I enjoy intelligent, thought-provoking writing whereever it’s found. And I really like Dennis Miller’s new radio show. It comes on in the morning in Chicago and at 3:00 pm on 1430 AM in Indy. I’ must be some kinda reasonable gentleman. Perhaps just lost in the cosmos, I guess. Roberts is no Marxist. And I’m not gushing. Do you think the Chinese and the Indians, for two we’re sort of cozy with now, like and respect us? I have had Cummins people who work with them here answer that in the negative. At least the Chinese think they got us where they want us. As for plenty of oil here in America, well, I like sandy beaches with great views, and, really, America ain’t gonna conserve until her back’s totally against the wall. And certainly China is not going to conserve for us. If it can be drilled for economically and aesthetically, well, guess we’ll have to go for it. So, name call all you want, Congress will have to vote for it, sooner, if not later. A song like “Insatiable” comes to mind here. That’s what we are. Here there, everywhere. Silly human race.
Thom said,
May 24, 2008 at 2:11 am
Mr Ding,
Are you one of the schooling that doom and gloom is all ahead of us? Usually every other decade or three someone writes a book about the end. Remember the ice age coming in the 70s? The food running out in the 80’s? I have a book detailing how we should have all been scared then. Anyway, take note of who is saying what and in 10 years if we have not all drowned from globetrotting Al Gore’s rising oceans maybe we can reflect and have a smile.
Thom
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Ah, so you are for the federal govenrment mandating how much energy individuals and private corporations can use, where they get it from and how much they pay! We got to the core of where you’re coming from finally!
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 12:14 pm
No I want the people and the corps to save. Screw the fed govt. Save people! Now where did I say I wanted the fed govt to do anything? Now of course I want God to do it my way. Do you think he (she, it?) listens? Now I presume I’ll be called unpatriotic and heretical. I’d like to see more cooperation, less competition, yet still be free, how’s that? That’s a God thing mainly, but aren’t we one country (if not world) under God? The little boy prayed to God to show him hell. God sent an angel to show him hell. There, he saw a huge pot of the most aromatic and presumably tasty stew that just begged to be eaten. All the thin, emaciated souls there were sitting around it with 4 foot long spoons which, of course, they couldn’t eat with. Then he asked the angel to show him heaven. Same stew, yet the souls there were vibrant and healthy. They were feeding eachother. Now I’m a pussy peacenick, eh?
As for drilling on federal land, well, yes, the govt. will have to open it up. TR saw a long time ago if we did not set aside some of our beautiful landscape it would all be turned into private interests, with Keep Out and No Trespassing Signs. Come to think of it, a lot of our federal and state land does indeed exhibit these signs. But, I suppose it’s for a good central reason.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 1:18 pm
This is an exciting thing to witness. It’s clear you’re on the cusp and about to have your transformational moment and join us on the right.
First John Voigt and now Mr. Dings!
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Don’t forget Dennis Miller. I’m still against American Imperialism. Talk about government interference! And I can’t stand arrogant dicks and mean people. And I do believe there’s a collective “man” embodying those traits here.
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 1:38 pm
As for me and Voight, well we were both born Catholic.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Yes, Miller’s refreshing and delightful.
Perhaps the most interesting evolution of all has been Christopher Hitchens. To think he started out selling Trotskyist newspapers on a London street corner.
A for your “man,” to the extent there is such a thing, it’s not really the movement conservative but rather what Rush calls the country-club blue-blood Republican, the small-town patriarch Sinclair Lewis was depicting in Babbitt, the kind of guy who encourages civic boosterism so as to keep the rabble from getting any cosmopolitan fancy-pants ideas about changing the status quo or really doing anything of substance. Rush says that they regularly come up to him at his personal appearances and whisper to him, “Can’t you do anything about keeping these anti-abortion zealots from detracting from our economic issues?” The kind of person whose vision is so narrow that their foreign policy consists of “Hey, just so long as I have a market for my widgets I don’t care who blows who up.”
Heaven forfend that somebody might really have deep convictions and a seamless worldview!
So, as I say, if there is a “man,” that’s him, broadly characterized.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Actually, true right-wing-ism has a fair amount in common with that whole Tony Robbins / Zig Ziglar / motivational bag. The basic message is “Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t be fabulous and excellent. Don’t let garbage or nonsense into your life or mind. Refuse to be a victim of anything.”
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Oh man, bloggie finally admits there’s “a man,” if not da man! I personally am wary of seamless world views. Have you checked out the universe lately? It doth seem to be as indifferent to us as we generally are to it. Gotta be flexible these days. And that’s a great hope! All is likely an illusion anyhow. Admitting ignorance is the beginning of enlightenment.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Wariness of seamless worldviews. We gotta work on that one.
Bentnotesmanhisself said,
May 24, 2008 at 7:20 pm
One of the many millions of reasons I hate the song “Imagine” deeply and viscerally is the line, “Nothing to kill or die for.” Whenever I hear some choir of “young people” sing that at some public event, my blood boils at the incalculable damage John Lennon did to western civilization’s prospects.
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I don’t believe in atheists:
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Believe-Atheists-Chris-Hedges/dp/141656795X
(Chris Hedges… who graduated from seminary at Harvard Divinity School)…observes that there are two radical, polarized and dangerous sides to the debate on faith and religion in America: the fundamentalists who see religious faith as their prerogative, and the new atheists who brand all religious belief as irrational and dangerous. Both sides use faith to promote a radical agenda, while the religious majority, those with a commitment to tolerance and compassion as well as to their faith, are caught in the middle.
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Since we’re merely human (angels that shit, according to Kierkegaard), no world view is seamless. But, since there are many who think theirs is, let the blood keep letting…
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I Don’t Believe in Atheists critiques the radical mindset that rages against religion and faith. Hedges identifies the pillars of the new atheist belief system, revealing that the stringent rules and rigid traditions in place are as strict as those of any religious practice.
Hedges claims that those who have placed blind faith in the morally neutral disciplines of reason and science create idols in their own image — a sin for either side of the spectrum. He makes an impassioned, intelligent case against religious and secular fundamentalism, which seeks to divide the world into those worthy of moral and intellectual consideration and those who should be condemned, silenced and eradicated. Hedges shatters the new atheists’ assault against religion in America, and in doing so, makes way for new, moderate voices to join the debate. This is a book that must be read to understand the state of the battle about faith.
Mr. Dings said,
May 24, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Moderates unite! And moderate…